Job Satisfaction in Public and Private Schools: Competition is Key

Abstract

Should the public sector become more like the private sector? This is a key question in debates about public management. However, the public/private distinction includes many elements. Two of these are ownership and competition. These aspects are not always sorted out empirically. Another challenge is that dissimilar functional areas are studied which makes it difficult to isolate effects of privatization as such. We respond to these challenges by carrying out an empirical analysis of job satisfaction among teachers who teach Danish to immigrants. The teachers work in comparable schools, carry out the same task, and are subject to the same performance management system, but some of the schools are public, some are private, and some have been subject to competitive tendering. We demonstrate that competition has a greater impact than ownership upon job satisfaction. We also show that one of the key mechanisms which translate competition into reduced job satisfaction relates to changing relations between managers and employees. Advocates and opponents of privatization alike should pay more attention to specific aspects and mechanisms related to privatization, in particular the element of competition.

Perceived leadership style and job satisfaction of teachers in Public and Private Schools

“…Similar problems occurred in other EU countries during the economic crisis (Madureira, 2015;Skrbinjek et al, 2018aSkrbinjek et al, , 2018b. These problems create unfavourable working conditions compared to private schools, and can affect the level of job satisfaction (Dahler-Larsen and Foged, 2018).…”

“…This can create a pressure on public schools to operate with increased number of students with severe reductions in public expenditure on education. In turn, financial constrains in public schools can create unfavourable working conditions, compared to private schools, that can affect the level of job satisfaction (Dahler-Larsen and Foged, 2018).…”

The Impact of Working Conditions, Leadership, and Job Satisfaction on Job Performance: A Case Study of Private and Public Schools

“…The explanation for the association is, however, inadequate because empirical research has not consistently identified a link between satisfaction with work and job accomplishment (Patricia and Asoba, 2021;and Rainey-Clayton, 2023). According to some researchers, this could be because satisfaction at work and achievement are inversely correlated, meaning that while greater satisfaction at work is more likely to lead to improved efficiency, the converse is also true (Noori, 2023;Dahler-Larsen and Foged, 2018). Others contend that the significant variation in the connection may be explained by certain contextual elements, like person-to-person variations in work attitudes, which have an impact on the relationship (Nkrumah and Back, 2023;Roy et al, 2017;and Gius, 2015).…”