Profiling Public Sector Choice: Perceptions and Motivational Determinants at the Pre-Entry Level

Abstract

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development now guides public administrations in conveying all their functions. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), directly or indirectly, need effective public services and officials for successful implementation. Although working in public entities has been related to ‘a sense of duty and morality’, literature reports that motivation and sense of self-worth among public officials have been declining for many years, which in turn can endanger their performance, diminish their willingness to attend to civic affairs, and become committed to their organisation. Public officials’ motivation has been widely addressed through the lens of public service motivation and public sector motivation. Fewer studies, however, have focused on the factors of choice at a pre-level entry. This paper intends to address this gap by pondering on what influences student’s intention to work in the public sector. Understanding what drives potential future public officials’ motivation is crucial for public service sector effectiveness. Following a case study approach with a sample of 2251 undergraduate and post-graduate students of a Portuguese university, findings show an attribution of similar strengths and shortcomings to public and nonprofit sectors, a more positive perception of the private sector and job stability as the strongest motivation.

Comparing Employer Attractiveness of Public Sector Organizations to Nonprofit and Private Sector Organizations: An Experimental Study in Germany and the U.S.

“…Quite the contrary, our respondents felt more attracted to public organizations and also rated their prestige as higher than the prestige of private employers. This finding is contradictory to a number of studies that found the opposite effect (Erlanger et al, 1996; Fowler & Birdsall, 2020; Pedersen, 2013; Santinha et al, 2021; Van de Walle et al, 2015). It should be noted, however, that these studies differ strongly in the sampled target groups of public sector recruitment.…”

“…Pedersen (2013) finds a similar distribution among bachelor and master students of economics, political science, and law at two Danish universities who were asked for their sector preferences after graduation, all job characteristics being equal. Santinha et al (2021) report that a clear majority of students across a broad range of subjects at a Portuguese university prefer employment in the private sector over the public and nonprofit sector when asked for their future career intentions.…”

Weaknesses in Motivation and in Establishing a Meritocratic System: A Portrait of the Portuguese Public Administration

“…The results point to a deterioration of working conditions, but academics maintain a positive view regarding the academic profession. Santinha et al (2021) state that the adaptation of the private sector management style to public administration has had a crucial impact in the field of human resources, the most representative being the loss of historically attractive characteristics in the public sector, such as the guarantee of job security and predictability in promotions.…”

“…It follows that less motivated public officials will be less committed to their organisations, including in Portugal, even after the changes put into effect after the 1980s (Santinha et al 2021). The literature (Santinha et al 2021) suggests that the objective of attaining job stability may perhaps not be a fulfilling career choice. Our research is in line with these findings.…”

“…Portugal is no exception to the rule (Santinha et al 2021;Corte-Real 2008;Madureira and Ferraz 2010) and, particularly after joining the European Union (EU), in 1986, has experienced, over the course of successive constitutional governments, the implementation of reform measures based on NPM, aimed at streamlining the state's administrative apparatus, reducing public expenditure and removing bureaucracy from processes, gains in Adm. Sci.…”