Public Sector Reform and Perceptions of Public Servants: An International Longitudinal Review

Abstract

This chapter analyzes the evolution of citizen perceptions about public servants in different regions and countries of the world. Using quantitative data obtained from the World Values Survey (WVS), this work contributes to the study of such perceptions' trends in more detail, from an international comparative approach that allows to consider key country-level institutional factors such as the intensity and advancement of public sector reforms. The data does not suggest a global trend in perceptions about public servants, yet confidence in the public service is below a majority worldwide. Some regional patterns emerge with Latin America exhibiting the lowest levels of trust in the civil service and a detachment from perceptions on the government overall. From an analysis of the three most populated countries in the world (China, India, and the United States) and Latin America's distinct behavior, the influence of public sector reform on citizens'

The Lure of Technocrats: A Conjoint Experiment on Preferences for Technocratic Ministers in Six European Countries

“…This finding may simply suggest that citizens are not always able to operate a clear-cut distinction between types of public officials. This interpretation is consistent with prior research: at the aggregate level, trust in the civil service and trust in government are highly correlated (Sanabria-Pulido & Bello-Gómez, 2020). At the individual level, determinants of trust in national government, parliament, and administration are very similar (Camões & Mendes, 2019).…”

In Bureaucrats we Trust? Good Governance and Trust in Civil Servants

“…Though several countries from other parts of the world are included, it may be difficult to generalize the findings to countries that are either less developed or non-European. As multiple studies point out, trust in political institutions can vary noticeably across different regions of the world (Kahn, 2016;Bigley & Weniger, 2020;Sanabria-Pulido & Bello-Gómez, 2020).…”

“…Some studies even suggest that the Great Recession has only deepened this deficit of trust (OECD, 2013). While other scholars contend that this perceived deterioration is not yet established as absolute fact (e.g., Van de Walle, Van Roosbroek, & Bouckaert, 2008;van der Meer, Steen, & Wille, 2015;Sanabria-Pulido & Bello-Gómez, 2020) and that levels of trust fluctuate considerably over time, what is clear is that policymakers are concerned that trust is uncomfortably low (Pollitt & Bouckaert, 2004).…”