The growth in international research on public service motivation (PSM) raises a number of important questions about the degree to which the theory and research developed in one country can contribute to our understanding of PSM in other counties. To help address this issue, this study revisits the conceptual and operational definitions of PSM to address weaknesses previously noted in the literature. Although some important steps have been taken to both improve and internationalize the PSM scale, this work has been done incrementally. In contrast, this study takes a more systematic and comprehensive approach by combining the efforts of international PSM scholars to develop and then test a revised measurement instrument for PSM in 12 countries. Although the resulting four dimensional 16-item measure of PSM reported here provides a better theoretical and empirical foundation for the measurement of PSM, our results suggest that the exact meaning and scaling of PSM dimensions are likely to differ across cultures and languages. These results raise serious concerns regarding the ability to develop a single universal scale of PSM, or making direct comparisons of PSM across countries.Its earlier versions were delivered at the Annual Conference

OECD analyses show that France has been slow in introducing the new Human Resource Management (HRM) model; however, the few changes that have been made have still aroused controversy. There is a substantial body of empirical research showing that the newly introduced tools and initiatives have often had little effect on HRM practices, and external analyses show that progress in public-sector HRM reform in France has been imperceptible compared with the situation in many other countries. At the same time, the managerial philosophy on which some new HRM processes are based is increasingly being challenged. This paper summarizes current views on HRM reform in France and presents the results of a survey of public-sector management researchers that highlights the two main French perspectives on HRM reform.

International audienceResearch into public service motivation is currently witnessing exponential growth. However, the universal application of the concept to all categories of public employees raises questions. Indeed, the origins of the concept, which can be traced back to political science studies in the United States, may suggest that the concept applies mainly to senior management but much less to operatives of various types, whose motivations seem more instrumental . Research into the antecedents of PSM has thus shown that high hierarchical levels were associated with employee profiles with a high level of PSM (Bright, 2005; Camilleri, 2007). Some authors go as far as to consider that the concept does not apply at all to operative jobs (Gabris and Simo, 1995). The purpose of this article is therefore to analyse the differences between the public service motivation of operatives and that of other categories of employees. To do so, we draw on two empirical studies, one quantitative (n = 2 868), conducted among the public employees of cities in 12 countries, and the other qualitative, conducted among public employees working in the technical service of a French town. Our results show that the level of PSM is not lower among operatives but that, on the other hand, it is different in its nature and dimensions. Notes to practitioners The issue of the PSM of operative public employees takes on a managerial dimension. Indeed, it has potential policy implications for human resource management policies to be implemented and on the segmentation of the public employees in the light of these policies. Our results thus argue for the mainstreaming of the public service dimension in the management of executives and would suggest that it is in the interest of public organisations to encourage the public service motivation of their employees by designing tasks in such a way that public employees can better appreciate the result of their work among customers and users

Les activités et les rôles des managers sont au coeur de la performance et des changements des organisations. Pourtant, le travail d'encadrement souffre d'un réel déficit de définition, tant dans les organisations que dans la littérature académique. Ce déficit est à rattacher au caractère insatisfaisant des modèles décrivant les rôles des managers. Dans cet article, les auteurs proposent de revisiter l'analyse des rôles, ce qui les conduit à développer le rôle de traduction du manager. En s'appuyant sur une recherche qualitative, ils montrent que la mise en valeur de ce rôle permet de repenser la place et le management de la fonction d'encadrement dans les organisations.

En France, la différence public/privé est à la fois niée par le déploiement de certains outils et démarches de management, mise en exergue par les politiques et les stéréotypes du sens commun et stigmatisée par un discours latent sur le retard français en matière de management public. Face à cette confusion, il nous a semblé utile de réaliser un constat empirique systématique, afin de déterminer si les pratiques managériales tendent à converger ou non dans les secteurs public et privé. Pour cela, en nous appuyant sur une analyse de la littérature nationale et internationale portant sur les différences public/privé, nous avons réalisé une enquête auprès de 908 managers. Nos résultats montrent que les différences dans les pratiques de ces managers, si elles sont indéniables, semblent relativement limitées. Par ailleurs, elles sont souvent plus fortes au sein de chaque univers qu’entre les deux mondes.