After Excellence: Models of Organisational Culture for the Public Sector

Abstract

Abstmct: Organisational culture is recognised as a critical ingredient of organisational effectiveness. However, the popular "excellence" model of managing organisational culture is unsuited to the contingencies and character of many public sector organisations. Termed here the cultural control model, it is the only widely shared understanding of good culture and haw to create it. As a generic prototype of culture it is limited, since it relies on management imposing a culture on a work force devoid of subcultural conflict. Three other models of organisational culture are introduced which offer more promise for the public sector: the subcultu~d model; the professional-managerial multiculture; and the public service or public interest model. These other models recognise in the culture-building strategies they prescribe that culture is deeply-rooted and not readily malleable by management and that subcultures affect organisations in various, not necessarily negative, ways. While the cultural control model reminds us of the significance of culture to better management, subsequent research has refined models of organisational culture which are more Consistent with the values and ethics of professionalism and good administration.* 17re author wishes to thank t w anonymous refereesfor very help@ comments on an earlier dmfr of this article.

Organisational culture in the public sector: evidence from six organisations

“…This might further explain limits to attempts to align organisational culture in the public sector with the``ideal model'' derived from private sector experience. The small body of research on the values of public sector employees suggests that public sector employees are more altruistic than private sector employees and that they have a commitment to social development and the pursuit of the public interest (Sinclair, 1991). Future research should examine differences in the characteristics of private and public organisations and their employees (Perry and Rainey, 1988), which might explain the resistance of public sector organisations to the adoption of cultural characteristics generally associated with private sector organisations.…”

“…While there are various obstacles to public sector change, including the existence of important sub-cultures and professional allegiances (Sinclair, 1991), public sector organisations can be expected to increasingly model their private sector counterparts. This can be conceptualized as a process of organisational isomorphism in which public sector organisations are moulded to match or mimic the best practices of private sector organisations (Di Maggio and Powell, 1991; Metcalfe and Richards, 1992; Osborne and Gaebler, 1992; Rhodes, 1991).…”

Understanding Professional Culture in Organizational Context

“…Furthermore, we would add that individuals may simultaneously hold membership within a number of nested cultures, some of which (such as professional or occupational subcultures) extend beyond the workplace (Sinclair 1991). However, before embarking on our case analysis of professional culture in organizational context, the next section briefly discusses the nature of professionalism and the growing significance of professionals, and the potential issues which arise in the ongoing relationship between professional subculture(s) and organizational culture.…”

Mediating change for public‐sector professionals

“…Limited research suggests that public sector employees have different values and motives compared with private sector employees (Perry, 1993, Sinclair, 1991. According to Sinclair (1991), the key models for understanding public sector culture are the cultural control model, the subculture model, the professional's multiculture models and the public interest culture model. The cultural control model advocates that there is only one culture and uses control tactics to ensure it.…”