Work

Managerial Perceptions of Privatization: Evidence from a State Department of Transportation

Year: 2005

Type: article

Abstract: Mid-level managers have largely been ignored in studies of privatization’s stakeholders, despite their significant role in implementing privatization processes. This paper examines seeks to remedy that gap by examining managerial perceptions of privatization within a state department of transportation. Based on various theories of bureaucratic behavior, we hypothesize that professional identity will correlate with negative privatization perceptions and that stronger contractor-manager relationships and beliefs about privatization’s professional benefits will correlate with favorable perceptions. These hypotheses are tested with mail survey data from mid-level agency managers. Statistical modeling indicates that relationship quality is positively correlated with privatization perceptions; professional identity, when measured as a preference for technical work, is negatively correlated with privatization perceptions; and beliefs in privatization’s benefits do not correlate with privatization perceptions.

Source: State and Local Government Review

DOI: 10.1177/0160323x0503700305

Authors: Leisha DeHart-Davis, Gordon Kingsley

Institutions: University of Kansas, Georgia Institute of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Public Policy and Administration Research

Subfield: Public Administration

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: green

Funder: Georgia Department of Transportation