Complementarity in Politics-Administration Relationship: Interpersonal Trust Between Political Appointees and Career Public Managers in State Government
Year: 2014
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: An examination of variables deemed fundamental to the complementary relationship between the political and administrative leaderships remains imperative discourse in the realm of scholarship.This study was premised on that assumption.It examined interpersonal trust as a fundamental anchor of harmonious and mutually respectful working relationship between the political and professional actors in government.Focusing on state government, a survey was carried out to establish the extent to which career managers perceive their relationships with political appointees as trustful.It further related the perceived levels of trust among career managers to the extent of professional discretion, participation, communication, and commitment.Two reform models were created for the purpose of comparative analysis regarding the implications of the contemporary radical changes in public management.In the multivariate analysis, perceived level of interpersonal trust among career managers was found to be positively related with professional discretion, participative management, communication, and commitment.On the extent to which the variables manifest or predict interpersonal trust, the multiple linear regression model revealed that discretion and communication were the significant predictors.In-depth interviews conducted among a selected segment of the respondents complemented most of the findings from the quantitative analysis, particularly relative to the relationship between v DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to the memory of my only but late lovely daughter, Veronica Amma Nyarko Boateng, whose passing occurred at the very time I was getting close to completing my long academic pursuit.Her presence in my life signified a lot as it marked the beginning of new opportunities.For me, she came with the requisite blessings that I so much desired following series of life challenges.It was indeed on that very score that she meant more than a daughter to me.Amma!I am yet to come to terms with the fact that you are no more, and I doubt if I will ever do.Writing the last chapter of this dissertation proved to be daunting because it was at this particular juncture that I was told of your passing.Yet, I gathered courage to complete it so that I can have something valuable in my life to constantly remind me of how you meant to me.I know my heart is never going to be healed, but I will seek solace in the fact that God knows what is in our best interest.vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am most grateful to my committee members for their unflinching guidance and support towards the successful completion of this dissertation.My foremost thanks go to Dr. Raymond Cox III who was not just my committee chair but a father figure.His scholarly guidance and mentorship have been very instrumental in my present accomplishment.He offered me the requisite platform to interact with him both formally and informally to shape my research ideas and direction.I am also thankful to Dr. Nancy Grant for her willingness to serve on my committee when I desperately needed her huge academic experience to complement those of the other committee members.Her interventions and suggestions, particularly at my proposal defense, helped me to appropriately define my research objectives.I am grateful to Dr. Steven Ash who inspired much confidence in me beginning from my first encounter with him.His suggestions in regards to my research questions and the relevant literature significantly shaped my focus.Indeed, he guided me to pay attention to the significance of the study.I am equally thankful to Dr
Author: Joseph Boateng
Institution: University of Akron
Language: English
Subfield: Public Administration
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2612279922