HRM Implementation and Performance in the Public Sector

Abstract

Several disciplines (including HRM, marketing, and ICT) are concerned with improving organizational performance. The distinctive feature of Human Resource Management (HRM) is its assumption that improved performance can be achieved through people in the organization. This seems to be especially true for the public sector since this is generally considered to be labor-intensive (Boyne, 2003; Poutvaara & Wagener, 2008). Since the early 1980s, with the rise of New Public Management (NPM), public organizations are increasingly facing pressure to perform. As such, a more business-oriented management approach has come to play a central role within the public sector (Boyne, Meier, O’Toole & Walker, 2006; Osborne & Gaebler, 1992; Pollitt & Bouckaert, 2004). In this respect, in addition to values such as legitimacy and quality, values such as effectiveness and efficiency have gained importance. The idea is that, using these values, public organizations can better be judged on their performance. Moreover, because of increased individualization and growing emancipation, citizens expect more from government (Sociaal en Cultureel Planbureau, 2004; 2012). They expect public services to be of high quality, to be efficient, and to be customized to their needs (Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken en Koninkrijksrelaties, 2001). Lately, the performance of the public sector has come under even more attention as a result of the cuts due to the financial crisis what is forcing public organizations to improve performance while employing fewer staff (A+O fonds Gemeenten, 2010; Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken en Koninkrijksrelaties, 2010; 2013). These developments suggest increasing pressure on public sector organizations with consequences for their role as employers.