Can public service motivation, perception, gender and internship experience affect public sector job choice amongst undergraduate students in singapore

  i  CAN PUBLIC SERVICE MOTIVATION, PERCEPTION, GENDER, AND INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE EFFECT PUBLIC SECTOR JOB CHOICE AMONGST UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN SINGAPORE? DALVIN JIT KAUR SIDHU (B Social Sciences (Hons), NUS) A THESIS SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SOCIAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE 2011   ii  Acknowledgements I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor Dr Kilkon Ko, for his intelligent insight and help with this thesis His patience and selfless assistance throughout the past few years was of profound help to me The modules I took under him throughout the years equipped me with extensive analytical and research skills that were very helpful when writing this thesis The knowledge and advice he has imparted will follow me as I continue on my next journey in life I would also like to thank my parents Jagjit Singh and Dalbir Kaur for their moral and financial support throughout these two years, and my sister, Jesreen Sidhu who was and still is my biggest cheerleader She was always there whenever I need someone to talk to Last but not least, I would like to thank my boyfriend Jasmeet Singh for always being there for me, ever ready to offer suggestions for improvement His words of encouragement were a source of strength and motivation for me as I embarked on writing this thesis     iii  Table of Contents Chapter Introduction…………………………………………………………… Chapter Literature Review……………………………………………………… Conceptualizing PSM…………………………………………… …… The Job Motivations of Female Job Seekers ……………………… … Gender and Organizational Culture……………………………… …… 10 Female College Students and Employment in Public Organizations……… 14 Organizational Socialization Theory……………………………………… 15 Internship Experience ………………………………………………………15 Significance of Literature………………………………………………… 18 Chapter Gender and the Singapore Civil Service……………………………… 20 Gender Discrimination in the Public Sector……………………………… 20 Female University Students in Singapore………………………………… 21 Internship in the Singapore Public Sector ………………………………….23 Chapter Research Design and Methods………………………………………… 26 Research Questions and Hypotheses……………………………………… 26 Research Method………………………………………………………… 29 Questionnaire……………………………………………………………… 29 Research Design in the Context of this Study ………………………………32 Sampling and Data Collection…………………………………………… 33 Descriptive Statistics ……………………………………………………… 37 Chapter Data Analysis and Results…………………………………………… .40 Dependent Variables……………………………………………… 40 Independent Variables…………………………………………… 43 Results……………………………………………………………… …… 45 Gender and PSM (Hypothesis one)………………………………………… 45 Perception of the organizational culture in the Singapore civil service (Hypothesis two)…………………………………………………… …… 49 Internship Experiences and Public Sector Job Choice (Hypothesis three)…………………………………………………………………………51     iv  Qualitative Interviews……………………………………………………… 53 Chapter Discussion……………………………………………………………… 57 Females and PSM………………………………………………………… 57 Perception of the Organizational Culture in the Public Service and Public Sector Job Choice ………………………………………………………… 59 Is Internship Important in Encouraging Public Sector Job Choice? ……… 62 Chapter Conclusion……………………………………………………………… 66 Bibliography……………………………………………………………………… 71 Appendix Questionnaire………………………………………………………… 77     v  Summary While there is a vast variety of literature available on incumbent civil servants in the field of public administration, there are limited empirical studies available on future civil servants, the college graduates This paper investigates the inclination 820 undergraduates from the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University have towards public sector jobs in Singapore In addition, the effect that gender, internship experience, perception of the organizational culture of the civil service, and public service motivation has on public sector job choice will be delved into This paper provides empirical evidence that internship experience in the public sector can neutralize the extreme masculine perceptions college students have about the public sector College students who had masculine perceptions of the public sector were less likely to pursue jobs in the public sector While gender was not found to be a significant variable in explaining public service motivation in this context, Perry’s public service motivation theory, that those with higher public service motivation are more likely to join public organizations was found to be true Overall, positive internship experiences were found to have an indirect effect on public sector job choice because of its potential in neutralizing extreme masculine perceptions of the civil service Keywords: Public Service Motivation, gender, college students, organizational culture, public sector internship     vi  List of Tables   Table Masculine and Feminine Organizational Values………… 13 Table Number and Percentage of females graduating from the three local universities………… 22 Table Participant Distribution………… 36 Table Descriptive Statistics of Respondents………………………38 Table Rank Order of Job Motivation of Respondents…………… 46 Table Linear Regression Analysis Hypothesi One…………….… 48 Table Linear Regression Analysis Hypothesis Two…… …….… 50 Table Multiple Logistic Regression Results Hypothesis Three… 52   vii  List of Diagrams Diagram   Masculinity/Femininity Scoring Scale……….42   1  Chapter Introduction The public sector in Singapore has been referred to as “clean” (Mahiznan 1999), and one of the most “competent and upright bureaucracies” in the region with the “highest paid civil servants” (Quah 2003) Are there specific characteristics that that bind public sector job seekers? More specifically, is gender a significant factor in the preference towards public sector jobs? Public service motivation (PSM) theory, as advocated by Perry and Wise (1990) states that individuals who register high levels of PSM are attracted to public organizations because of their unique nature Is this theory applicable to undergraduate students in Singapore universities? Do other factors such as organizational exposure in the form of internship experiences and the perceptions of the organizational culture in the public sector have an effect on the undergraduates’ decision to join the public sector? This thesis attempts to answer these empirical questions by using first-hand data extracted from surveys and interviews administered to undergraduate students from three public universities in Singapore As espoused by Perry and Wise (1990:368), ‘PSM can be best understood as an individual's predisposition to respond to motives grounded primarily or uniquely in public institutions and organization.’ Individuals, or potential civil servants take on public sector jobs because they are inherently different from private sector jobs seekers However, can public sector job choice be influenced by the perception one has of the organizational culture? Can the perception of the organizational culture be influenced by organizational exposure to the public service? To add an additional layer of analysis, are there significant gender differences in PSM? Dehart-Davis et al (2006) found that female civil servants registered higher levels of PSM despite the masculine notions associated with public administration In particular, these women   2  registered higher scores in the attraction to policy making, commitment to public interest and compassion These variables were used in Dehart-Davis’s (2006) study to measure levels of PSM As espoused by Perry and Wise (1990), those who register higher levels of PSM are more likely to pursue public sector jobs However, it is unknown whether the level of PSM of the female civil servants was a result of joining the civil service Dehart-Davis et al’s study was conducted in the context of the United States Hence, the purpose of this study is to set the foundation for future comparison and to determine if female students have higher PSM as compared to their male counterparts prior to graduation in the Singaporean context Does PSM have an effect on the public sector job choice of female students in Singapore? In addition to PSM theory, the role of organizational socialization will be investigated in this study Specifically, the effect that organizational experience in the public sector has on PSM and subsequently, public sector job choice will be analyzed In this context, internship experience instead of actual job experience will be used as a measure of organizational experience This is because the main target group of this study is the undergraduate population in Singapore universities As such, it can safely be assumed that most students are void of actual work experience in the public sector Hence, the next best measurement of organizational exposure would be their internship experience A large number of literature focusing on the usefulness of internship programs have argued that internships enable its participants to gain an insight into the inner workings of the organization, giving them a taste of what a permanent job in the organization would entail (Chauhan 1978; Denhardt 2001) Students with internship experience will be able to make a more informed career choice (McCaffery 1979) as they are able to gain first-hand knowledge about job expectations and the organizational culture during their internships     3  Majority of research conducted in the field of PSM theory has been based on western countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom In contrast, few studies on non-western countries PSM and job choice are available, especially those on Singapore This thesis chooses Singapore as a case for an empirical study on university students’ public sector job choice PSM and the perception of organizational culture in the context of Singapore will provide an interesting juxtaposition to the wide variety of research available on its western counterparts This thesis seeks to contribute to the existing literature on PSM in several ways Firstly, this thesis is unique as it studies the perception undergraduate students have towards the organizational culture in the public sector Most literature on PSM is based on research conducted on incumbent civil servants The perceptions of undergraduate students are important and should not be disregarded as they have the potential to be future civil servants The perceptions these undergraduates have of the organizational cultures of public organizations can influence their decision to join the public sector upon graduation Secondly, this thesis aims to view the perception of the organizational culture through a gendered lens Majority of the literature, focusing on research in this field, has found the organizational culture of both private and public organizations to be masculine However, these perceptions have been based on the views and opinions of incumbent employees The main contribution of this component is to analyze if variables such as PSM and organizational experience have an effect on the undergraduates’ decision to join the public sector based on the perception they have of the organizational culture The third contribution of this thesis is to apply the gender-specific lens to explain the difference of PSM level among male and female university students This approach is important as it can play a role in understanding the kind of undergraduates who are attracted to public sector jobs     70  can be used to encourage more in-depth research on the existing internship programs in Singapore civil service and their potential in encouraging undergraduates to pursue public sector careers     71  Bibliography Allen, D G (2006) ‘Do organizational socialization tactics influence newcomer embeddedness and turnover?’, Journal of Management, 32(2), 237 Alvesson, M., & Billing, Y (2009) Understanding gender and organizations, Sage Publications Ltd Ankney, D (1992) ‘Sex differences in relative brain size: The mismeasure of woman, too?’, Intelligence, 16(3-4), 329-336 Appold, S J (2005) ‘The weakening position of university graduates in Singapore's labor market: Causes and 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Winners will be contacted via their email Thank you for your time and patience Please contact me at g0900593@nus.edu.sg should you have any questions! 1. Please complete the information below;  University:   Faculty/Department:  Email address:  Year of Study:  Gender: Male/ Female  Which sector do you foresee yourself joining upon graduation?  a The Private Sector  b The Public Sector (Ministries and Statutory Boards)  c Others (please specify:  _)  3.  Rank the following factors that are important to you when choosing your  future career (1 being the most important and 6 being the least important)  a b c d e f Opportunities for advancement                            _  The opportunity to make a contribution to an important decision  _  High salary                  Opportunities to benefit society             High prestige and social status            Opportunities to learn new things            4. Please circle the number that best describes your sentiments to the following  statements;  a I have an obligation to look after those less well off.  Strongly Disagree         Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree   78  b Ethical behavior of public officials is as important as competence  Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Disagree Strongly Agree  c Doing well financially is definitely more important to me than doing good  deeds.  Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree   d It is hard for me to get intensely interested in what is going on in my  community  Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Disagree Strongly Agree    e An official’s obligation to the public should always come before loyalty to  superiors  Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Disagree Strongly Agree    f People may talk about public interest, but they are really concerned only  about their self‐interest  Strongly Disagree               Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree    79  g I believe that there are many public causes worth championing.  Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Disagree Strongly Agree    h I seldom think about the welfare of people I don’t purposely know.  Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Disagree Strongly Agree    i I do not believe that government can do much to make society fairer  Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Disagree Strongly Agree    j Making a difference in society means more to me than personal  achievements.  Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree   k I don’t care much for politicians  Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Disagree Strongly Agree    l When public officials take an oath of office, I believe they accept  obligations not expected of other citizens.  Strongly Disagree   Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree    80        m Most social programs are too vital to do without.  Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Disagree Strongly Agree    n Serving citizens would give me a good feeling even if no one paid me for  it.  Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree     o I have little compassion for people in need who are unwilling to take the  first step to help themselves  Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Disagree Strongly Agree    p The give and take of public policy making doesn’t appeal to me  Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Disagree Strongly Agree    q I am willing to go great length to fulfill my obligations to my country.  Strongly Disagree       Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree    81  r I am willing to use every ounce of my energy to make the world a more  just place.  Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Disagree Strongly Agree  5. Do you have any work or internship experiences in the Private Sector in  Singapore?  a Yes  b No  6. Which of the following best describes your sentiments after your internship  experience in the Private sector?  a I do not have any internship/work experience in the Private sector.  b Before my internship experience, I was not sure if the Private sector was a  right fit for me. However, after interning, I am sure that I want to join the  Private sector upon graduation.  c I have always wanted to work in the private sector and my internship  experience validated these desires.  d I was open to working in prior to my internship experience. However, my  internship experience made me realize that a private sector job is not for  me.  e I interned in the Private sector to accumulate job experience and enhance  my CV. I had no intention of joining the private sector then and my  feelings have not changed.  7. Have you taken/or are taking a module in Public Administration or Public  Policy?  a Yes  b No  8. Are you a Government/Civil Service scholarship holder?  a Yes (With a bond to serve upon graduation)  b Yes (With no bond to serve upon graduation)  c No  9. Do you have any work or internship experiences in the Public Sector (i.e.  Ministries and/or Statutory Boards) in Singapore?  a Yes  b No  Further Instructions    1) For those who answered “Yes” to Question 9 (ie, You do have  internship experience, please continue to part 2. Please do not  complete part 3.    2) For those who answered “No” to Question 9 (i.e. you do not have  any internship experience in the public sector, please skip part 2  and continue to part 3.            82        Part 2 (For those with Internship experience in the Singapore Civil Service)  Those without Civil Service internship experience can skip part 3, continue to  Part 2.   10. What is your most current accumulated CAP?  _  11. How long did you intern in the Public Sector for?  a b c d 1 – 4 weeks  5 – 8 weeks  9 – 12 weeks  Others (Please specify  _)  12. Which of the following best describes the reasons behind your decision to  intern in the Civil Service?  a b c d e To gain an insight into the Public Sector  To accumulate job experience so as to enhance my CV  For fun  For the monthly stipend  Others (Please specify )  13. Do you feel that you were provided with a clear idea of the work  environment during your internship stint? Please elaborate.        14. Which of the following best describes the type of work you were involved in  during the period of your internship?   a b c d e f Operations  Human resource management  Finance and corporate services  Public affairs management  Research and information support  Others (Please specify _)    15a. Would you describe your internship experience as a negative or positive  one?  a Negative      83  b Positive  15b. Please elaborate the reasons behind your answer to question 15a.        16. Which of the following best describes your sentiments after your internship  experience?  a Before my internship experience, I was not sure if the Civil Service was a  right fit for me. However, after interning, I am sure that I want to join the  Public sector upon graduation.  b I have always wanted to work for the Government and my internship  experience validated these desires.  c I was open to working for the Government prior to my internship  experience. However, my internship experience made me realize that a  public sector job is not for me.  d I interned in the public sector to accumulate job experience and enhance  my CV. I had no intention of joining the Public sector then and my feelings  have not changed.  17a. Please circle 5 words that best describes the environment of the  Organization that you interned in.  Impersonal    Cooperative    Rational  Interdependence  Objective  Empathetic    Paternalistic  Accepting    Hierarchical    Attentive    Efficient  Responsive    Competitive    Nurturing    Disciplined  Rigid    Passionate  Action‐Oriented          Sensitive    Compassionate  17b Please rank the words chosen in Qn17a in order of accuracy 1st being the most accurate word that describes the Organization and 5th being the least 1st: 2nd: 3rd: 4th: 5th: Part 3 (Only for those without Internship Experience in the Public Sector in  Singapore)      84  18. What is your most current accumulated CAP?    19a. Are you interested in securing an internship position with the Public Sector  in Singapore?  a Yes  b No  19b. Please elaborate reasons behind your answer to question 19a.        20. Have you tried applying or looking for an internship position with the Public  Sector in Singapore?  a Yes  b No  21a. Circle 5 words that you think best describes the Public Sector in  Singapore?  Impersonal    Cooperative    Rational  Interdependence  Objective  Empathetic    Paternalistic  Accepting    Hierarchical    Attentive    Efficient  Responsive    Competitive    Nurturing    Disciplined  Rigid    Passionate  Action‐Oriented          Sensitive    Compassionate  21b Please rank the words chosen in Qn21a in order of perceived accuracy 1st being the most accurate word that describes the Organization and 5th being the least 1st: 2nd: 3rd: 4th: 5th: **The End**                                  Thank you for your contributions.    ... Private Sector 5 No Internship Experience in the Public Sector Intend Intend to to join join the the Private Public Sector Sector 5 Female Internship Experience in the Public Sector Intend Intend... Chapter Gender and the Singapore Civil Service? ??…………………………… 20 Gender Discrimination in the Public Sector? ??…………………………… 20 Female University Students in Singapore? ??……………………………… 21 Internship in the Singapore. .. Intend Intend to join to join the the Public Private Sector Sector 5 No Internship Experience in the Public Sector Intend Intend to join to join the the Public Private Sector Sector 5 The questions