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Is it the Brazilian Way? Extending the Comparison of Public and Private Organizations

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Abstract

This study investigates the differences in select organizational characteristics, managerial practices and work attitudes among 670 public and private sector workers in Brazil. The results indicate that in some aspects there is a moderation effect by type of organization. For example,when public employees score high on autonomy and task significance, perceive organizational practices as favourable, and keep membership in the same organization, they tend to be more satisfied than private sector workers. Overall, the findings highlight the need for more international comparisons to gain a better understanding of the public-private distinction.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge Barry Bozeman and his graduate students, as well as an anonymous reviewer, for helpful comments and suggestions. A previous version of this paper was presented at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management. This study was supported by a CAPES/Fulbright Fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Administration, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Antonio Carlos Ave. 6627 – FACE Building – room 4053, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil, 31270-901

    Renata Borges

  2. Department of Organizational Sciences and Communication, The George Washington University, 600 21st St. NW, Washington, DC, 20052, USA

    Jonathon Mote

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  1. Renata Borges
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Correspondence to Renata Borges.

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Borges, R., Mote, J. Is it the Brazilian Way? Extending the Comparison of Public and Private Organizations. Public Organiz Rev 16, 509–528 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-015-0322-2

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