INFLUENCES OF THE MACRO-, MESO-, AND MICRO-ENVIRONMENT ON THE BEHAVIOR AND ATTITUDES OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES

<p dir="ltr">Ch. 1. Public leadership literature documents how relations-oriented leaders can foster employee job satisfaction by offering interpersonal support and opportunities for collaboration and professional development. However, the mechanisms linking these approaches to job satisfaction may be shaped by national culture. This study shows that self-orientation (individualism vs. collectivism) moderates the link between relational leadership and job satisfaction. These findings suggest culturally competent leadership can sustain employee well-being in diverse organizations and play a role in more nuanced models of public personnel management.</p><p dir="ltr">Ch. 2. Prior research offers two assumptions: performance management systems are not effective unless managers use them, and the use of performance information varies according to certain organizational and individual characteristics. Thus, this study explores the determinants of managerial use of performance information in U.S. nursing homes, finding that this behavior varies by recent performance, sector of ownership, and managers’ professional backgrounds. These results offer implications for the design of performance management systems and updates theoretical notions around how managers benchmark their performance. <br></p><p dir="ltr">Ch. 3. Person-environment fit theory contends that employee well-being is a function of their immediate workplace environment, and that fit occurs when individual and organizational characteristics reach an equilibrium. This study tests one type of fit—where the needs of an employee are supplied by the organization. As dedicated and intrinsically motivated employees, public servants in general need to act on those needs and engage in significant and meaningful work. This chapter investigates the benefits and limits—the equilibrium—of needs-supplies fit on two employee outcomes: job satisfaction and meaningfulness. Findings suggest that unmet demand for teachers' skills leads to diminished satisfaction, but that perceived meaningfulness can buffer this effect. </p>