The aim of this research is to examine when verbal rewards are salient among personnel in workplaces, with a specific interest in how this relates to the behavior of superior managers. The study investigates several antecedents to verbal reward salience using a cross-sectional survey (n = 483). The findings indicate that verbal rewards tend to be more salient for personnel when their manager frequently provides them, when rewards are accompanied by specific attributes, when they are performance-contingent, and when personnel find the rewards attractive. While the study does not provide information about causality, the results are largely consistent with a conceptual model suggesting that certain managerial practices could potentially be linked to personnel perceiving verbal rewards as incentives. A subgroup analysis suggests that managerial practices related to verbal rewards differ in their association with verbal reward salience between the private and public sectors. 

Despite scholarly fascination with magic concepts, empirical research on how they fare in practice is scarce. This study explores how magic concepts retain their magic when used in public organizations. Using survey data and case studies, we identify “trust” as a magic concept in Scandinavian municipalities and develop a typology of its four central functions. We find that the concept of trust is used to confirm and confront old organizational practices, as well as to calibrate and catalyze new ones. We suggest that the multivocal character of magic concepts enables them to fit multiple agendas simultaneously, strengthening their ability to stay magic. 

Purpose: This study aims to examine the diffusion and implementation of trust-based management (TBM) in Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Norway and Sweden). TBM is a novel “anti-New Public Management (NPM)” innovation within the realm of New Public Governance (NPG), which asserts that leadership and control in public sector organizations should be practiced and designed based on the assumption that civil servants and employees in general are trustworthy. The research questions are as follows: How has TBM been diffused and implemented in Scandinavia? To what extent can the institutional logics framework increase understanding of similarities and differences between the Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Norway and Sweden)? Design/methodology/approach: The authors designed and submitted surveys to the municipal directors of the three Scandinavian municipal populations, thereby producing a unique cross-country dataset on TBM diffusion and implementation in Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway and Sweden). Findings: The authors' study shows that TBM has diffused widely among Scandinavian municipalities and has developed into a municipal-level concept across policy fields and sectors. While Denmark stands out as an earlier and more decisive TBM reformer, the results show that similarities in the diffusion and implementation of TBM in Scandinavian countries are more apparent than the differences. Originality/value: This study contributes to the public management literature and research on anti-NPM and NPG concepts by being the first wide-scale empirical study of TBM diffusion and implementation in the Scandinavian municipal sectors.

The aim of this paper is to examine how verbal rewards (praise) from superior public managers influence subordinate public managers' work motivation coming from experiencing work tasks as important, exciting, interesting, and fun, so-called autonomous motivation. We use self-determination theory (SDT) to theorize that depending on how they are provided, verbal rewards can enhance or undermine autonomous motivation. This is because different verbal reward practices have different effects on subordinate public managers' basic psychological needs, which in turn influences their autonomous motivation. Based on a cross-sectional survey completed by 331 public managers in four Swedish local government organizations, we find that verbal rewards that are performance-contingent and provided frequently undermine public managers' autonomous motivation. Verbal rewards enhance autonomous motivation when they are based on skills and results. Our study contributes to the public management literature discussing the applicability of rewards in public sector organizations where autonomous motivation is crucial for performance. It contributes to practice by suggesting that superior managers who provide skills/result-based verbal rewards are more likely to enhance than undermine the autonomous motivation of subordinates. In support of SDT, the overall conclusion is that the impact of verbal rewards on public managers' autonomous motivation is contingent on how verbal rewards are provided by superiors. However, our results should be interpreted with some caution due to the circumstance that cross-sectional survey research can only ensure associations between constructs and not causality.

Kommuner, regioner och landsting utgör en betydande del av den svenska offentliga sektorn och tillhandahåller tjänster som är betydelsefulla för landets medborgare. Några exempel är vård av äldre och funktionshindrade, utbildning samt hälso- och sjukvård. Under senare år har den andel av verksamheten som tillhandahålls direkt av kommuner, regioner och landsting minskat. Istället har förekomsten av privata utförare ökat inom många områden. Eftersom den upphandlade verksamheten motsvarar stora belopp och omfattningen kontinuerligt ökar är det viktigt att dessa beställare ser till att de privata utförarna levererar verksamhet på överenskommet sätt och med utlovat resultat. Denna forskningsrapport syftar till att beskriva och förklara hur offentliga beställare styr privata utförare i olika styrsituationer avseende konkurrenssituationen och vilken verksamhet som upphandlas. Det empiriska materialet är insamlat genom intervjuer både med kommuner och med privata utförare.

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to create knowledge about what factors explain the design of control systems for contracted public services. Design/methodology/approach - Questionnaire data analyzed with structural equation models. Findings - Legitimacy-seeking is the most important driver in explaining intensity in control of contracted public services. Competition increases the intensity of control which is opposite to standard transaction cost reasoning. Coordination requirements do not affect the design of control systems for contracted public services. Research limitations/implications - The study suffers from limitations in the form of the use of perception and questionnaire data and imposes restrictions on empirical generalization. Practical implications - Supplier competition may add control costs rather than lower them. The strong focus on stakeholder alignment may induce more intensive control than necessary for supplier alignment. Originality/value - The authors add important knowledge on the determinants of control system design for contracted public sector services. The authors conceptualize and measure the control system in use in a more compelling manner than previous research.

Purpose - In the last decade, greater attention has been paid to the role of management accounting and control (MAC) in making professional organizations more horizontal. The authors argue that earlier research has not shown how the interrelatedness between professional identities and MAC influences attempts to make organizations more horizontal. In this paper the authors respond to the call for more research on the relationship between horizontalization and accounting and control. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the emerging literature on the relationship between accountability arrangements and professional identities. Design/methodology/approach - Theoretically the authors have an actor-network theory (ANT) approach. Empirically, the authors followed two episodes where actors at top management levels in two Swedish health care organizations introduced horizontalization. Findings - The two episodes support the view that the role of MAC when making professional organizations more horizontal is limited. Professionals dominate what happens at the operational level and they do not act on MAC rules and performance targets in opposition of their professional identity. However, in alliance with other interessement devices MAC may have a role in creating overflows, that is, pointing out imperfections in the existing frame. The authors noticed no signs that professionals developed hybrid identities as in previous research. Originality/value - The authors apply ANT to move beyond the commonly used contingency and new institutional sociology perspectives.

Purpose – In order to improve cooperation and collaboration between units, clinics and departments, many health care organizations (HCOs) have introduced process orientation. Several studies indicate problems in realizing these ambitions. The purpose of this paper is to explain and understand the success and failure of process orientation in HCOs.

Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted three case studies and applied Actor-Network Theory as an analytic lens.

Findings – The realization of process orientation is hindered by neglect or resistance from physicians, who find the process targets to be of low medical priority. However, the authors also see that medical priorities are no stable entities but are susceptible to negotiations. Over time, process organization, process mapping, process measurement activities and the acting of enroled actors may have impact on medical priorities.

Originality/value – Contrary to previous research, the findings indicate that New Public Management may not be the main obstacle against processes, that accounting figures may not be hard to disregard and that the role of leadership is not paramount.

Trenden i många välfärdsstater är att konkurrensutsättning och privata utförare är ett tydligt alternativ till egenregiproduktion för att leverera service och välfärd till medborgare. Sverige är inget undantag. Förklaringen är ideologiska strömningar men också en vilja att effektivisera och skapa nytänkande inom offentligt finansierade verksamheter. För att ambitionerna med konkurrensutsättning ska kunna realiseras måste de offentliga huvudmännen styra sina privata utförare. För närvarande vet vi dock väldigt lite om hur styrningen av privata utförare i offentlig sektor utformas, vad som förklarar utformningen och vilken betydelse den har för olika verksamheter i olika situationer. Trots det debatteras frågan livligt i politik och media. I den här rapporten utgår vi från teori om styrning av samarbete och samordning när en organisation ska styra en annan. Genom att studera upphandlad verksamhet i svenska kommuner söker vi förklaringar till hur, varför och med vilket utfall offentliga huvudmän styr sina privata utförare. Det empiriska materialet är insamlat med enkäter skickade till privata utförare inom äldreomsorg och teknisk verksamhet.

Recent research emphasizes technocratic controls to support the self-management aspect of empowerment. Strategic alignment is ascribed to socio-ideological controls. However, the indirect nature of socio-ideological controls pose a question regarding monitoring of strategic alignment in organizations with empowerment-oriented controls. We adopt a holistic approach in exploring the role of and interaction between organization structure, socio-ideological control and technocratic control through a qualitative case study. Our study confirms the essential role of socio-ideological controls in ensuring strategic alignment, but highlights the role of trust in experienced-based advice-giving from superiors to subordinates. Technocratic controls contain information that provide visibility of local actions and are used in hierarchical communication. The interrelationship between socio-ideological and technocratic controls is dependent on the organization structure design through time and proximity. A high capacity to communicate is thereby established, enabling monitoring without impairing empowerment.