This study would use the social service agency in Bulgaria, which is part of the Ministry of labor and Social policy, as a case, to research the questions: what motivates employees in the public sector to work hard and to stay in the public sector? What values and incentives play a role for their motivation? The official report from 2010 of the Public Service Administration in Bulgaria have listed public service motivation as the key challenge, which human resource management in the public administration is facing. The report from 2015 addresses the fact that the strategies to improve motivation have not produced the expected results.
The difficulty to attract young, educated people and also to maintain the good quality employees in the system are still present. This study is organized as follows. The next section presents the scientific literature found on the four factors that influence employees’ motivation. After that the methodology chosen to study this problem statement and the data gathering is explained. The result section presents the findings of the interviews and it is structured again following the four motivational concepts and it is followed by a brief discussion of the findings. Finally, the last section concludes this case study.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Theoretical framework
Public service motivation
Extrinsic motivation
Intrinsic Motivation
Organizational Structure
Method
Findings
PSM
Intrinsic factor
Extrinsic factors
Organizational structure
Discussion
Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This study aims to investigate the motivational factors of employees within the Bulgarian social services sector. By employing an explanatory single case study design, the research seeks to identify what drives public sector employees to work hard and remain in their positions, while analyzing how public service motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, and organizational structures influence their professional behavior and performance.
- Analysis of Public Service Motivation (PSM) in post-communist administrative contexts.
- Evaluation of extrinsic factors such as salary, job security, and tenure benefits.
- Assessment of intrinsic motivational elements, including task interest and feeling of accomplishment.
- Investigation into the impact of bureaucratic organizational structures, centralization, and red tape on employee motivation.
Excerpt from the Book
PSM
By starting the interviews with an open question about what is the first most important thing that brings motivation in their current job, all three respondents answered that they like helping people in need.
“we help people and in Bulgaria people really need this kind of social help.” (Employee 1, 00:06:40)
“I always try to deal with understanding, no matter how nervous or stressed the person is. If I have to be honest, I feel that they need my help and I try to put myself in their shoes.” (Employee 2, 00:53:40)
“The most important thing is that you can really help the people…” (Employee 3, 1:21:26)
These answers are consistent with to Van de Walle, Steijn and Jilke (2015) findings, which show that people who decided to work in the public sector, consider it important to help others and be useful to society trough their work. Further, all respondents answered positively to the question “Do you think everyone should somehow contribute to the public wellbeing?”. These findings show the existence of commitment to the public interest as a factor to the overall public service motivation.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the challenges of motivation in Bulgarian public administration and presents the research goal of understanding social service employee motivations.
Theoretical framework: Reviews existing literature on motivational factors, specifically PSM, intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, and the impact of organizational structures.
Method: Describes the explanatory single case study design, utilizing semi-structured interviews with social service employees in Sofia.
Findings: Presents the qualitative results derived from interviews, categorized by the four core motivational factors and evaluated against theoretical benchmarks.
Discussion: Synthesizes findings, highlighting that while social service employees are motivated by PSM and job security, bureaucracy and low pay remain significant demotivators.
Conclusion: Summarizes the key drivers of motivation and suggests that despite the limitations of a single case study, there is a clear need for improvements in material support and bureaucratic processes.
Keywords
Public Service Motivation, PSM, Bulgaria, Social Services, Work Motivation, Extrinsic Factors, Intrinsic Factors, Organizational Structure, Case Study, Public Administration, Bureaucracy, Job Security, Red Tape, Employee Motivation, Qualitative Research.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this research?
The work examines the primary motivational factors for employees working in the public social services sector in Bulgaria, analyzing why they stay in their roles despite certain challenges.
What are the central themes discussed in this study?
The study centers on four core areas: Public Service Motivation (PSM), extrinsic incentives, intrinsic motivation, and the impact of organizational structure.
What is the primary objective of this research?
The main goal is to identify and understand the motives, values, and incentives that drive social workers in Bulgaria to perform their duties effectively within a public agency.
Which scientific methodology is applied here?
The author uses an explanatory single case study design, featuring three semi-structured, in-depth personal interviews with social service employees to gather qualitative data.
What is covered in the main section of the paper?
The main part analyzes the interview results by comparing them with theoretical literature, looking at how factors like job security, red tape, and centralization affect motivation.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Public Service Motivation (PSM), organizational structure, Bulgarian public sector, extrinsic/intrinsic incentives, and social work motivation.
How does the post-communist context impact employee motivation according to this study?
The study notes that administrative legacies, such as high centralization and political influence, lead to bureaucracy that often hinders the effectiveness of social work.
What role does job security play for the interviewees?
Job security is identified as a major, persistent motivational factor for the respondents, often outweighing their dissatisfaction with low salary levels.
How do the employees view the bureaucratic processes they face?
The employees largely perceive the high levels of formalization and red tape as a "disaster" or a significant obstacle that prevents them from efficiently helping citizens.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2018, Public-Sector Work Motivation. Case study on Bulgarian Social Services, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/454843
