Work motivation and pro-social behavior in the delivery of public services : theoretical and empirical insights

This Ph.D. dissertation seeks to study the work motivation of employees in the delivery of public services. The questioning on work motivation in public services in not new but it becomes central for governments which are now facing unprecedented public debts. The objective of this research is twofold : First, we want to see if the work motivation of employees in public services is a continuum (intrinsic and extrinsic motivations cannot coexist) or a bi-dimensional construct (intrinsic and extrinsic motivations coexist simultaneously). The research in public administration literature has focused on the concept of public service motivation, and considered motivation to be uni-dimensional (Perry and Hondeghem 2008). However, no study has yet tackled both types of motivation, the intrinsic and extrinsic ones, in the same time. This dissertation proposes, in Part I, a theoretical assessment and an empirical test of a global work motivational structure, by using a self-constructed Swiss dataset with employees from three public services, the education sector, the security sector and the public administrative services sector. Our findings suggest that work motivation in public services in not uni-dimensional but bi-dimensional, the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations coexist simultaneously and can be positively correlated (Amabile et al. 1994). Our findings show that intrinsic motivation is as important as extrinsic motivation, thus, the assumption that employees in public services are less attracted by extrinsic rewards is not confirmed for this sample. Other important finding concerns the public service motivation concept, which, as theoretically predicted, represents the major motivational dimension of employees in the delivery of public services. Second, the theory of public service motivation makes the assumption that employees in public services engage in activities that go beyond their self-interest, but never uses this construct as a determinant for their pro-social behavior. In the same time, several studies (Gregg et al. 2011 and Georgellis et al. 2011) bring evidence about the pro-social behavior of employees in public services. However, they do not identify which type of motivation is at the origin of this behavior, they only make the assumption of an intrinsically motivated behavior. We analyze the pro-social behavior of employees in public services and use the public service motivation as determinant of their pro-social behavior. We add other determinants highlighted by the theory of pro-social behavior (Bénabou and Tirole 2006), by Le Grand (2003) and by fit theories (Besley and Ghatak 2005). We test these determinants on Part II and identify for each sector of activity the positive or the negative impact on pro-social behavior of Swiss employees. Contrary to expectations, we find, for this sample, that both intrinsic and extrinsic factors have a positive impact on pro-social behavior, no crowding-out effect is identified in this sample. We confirm the hypothesis of Le Grand (2003) about the positive impact of the opportunity cost on pro-social behavior. Our results suggest a mix of action-oriented altruism and out-put oriented altruism of employees in public services. These results are relevant when designing incentives schemes for employees in the delivery of public services.

Precarious Work: Agenda and Implications for Corporate Social Responsibility

Precarious work, in contrast to regular, permanent wage work, is commonly associated to insecure and unstable, and often poor quality jobs. The concept of precarious work relates either to a socioeconomic group which allows one to refer it to a "class in itself," or as - pursued more recently - to the precarization process which results in a growing fragmentation of societal structures. Common to both conceptions is that they refer to the exposition of workers to employment instability, limited access to legal and union protection, socially irresponsible and discriminating employment practices, and social and economic vulnerability in general. The present contribution provides an overview of some key issues and future directions of research on precarious work relevant to CSR researchers, policy-makers, and social scientists.

Biomass and nutrient cycling in pure and mixed stands of native tree species in southeastern Bahia, Brazil

The objective of this paper is to study selected components of the nutrient cycle of pure and mixed stands of native forest species of Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil. Tree diameter, height, above-ground biomass, and nutrient content were determined in 22-year-old stands. Litterfall, litter decomposition, and nutrient concentration were evaluated from August 1994 to July 1995. The following species were studied: Peltogyne angustiflora, Centrolobium robustum, Arapatiella psilophylla, Sclerolobium chrysophyllum, Cordia trichotoma, Macrolobium latifolium. The litter of a natural forest and a 40-year-old naturally regenerated second-growth forest was sampled as well. The mixed-species outmatched pure stands in height, stem volume and total biomass (29.4 % more). The greatest amount of forest litter was observed in the natural forest (9.3 Mg ha-1), followed by the mixed-species stand (7.6 Mg ha-1) and secondary forest (7.3 Mg ha-1), and least litterfall was measured in the pure C. robustum stand (5.5 Mg ha-1). Litterfall seasonality varied among species in pure stands (CV from 44.7 to 91.4 %), unlike litterfall in the mixed-tree stand, where the variation was lower (CV 31.2 %). In the natural and second-growth forest, litterfall varied by 57.8 and 34.0 %, respectively. The annual rate of nutrient return via litterfall varied widely among forest ecosystems. Differences were detected between forest ecosystems in both the litter accumulation and quantity of litterlayer nutrients. The highest mean nutrient accumulation in above-ground biomass was observed in mixed-species stands. The total nutrient accumulation (N + P + K+ Ca + Mg) ranged from 0.97 to 1.93 kg tree-1 in pure stands, and from 1.21 to 2.63 kg tree-1 in mixed-species stands. Soil fertility under mixed-species stands (0-10 cm) was intermediate between the primary forest and pure-stand systems. The litterfall rate of native forest species in a mixed-species system is more constant, resulting in a more continuous decomposition rate. Consequently, both nutrient availability and quantity of organic matter in the soil are higher and the production system ecologically more sustainable.

Resigned but satisfied: The negative impact of public service motivation and red tape on work satisfaction

This article examines the relationship between red tape, Public Service Motivation (PSM) and a particular work outcome labelled 'resigned satisfaction'. Using data from a national survey of over 3754 public servants working at the municipal level in Switzerland, this study shows the importance of looking more closely at the concept of work satisfaction and, furthermore, of thoroughly investigating the impact of the different PSM dimensions on work outcomes. Unsurprisingly, research findings show that red tape is the most important predictor of resignation. Nevertheless, when PSM dimensions are analysed separately, results demonstrate that 'commitment to public interest/civic duty' and, to a lesser extent, 'attraction to policy-making' decrease resignation, whereas 'compassion' and 'self-sacrifice' increase it. This study thus highlights some of the negative (or undesirable) effects of PSM that have not been previously addressed in PSM literature.

Leisure, work and gender: a sociological study of women's time in France

In this article, I address the question of the relationship between women's labour market position and their `objective' and `subjective' experience of leisure. With reference to a small-scale empirical study of the social time use of mothers in France, I argue that it is misleading to consider women's leisure experience as being determined by their labour market position. I attempt to show that it could prove more fruitful to examine the complex relationship between women's class and gender identities and their simultaneous experience of work, family and leisure.

Is cannabis use a significant exposition to nicotine?

Purpose: Young cannabis users are at increased risk for cigarette initiation and later progression to nicotine dependence. The present study assesses to which extent cannabis users are exposed to nicotine through mulling, a widespread process consisting of mixing tobacco to cannabis for its consumption. Methods: Data are issued from an ongoing observational study taking place in Switzerland. A total of 267 eligible participants (mean age 19 years, 46.4% males) completed an anonymous self-administered questionnaire on their tobacco and cannabis intake in the previous 5 days. They also provided a urine sample that was blindly analyzed for cotinine (a key metabolite of nicotine) using liquid-chromatography coupled mass-spectrometry. After the exclusion of cannabis users not having smoked at least one joint/blunt in which tobacco had been mixed (n _ 2), and participants reporting other sources of nicotine exposition than cigarettes or mulling (n _37), four groups were created: cannabis and cigarette abstainers (ABS, n_ 69), cannabis only smokers (CAS; n _ 33), cigarette only smokers (CIS; n _ 62); and cannabis and cigarette smokers (CCS, n _ 64). Cotinine measures of CAS were compared to those of ABS, CIS and CCS. All comparisons were performed using ANCOVA, controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, BMI and environmental exposure to cigarette smoke in the past month (at home, in school/at work, in social settings). The number of mixed joints/blunts smoked in the previous 5 days was additionally taken into account when comparing CAS to CCS. Cotinine values (ng/ml) are reported as means with 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Results: In the previous 5 days, CAS had smoked on average 10 mixed joints/blunts, CIS 30 cigarettes, and CCS 8 mixed joints/ blunts and 41 cigarettes. Cotinine levels of participants considerably differed between groups. The lowest measure was found among ABS (3.2 [0.5-5.9]), followed in growing order by CAS (294.6 [157.1-432.0]), CIS (362.8 [258.4-467.3]), and CCS (649.9 [500.7-799.2]). In the multivariate analysis, cotinine levels of CAS were significantly higher than those of ABS (p _.001), lower than those of CCS (p _ .003), but did not differ from levels of CIS (p _ .384). Conclusions: Our study reveals cannabis users to be significantly exposed to nicotine through mulling, even after controlling for several possible confounders such as environmental exposure to cigarette smoke. Utmost, mixing tobacco to Poster cannabis can result in a substantial nicotine exposition as cotinine levels from cannabis only smokers were as high as those of moderate cigarette smokers. Our findings also suggest that mulling is adding up to the already important nicotine exposition of cigarettes smokers. Because of the addictiveness of nicotine, mulling should be part of a comprehensive assessment of substance use among adolescents and young adults, especially when supporting their cannabis and cigarette quitting attempts. Sources of Support: This study was funded by the Public Health Service of the Canton de Vaud. Dr. BÊlanger's contribution was possible through grants from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the CHUQ/CMDP Foundation and the Laval University McLaughlin program, QuÊbec, Canada.

Wind Energy Where Wind and Innovation Work, 2010

Centrally located in America’s upper Midwest, Iowa lies in the heart of a 12-state region that will have installed an average of 2,701 mfi per year through 2014. In 2009 alone, this region, which is within one day delivery from Iowa, installed turbines valued at $7.8 billion! Once you understand how this exploding growth in the market intersects with the supply chain established by over 250 Iowa companies that are already providing components and services to wind energy manufacturers, you have an outstanding picture of exactly why all major wind manufacturing components are made in Iowa.

New insights on the crystalline forms in binary systems of n-alkanes: Characterization of the solid ordered phases in the phase diagram tricosane + pentacosane

X-ray diffraction analyses of the pure components n-tricosane and n-pentacosane and of their binary mixed samples have enabled us to characterize the crystalline phases observed at low temperature. On the contrary to what was announced in literature on the structural behavior of mixed samples in odd-odd binary systems with D n = 2, the three domains are not all orthorhombic. This work has enabled us to show that two of the domains are, in fact, monoclinic, (Aa, Z = 4) and the other one is orthorhombic (Pca21, Z = 4). The conclusions drawn in this work can be easily transposed to other binary systems of n-alkanes.

Testing for multicointegration in panel data with common factors

The paper addresses the concept of multicointegration in panel data frame- work. The proposal builds upon the panel data cointegration procedures developed in Pedroni (2004), for which we compute the moments of the parametric statistics. When individuals are either cross-section independent or cross-section dependence can be re- moved by cross-section demeaning, our approach can be applied to the wider framework of mixed I(2) and I(1) stochastic processes analysis. The paper also deals with the issue of cross-section dependence using approximate common factor models. Finite sample performance is investigated through Monte Carlo simulations. Finally, we illustrate the use of the procedure investigating inventories, sales and production relationship for a panel of US industries.

Gas-sensing properties of sprayed films of (CdO)x(ZnO)1-x mixed oxide

A novel NO2 sensor based on (CdO)x(ZnO)1-x mixed-oxide thin films deposited by the spray pyrolysis technique is developed. The sensor response to 3-ppm NO2 is studied in the range 50°C-350°C for three different film compositions. The device is also tested for other harmful gases, such as CO (300 ppm) and CH4 (3000 ppm). The sensor response to these reducing gases is different at different temperatures varying from the response typical for the p-type semiconductor to that typical for the n-type semiconductor. Satisfactory response to NO2 and dynamic behavior at 230°C, as well as low resistivity, are observed for the mixed-oxide film with 30% Cd. The response to interfering gas is poor at working temperature (230°C). On the basis of this study, a possible sensing mechanism is proposed.

Do brief alcohol motivational interventions work like we think they do?

BACKGROUND: Questions remain about how brief motivational interventions (BMIs) for unhealthy alcohol use work, and addressing these questions may be important for improving their efficacy. Therefore, we assessed the effects of various characteristics of BMIs on drinking outcomes across 3 randomized controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: Audio recordings of 314 BMIs were coded. We used the global rating scales of the Motivational Interviewing Skills Code (MISC) 2.1: counselor's acceptance, empathy, and motivational interviewing (MI) spirit, and patient's self-exploration were rated. MI proficiency was defined as counselor's rating scale scores ≥5. We also used the structure, confrontation, and advice subscale scores of the Therapy Process Rating Scale and the Working Alliance Inventory. We examined these process characteristics in interventions across 1 U.S. RCT of middle-aged medical inpatients with unhealthy alcohol use (n = 124) and 2 Swiss RCTs of young men with binge drinking in a nonclinical setting: Swiss-one (n = 62) and Swiss-two (n = 128). We assessed the associations between these characteristics and drinks/d reported by participants 3 to 6 months after study entry. RESULTS: In all 3 RCTs, mean MISC counselor's rating scales scores were consistent with MI proficiency. In overdispersed Poisson regression models, most BMI characteristics were not significantly associated with drinks/d in follow-up. In the U.S. RCT, confrontation and self-exploration were associated with more drinking. Giving advice was significantly associated with less drinking in the Swiss-one RCT. Contrary to expectations, MI spirit was not consistently associated with drinking across studies. CONCLUSIONS: Across different populations and settings, intervention characteristics viewed as central to efficacious BMIs were neither robust nor consistent predictors of drinking outcome. Although there may be alternative reasons why the level of MI processes was not predictive of outcomes in these studies (limited variability in scores), efforts to understand what makes BMIs efficacious may require attention to factors beyond intervention process characteristics typically examined.

Preliminary report of the first season work of the International Pluridisciplinary Archaeological Expedition to Bactria 2007

A prior long-term and complex evaluation of the already available data on the geophysical prospecting during the first season work carried out at 2006, at the archaeological site of Tchinguiz Tepe of Termez, took place to decide the strategy to follow during the campaign of 2007. This previous evaluation of the information, on one hand, leaded to the decision to increase the geophysical prospecting at Tchinguiz Tepe, on the other hand, to decide the exact location of areas where the archaeological interventions.would carry out. The main objective at the beginning of this new season was to crosscheck the reliabilityof the measurements and, at the same time, to establish the unknown up to the present archaeologicaland chronological sequence of Tchinguiz Tepe. Meanwhile, the geophysical prospecting also wasextended to the outskirts of the city were the localisation of an unknown up to now Buddhist Monasterywas possible.

Preliminary report of the first season work of the International Pluridisciplinary Archaeological Expedition to Bactria 2006

The International Pluridisciplinary Archaeological Expedition in Bactria (IPAEB) was created in 2006.The name underlines the international character of the team (which includes Uzbeks, Spanish, French, British and Greek members), the presence of specialists from various fields apart from archaeology and the fame of Bactria1.