Strategic planning: unraveling civil servants’ autonomy and motivation through social representations of organizational goals
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study aims to examine the effects of organizational goal-setting through strategic planning on the motivation of civil servants. Grounded in the social representation theory, the research explores both the core and peripheral systems that shape the social representation of these goals. Data were collected from 324 civil servants through a word recall test, revealing that organizational goal-setting is positively linked to high-quality motivation and the high-performance cycle. The study identifies key elements – such as goals, efficiency, outcomes, planning, and organization – as central to the social representation of organizational objectives. These elements are closely associated with motivation, suggesting that clear organizational goals contribute to employee engagement and performance. The findings also highlight the role of peripheral factors, like transparency, alignment, and well-being, which further influence the perception and implementation of strategic planning. The research concludes that strategic planning, whether based on rational or emergent approaches, positively impacts employee motivation, thereby supporting the effective execution of public sector strategies.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The Brazilian Journal of Public Administration (RAP) undertakes to contribute to the protection of authors’ intellectual rights. On this matter:
- It uses the Creative Commons BY (CC-BY) license for all texts it publishes, except when there is indication of specific holders of copyrights and property rights;
- It uses the similarity verification software of content - Plagiarism (Crossref Similarity Check);
- It takes actions to fight against plagiarism and ethical misconduct aligned with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Further information on the Code of Ethics adopted by RAP can be found in Ethical Standards and Code of Conduct.
References
Abric, J.-C. (1993). Central system, peripheral system: their functions and roles in the dynamics of social representations. Papers on Social Representations, 2(2), 75-78.
Abric, J.-C. (2001). A structural approach to social representations. In K. Deaux, & G. Philogène (Eds.), Representations of the social: Bridging theoretical traditions (pp. 42-47). Blackwell.
Andrews, R., Beynon, M. J., & Genc, E. (2017). Strategy implementation style and public service effectiveness, efficiency, and equity. Administrative Sciences, 7(1), 4. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci7010004
Bakker, A. B. (2015). A job demands–resources approach to public service motivation. Public Administration Review, 75(5), 723-732. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12388
Blom, R., Borst, R. T., & Voorn, B. (2021). Pathology or inconvenience? A meta-analysis of the impact of red tape on people and organizations. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 41(4), 623-650. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X20924117
Breaugh, J., Ritz, A., & Alfes, K. (2018). Work motivation and public service motivation: disentangling varieties of motivation and job satisfaction. Public Management Review, 20(10), 1423-1443. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2017.1400580
Bryson, J. M., & George, B. (2020, March 31). Strategic management in public administration. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.1396
Bryson, J. M., George, B., & Seo, D. (2022). Understanding goal formation in strategic public management: a proposed theoretical framework. Public Management Review, 26(2), 539-564. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2022.2103173
Caillier, J. G. (2016). Does public service motivation mediate the relationship between goal clarity and both organizational commitment and extra-role behaviours? Public Management Review, 18(2), 300-318. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2014.984625
Campos, W. Y. Y. Z., & Cavazotte, F. de S. C. N. (2023). Controle burocrático e suporte organizacional no setor público: efeitos mediados pelo empoderamento psicológico no engajamento. Revista de Administração Pública, 57(4), e2022-0301. https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-761220220301
Castro, C. R. de, & Castro, M. R. de. (2018). Metáforas no processo de objetivação de representações sociais. Psicologia & Sociedade, 30, e159429. https://doi.org/10.1590/1807-0310/2018v30159429
Chen, X., Latham, G. P., Piccolo, R. F., & Itzchakov, G. (2021). An enumerative review and a meta‐analysis of primed goal effects on organizational behavior. Applied Psychology, 70(1), 216-253. https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12239
Corduneanu, R., Dudau, A., & Kominis, G. (2020). Crowding-in or crowding-out: the contribution of self-determination theory to public service motivation. Public Management Review, 22(7), 1070-1089. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2020.1740303
Conceição, E. R. da, Silva, A. P. B. da, & Campos, R. P. de. (2020). A representação social do gestor sobre o processo de internacionalização de PMEs brasileiras da área de TI. Brazilian Journal of Development, 6(7), 48130-48147. https://doi.org/10.34117/bjdv6n7-454
Cremer, D. D. (2016, July 21). When transparency backfires, and how to prevent it. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2016/07/when-transparency-backfires-and-how-to-prevent-it
Danaeefard, H., Torshab, A. A., Mostafazadeh, M., Delkhah, J., & Imanikhah, F. (2022). Organizational goal ambiguity and public service motivation: evidence from Iran. Personnel Review, 51(9), 2103-2128. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-07-2020-0523
Davis, J. H., Schoorman, F. D., & Donaldson, L. (1997). Toward a stewardship theory of management. Academy of Management Review, 22(1), 20-47. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1997.9707180258
Deci, E. L., Olafsen, A. H., & Ryan, R. M. (2017). Self-determination theory in work organizations: The state of a science. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4, 19-43. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032516-113108
Drucker, P. F. (1954). The practice of management: a study of the most important function in America society. Harper & Brothers.
Eisenhardt, K. M. (1989). Agency theory: an assessment and review. Academy of management review, 14(1), 57-74. https://doi.org/10.2307/258191
Elbanna, S., Andrews, R., & Pollanen, R. (2016). Strategic planning and implementation success in public service organizations: evidence from Canada. Public Management Review, 18(7), 1017-1042. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2015.1051576
Ferreira, V. C. P, Santos, A. F. dos, Jr., Azevedo, R. C. de, & Valverde, G. (2005). A representação social do trabalho: uma contribuição para o estudo da motivação. Estação Científica, 1, 1-13.
Flament, C. (1981). L’analyse de similitude: une technique pour les recherches sur les représentations sociales. Current Psychology of Cognition, 1(4), 375-395.
George, B., Drumaux, A., Joyce, P., & Longo, F. (2020). Editorial. Public Money & Management, 40(4), 255-259. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540962.2020.1728055
George, B., Walker, R. M., & Monster, J. (2019). Does strategic planning improve organizational performance? A meta‐analysis. Public Administration Review, 79(6), 810-819. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13104
George, B., Desmidt, S., Cools, E., & Prinzie, A. (2022). Cognitive styles, user acceptance and commitment to strategic plans in public organizations: an empirical analysis. In J. M. Bryson, L. H. Edwards, & D. M. Van Slyke (Eds.), Toward a more strategic view of strategic planning research (pp. 31-50). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003295495
Gkizani, A. M., & Galanakis, M. (2022). Goal setting theory in contemporary businesses: a systematic review. Psychology, 13(3), 420-426. https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2022.133028
Hambrick, D. C., & Finkelstein, S. (1987). Managerial discretion: a bridge between polar views of organizational outcomes. Research in Organizational Behavior, 9, 369-406.
Hautz, J., Seidl, D., & Whittington, R. (2017). Open strategy: dimensions, dilemmas, dynamics. Long Range Planning, 50(3), 298-309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2016.12.001
Hendry, J. (2002). The principal's other problems: Honest incompetence and the specification of objectives. Academy of Management Review, 27(1), 98-113. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2002.5922406
Jensen, M. C., & Meckling, W. H. (1976). Theory of the firm: managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure. Journal of Financial Economics, 3(4), 305-360. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-405X(76)90026-X
Jodelet, D. (2003). Représentations sociales: un domaine en expansion. In D. Jodelet (Ed.), Les représentations sociales (pp. 31-61). Presses Universitaires de France. https://doi.org/10.3917/puf.jodel.2003.01.0045
Johnson, G., Melin, L., & Whittington, R. (2003). Micro strategy and strategizing: towards an activity‐based view. Journal of Management Studies, 40(1), 3-22. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6486.t01-2-00002
Johnson, G., Scholes, K., & Whittington, R. (2011). Exploring strategy: text and case studies (7a ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
Joia, L. A., & Michelotto, F. (2020). Universalists or utilitarianists? The social representation of COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Sustainability, 12(24), 10434. https://doi.org/10.3390/su122410434
Joia, L. A., Michelotto, F., & Lorenzo, M. (2022). Sustainability and the social representation of the COVID-19 pandemic: a missing link. Sustainability, 14(17), 10527. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710527
Joia, L. A., & Torres, V. C. S. (2022). The social representation of IT governance: The standpoint of IT professionals. BAR. Brazilian Administration Review, 19(2), e210044. https://doi.org/10.1590/1807-7692bar2022210044
Klein, F. A., & Mascarenhas, A. O. (2016). Motivação, satisfação profissional e evasão no serviço público: o caso da carreira de especialistas em Políticas Públicas e Gestão Governamental. Revista de Administração Pública, 50(1), 17-39. https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7612146562
Klijn, E. H., & Koppenjan, J. (2020). Debate: strategic planning after the governance revolution. Public Money & Management, 40(4), 260-261. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540962.2020.1715097
Latham, G. P., & Locke, E. A. (2006). Enhancing the benefits and overcoming the pitfalls of goal setting. Organizational Dynamics, 35(4), 332-340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2006.08.008
Lindblom, C. E. (1959). The Science of “Mudling Through”. Public Administration Review, 19(2), 79-88. https://doi.org/10.2307/973677
Lira, M., & Silva, V. P. G. da. (2015). Motivação intrínseca vs. motivação extrínseca: a aplicação da Escala WPI no contexto do setor público português. Revista de Gestão, Finanças e Contabilidade, 5(4), 171-195. https://doi.org/10.18028/rgfc.v5i4.1126
Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: a 35-year odyssey. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705-717. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.57.9.705
Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2006). New directions in goal-setting theory. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 15(5), 265-268. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8721.2006.00449.x
Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2019). The development of goal setting theory: A half century retrospective. Motivation Science, 5(2), 93-105. https://doi.org/10.1037/mot0000127
Lunenburg, F. C. (2011). Goal-setting theory of motivation. International Journal of Management, Business, and Administration, 15(1), 1-6.
Marchand, P., & Ratinaud, P. (2012). L’analyse de similitude appliquée aux corpus textuels: les primaires socialistes pour l’élection présidentielle française (septembre-octobre 2011). In Actes des 11eme Journées internationales d’Analyse statistique des Données Textuelles, Brussels, Belgium.
Marchisotti, G., Filho, J., Franca, S., Domingos, M., Junior, V., Toledo, R., Alves, C., Castro, H., & Putnik, G. (2022). The social representation of the governance system through key descriptors: mute zone? International Journal for Quality Research, 16(2), 595-612. https://doi.org/10.24874/IJQR16.02-16
Marchisotti, G. G., Joia, L. A., & Carvalho, R. B. de. (2019). A representação social de cloud computing pela percepção dos profissionais brasileiros de tecnologia da informação. Revista de Administração de Empresas, 59(1), 16-28. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0034-759020190103
Mazzotti, A. J. A. (2002). A abordagem estrutural das representações sociais. Psicologia da Educação, 14-15, 17-37.
Meyfroodt, K., & Desmidt, S. (2021). Can rational planning stimulate cooperative behaviour? How perceived self-efficacy mediates the relationship between strategic plan use, performance information use and strategic voice by local councillors. Public Management Review, 23(6), 818-842. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2019.1699949
Mintzberg, H., & Waters, J. A. (1985). Of strategies, deliberate and emergent. Strategic Management Journal, 6(3), 257-272. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.4250060306
Moller, R. C. (1996). A representação social do fenômeno participativo em organizações públicas do Rio de Janeiro. Política e Administração, 3(1), 43-51.
Moscovici, S. (1988). Notes towards a description of social representations. European Journal of Social Psychology, 18(3), 211-250. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2420180303
Moscovici, S. (2007). Representações sociais: investigações em psicologia social (5a ed.). Ed. Vozes.
Mostafa, A. M. S., Gould‐Williams, J. S., & Bottomley, P. (2015). High‐performance human resource practices and employee outcomes: the mediating role of public service motivation. Public Administration Review, 75(5), 747-757. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12354
Mussagulova, A. (2021). Predictors of work engagement: drawing on job demands –resources theory and public service motivation. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 80(2), 217-238. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8500.12449
Neugebauer, F., Figge, F., & Hahn, T. (2016). Planned or emergent strategy making? Exploring the formation of corporate sustainability strategies. Business Strategy and the Environment, 25(5), 323-336. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.1875
Oliveira, C. B. de, & Fontes, J. R., Filho. (2017). Problemas de agência no setor público: o papel dos intermediadores da relação entre poder central e unidades executoras. Revista de Administração Pública, 51(4), 596-615. https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7612171397
Pedersen, M. J. (2015). Activating the forces of public service motivation: Evidence from a low‐intensity randomized survey experiment. Public Administration Review, 75(5), 734-746. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12325
Perrow, C. (1986). Complex organizations: a critical essay (3a ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Perry, J. L. (1996). Measuring public service motivation: An assessment of construct reliability and validity. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 6(1), 5-22. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.jpart.a024303
Pinho, A. P. M., Oliveira, E. R. da S. de, & Silva, C. R. M. da. (2020). Comprometimento Organizacional no Setor Público: um olhar sobre três décadas de produção científica brasileira (1989-2019). Revista do Serviço Público, 71(3), 504-539. https://doi.org/10.21874/rsp.v71i3.3507
Poister, T. H. (2010). The future of strategic planning in the public sector: Linking strategic management and performance. Public Administration Review, 70(s1), s246-s254. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2010.02284.x
Rateau, P., & Lo Monaco, G. (2013). La théorie des représentations sociales: Orientations conceptuelles, champs d'applications et méthodes. CES Psicología, 6(1), 1-21.
Rego, A., Valverde, C., Oliveira, E., Cunha, M. P. e. (2018). Gestão por objetivos: guias para reflexão e ação. Edições Sílabo Ltda.
Rigby, C. S., & Ryan, R. M. (2018). Self-determination theory in human resource development: New directions and practical considerations. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 20(2), 133-147. https://doi.org/10.1177/1523422318756954
Rigby, D., & Bilodeau, B. (2018). Management tools & trends. Bain & Company.
Rodrigues, W. A., Reis, M. T., Neto, & Gonçalves, C., Filho. (2014). As influências na motivação para o trabalho em ambientes com metas e recompensas: um estudo no setor público. Revista de Administração Pública, 48(1), 253-274. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0034-76122014000100011
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation from a self-determination theory perspective: definitions, theory, practices, and future directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 61, 101860. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101860
Sá, C. P. de. (1996). Representações sociais: teoria e pesquisa do núcleo central. Temas em Psicologia, 4(3), 19-33.
Sant’Anna, H. C. (2012). OpenEvoc: um programa de apoio à pesquisa em Representações Sociais. In Anais do 7º Encontro Regional da ABRAPSO, Vitória, ES, Brasil.
Shen, W., & Cho, T. S. (2005). Exploring involuntary executive turnover through a managerial discretion framework. Academy of Management Review, 30(4), 843-854. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMR.2005.18378881
Silva, C. R. M. da, Oliveira, L. V. C., Bona, D. O., Oliveira, J. A. do N., & Pinheiro, T. C. de A. (2020). Comprometimento organizacional e comportamento sustentável no trabalho: evidências do setor público. Revista de Carreiras e Pessoas, 10(2), 279-296. https://doi.org/10.20503/recape.v10i2.44550
Torfing, J., & Bentzen, T. Ø. (2020). Does stewardship theory provide a viable alternative to control-fixated performance management? Administrative Sciences, 10(4), 86. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci10040086
Tribunal de Contas da União. (2014). Referencial básico de governança aplicável a órgãos e entidades da administração pública (2a ed.). https://portal.tcu.gov.br/referencial-basico-de-governanca-organizacional.htm
Tribunal de Contas da União. (2020). Referencial básico de governança organizacional para organizações públicas e outros entes jurisdicionados ao TCU (3a ed.). https://portal.tcu.gov.br/referencial-basico-de-governanca-organizacional.htm
Ugboro, I. O., Obeng, K., & Spann, O. (2011). Strategic planning as an effective tool of strategic management in public sector organizations: Evidence from public transit organizations. Administration & Society, 43(1), 87-123. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095399710386315
Van de Ven, A. H. (1992). Suggestions for studying strategy process: a research note. Strategic Management Journal, 13(S1), 169-188. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.4250131013
Vandersmissen, L., & George, B. (2024). Strategic planning in public organizations: reviewing 35 years of research. International Public Management Journal, 27(4), 663-658. https://doi.org/10.1080/10967494.2023.2271901
Vergara, S. C. (2015). Métodos de pesquisa em administração (6a ed.). Ed. Atlas.
Vergara, S. C., & Ferreira, V. C. P. (2005). A representação social de ONGs segundo formadores de opinião do município do Rio de Janeiro. Revista de Administração Pública, 39(5), 1137-1159. https://periodicos.fgv.br/rap/article/view/6582
Welsh, D. T., Baer, M. D., & Sessions, H. (2020). Hot pursuit: the affective consequences of organization-set versus self-set goals for emotional exhaustion and citizenship behavior. Journal of Applied Psychology, 105(2), 166-185. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000429
Whittington, R. (1996). Strategy as practice. Long Range Planning, 29(5), 731-735. https://doi.org/10.1016/0024-6301(96)00068-4
Wolter, R. P., Wachelke, J., & Naiff, D. (2016). A abordagem estrutural das representações sociais e o modelo dos esquemas cognitivos de base: perspectivas teóricas e utilização empírica. Temas em Psicologia, 24(3), 1139-1152. https://doi.org/10.9788/TP2016.3-18
Wright, B. E. (2007). Public service and motivation: does mission matter? Public Administration Review, 67(1), 54-64. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2006.00696.x
Wright, B. E., Christensen, R. K., & Pandey, S. K. (2013). Measuring public service motivation: exploring the equivalence of existing global measures. International Public Management Journal, 16(2), 197-223. https://doi.org/10.1080/10967494.2013.817242
Yu, J. (2023). Agency autonomy, public service motivation, and organizational performance. Public Management Review, 25(3), 522-548. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2021.1980290