Putting a Powerful Tool to Practical Use: The Application of Strategic Planning in the Public Sector

Strategic planning has been emphasized in the public sector to enhance government performance and accountability. However, little empirical research exists on participative management in strategic planning and its impact on employees' job satisfaction in government agencies. This study explores the relationships between employees' perceived input in strategic plan development, knowledge of the strategic plan, role clarity in strategic planning, and job satisfaction in local government agencies. The results of multiple regression analysis demonstrate that employees who perceive they have input in a department's strategic plan development express higher levels of job satisfaction than others who do not. The present study also supports the view that employees' clear understanding of their roles in accomplishing the goals in strategic plan is positively associated with job satisfaction. In this regard, organizational leaders' commitment to participative management and empowerment in the process of strategic planning should be emphasized in the public sector.

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The Strategic Role of HR Managers in Australian Organisations: Cues from Organisational Recruitment Sources

Journal of the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management ◽

10.5172/jmo.2005.11.1.41 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 41-56

Author(s):

Cathy Sheehan ◽

Anthony Scafidi

Keyword(s):

Public Sector ◽

Strategic Planning ◽

Private Sector ◽

Training And Development ◽

The Public ◽

Strategic Role ◽

Quantitative Design ◽

Hr Managers ◽

Hr Roles

ABSTRACTThis study has used a longitudinal, quantitative design to explore the expected increase in the reference to human resource management (HRM) strategic planning roles in Australian organisations between 1993 and 2004. The research also examined which of the organisational characteristics of ownership, sector and size best predicts strategic planning roles for HR managers in 2003-04. Data was collected from the content analysis of 315 job advertisements for senior Human Resources (HR) managers published in national newspapers and on the Internet. Results established a longitudinal increase in references to strategic HR roles and established that internationally-owned, larger, and public sector organisations placed greater emphasis on promoting strategic roles for HR managers. The strongest predictor of a strategic planning role however was the sector in which the organisation was placed. Specifically, in the public sector HR managers at the most senior level were given the same strategic role as counterparts in the private sector but HR managers at the next level down were significantly less likely than HR managers at the same level in the private sector to be given strategic roles. These findings have implications for the training and development opportunities for HR managers working in the public sector.

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