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At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Swiss federal government implemented a lockdown that prompted a majority of private and public organizations to implement teleworking solutions for their employees. This study aimed to examine the impact of work modalities, job-related, relational, and organizational climate variables on employees’ engagement, exhaustion, and perceived performance both before and during the forced teleworking period. Based on the job demands-resources framework, a survey was conducted ( N = 1,373) in a Swiss Cantonal public administration. Results show that while the forced telework period positively influenced employees’ work autonomy and work–life balance, it negatively influenced their degree of collaboration and perceived job strain but did not affect their engagement levels. The freedom to organize ones’ own work and collaboration with colleagues were identified as the main resources that positively influence employees’ engagement and perceived performance while limiting exhaustion.

La gestion des ressources humaines (GRH) a pour objectif principal de réguler les collectifs de travail. Autrement dit, d’assurer la coordination des salarié·e·s, mais aussi de définir les conditions organisationnelles en vue de faciliter leur coopération. De nos jours, les pressions politiques, budgétaires et financières contribuent à rendre omniprésente la logique de recherche de la performance organisationnelle, y compris dans le domaine de la GRH. Les pratiques et processus de GRH doivent donc participer à cette quête de la performance. Dans le même temps, les professionnel·le·s impliqués dans la GRH de leur organisation doivent aussi s’assurer que les employé·e·s sont engagés, motivés et satisfaits de leurs activités et de leurs conditions de travail. Le bien-être constitue également un objectif important des missions d’un service des ressources humaines. Cette double dimension de la GRH n’est pas aisée à atteindre et n’est pas sans produire des tensions et des contradictions. Les contributions d'expert·e·s, de chercheurs·euses et de cadres, réunies dans cet ouvrage ont pour point commun de traiter de cette paire souhaitable, mais toujours difficile à atteindre: performance et bien-être dans nos organisations contemporaines. Cet ouvrage ainsi que sa thématique générale constituent une manière d’honorer le parcours académique du Professeur Yves Emery à l’occasion de son départ à la retraite. Ses apports à la discipline de la GRH, en Suisse et dans le monde francophone, ainsi que son approche humaniste de la discipline RH se reflètent à travers les chapitres de ce livre.

L’article porte sur les pratiques mises en oeuvre pour prévenir les risques psychosociaux (RPS) dans les entreprises. Selon les connaissances scientifiques actuelles, réduire ces risques requiert une approche intégrée qui vise à développer les ressources collectives et individuelles des travailleurs, ainsi qu’à réduire leurs contraintes professionnelles. Toutefois très peu de publications ont porté sur la façon dont les employeurs appréhendent effectivement ces questions. L’objectif de cette étude est de mieux comprendre les pratiques de prévention déclarées par des dirigeants d’entreprises, en relation avec la manière dont ils perçoivent l’exposition de leur personnel aux RPS. Nous avons élaboré un cadre d’analyse exploratoire des relations entre la prévention des RPS, la perception des facteurs de risques par les employeurs et diverses caractéristiques des entreprises. Ce cadre a servi de base à une enquête auprès de 404 établissements.À partir d’analyses factorielles et de régressions multiples, l’étude a fait émerger deux modes de prévention : 1- des mesures de gestion spécifique des RPS axées sur les procédures et la formation et liées principalement au risque d’atteinte à l’intégrité personnelle (harcèlement, agressions, discrimination, confrontation à des événements traumatisants) ; et 2- des mesures d’amélioration générale des conditions de travail (organisation, horaires, équipements et environnement de travail) qui peuvent contribuer à renforcer les ressources, mais que les employeurs ne perçoivent guère comme de la prévention des RPS. Les pratiques sont liées à des variables structurelles, ainsi qu’aux modes de participation et de gestion des risques professionnels dans leur ensemble, davantage qu’à la perception de l’employeur concernant l’exposition aux RPS.Les résultats soulignent deux défis pour les autorités. Le premier consiste à faire adopter par les entreprises une approche plus globale, non centrée sur les phénomènes de harcèlement. Le second réside dans le renforcement de mesures de prévention ayant un impact favorable sur l’activité réelle de travail., The article focuses on the practices implemented to prevent psychosocial risks in companies, such as work overload, threats or assaults, psychological harassment, or exceedingly long working hours. Current scientific evidence suggests that reducing these risks requires an integrated approach, aiming at developing workers’ collective and individual resources and at reducing work constraints. However, there has been very little literature on how employers actually deal with these complex issues. This study aims to gain a better understanding of prevention practices reported by company managers in relation to how they perceive their employees’ exposure to psychosocial risks. We developed an exploratory framework of the relationships between the prevention of psychosocial risks, the perceptions of risk factors by employers, and several workplace features (size, branch, national or international scope, single versus multi-branch company…). Basing on this framework, we conducted a survey among 404 companies.Using factor analyses and multiple regressions, we distinguished between two preventive approaches: 1- specific psychosocial risk management measures resting on procedures and training, and mainly related to the risk of personal integrity violations (harassment, aggression, discrimination, exposure to traumatic events); 2- general working conditions improvements (work organisation, schedules, equipment and environment), which can strengthen resources, but that employers do not really consider as psychosocial risk prevention. Practices are more related to structural variables, worker participation and general health and safety management, than to employers’ perceptions regarding employee exposure.The results highlight two challenges for the authorities. The first one is to ensure that companies adopt a more comprehensive approach of the psychosocial working environment, rather than focusing mostly on harassment. The second issue is to strengthen preventive measures that have a positive impact on the actual work activity. The article concludes with recommendations on how regulatory agencies could adapt their strategies accordingly., El artículo se centra en las prácticas implementadas para prevenir los riesgos sicosociales (RSS) en las empresas. De acuerdo con el conocimiento científico actual, la reducción de estos riesgos requiere un enfoque integrado que esté diseñado para desarrollar los recursos colectivos e individuales de los trabajadores, así como para reducir sus restricciones profesionales. Sin embargo, muy pocas publicaciones se han centrado en cómo los empleadores comprenden realmente estos problemas. El propósito de este estudio es de comprender mejor las prácticas de prevención declaradas por los dirigentes empresariales, en relación con la manera como ellos perciben la exposición de su personal a los riesgos sicosociales. Desarrollamos un marco de análisis exploratorio de las relaciones entre la prevención de los riesgos sicosociales, la percepción de los factores de riesgo por parte de los empleadores y diversas características de las empresas. Este marco sirvió de base para una encuesta realizada con 404 establecimientos.Basado en análisis factoriales y regresiones múltiples, el estudio reveló dos métodos de prevención: 1- medidas de gestión específicas de los riesgos sicosociales que se centran en los procedimientos y la capacitación y están principalmente relacionadas con el riesgo de daño a la integridad personal (acoso, agresiones, discriminación, confrontación con eventos traumáticos); y 2 – medidas para mejorar las condiciones generales de trabajo (organización, horario, equipo y ambiente de trabajo) que pueden ayudar a fortalecer los recursos, pero que los empleados no perciben como prevención de los riesgos sicosociales.Las prácticas están vinculadas a las variables estructurales, así como a los modos de participación y de gestión de los riesgos ocupacionales en general, más que a la percepción del empleador de la exposición a los riesgos sicosociales.Los resultados ponen de relieve dos desafíos para las autoridades. El primero es hacer que las empresas adopten un enfoque más holístico, sin centrarse en los fenómenos de acoso. El segundo es el refuerzo de las medidas preventivas que tienen un impacto favorable en la actividad laboral real.

Research question: This study examines the conditions and configurations that particularly influence International Federations’ (IFs) commercialisation. Research method: Crisp-set qualitative comparative analysis (csQCA) is used to determine the conditions that are related to an IFs’ commercialisation. Sixteen interviews were conducted in six Olympic IFs and one international sport umbrella organisation. Results and findings: The findings reveal a variety of high and low commercialisation configurations. Specialisation is a key condition in both high and low commercialisation, and social media engagement is central in high commercialisation. Strategic planning and low accountability have low degrees of overlap with high commercialisation outcomes. With 13 out of 22 IFs achieving high levels of commercialisation, the findings demonstrate that IFs are increasingly developing business-like behaviours. Implications: The findings highlight the importance of specialisation and social media engagement to achieve high commercialisation. However, when IFs assume a monetisation agenda, there are associated risks such as stakeholder legitimacy, mission drift, goal vagueness and adherence to good governance principles.

Background Little research exists on the effectiveness of workplace visits by labour inspectors in relation to psychosocial risks. The study aimed to produce a consistent and transferable evidence-based framework. Methods We conducted a systematic literature review using the realist synthesis approach. Searches in three electronic databases, systematic hand-searches in five specialised journals and iterative purposive searches yielded 25 publications. The initial search included any study between 2000 and 2015 containing information on labour inspectorates and psychosocial risks or stress at work. We conducted a complementary search to identify publications from French-speaking authors. Results The synthesis yielded a conceptual model relating public intervention measures, mechanisms of action, outcomes and contexts. Publications indicate positive outcomes in 4 cases, possibly positive in 2, mixed outcomes in 4, and no or poor effects in 10. Studies from Nordic countries show some positive outcomes of inspection activities based on dialogue with employers, group interviews with employees, repeated visits and combinations with other communication and information channels, in the context of highly organised labour markets. Conversely, other studies highlight the limitations of intervention strategies that rely on an “enlightenment” principle, in a context of increasingly precarious and flexible work situations. Conclusion The synthesis suggests the possibility of positive outcomes of inspectors’ interventions on psychosocial risks in supportive contexts and with appropriate training and resources. However, strong evidence is lacking and more evaluation studies are necessary. A comprehensive conceptual framework may help to analyse the wide range of factors influencing the effectiveness of workplace visits by inspectors.

This study investigates whether work opportunities have an impact on stress and the related turnover intentions of employees working in intergovernmental international organizations. It contextualizes the job resources and demands model within international organizations' specific work conditions. The empirical test is based on original data from a survey administered in four major organizations of the United Nations system. Results demonstrate that social work opportunities and work-life balance are organizational levers reducing stress and willingness to quit for employees who are facing red tape or the stresses of being an expatriate. In this context, the relationships between these work opportunities and turnover intention are partially mediated by stress. Contextualized HR management propositions are made to help organizations coping with these management challenges.

In this study, we present a review of public agents’ job satisfaction in Africa between 1990 and 2014. Using the systematic review methodology, we analyse and put in perspective 22 English and French publications on this subject. Results suggest that work environment attributes are the most important antecedents of job satisfaction among African public servants, whereas the effects of personal and work characteristics are marginal. We also found that most of the research dedicated to job satisfaction in Africa relied primarily on theoretical frameworks developed in Western countries. This leads to unexpected results, indicating the need to fit the research models to local specificities. The consequences of job satisfaction in Africa and suggestions for future research are also discussed.Points for practitionersThis contribution allows practitioners to obtain an overview of the factors that promote the satisfaction/dissatisfaction of public sector employees in Africa. It helps them identify factors on which to act for the implementation of effective personnel policies geared towards the officials’ performance and welfare. The results suggest paying attention to factors related to the working environment (such as the atmosphere at work, organisational support and working conditions) in order to enhance effectively job satisfaction in African public organisations. However, practices such as the establishment of clear objectives and procedures, autonomy, work content, and the recognition of effort are not to be overlooked.

Workplace responses to labour inspectorate interventions regarding psychosocial risks at work are not well known. This study aimed to assess the effects of inspection visits at company level. A survey was conducted in two groups of companies. In one group, companies were visited by a labour inspector some days after the survey, and in the other group, not. The survey was repeated one year later in both groups. It relied on a structured phone interview with the person within the company who best knew about occupational health and safety. We collected information about health and safety management, worker participation, as well as ability, willingness and measures for the prevention of psychosocial risks. Two kinds of prevention measures were distinguished: specific psychosocial risk management measures on one side, and more general improvements of working conditions on the other side. 185 companies with an inspection visit and 161 companies without took part in the study. The results were encouraging, since inspected companies improved their management of health and safety, increased their ability in psychosocial issues, and demonstrated a stronger willingness to act. To a lesser extent, they implemented specific psychosocial risk management measures. However, visits did not lead to improvements regarding scores for employee participation or general improvements of working conditions, such as work organisation, working schedules or staffing levels. A further step for regulatory initiatives would be to emphasise more strongly the need for a prevention approach grounded in the assessment and improvement of job designs, content and organisation.

L’interface politico-administrative suisse doit beaucoup aux spécificités institutionnelles du régime politique. Un État fédéral bicaméral très décentralisé, fondé sur des institutions de démocratie directe, basé sur la recherche du consensus et sur l’intégration des parties prenantes dans la définition des politiques publiques sont des aspects qui conduisent à faire de l’acteur administratif un partenaire incontournable. Par ailleurs, la Suisse possède une tradition administrative largement hybride, laquelle est encadrée par des règles marquant son caractère très ouvert. Ces différentes dimensions, analysées dans le présent article, donnent à l’interface politico-administrative suisse une dynamique toute particulière, dont la régulation est en train de se modifier à la suite de la managérialisation progressive du système politico-administratif. Des évolutions récentes, dont les conséquences sont encore méconnues. The Swiss politico-administrative interface is greatly related to the institutional characteristics of the political regime. A highly decentralized bicameral federal state, based on institutions of direct democracy, as well as on the search for consensus and the integration of stakeholders in the definition of public policies, are aspects that partly explain why the administrative actor is a key partner. In addition, Switzerland has a largely hybrid administrative tradition, which is framed by rules marking its very open character. These different dimensions, analyzed in this article, give to the Swiss politico-administrative interface a particular dynamic, the regulation of which is being modified as a result of the managerialization reforms which took place during these last thirty years. Recent developments, the consequences of which are still unknown.

La politisation de la haute fonction publique est le plus souvent appréhendée à travers la politisation fonctionnelle, qui se traduit par la substitution de critères politiques aux critères de mérite pour la gestion des carrières. Cependant, la manière dont la politisation formelle conditionne la politisation fonctionnelle, à savoir la prise en compte des questions politiques dans les décisions prises par la fonction publique, est peu étudiée. Notre article se propose ainsi d’analyser l’impact d’un dispositif juridique formel permettant la révocation de hauts fonctionnaires territoriaux pour raisons politiques dans la manière dont ces derniers se représentent leur rôle dans la conception des politiques. Il consiste en l’analyse des représentations de dirigeants territoriaux dont la fonction a été supprimée à la suite des élections en 2015. Il montre que la mise en œuvre du dispositif formel agit comme un rappel de la nature politique des fonctions de directeur territorial. The policitization of senior civil service is most often considered through the lense of formal policitization, which consists in substituting the usual merit criteria with political criteria when it comes to career management. However, few studies have addressed the way formal policitization conditions functional politicization, (Fonctional politicization is the way political issues are taken into account in policy decisions made by civil servants). In this article, we analyse the impact of a formal juridical measure which allows to dismiss senior public servants in local governments for political reasons on the way these public servants perceive their role in the design of policy. We have analysed the perceptions of French senior public servants in local governments whose position has been done away with following the local elections that took place in 2015. We show that the implementation of the formal measure acts as a reminder of the political nature of the position of senior local public servant.

Existing research on sport organisations is imprecise in the use of the concept 'professionalisation'. Furthermore, we do not know if analytical concepts of professionalisation correspond with the understanding in practice. This study explores the perceptions of practitioners and proposes a framework to analyse professionalisation in national sport federations. Expert interviews were conducted with six key people from Swiss national sport federations and then analysed these for characteristics of professionalisation using a hermeneutic approach. The characteristics were divided into three areas: (1) changed management philosophy, (2) functional differentiation and specialisation, and (3) application of management tools. However, professionalisation is primarily perceived to be a matter of 'professional' attitude that transforms into federation culture. The practitioners disclose an ambivalent view of professionalisation, e.g. business-like culture vs. voluntarism, for-profit vs. non-profit orientation, autonomy vs. control. A framework is developed that synthesises analytical concepts and practitioners' perceptions to support future comprehensive research into causes, forms and consequences of professionalisation in national sport federations.

Research question: International and national sport federations as well as their member organisations are key actors within the sport system and have a wide range of relationships outside the sport system (e.g. with the state, sponsors, and the media). They are currently facing major challenges such as growing competition in top-level sports, democratisation of sports with 'sports for all' and sports as the answer to social problems. In this context, professionalising sport organisations seems to be an appropriate strategy to face these challenges and current problems. We define the professionalisation of sport organisations as an organisational process of transformation leading towards organisational rationalisation, efficiency and business-like management. This has led to a profound organisational change, particularly within sport federations, characterised by the strengthening of institutional management (managerialism) and the implementation of efficiency-based management instruments and paid staff. Research methods: The goal of this article is to review the current international literature and establish a global understanding of and theoretical framework for analysing why and how sport organisations professionalise and what consequences this may have. Results and findings: Our multi-level approach based on the social theory of action integrates the current concepts for analysing professionalisation in sport federations. We specify the framework for the following research perspectives: (1) forms, (2) causes and (3) consequences, and discuss the reciprocal relations between sport federations and their member organisations in this context. Implications: Finally, we work out a research agenda and derive general methodological consequences for the investigation of professionalisation processes in sport organisations.

In a changing and complex environment, international sport federations (IFs) have to face new challenges. These challenges can trigger or hinder IFs’ professionalization processes. While researchers have examined organizational change and professionalization of national sport federations (NFs) and clubs, studies on IFs are rare. Considering professionalization as an important element of IFs’ change processes in recent years, the study attempts to fill this gap. The conceptual framework is based on the concepts and dynamics of organizational change, the influence of isomorphic pressures and the operationalization of a multi-level framework. Data from six case studies was analyzed by means of qualitative content analysis. Findings reveal multiple causes of IFs’ professionalization. Three particular findings are discussed: professionalization as a dynamic process with phases of acceleration that vary depending on IFs’ size; IFs’ becoming increasingly business-like through isomorphic changes; and five causes of particular relevance to IFs’ current professionalization process.

This article applies social exchange theory to investigate the relationships between work opportunities and organizational commitment in four United Nations agencies. It demonstrates that international civil servants who are satisfied with altruistic, social, and extrinsic work opportunities are more likely to declare high levels of organizational commitment. Furthermore, the perceived organizational support mediates these relationships. The empirical findings highlight the importance of considering the specificity of organizational features in explaining international civil servants' attitudes and behaviors. Their preferences for altruistic, social, and extrinsic work opportunities are not similar to the motivational orientations and rewards valued by public- or private-sector employees, thus confirming the hybrid characteristics of international organizations. Drawing on these original results, this research also identifies some practical implications for human resources management in international organizations.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify types of professionalization in Swiss national sport federations (NSFs) and analyze organizational characteristics associated with specific types of professionalization. Such types reveal common patterns among the increasingly complex organizational designs of NSFs and thus contribute to the understanding of professionalization in NSFs. Design/methodology/approach An online survey of all Swiss NSFs was conducted to identify types of professionalization in these organizations using hierarchical cluster analysis, based on a multi-dimensional framework of professionalization. Findings The analysis revealed four types of professionalization: formalized NSFs managed by paid staff, NSFs managed by volunteers and a few paid staff off the field, NSFs with differing formalization and paid staff on the field, and moderately formalized NSFs managed by volunteers. The types differ in terms of the NSFs’ organizational characteristics, in particular, size, financial resources, Olympic status, and performance. Originality/value Applying factor and cluster analysis is a new approach to analyzing professionalization in NSFs that makes uncovering distinctive organizational patterns among a large number of NSFs possible. These results lay the foundation for understanding the professionalization of NSFs, counseling NSFs on their organizational development, and conducting future research on the design types of sport organizations.

Cette etude decrit l’etat de la recherche sur la satisfaction au travail dans les administrations publiques en Afrique entre 1990 et 2014. Utilisant la methodologie de la revue systematique, 22 publications anglophones et francophones sur le sujet sont analysees et mises en perspective. Les resultats montrent que les caracteristiques liees a l’environnement du travail sont les determinants majeurs de la satisfaction au travail des agents publics africains. Les caracteristiques individuelles des agents et les caracteristiques liees au travail ont une influence marginale. Les resultats soulignent egalement que les etudes consacrees a la satisfaction au travail en Afrique mobilisent des cadres theoriques utilises dans les pays occidentaux. De tels procedes de recherches produisent bien souvent des resultats inattendus soulignant l’interet de la prise en compte des specificites locales dans les modeles de recherche. Les consequences de la satisfaction au travail en Afrique et les voies de recherches futures sont aussi abordees.Remarques pour les praticiensCette contribution permet aux praticiens d’obtenir une vue generale sur les facteurs qui favorisent la satisfaction/l’insatisfaction des agents publics en Afrique. Elle les aide a identifier des facteurs sur lesquels agir pour la mise en œuvre de politiques du personnel efficaces orientees vers la performance et le bien-etre des agents. Les resultats suggerent qu’il faut porter une attention particuliere aux facteurs lies a l’environnement du travail (tels que la bonne ambiance au travail, le soutien organisationnel, les conditions de travail) pour agir plus efficacement sur la satisfaction au travail dans les organisations publiques africaines. Cependant, les pratiques telles que la mise en place d’objectifs et de procedures clairs, l’autonomie, le contenu du travail et la reconnaissance des efforts ne sont pas a negliger.1

This article sets out to study the profile of Swiss administrative elites at federal level by showing how their profile has evolved in the light of what has come to be known as the wave of New Public Management (NPM), which has benefited from a very fertile ground in Switzerland. These elites correspond to a specific institutional order, in relation to specific organizational structures and workings, and have specific characteristics in terms of career paths and academic background. However, the administrative reforms that have been rolled out since the 1980s have transformed the institutional order within which executives of the federal administration evolve. This article analyses the extent to which these transformations have had an impact on the characteristics of these elites, through indicators such as academic capital, social capital, and career path within and outside the administration. The results show a slow but significant transformation in the profiles of these elites towards an increasing managerialization, reflecting that of the context in which they evolve. Points for practitioners The relationship between politics and the administration is naturally shaped by individuals but is closely dependent on the profiles of the players. They are currently undergoing a transformation in the wake of administrative reforms, and also of the changing profiles of both the political and administrative players. Gaining an insight into the slow transformation of the profiles of administrative elites therefore sheds light on the political-administrative nexus. The gradual managerialization of the administrative elite highlighted in this article also allows for a better understanding of which professional experiences, qualifications and skills are valued today within the senior civil service in Switzerland.

This article analyzes whether and to what extent the policy environment of civil servants has an impact on their level of Public Service Motivation (PSM). It hypothesizes that public employees working in different policy domains and stages of the policy cycle are diversely motivated by four PSM orientations (Compassion, Commitment to the public interest, Self-sacrifice and Attraction to politics). The empirical results are based on a survey of 6885 Swiss civil servants. They show that those in charge of Welfare State policies are inclined to have higher levels of 'Compassion', whereas those performing core state functions report lower levels. Furthermore, employees whose main tasks are related to policy formulation display high levels of the 'Attraction to politics' dimension of PSM. This study questions the generalization of previous findings on PSM that are based on heterogeneous survey populations.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify social and organizational antecedents of stress. This paper also investigates whether attitudes toward organizational changes and reforms might explain stress perception (SP) and mediate the relationships between social and organizational job characteristics and SP. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative approach is used to identify the relationships between the research variables. The investigated population is composed of middle managers working in Swiss public hospitals (n=720), which are currently being confronted by major reforms. Findings The findings show that perceived social support (work relationships with and support from colleagues), as well as several job characteristics (autonomy in performing tasks, flexibility in the organization of working time, degree of conflict) are significantly related to SP. Moreover, positive attitudes toward change are negatively related to stress, and mediate the relationships between perceived social support as well as job characteristics and SP. Practical implications This paper sheds light on several job characteristics which could contribute to mitigating SP among middle managers. The findings could therefore guide HRM specialists in their efforts to create a favorable work environment so as to facilitate middle managers’ activities. Originality/value The innovation of this paper is grounded in the specific population the author investigate, as the empirical inquiry concerns middle managers working in public hospitals. Moreover, this research highlights the central role of job characteristics and attitudes toward change in explaining SP.

Cet article soulève quelques idées relatives au rapport que les sciences humaines ont développé avec le monde pratique de la gestion dans le contexte des réformes engagées dans le secteur public, plus particulièrement les transformations inspirées des principes et outils de la « nouvelle gestion publique ». Un constat est fait : on assiste bien souvent à une instrumentalisation et à une opérationnalisation des sciences humaines par le monde de la gestion. Ce texte met en garde les scientifiques contre le risque de subordonner leurs obligations scientifiques à des considérations managériales et gestionnaires uniquement. Il souligne combien homo academicus doit prendre du recul par rapport à homo administrativus, sans quoi la distance critique propre au travail scientifique n’est tout simplement plus réalisable. Finalement, ce texte est un plaidoyer pour une réflexivité critique dans les sciences humaines, seule posture intellectuelle à même de permettre aux chercheurs de travailler avec une éthique scientifique. This article deals with some ideas about the relation between human sciences and the practical world of management in the reform context of the public services, particularly the transformations inspired by the principles and tools of the “new public management”. We can see that the human sciences are undermined by the specific logic of the management world. This text warns the people who work in the human sciences about the risk of surbordinating the scientific rules to management and practical considerations only. It underwrites the fact that homo academicus must take some distance with homo administrativus to avoid the risk of analysing social reality with economic and management instruments and me- thods. Finally, it pleads for a critical reflexivity in the human sciences, the only intellectual posture able to preserve the scientific ethic of the researcher.

Although stress has been a longstanding issue in organizations and management studies, it has never been studied in relation to Public Service Motivation. This article therefore aims to integrate PSM into the job demands–job resources model of stress to determine whether PSM might contribute to stress in public organizations. Drawing on original data from a questionnaire in a Swiss municipality, this study unsurprisingly shows that “red tape” is an antecedent of stress perception, whereas satisfaction with organizational support, positive feedback, and recognition significantly decrease the level of perceived stress. Astonishingly, the empirical results show that PSM is positively and significantly related to stress perception. By increasing individuals’ expectations toward their jobs, PSM might thus contribute to increased pressure on public agents. Ultimately, this article investigates the “dark side” of PSM, which has been neglected by the literature thus far.

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.

Les recherches sur la motivation a l’egard du service public (PSM, Public Service Motivation) se multiplient a un rythme incroyable depuis vingt ans. A cote des analyses des antecedents de la PSM et de son influence sur les organisations et les individus, il reste encore beaucoup de questions sans reponse au sujet de la nature proprement dite de la PSM. Dans le present article, nous soutenons que le concept theorique de PSM doit etre contextualise en integrant les contextes politique et administratif des agents de l’Etat dans le cadre de l’etude de leurs attitudes a l’egard du fait de travailler dans le secteur public. Nous remettons egalement en question la validite de la structure quadridimensionnelle classique de la PSM lorsqu’elle s’applique a un contexte particulier. Les resultats obtenus suite a une analyse factorielle confirmatoire portant sur un echantillon comprenant 3754 agents dans 279 municipalites suisses confirment qu’il est opportun de contextualiser certains elements de la notion de PSM. Ils confirment egalement le bien-fonde de l’ajout d’une dimension supplementaire appelee, conformement a une recherche anterieure, gouvernance democratique suisse. Sur la base de nos resultats, des recherches complementaires sur la PSM s’imposent afin de definir une mesure precise de la PSM, notamment dans la perspective d’une diffusion internationale des recherches empiriques sur cette question. Remarques a l’intention des praticiensLa presente etude revele que la motivation a l’egard du service public est une notion pertinente pour les praticiens et peut servir a mieux determiner si les agents de l’Etat sont motives par des valeurs ou non. Elle fait cependant egalement apparaitre que la mesure de la PSM doit aussi etre adaptee au contexte institutionnel. Les gestionnaires publics qui souhaitent mieux comprendre a quel point leur personnel est motive par des valeurs publiques doivent savoir que la mesure de cette notion de PSM doit etre contextualisee. En d’autres termes, la PSM est egalement determinee par l’environnement institutionnel dans lequel les organisations operent.

Research on Public Service Motivation (PSM) has increased enormously in the last 20 years. Besides the analysis of the antecedents of PSM and its impact on organizations and individuals, many open questions about the nature of PSM itself still remain. This article argues that the theoretical construct of PSM should be contextualized by integrating the political and administrative contexts of public servants when investigating their specific attitudes towards working in a public environment. It also challenges the efficacy of the classic four-dimensional structure of PSM when it is applied to a specific context. The findings of a confirmatory factor analysis from a dataset of 3754 employees of 279 Swiss municipalities support the appropriateness of contextualizing parts of the PSM construct. They also support the addition of an extra dimension called, according to previous research, Swiss democratic governance. With regard to our results, there is a need for further PSM research to set a definite measure of PSM, particularly in regard to the international diffusion of empirical research on PSM. Points for practitioners This study shows that public service motivation is a relevant construct for practitioners and may be used to better assess whether public agents are motivated by values or not. Nevertheless, it stresses also that the measurement of PSM must be adapted to the institutional context as well. Public managers interested in understanding better the degree to which their employees are motivated by public values must be aware that the measurement of this PSM construct has to be contextualized. In other words, PSM is also a function of the institutional environment in which organizations operate.

This paper explores the effects of human resource management (HRM) practices in Swiss small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs). More specifically, the main objective of this study is to assess the impacts of HRM practices developed in Swiss SMEs upon the commitment of knowledge workers. Using data from a survey of over 198 knowledge workers, this study shows the importance of looking closer at HRM practices and, furthermore, to really investigate the impacts of the different HRM practices on employees' commitment. Results show, for example, that organizational support, procedural justice and the reputation of the organization may clearly influence knowledge workers' commitment, whereas other HRM practices such as involvement in decision-making, skills management or even the degree of satisfaction with pay do not have any impact on knowledge workers' commitment.

On the basis of three case studies, the authors attempt to identify changes in relationships between politicians and senior civil servants. Reforms inspired by ‘New Public Management’ (NPM) have been implemented with the aim of creating a clearer separation between strategic activities entrusted to politicians, and the operational or managerial tasks generally under the remit of senior civil servants. By analysing the reforms implemented in three Swiss cantons, the article tests the hypothesis of strategic contingency of political-administrative relations, in particular in view of the different modernization routes selected in each of the three cantons. Obtained using both quantitative and qualitative survey techniques, the empirical results allow us to cast strong doubt on the emergence of greater distance between politicians and the civil service. While our results indicate elements of strategic contingency, no empirical factor allows us to identify greater separation between political and administrative spheres as a result of the reforms. In contrast, politicians and senior civil servants still freely admit their very high level of interdependence in designing, deciding and implementing public policies. Other explanations must therefore be put forward to explain this lack of distinction in the results, in particular institutional aspects. Points for practitioners This article shows that senior civil servants must be regarded as key players in the definition and implementation of public policies. Admittedly, administrative reform strategies influence relations between political and administrative spheres and contribute towards the development of new dynamics. However, the results of the research presented in this article clearly show that, from a public management point of view, it is hardly reasonable to attempt at all costs to separate these two spheres which are in fact complementary.

Sur la base de trois etudes de cas, les auteurs tentent de percevoir des changements dans les relations entre politiques et hauts fonctionnaires. Les reformes, inspirees de la mouvance de la « nouvelle gestion publique », visent a separer plus strictement activites strategiques, devolues aux politiques, et actions operationnelles ou manageriales dont les hauts fonctionnaires sont les principaux acteurs. En analysant les reformes menees dans trois entites cantonales suisses, l’article teste l’hypothese de la contingence strategique des relations politico-administratives, ce d’autant plus que les trajectoires de modernisation des trois cantons sont differentes. Les resultats empiriques, obtenus sur la base de techniques d’enquete a la fois quantitatives et qualitatives, nous autorisent a douter fortement d’un developpement d’une plus grande distanciation entre politiques et haute administration. Si des elements de contingences strategiques peuvent etre clairement identifies dans nos resultats, aucun fait empirique ne nous amene a identifier une separation politico-administrative plus importante suite aux reformes. Bien au contraire, politiques et hauts fonctionnaires admettent bien volontiers encore leur tres forte interdependance dans les processus de design, de decision et de mise en œuvre des politiques publiques. Aussi, d’autres elements explicatifs doivent etre avances pour expliquer cette indifferenciation des resultats, notamment des aspects institutionnels.Remarques pour les praticiensCet article demontre que les hauts fonctionnaires doivent etre consideres comme des acteurs incontournables dans la definition et la mise en œuvre des politiques publiques. Certes, les strategies des reformes administratives influent sur les relations entre spheres politiques et administratives et contribuent a y developper des dynamiques differentes. Mais les resultats de la recherche exposes dans l’article montrent clairement qu’il n’est guere raisonnable, d’un point de vue de management public, de vouloir a tout prix separer ces deux spheres qui sont complementaires en realite.