Olusegun Oladapo Akerele – National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (SNSPA) (Administrative science, SNSPA University), Bvd. Expozitiei, No. 30 A, Sector 1, Bucuresti, Romania
Keywords:
Public sector employees;
Productivity;
Europe;
Africa;
Incentives;
Comparative analysis
Abstract: This paper examines the varying impact of financial and non-financial incentives on public sector performance across Africa and Europe. Using a mixed-method comparative analysis, the study highlights key differences: in Africa, intrinsic motivators such as job satisfaction and organizational commitment drive productivity, while in Europe, structured financial incentives like performance-related pay (PRP) play a significant role. However, the effectiveness of PRP is uneven, particularly in decentralized government institutions. The paper advocates for a hybrid incentive model that integrates both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, tailored to each region’s cultural and economic contexts, to enhance public sector performance.

Download full paper

8th International Scientific Conference – EMAN 2024 – Economics and Management: How to Cope With Disrupted Times, Rome, Italy, March 21, 2024, CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS, published by: Association of Economists and Managers of the Balkans, Belgrade, Serbia; ISBN 978-86-80194-83-7, ISSN 2683-4510, DOI: https://doi.org/10.31410/EMAN.2024
Creative Commons Non Commercial CC BY-NC: This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission.
REFERENCES
Ali, A., Iqbal, S., Haider, S. A., Tehseen, S., Anwar, B., Sohail, M., & Rehman, K. (2021). Does governance in information technology matter when it comes to organizational performance in Pakistani public sector organizations? Mediating effect of innovation. SAGE open, 11(2), 21582440211016557.
Christian. (2016, July 13). Institutes of public administration in the EU. Association of Accredited Public Policy Advocates to the European Union. Retrieved December 5, 2021, from http://www.aalep.eu/institutes-publicadministration-eu
Fatile, J. O. (2014). Performance management systems productivity in the public sector: Wither African public administration. Africa’s Public Service Delivery & Performance Review, 2(3), 77-105.
Gindling, T., Hasnain, Z., Newhouse, D., & Shi, R. (2020). Are public sector workers in developing countries overpaid? Evidence from a new global dataset. World Development, 26.
Hugrée, C., & Pélissier, É. (2015). Differences between public and private sector employees following the managerial turn in European states. Revue française de sociologie, 56(1), 47-73
Johnson, D. S. (2020). Public versus private employees: A perspective on the characteristics and implications. FIIB Business Review, 9(1), 9-14.
McKinsey. (2021). A smarter approach to cost reduction in the public sector. McKinsey. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-and-social-sector/our-insights/a-smarter-approach-to-cost-reduction-in-the-public-sector
Mo Ibrahim Foundation. (2018). 2018 Ibrahim Forum Report: Public service in Africa. Mo Ibrahim Foundation.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2020). Government at a glance: Western Balkans. OECD iLibrary. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/government-at-a-glance-western-balkans_a8c72f1b-en.html
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2021). Cost effectiveness: Government at a glance 2021. https://doi.org/10.1787/gov_glance-2021-en
Saget, C., & Yao, J. F. (2011). The impact of the financial and economic crisis on ten African economies and labour markets in 2008-2010: Findings from the ILO/WB policy inventory. Geneva: International Labour Office, Employment Sector, Economic and Labour Market Analysis Department (ILO).
Schultz, E. L., Ziemann, L., & Rosen, R. (2017). Challenges in the measurement of public sector productivity in OECD countries. International Productivity Monitor, 32(Spring), 180-195.
Stiglitz, J. E., Knyazeva, A., & Knyazeva, D. (2013). Ownership change, institutional development, and performance. Journal of Banking & Finance, 37(1), 117-137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbankfin.2012.08.010
Thijs, N., Hammerschmid, G., & Palaric, E. (2017). A comparative overview of public administration characteristics and performance in the EU28. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.
Van de Walle, S., Van Roosbroek, S., & Bouckaert, G. (2008). Trust in the public sector: Is there any evidence for a long-term decline? International Review of Administrative Sciences, 74(1), 45-62.
Van Ryzin, G. G. (2011). Outcomes, process, and trust of civil servants. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 21(4), 745–760.
