Distribution of Public Service and Individual Job Performance in Peruvian Municipality

Abstract

Purpose: This research aims to find the link between public service Distribution and individual job performance in the provincial municipality. Research design, data, and methodology: This is a quantitative approach study with a non-experimental and correlational design. The sample consisted of 140 employees appointed and hired by the provincial municipality of Huaraz. For data collection, Two questionnaires with an ordinal Likert-type scale and the Rho Spearman correlation coefficient were used to assess the link between the research variables., For Analysis: two questionnaires with an ordinal Likert-type scale and the Rho Spearman correlation coefficient were used to determine the connection between the research variables. Results: It was determined that both variables have a high degree of correlation (0.725), indicating a direct and significant relationship between the Distribution of public service and skill performance in the provincial municipality (0.614). Conclusion: Finally, this allows us to conclude that the institutional context is essential; that is, there is a significant correlation between the PSM and contextual performance in the provincial municipality of Huaraz, which has a Rho Spearman value of 0.723.

1. Introduction

The idea of altruism is linked to public service Distribution (PSM). Altruism is the desire to act in the best interests of a larger group, such as a state or country or even humanity as a whole. But unlike sociological definitions of altruism that are founded on the idea that individuals behave to fulfill the wants of others before meeting their own (Á lvarez, 2016), meeting these communal needs simultaneously meets an individual’s need. PSM is a needs-based approach to Distribution that focuses on achieving a common good PSM (Perry et al., 2010).

This individual-level desire to contribute to the public good can be fulfilled in various social contexts. Researchers first constructed the PSM construct to distinguish between public and private sector personnel (Ballart, 2016). Giving behavior and non-profit workers were later included in the list. As a general rule, employees of public and non-profit organizations have greater levels of PSM than those of private businesses. Research conducted outside the workplace reveals that PSM positively impacts volunteerism and charitable giving.

Also, it is critical to consider culture, as it impacts various psychological processes and, thus, organizational processes (Homberg & Vogel, 2016). In this regard, ideas have been formulated on the impact of different national cultures on PSM. Cross-cultural research on PSM has revealed parallels and contrasts with Perry’s approach (Vandenabeele et al., 2018). For example, British government workers place a higher value on integrity and impartiality in Europe. Still, French civil servants place a higher value on service delivery (Ballart et al., 2017). Similarly, research conducted in 38 countries verified the characteristics of self-sacrifice, concern for public policy-making, and compassion as indicators of PSM (Vandenabeele et al., 2008). In this research, differences in PSM scores are observed; Latin America and Europe appear to have high PSM scores, which are attributed to a strong Catholic tradition, allowing them to internalize moral values; similarly, Eastern Europe has a low PSM score, which the authors attribute to its communist political past (Vandenabeele et al., 2018).

However, numerous research studies worldwide have concurred on PSM’s impacts on government organizations’ behavior. PSM has also been shown to correlate positively with work engagement, employee satisfaction, ethical behavior, and individual and organizational success in Asia, Europe, and North America (Kim, 2005).

However, our job performance (IJP) plays a crucial part in what we do as professionals. The selection of employees is based on the identification of individual difference factors that are linked to unique variations in work performance (Ramirez, 2013). Expenditures for training programs, orientation programs, and skills training must be supported by proof that the training enhances individual work performance according to the requirements of organizations.

Classifying individual judgments, decisions made within individuals, systems maintenance, and documentation are four ways to use personal job performance data. Individual work performance data was used for compensation administration, promotion choices, and merit pay schemes, among other things (Durango, 2017). Training and placement requirements may be determined by assessing the strengths and shortcomings of an individual, along with offering feedback (Koopmans et al., 2014). Individual job performance evaluations for human resource planning and strengthening authority structures in organizations fall under systems maintenance. For legal reasons, personal information about each employee’s work performance is also documented.

However, the Provincial Municipality of Huaraz is no stranger to this problem, so to find out the degree of Distribution towards public service and whether this affects or is related to the IJP in the provincial government of Huaraz, the following problems are posed.

2. Literature Review

PSM may be defined as a person’s drive to positively impact their community (Perry et al., 1990). PSM is among the most hotly debated subjects in public administration and management today. Some see it as the answer to the age-old problem of how to get government personnel to work toward the greater good. Although PSM was not initially suggested as a viable response to the issue given, they have still turned to PSM in their search for an answer. Moreover, one-quarter of the articles discussing the subject is about PSM. It appears that the quantity of peer-reviewed papers dealing with PSM is regularly increasing. Citation ratings for PSM-related essays show that these articles are often cited, indicating that the topic is a hotly debated issue in the scientific community (Vandenabeele & Skelcher, 2015).

Public interest commitments are the reasons why people believe in the public interest, and this would include public sentiments and loyalty towards state organizations (Riba & Ballart, 2016; Hameduddin & Engbers, 2022); in addition, a strong interest in public issues is a critical component of political participation (Tejada, 2021). To reduce the possible outcomes, we looked at how interested people are in politics, national issues, and political campaigns from three different perspectives. Political involvement should rise as people become more interested in the public sector.

Focusing on emotional impulses defined by the desire to help others, identification with the problems of users of public institutions is measured. It also considers motives related to compassion to solve community problems that can be observed through the intention to help all community members (Taylor & Clerkin, 2011).

PSM poses several options for its application in state administration. Individuals are motivated to serve the public through an inherent selfless ethic. Simply rewarding them with money or other extrinsic advantages may not effectively improve job performance and institutional effectiveness.

It is an internal personal consideration, i.e., a sense of self-sacrifice is essential to facilitate participating more actively in public service (Del Estal-García & Melián-González, 2021). On the other hand, as a person's sense of self-sacrifice increases, they believe they can engage or make themselves available for public service as government officials. Normative reasons have also been identified when a person believes in the public interest, including public opinion and loyalty to government institutions, and emotional drives marked by an interest in supporting other human beings and sacrificing their interests (Vandenabeele et al., 2018).

This component is related to the fundamental qualities of work, which can be defined as the desire to do good and contribute to the well-being of society (Gadzhieva et al., 2020). The reasons covered by PSM are not limited to public workers; they are also present, to a greater extent, among employees of private sector companies that provide public services; thus, the idea is related to benefit rather than to the public sector (De Juana-Espinosa & Rakowska, 2018). Prosocial behavior demonstrates that some people choose occupations with a social effect. Similarly, comparable ideas are used in the public management literature, such as the common good, prevalent in Asian nations, or the concept of public service ethics, which is commonplace in the European context.

Individual job performance (IJP) is assessable behavior. However, the difference between behaviors and outcomes is unclear in many cases. Some researchers insist on a clear distinction between behaviors and outcomes, while others downplay the importance of this difference. The difference between behaviors and outcomes is an individual's assumed control over them. The argument is that the individual job performance variable should not include what is beyond the individual's control (Viswesvaran, 2002).

Moreover, for each job performance measure or index, the degree of control the individual has is a matter of degree. As such, the distinction between behaviors and outcomes is also a matter of degree, not an absolute difference. Whether one defines performance as related to behaviors or outcomes depends on the attributions one makes and the purpose of the assessment. There are various manifestations of individual job performance, with the actual operational measure varying across contexts (Koopmans et al., 2011; Ahmed, 2021).

Individual job performance is the scalable actions, attitudes, and accomplishments all employees engage in or achieve that are linked to and contribute to the organization’s goals. (Koopmans et al., 2014). These three notions accompany this definition: (1) worker performance as a behavior rather than results; (2) worker performance should only include those behaviors required to fulfill the institution's goals; and (3) cross-functional performance management. Two ideas appear interchangeable in the literature: job performance and work productivity. The ratio of input to output is known as labor productivity. Because of this, productivity is a more specific term than performance, which is a broader one.

Competence can be described as the ability to perform the essential functions of a job. In addition, job-specific task competence, technical competence, and job performance are also terms that are occasionally used to describe job performance. It encompasses a variety of factors, including the quantity of work performed, the quality of work performed, and the worker’s understanding of the work performed.

Furthermore, skill performance can be assessed in the first two dimensions, namely competence in job-specific activities and competence in non-job-specific tasks (activities outside the job but which are necessary for all workers to fulfill); on the other hand (Homberg & Vogel, 2016). Divide task performance into quantity and quality of work.

Naturally, what defines core job functions varies from job to job. Numerous factors were often used to describe how activities were performed. For example, (Vandenabeel et al., 2018) defined office worker task performance with precision, demonstrating knowledge of time, detail, and planning. On the other hand, (Del Estal-García & Melián-González, 2021) discussed how CPAs execute activities such as understanding, planning, and reviewing tasks. Furthermore, they classified managers' job performance as action orientation (getting things done, decision-making). Again, (Coursey et al., 2012) classified managers’ performance into traditional roles and occupational perceptions and concerns.

Individual behavior in support of the environment in which all servers work could be defined as contextual performance. This component is referred to by various terms, including competence in general work tasks, the performance of additional functions, organizational citizenship, and interpersonal connections. However, both ideas pertain to actions that extend beyond explicitly defined work objectives, i.e., taking on extra activities, demonstrating proactivity, or empowering novice workers (Durango, 2017; Zhang et al., 2021).

Provide more context for the explanation of contextual performance. Communication mechanisms, whether written or oral, effort, self-discipline, peer encouragement, leadership, and supervision are factors to consider. In addition, contextual performance can be defined as communication, effort, leadership, administrative, interpersonal, and conformity to or acceptance of authority.

Many more precise variables were often used to indicate contextual performance when evaluating individual tasks. For example, (Vandenabeele & Skelcher, 2015) showed office workers’ contextual performance using collaboration and additional responsibility, showing responsibility and initiative, interacting with corporate employees, and communicating with the public. (De Juana-Espinosa & Rakowska, 2018; Raza et al., 2020) They defined managerial job performance in leadership and supervision, interpersonal connections and communication, conduct, and valuable personal skills.

Most studies on individual job performance included at least one factor of counterproductive workplace behavior. Murphy defined destructive/dangerous actions as creating an obvious risk of productivity losses, property damage, or other mishaps. In addition, downtime habits are known as work avoidance behaviors, which are used to characterize actions that are detrimental to the business. (Vandenabeele et al., 2018; Khalid et al., 2021) Included extra-task activities, rebellion, and theft. His review (Cabrera, 2014) stated that unproductive work habits should be recognized as a third broad component of individual work performance. Finally, they were classified as focusing only on counterproductive work behavior in their work performance. In addition, work performance was investigated from an occupational health perspective. It was separated into absenteeism and attending work while sick, which can be termed unproductive work habits and endanger institutional well-being.

3. Methodology

This is a quantitative approach study with a non-experimental and correlational design (Hernández & Mendoza, 2018). The survey was conducted on 140 municipality workers through a random sampling technique (Ñ aupas et al., 2018), which allowed the collection of this information from a significant number of individuals. The questionnaire was used as an instrument and is defined as a document that provides empirical information essential for determining the scale of variables as reasons for the analysis (Supo & Zacarias, 2020). The first variable, modified from (Riba & Ballart, 2016), was used in the public service Distribution scale for a Spanish civilian worker. On the other hand, the second variable was measured using the questionnaire (Dåderman et al., 2020) translated and adapted. Five experts validated the questionnaires, and Cronbach's alpha achieved their reliability; for Distribution towards public service with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.851, consisting of 16 items. Individual job performance has a Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.837 and 18 items (Supo & Zacarias, 2020).

Table 1 shows that 54.3% of those surveyed are male, while 25.7% are between the ages of 35 and 43. Furthermore, 47.1% have a technical education. This data explains that in the Provincial Municipality of Huaraz, a higher number of male workers are appointed at a technical level.

Table 1: Characteristics of the Surveyed Population.

Note: Own elaboration

4. Results

Table 2 shows that 48.6% have a medium level of attitude towards the use of mobile banking. In comparison, 23.6% have a high level of attitude towards the use of mobile banking. This data explains that workers in the Provincial Municipality of Huaraz do not have adequate Distribution for public service, so they do not offer attention with sensitivity towards society.

Table 2: Levels of Distribution towards public service.

Note: Own elaboration

Table 3: The Correlation Coefficient Between PSM And Individual Job Performance

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (bilateral).

Spearman’s Rho test results in rejecting the null hypothesis as the observed significance value of 0.0000 are lower than the theoretical significance value of 0.05. In the province of Huaraz - Ancash, there is a direct and significant relationship between public service Distribution and individual job performance in rural local government.

5. Discussion

The performance of public organizations is fundamental to the legitimacy of a state. But as defined by (Riba & Ballart, 2016), public service performance is multifaceted. It relates to diverse stakeholder perspectives on what shared values should be achieved and what shared values should be prioritized. In this sense, we focus on the Distribution of individual employees as a contribution to individual public service performance. We, therefore, exclude many other factors that contribute to the implementation of public organizations, including variables not directly related to performance, such as, for example, turnover and absenteeism.

However, the definition we use for the present research, according to Dåderman et al. (2020), individual job performance is a function of PSM and is accompanied by institutional characteristics. Furthermore, it reflects how the link between individuals' Distribution and individual performance depends on institutions (Shaikh et al., 2022; Molines et al., 2022). For example, shared values are among the most critical factors for constructing PSM in public institutions. Therefore, institutions matter concerning the performance outcomes of individuals motivated by public service. This is supported by the two theorists (Distribution theory and institutional theory) that we use to explain Processes.

The present research differs from other studies on a public institution with PSM-related variables. Moreover, there is a lack of information on these issues. More knowledge is needed to understand better the context's role in explaining individual performance through Distribution towards public service. For example, more knowledge is required on the influence of organizational design, outsourcing, and bureaucratic theory on individual performance. This also includes the analysis of environmental fit by measuring changes in the institutional context over time, as well as the different public institutions among other sectors, regional governments, district municipalities, and private-public institutions such as SUNAT, SUNARP, the Public Ministry, and the Judiciary and the effects of these on individual job performance outcomes.

In terms of the hypothesis, we were interested in the strength of the relationship between Distribution towards public service and individual performance. So far, we can conclude that the connection is direct and significant, with a Rho Spearman value of 0.725. These results coincide with those presented by (Martínez, 2019). He explains that Distribution toward public service and worker satisfaction promotes performance and improves service quality in a municipality in Spain. Additionally, (Ballart et al., 2017) analyzed Distribution in public services, concluding that PSM generates better job performance in public sector workers in Barcelona, Spain.

A direct relationship is demonstrated between Distribution towards public service and skills performance in the provincial municipality of Huaraz, with a Rho Spearman value of 0.614. This result is complemented by the fact that most models are not fully specified. Empirical studies largely neglect the correlates of public service Distribution as explanatory variables of individual skills performance (Ramírez, 2013; Oviedo, 2020). A study offered by Durango (2017), shows that knowledge is minimal of the relevance of PSM compared to other Distributional and attitudinal variables that predict or relate to individual performance. For example, job satisfaction is an antecedent of individual performance and is closely associated with worker skill performance (Cabrera, 2014).

6. Conclusion

Finally, this allows us to conclude that the institutional context is essential, i.e., there is a significant relationship between PSM and contextual performance in Huaraz's provincial municipality, which is a Rho Spearman value of 0.723. The study found differences by analyzing the relationship between different measures of PSM and relevant performance. In addition, we also found conflicting results between studies that investigated the same type of performance (e.g., extra-curricular behavior) in different contexts. However, apart from (Jiménez, 2019). Research, there is a lack of analysis using relevant performance measures. Efficiency performance in one policy area may differ from another when examining the specific public standards that determine performance in a particular context. Therefore, we encourage researchers to continue using general human resources survey measures to analyze the performance effects of PSM (Tejada, 2021).

The results show a direct and significant relationship between the Distribution for public service and personal work performance in the provincial municipality of Huaraz and individual work performance. Also, Distribution toward public service is directly and significantly related to the performance of competencies in the provincial municipality of Huaraz - Ancash. On the other hand, Distribution toward public service is directly and significantly related to contextual performance in the provincial municipality of Huaraz - Ancash. Finally, Distribution toward public service is indirectly and significantly related to counterproductive work behavior in the provincial municipality of Huaraz - Ancash.

Future Study

Future studies should better evaluate the role of public service Distribution in better evaluating these relationships. The growth in narrative studies (Dale Estal-Garcia & Mellian-Gonzalez, 2021; Fuster-Guillén et al., 2021), it would be worthwhile to systematically compare the results of correlated research with the results of descriptive studies to measure distortions caused by model specification errors in the study sets.