MANAGERIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE SRI LANKA ADMINISTRA TIVE SERVICE: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

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Despite the controversial arguments surrounding the role of public entrepreneurship, it still remains a potential avenue as an alternative option to resolve inadequate government performance. This study highlights the utility of public entrepreneurship in improving the public delivery system. The study has as its main objectives the development and testing of a comprehensive and systematic model to investigate key determinants of public entrepreneurship in the Sri Lanka Administrative Service. The study proposes research implications for managerial and administrative reforms in improving entrepreneurial behavior in the public service. Four main hypotheses were proposed based on the conceptual model developed in this study: (1) Public entrepreneurship of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service is positively associated with such personal factors as motivation to achieve and leadership skills, which consists of technical skills, human skills and conceptual skills, (2) Public entrepreneurship of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service is positively associated with such task factors as clarity of goals of the organization and higher degree of managerial autonomy, (3) Public entrepreneurship of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service is positively associated with such organizational factors as performance based reward system and personal transfer system, and (4) Public entrepreneurship of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service is positively associated with such external environmental factors as citizen participation and public support. The study is based on data gathered from a random sample consisting of two hundred and ninety six officials in the Sri Lanka Administrative Service who are high level managerial officers. These officers serve in central administration, field administration (divisional and district secretariats), provincial administration, local governments and public corporations. To ensure greater validity of the quantitative results, and also to seek richer information, twenty-five in-depth interviews were undertaken. The interviewees were selected using Hunter's reputational snowballing technique. Both quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods were employed in this study. The statistical techniques employed for analyzing the quantitative results were factor analysis, reliability analysis, frequency analysis, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. Thematic analysis and content analysis methods were' employed for the qualitative data. The test results suggest that personal factors, which are motivation to achieve, technical skills, human skills and conceptual skills are positively associated with public entrepreneurship in the Sri Lanka Administrative Service. Task factors, including goal clarity and managerial autonomy, are positively associated with public entrepreneurship. Performance based reward system as an organizational factor indicated a significant, but negative association with public entrepreneurship in the Sri Lanka Administrative Service. Transfer system, however, does not make any significant difference to public entrepreneurship. External environmental factors, which are citizen participation and public support, are positively associated with public entrepreneurship in the Sri Lanka Administrative Service. The qualitative results confirmed the statistical results. The study found that about one-third of the interviewees in the Sri Lanka Administrative Service exhibited entrepreneurial activities that are different from the existing activities and practices and those could not be regarded as accidental. Thus, potential exists in improving the entrepreneurial behavior in the service. Since managers' higher achievement needs, their leadership skills (technical skills, human skills, and conceptual skills) goal clarity, higher degree of managerial autonomy, performance based reward system, citizen participation and public support have direct impact on public entrepreneurship, reforms are necessary in those directions to facilitate entrepreneurial activities and behavior of the officials in the Sri Lanka Administrative Service. The research contributes to the theory of public entrepreneurship and also to managerial and administrative practices in improving governmental performance, which benefit the citizens of Sri Lanka. Finally, the research highlights directions for future research.