Bringing Networks In: A model of organizational socialization in the public sector

Abstract

Integrating new employees so that they perform well, fit in well and are committed to the agency is a salient concern for public managers. Organizational socialization is the process by which new employees learn the knowledge, skills and values required to become organizational members. This article develops a model of organizational socialization grounded in newcomer social networks and set within a context of public service identity. Social network theory and methods offer a means for examining and interpreting patterns of interactions between newcomers and organizational members. This article concludes with propositions for future studies of organizational socialization and social networks.

Key words:

• Social networks
• organizational socialization
• public service identity
• public service motivation

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The author wishes to thank an anonymous reviewer for suggesting that a clarification of the public service motivation concept be introduced into the paper, and to consider it as more than an independent or dependent variable.

Notes

1 Public administration scholars have defined public organizations with varying degrees of ‘publicness’, by placing them along a public–private continuum, and by categorizing them along divisions such as ownership and funding (Antonsen and Jorgensen 1997; Perry and Rainey 1988; Steen 2008; Vandenabeele 2008). For the purpose of this article, I draw from Antonsen and Jorgensen (1997), 337), who defined public organizations as those who display (varying) degrees of publicness, defined by them as ‘organizational attachment to public sector values such as accountability, due process and welfare provision.’ Thank you to the anonymous reviewer who suggested that I include this definition.

2 The author wishes to thank Bradley E. Wright for the comment regarding public service motivation and identity.

3 In contrast, ‘complete’ network data includes ties for linking all actors within a closed population, such as an organization, division or department (Marsden 1990).

4 Note that Miller and Jablin (1991, 99) label information needed to do one’s job as referent information.