Public sector management and the democratic ethos: A 5-year study of key relationships in Israel

This article deals with the nexus between bureaucracy and democracy in a management-oriented public sector. The article develops the idea that public administration plays a major role in determining citizens' political attitudes and behaviors. A theoretical model is suggested to examine the relationship among citizens' perceptions of involvement and participation in administrative decision making, perceived managerial quality, perceived public sector performance, and democratic participatory behavior (i.e., trust in administrative agencies, political participation, and community involvement). A sample of 2,281 Israeli citizens provided information on the research variables over a 5-year period (2001-05). Findings reveal that citizens' perceptions of involvement and participation in administrative decision making are positively related with perceived managerial quality but are not related with perceived public sector performance. In addition, perceived managerial quality is positively related with trust in administrative agencies as well as with political participation and community involvement. Finally, public sector performance is a mediator in this relationship. These findings lead to a discussion about the linkage between the bureaucratic and the democratic ethos in modern managerial governance, theoretical and practical implications, as well as suggestions for future studies.