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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.
