2013 봄 ; 공무원의 주관적 책임성: 지방자치단체 중하위직 공무원의 경험을 통한 탐색 = An Exploratory Study of Civil Servants` Subjective Responsibility: Based on the Perception of Middle- and Lower-Ranking Civil Servants in Local Government

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The purpose of this study is to explore the meaning of the responsibility of civil servants: when and to whom they feel responsible as civil servants under the recent increase in social demands on governmental responsibility. Because previous research pays less attention to and offers less understanding of civil servants` subjective responsibility than to their objective responsibility, this study focuses on employees` internal sense of responsibility. Using in-depth interview data regarding middle- and lower-ranking civil servants in local government, this study establishes the types and implications of civil servants` subjective responsibility. It indicates that they feel responsible for serving civil petitioners` needs, responding to elected officials, working for the public interest, performing their job successfully, and responding to social criticism of the government. The study also presents the following implications. Civil service employees strongly believe that they have to take into consideration the public interest for the whole society, but they think that they have enough discretion to do that. Therefore, in correspondence with these beliefs, they require greater discretion and authority. On the other hand, they show willingness to serve the elected officials who have authority over them. This study suggests that in order to raise civil servants` sense of responsibility, strategies should be developed for intrinsic motivation and inner control of public servants.