Public and Private Sectors -- The Underlying Differences

Corporate management approaches are not as effective when applied to government because corporations and government are very different. One of the primary differences is in the area of public scrutiny. The public sector is much more open than the private, and bureaucracies must provide a record of t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Management review (Saranac Lake, New York) New York), 1988-05, Vol.77 (5), p.28
Main Author: Ross, Bernard H
Format: Magazinearticle
Language:English
Subjects:
Comparative analysis
Differences
Management
Private sector
Public sector
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Corporate management approaches are not as effective when applied to government because corporations and government are very different. One of the primary differences is in the area of public scrutiny. The public sector is much more open than the private, and bureaucracies must provide a record of their activities that almost anyone can see. In addition, few government officials have the right to make unilateral decisions. The turnover in the public sector also is high. Private-sector managers who go into the public sector find it difficult to cope with ambiguous goals and standards adopted by government agencies. The ambiguity results from the fact that public-sector entities have their goals set for them by legislative bodies. In contrast, private-sector managers work with defined tasks, measurable objectives, and relevant rewards for success.
ISSN:0025-1895