Entrepreneurial Orientation in Korean and Chinese Public Sector: Does it Matter for Organizational Commitment?

Public sector organizations confront an increasing expectation to be more effective and innovative in the midst of changing environment. Scholars and practitioners have constantly raised the need for entrepreneurial... [ view full abstract ]

Public sector organizations confront an increasing expectation to be more effective and innovative in the midst of changing environment. Scholars and practitioners have constantly raised the need for entrepreneurial orientation and create a public sector entrepreneurship culture as a way to respond to these challenges. While previous studies have extensively explored various antecedents and consequences of entrepreneurial orientation, research focusing on the influence of individual and organizational factors in the public sector remains limited. Thus, there is a need to better understand antecedents of entrepreneurial orientation and how itis related to organizational commitment in public sector organizations. Based on the unique characteristics of Korean and Chinese public sector, our study determines the role of cultural, structural, and ethical values prominent in the organization, as well as, the distinctive individual PSM, leadership trust, and the degree of congruence between person and environment on the entrepreneurial orientation. Consequently, we explored the relationship of entrepreneurial orientation and organizational commitment. Data from 2015 Public Sector Entrepreneurship Survey (PSES) collected from Korean and Chinese public sector employees are used to test the model employing structural equation modeling techniques. Results suggest that entrepreneurial orientation in the Korean and Chinese public sectors were influenced by both contextual and individual factors and subsequently the organizational commitment. Finally, the article points out the study’s theoretical, empirical, and practical implications and directions for future research.