The missions and the tasks of organizations in the public sector are quite a bit different than those of private sector organizations. Just think about the example organizations already mentioned in this chapter. Apple makes a range of consumer electronics, from iPhones to Apple Watches, and there are many movie-streaming services, from Amazon Prime to Netflix, that afford us the opportunity to watch movies at any time on our own electronic devices. Now, think about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Its mission is to protect human health and the environment. The Chesapeake Climate Action Network is a regional organization based in Maryland that strives to fight climate change. The Federal Aviation Administration is essential in managing the airspace above us for planes to take us from one place to another.
Public and private sector organizations vary in what they do. The work involved in developing the iPhone, in terms of both the physical construction as well as the software that makes it indispensable to many of us, undoubtedly took lots of time, money, and ingenuity, but the tasks before private sector organizations are very different than those of public sector organizations. Government and non profit organizations strive to serve the public by advancing efforts around reducing environmental harms or making sure that the planes do not collide midair. It is reasonable to stipulate that these are very different kinds of organizational tasks.
Although there are many similarities between public and private organizations, as they are comprised of people trying to achieve certain goals and objectives, the differences between them are far more significant. As we have already seen, the missions of public organizations are far different from those of private organizations first and foremost. Second, authority structures also differ. In the case of Apple, where does it derive power and authority? From Apple stockholders and its customers. Apple can charge $1,000 for its iPhone X because its customers are willing to pay for it (and line up at all hours of the day to be one of the first proud new owners of the device!), and people clamor to buy Apple stock. And these forces help keep Tim Cook as the company’s chief executive officer. What about the United States Postal Service (USPS)? The head of the USPS is the postmaster general (the first of whom was Benjamin Franklin) and is appointed by the Board of Governors of the USPS (akin to a board of directors), but those governors are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. At best, the USPS customers have an indirect effect on the agency’s leadership. The USPS relies on Congress for its budget. To increase the cost of mailing a letter, the USPS has to navigate the administrative process to propose and approve a rate increase. And while the USPS is a rarity in that it has private sector counterparts (think UPS or FedEx), most government agencies do not have competition (after all, what other organization controls air traffic?). But the USPS is required, by law, to serve every address in the United States, something none of its competitors do (there are many rural addresses that private sector companies won’t serve because it is not cost-effective for them to do so).
Third, the work of public organizations, such as the USPS, also exists in a broader political landscape, complete with sensitivity to the next election cycle and what changes in party control might mean for the organization. Politicians play a role in the senior leadership of these organizations as well as appropriating funds for the organizations to pursue their missions. Non profit organizations are also sensitive to politics since many organizations rely on government grants to carry out some of the work, or may partner with government agencies to provide services for citizens. And finally, public organizations are far more likely to be involved in the lives of citizens, whether citizens like it or not. After all, if you are not a fan of the iPhone or the Apple OS, then you would probably buy an Android phone, and avoid all things Apple. Whether you realize it or not, the USPS is instrumental in your life, along with many other public organizations. You may not even realize the work the Ocean Conservancy does to educate people and the food service industry about sustainable fishing practices when you eat fish tacos, for example. So, given the differences in tasks, authority, political context, and involvement in daily lives, the work of public organizations varies quite a bit from private sector organizations.
Application Activity
With this understanding of the public sector and the range of organizations that comprise it, you are now in a position to think about the kinds of public organizations you might be interested in. In the first activity designed to help you figure out if the public sector may be right for you, make a list of three areas of activity that the public sector engages in that you find interesting. For example, these might be growing concerns over food deserts, particularly in urban areas, or local government efforts to promote sustainability, or programs to provide young people with after-school support. Then, do some Internet searching and find a few specific organizations near you that engage in these kinds of activities. Have a look at these organizations’ websites and get a sense of their size, their mission, and their efforts. You may very well be surprised about the scope of these organizations’ work!
Perceptions and Myths About the Public Sector
Now that you have given some thought to the various types of public sector organizations and the range of activities they engage in, you might find some of these entities potentially appealing to you professionally. But, if you’re like most people, there is a nagging voice in the back of your head saying, sure, these may be great missions, but who wants to work in the public sector. After all, if you were to stop people outside your favorite coffee or sandwich shop and ask them what their perceptions about the public sector were, you would probably get responses like “it’s full of lazy and incompetent people,” or “people who can get a real job do, and those who can’t work for the government,” or “it’s full of waste, fraud, and abuse,” or “the employees are overpaid and get cushy benefits and job security.” These myths about government, and even the non profit sector, are pervasive. Indeed, Americans have a love-hate relationship with government and the public sector. On the one hand, we expect much of the government, from mail delivery to airport safety to educating young people. But, on the other hand, we loathe government involvement in our lives, we don’t want to be inconvenienced, and we definitely don’t want to pay more in taxes than is absolutely necessary.
These conflicted attitudes are nothing new. American history reminds us how much colonists and the nation’s first citizens distrusted the British monarchy, and we know what colonists thought of taxes. While disdain for the public sector is commonplace in the United States, there have been fluctuations over time. Believe it or not, there was a time in America’s history when working in the public sector was thought of as noble and prestigious—something parents wanted for their sons (this was during the early years of the nation, and it was typically only men who worked outside of their home).
But since the latter part of the 20th century through today, we see downward trends in Americans’ attitudes about government (with the notable exception of the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11). Public trust in the federal government continues to hover at near all-time lows, with only 18 percent of Americans saying they can trust government to do what is right (Pew Research Center 2017). These negative attitudes about the public sector might help explain that while 94 percent of millennials want to use their skills to be of service and benefit a social cause, only 7 percent of the federal government workforce is under the age of 30 (Curry 2017).
Application Activity
For our next Application Activity, take a minute and write down your views and perceptions of the public sector. Are your perceptions positive or negative? Next, are you intrigued by the possibility of working in the public sector? Why or why not? Write down your responses. Third, review your perceptions about the public sector. Where do you think these attitudes came from? Were they informed by your friends and family? Direct experiences with the public sector? The news media? Be honest with yourself; you may not even be