Conceptualization and effects of administrative culture
Administrative culture shapes administrative action. It influences employees’ personal preferences, their understanding and evaluation of good administration, as well as organizational processes and leadership practices. Understanding how administrative culture operates is therefore central to explaining how public administrations function and evolve. Employees and members of public administrations play a crucial role in achieving good administration. Beyond individual skills and professional expertise, their perceptions of administrative action and the organizational context in which this action takes place are highly relevant. Organizational change tends to be successful when administrations are characterized by open, trust based communication and leadership cultures, when experimentation is encouraged, and when collective learning, iterative development, and continuous process improvement are embedded in everyday work practices and anchored in the organization’s culture.
Doctoral project
This doctoral project investigates the effects of administrative culture on administrative action using a mixed methods approach that combines qualitative and quantitative research designs. A central objective of the project is to conceptualize and operationalize administrative culture in order to systematically analyze its effects. The perspective of public sector employees is at the core of the analysis, with a particular focus on their perceptions, interpretations, and behavioral orientations. These individual level perspectives are complemented by an examination of collegial relations and leadership relationships within public administrations.
Doctoral researcher: Bianca Vogler
Mentors: Prof. Dr. Caroline Ruiner (Sociology), Prof. Dr. Rafael Bauschke (Political Communication), Prof. Dr. Birgit Schenk (Organizational Management)
Growth orientation as a driver of administrative modernization
The successful modernization of public administration requires more than structural or technological adjustments. Employees’ attitudes, beliefs, and learning orientations play a central role. A growth-oriented mindset toward learning and change can help individuals cope constructively with uncertainty and actively contribute to transformation processes. This places psychological factors and organizational conditions that foster adaptability and openness to change at the center of attention.
Doctoral project
The doctoral project examines the role of a growth mindset in organizational transformation processes within public administration. It analyzes the relationships between growth-oriented beliefs, psychological resources, and transformation-relevant attitudes and behaviors. In addition, the project investigates whether targeted interventions can strengthen learning orientation, self-efficacy, and change readiness among public sector employees. The aim is to identify psychological success factors that support sustainable administrative modernization.
Doctoral researcher: Prof. Carolin Raps
Mentors: Prof. Dr. Anna Steidle (Psychology), Prof. Dr. Siegmar Otto (Psychology), Prof. Dr.-Ing. Marc Rüger (Fraunhofer IAO)