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Research Article
Organizational Pride: The Key to Unlocking Job Satisfaction Among Municipal Utility Employees
Mark Ellickson*
,
Terry Stone,
Stephanie O’Connor
Issue:
Volume 9, Issue 1, March 2025
Pages:
1-11
Received:
14 November 2024
Accepted:
29 November 2024
Published:
9 January 2025
DOI:
10.11648/j.jppa.20250901.11
Downloads:
Views:
Abstract: This study examines the key factors influencing job satisfaction among municipal utility employees—a rarely studied yet essential group of workers providing vital services such as electricity, gas, and water. Amid a serious workforce shortage in the public utilities sector, understanding the main drivers of employee satisfaction is crucial for improving recruitment and retention efforts, with significant implications for public health and societal stability. Drawing on survey data from nearly 400 employees at one of the largest municipally owned utility companies in the United States, the study employs the Person-Environment (P-E) Fit model as its theoretical framework. Regression analysis assessed the impact of nine variables across four dimensions of the work environment on job satisfaction. Results indicated that municipal utility workers' job satisfaction is primarily influenced by achieving a strong person-environment fit. The most significant factor is fostering a culture of organizational pride and an emotional connection to the organization. Other important factors associated with job satisfaction include ensuring equitable workloads, offering competitive pay, effectively utilizing employee skills, and providing opportunities for advancement. Contrary to expectations, the quality of coworker interactions was not a significant determinant of job satisfaction. This model explains two-thirds of the variation in job satisfaction among municipal utility employees. The study also discusses research and organizational implications.
Abstract: This study examines the key factors influencing job satisfaction among municipal utility employees—a rarely studied yet essential group of workers providing vital services such as electricity, gas, and water. Amid a serious workforce shortage in the public utilities sector, understanding the main drivers of employee satisfaction is crucial for impr...
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Research Article
The Cauvery River Water Dispute: A Human Rights Perspective
Teghbir Kaur*
Issue:
Volume 9, Issue 1, March 2025
Pages:
12-18
Received:
9 August 2024
Accepted:
6 January 2025
Published:
10 February 2025
Abstract: Water sharing conflicts exist worldwide. The Cauvery River, in southern India is at the center of the dispute. The Cauvery conflict between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka re-emerges when rainfall in the south west is in adequate in the region. Historically, the conflict was over water rights, and the conflicting states used the river for agriculture. In the late 1980s, water resources in the region became scarce due to industrialization and population growth. This paper attempts to examine analyses the political and legal frame work of the Cauvery river conflict. The main objective of this paper is also to examine the human sufferings and human rights violations due to Cauvery water dispute which is less explored. The Cauvery river provides drinking water to numerous villages, towns and cities in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Many industries in both states are dependent on the Cauvery River for their water needs. There is a long-standing dispute which has recently led to a conflict between the two states. The cumulative bitterness and misunderstandings between the people of the two states hide the common needs of farmers and the environment on both sides of the border. Here's anin-depth look at the historical, political, recent and human rights aspects of this dispute.
Abstract: Water sharing conflicts exist worldwide. The Cauvery River, in southern India is at the center of the dispute. The Cauvery conflict between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka re-emerges when rainfall in the south west is in adequate in the region. Historically, the conflict was over water rights, and the conflicting states used the river for agriculture. In ...
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Research Article
Examining the Maintenance Culture of Public Sector Property and Its Impact on Service Delivery: A PLS-SEM Approach
Issue:
Volume 9, Issue 1, March 2025
Pages:
19-36
Received:
7 January 2025
Accepted:
23 January 2025
Published:
11 February 2025
Abstract: The study innovatively investigates the relationship between maintenance culture, resource allocation, employee engagement, public perception and trust, and service delivery in the public sector. The study uncovers the interplay between these factors and their impact on service delivery outcomes. To achieve such outcomes, we utilize a structured questionnaire to assess variables related to maintenance culture, resource allocation, employee engagement, public perception and trust, and service delivery. Data were collected from a sample of public sector employees and stakeholders, which was then subjected to rigorous statistical analysis. The research employs a range of statistical techniques to investigate correlations, direct and mediating effects, and construct reliability. Inarguably, the use of a survey instrument and statistical analysis allowed for the quantitative assessment of the research hypotheses. The findings reveal significant correlations between maintenance culture, resource allocation, employee engagement, public perception and trust, and service delivery. It identifies employee engagement, public perception and trust as mediating variables that play crucial roles in influencing service delivery outcomes. The findings provide distinctive insights into the complex dynamics of service delivery in the public sector, emphasizing the importance of resource allocation, employee engagement, and public relations efforts. Our research contributes to the field by examining the relationships among maintenance culture, resource allocation, employee engagement, public perception and trust, and service delivery in the specific context of the public sector. It introduces the mediating roles of employee engagement and public perception and trust, adding a novel dimension to our understanding of service delivery dynamics. The study's originality lies in its empirical investigation of these complex interactions, shedding light on the factors that influence service delivery outcomes in public organizations.
Abstract: The study innovatively investigates the relationship between maintenance culture, resource allocation, employee engagement, public perception and trust, and service delivery in the public sector. The study uncovers the interplay between these factors and their impact on service delivery outcomes. To achieve such outcomes, we utilize a structured qu...
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Research Article
Public Private Partnerships for the Development of Low-Cost Housing to Meet Kenya Vision 2030 and Related Goals
Daniel Mutegi Giti*
Issue:
Volume 9, Issue 1, March 2025
Pages:
37-45
Received:
8 January 2025
Accepted:
27 January 2025
Published:
24 February 2025
Abstract: Article 43 1 (b) of the constitution of Kenya (2010), Kenya Vision 2030, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA, 2022-2027) and international conventions, like United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda (NUA), obligates Kenya to provide adequate, accessible, decent and quality housing for citizens. The country needs all manner of housing types, including low-cost urban housing as a result of rapid urbanization processes in Kenya. According to the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census (KPHC) by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), Kenya had 14.8 million people living in urban areas, a number that will reach half of the Kenyan population by 2030. The proportion of urban population to total population in 2019 was 31.2 percent, and 40 percent of the urban households in Kenya lives in informal settlements whereby households of averagely five members generally share spaces of ten-by-ten feet, hence necessitating need for low-cost urban housing. The current demand for housing stands at 250,000 units per year, while supply remains at 50,000 units p.a, hence an annual deficit of 200,000 units. The State Department for Housing and Urvan Development (SDHUD) in Kenya estimates that this housing supply backlog of 200,000 housing units per year has accumulated to over three million housing units so far. The Public sector has not been able to effectively deliver the housing units needed while the private sector has concentrated on the middle- and high-income urban households while neglecting the majority middle- and lower-income urban households. To remedy this and bring the two sectors - public and private together to accelerate housing delivery and hence meet the aspirations of Kenya Vision 2030, application of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) has emerged as one of the most plausible options for accelerating delivery of low-cost urban housing in Kenya. This study utilized three rounds of Delphi method to gauge the prospects of providing low-cost urban housing through application of PPPs. 88 Delphi panels made of housing practitioners, financiers and developers were engaged. It was found that PPPs are applicable in the development of low-cost urban housing in Kenya. It was concluded that PPPs are applicable in the provision of low-cost urban housing, provided there is an enabling environment and appropriate management of risks by the parties to the contract. Because of the many likely benefits arising from the application of PPPs, the country should embrace it to address housing supply and related infrastructure backlogs.
Abstract: Article 43 1 (b) of the constitution of Kenya (2010), Kenya Vision 2030, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA, 2022-2027) and international conventions, like United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda (NUA), obligates Kenya to provide adequate, accessible, decent and quality housing for citizens. The country...
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Research Article
Police Interference in Opposition Activities in Tanzania
Gasper Mpehongwa*,
Brightius Titus
Issue:
Volume 9, Issue 1, March 2025
Pages:
46-50
Received:
28 January 2025
Accepted:
14 February 2025
Published:
26 February 2025
Abstract: Arbitrary police interference in opposition activities in Tanzania has been a significant public concern since the re-introduction of multi-party democracy in the early 1990s. Local and international human rights bodies have frequently reported on the suppression of opposition activities, especially during the election periods. However, there is no comprehensive analysis of the legal and political factors behind these actions and their broader implications for Tanzania's future policy and governance. Using a cross-sectional design, this paper therefore investigated the causes of police force interference in opposition political rallies in Tanzania, its impact, and the challenges facing the police force in discharging its constitutional mandates. Primary and secondary data were used to gather relevant information. Findings show that police interference is primarily motivated by political agendas, with the ruling party leveraging law enforcement as a mechanism to suppress dissent and maintain control over the political landscape. The selective enforcement of laws, particularly the Public Order Act 1983, severely restricted the operational space for opposition parties and diminished democratic participation. These findings imply that; constant police interferences erode public trust in the police thus compromise its ability to discharge its constitutional mandates in a manner that respects civil liberties. Also, shrinks democratic space which is detrimental for national development. This paper recommends a reevaluation of the relationship between politics and policing in Tanzania to ensure that the police fulfill their role as impartial enforcers of the law and safeguard the democratic rights of all citizens.
Abstract: Arbitrary police interference in opposition activities in Tanzania has been a significant public concern since the re-introduction of multi-party democracy in the early 1990s. Local and international human rights bodies have frequently reported on the suppression of opposition activities, especially during the election periods. However, there is no...
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