This study measures the degree of decentralization in local governments and examines its potential effects on such behavioral properties as job satisfaction, autonomy, and client orientation. Results from a survey of 440 government officials indicate ...
This study measures the degree of decentralization in local governments and examines its potential effects on such behavioral properties as job satisfaction, autonomy, and client orientation. Results from a survey of 440 government officials indicate that local governments in Korea have fairly decentralized organizational structure, while its overall degree is much less than commonly believed and varies with major organizational activities. The results further reveal that decentralization affects directly job satisfaction and autonomy, and indirectly affects client orientation through these mediating variables. Implications of these results on administrative theory and practice are discussed.