Publicness, Motivation, and Leadership: The Dark Side of Private Management Concepts in the Public Sector

The public sector has for several years been facing tight finances on the one hand and growing demands on the part of citizens on the other. In the light of this situation, Public Sector Leadership has therefore steadily increased in practical relevance. Nevertheless, leadership remains a topic that has hitherto been neglected in research on public management. This article elucidates the „difference? between leadership in the public sector and leadership in the private sector, relates these concepts to motivational foundations of employees, and argues that some concepts developed in the private domain are in fact harmful for the public sector.