Public Sector Cultures

Abstract

Chapter Summary

This chapter addresses the potential for knowledge, learning, and collaboration (KLC) cultures in public sector organizations. Public sector organizations are among the most complex for introducing or nourishing a KLC approach because there are multiple levels of cultures with varying levels of influence. We describe these complex cultures as tiers. First, we define public sector organizations’ business goals, purpose, and strategies. Then, the authors translate and interpret all five levels of culture for public sector organizations. The chapter also details the nature of cultural complexity, namely the four tiers of public sector cultures: (1) the company culture (Tier 1); (2) the public service culture (Tier 2); (3) the culture of the external environment (Tier 3); and (4) the internal KLC cultures (Tier 4). This chapter establishes a framework for describing an organization’s complex culture and determining the best KLC approach for the context.

Citation

Kucharska, W. and Bedford, D. (2023), "Public Sector Cultures", The Cultures of Knowledge Organizations: Knowledge, Learning, Collaboration (KLC) (Working Methods for Knowledge Management), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 139-166. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83909-336-420231008