In recent years, interest in the concept of management development and its impact on public organizations has increased. The researchers concluded that management development is necessary to improve the quality of public sector services. This systematic review summarizes the existing knowledge in the field of management development in the public sector to investigate the main justifications for its implementation and identify factors that contribute to or hinder its effectiveness in the public sector.
A systematic search of relevant sources was conducted using relevant keywords in the Web of Science and Scopus databases. The screening of selected papers followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Clear exclusion and inclusion criteria were established, and data extraction and analysis were performed to identify significant findings. The review involved the selection and analysis of 68 relevant articles.
The key findings reveal that development in the public sector is a comprehensive process that enables adaptation to environmental changes and resilience against management-related tensions. The justifications for investing in management development in the public sector are categorized into organizational and individual positive consequences. Factors contributing to or hindering the effectiveness of management development programs are also identified in the form of cultural, functional, political, economical, social, technological, structural and human aspects. These programs include self-management learning, practical learning, group and individual meetings, counseling sessions, andragogic learning and single- and double-loop learning. Future research directions could explore continuous evaluation methods and the cultural underpinnings of management development.
This systematic review advances the understanding of management development research and practice in the public sector. This study identifies understudied contexts and interventions to guide future research. Regarding practice, it identifies factors that should be considered for the successful and effective implementation of management development programs in the public sector.
