공무원의 의식과 행태에 관한 연구 - 1992년도 설문조사 결과 보고 = A Survey on Korean Government Employees, 1992 : Their Values, Behavioral Patterns, and Opinions

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

An unprecedented move toward democratization of Korean society in recent years has brought substantial changes to the role and status of government employees, and also to their values and behaviors. To collect first-hand information about their values and behavioral patterns is the purpose of this study. The information we collect here is intended for use as basic data for research works and programs to design strategies for administrative development and reforms, and improve quality of decisions.
The survey population was all government personnel, totaling at 837,582 As of December 31, 1991. The survey draws 2,944 people(0.35 percent of the Population) by proportional stratified sampling methods based on job Classification grades. And offices assigned.
The questionnaire of this survey contains questions about values and Behaviors, perceptions on public service, degree of satisfaction with pay and fringe benefits, opinions about personnel management and goodness of government policies and services.
The following are some major findings:
Thirty-seven percent of the respondents said that they were satisfied with being in public service. This represents some increase in positive answers: previous surveys reported 28% or so in positive answers. Job security was the primary reason for satisfaction: whereas low pay, the primary reason for dissatisfaction. Alongside growing satisfaction, those who would recommend public service to their children as a career increased, reflecting a tendency to see public service more positively as a job.
As to why the public are not satisfied with government services, the Respondents point to some kinds of structural fallacies in the administrative system(41.1%) and lack of service-oriented mind among government people(27.0%). This implies that administrative reform and service-oriented mind of the workers are the most important factor to improve government efficiency.
In the area of values and behavior. Korean government officials find themselves still influenced a lot by authoritarian tradition and nepotism, Amid this, there appears to be an emerging trend to favor rational and reform-minded thinking and behavioral patterns. Those in public service tend to think themselves passive: instead of looking for works or initiate programs, they just do what they are ordered to do. They attribute this to lack of autonomy(22.8%), no reward given to hardwork in promotion or job assignment decisions(19.2%). fear of liability when things go wrong(19.0%) and lack of morale caused by poor pay(16.2%).
Their biggest personal troubles outside the job are lack of income(30.2%), insufficient retirement plans(22.1%), problems with children(15.9%) and poor health(13.1%). On the other hard, most troublesome personal issues in the organizational setting are slow promotion(43.5%), heavy workloads(18.7%), dissatisfaction with job assignment(10.1%) and conflicts with superiors and co-workers(10.1%).
What they think necessary to raise their morale are: pay raise(53.2%), Better chances for promotion(15.3%), fairness in promotion(8.0%), democratization of administrative practices(7.7%) and increase in fringe benefits(6.0%).
Promotion decisions, in their opnion, are affected most by personal Relationship based on regions, schools and family(35.7), seniority or number of years in public service(26.1%), human relations (14.7%) and job performance. Thus, nearly half(43.7%) of respondents think irrational factors - e.g.. personal and human relations and fortune - heavily affect promotion decisions. As to fairness of promotion decisions. 48.3% answered that they sometimes have feelings of unfairness.
An absolute majority(90.7%) of government people say that their salary is too small to cover basic living costs. And many think difficulties in their pay raise stem from low priority given to salary increases(32.7%) and fear among decision-makers about the effect of pay raise on the price of goods and services. More than a half of the respondents(56.1%) are dissatisfied with their frings benefits, and far more people(73.2%) say private sector employees receive better fringe benefits than theirs.
Many(49.3%) think government roles must be limited to a minimum level, while far fewer people(29.4%), are in the expansionist side. Where they would expect more government role include unification of North and South Koreas, public safety and social security. environmental protection and economic development, where they think government role must be reduced are supports for athletic programs, defense and political development.
A few policy recommendations based on the survey results:
First, following the direction of changes in the society as a whole, old practices and work environments in the government sector also must be transformed into more democratic, autonomous, creative and rational ones: and the public need to have more positive perception of their government employees.
Second, given that low pay is the single most important source of Dissatisfaction among government workers with their job, policy priority should go to pay increases. Their salary should be raised to a level to cover at least basic living costs. Higher pay must be a key to the promotion of morale and productivity of government employees. and quality of government services. It also is a key to the reduction in government corruptions.
Finally. There must be a wide reform in the personnel management system in a way to secure fairness in promotion decisions. Induce effectiveness of government policies, and enhance merit system. A prerequisite for better government services is, needless to say, reforms in the attitudes of government employees themselves toward greater rationality and objectivity. Nevertheless, administrative reforms are necessary as a step to provide a ground for their own innovation efforts by eliminating and correcting irrational and practices, and establishing democratic administrative processes and procedures.