Public Procurement Employees' Perception on Legal Changes, Perceived Red Tape and Job Stress: Evidence from Serbia

Predrag Jovanović; Tatjana Ivanović; Milica Maričić; Sonja Ivančević

doi:10.5755/j01.ee.33.5.29934

Authors

Predrag Jovanović Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, Serbia
Tatjana Ivanović Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, Serbia
Milica Maričić Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, Serbia
Sonja Ivančević Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, Serbia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.33.5.29934

Keywords:

Public procurement, Red tape, Employees, Job Stress, Structural equation modelling

Abstract

Public servants play an important role as guardians, guarantors, and promoters of the regime values who are in frequent contact with the citizens. Having that in mind, it is of high importance to understand their behaviour and attitudes on legal changes, perceived red tape and job stress. The aim of this paper is, therefore, twofold: firstly, to explore the influence of red tape and perceived red tape on public procurement officers’ (PPOs) and managers’ (PPMs) perception of the new Public Procurement Law in terms of its benefits to public procurement process and to their jobs and job stress, and secondly, to explore the differences between PPOs and PPMs regarding the examined statements. To answer the first question, we proposed a conceptual model which was tested using structural equation modelling (SEM), while to answer the second question we used the Mann-Whitney test. Both analyses were done using the data collected from 115 PPOs and PPMs in Serbia. The results show that PPOs and PPMs share similar attitudes regarding the existence of red tape, perceived job stress, and the influence they expect the new legislation will have on their jobs. Their expectations of the new legislation as well as their perception of job stress are found to be partially influenced by red tape. As PPOs are not that convinced that the new law will improve their job, it may be concluded that the changes the new law will bring are not substantial enough.

Author Biographies

Predrag Jovanović, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, Serbia

Predrag Jovanovic is an Associate Professor for Management in the public sector at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Organizational Sciences. He published more than 80 scientific papers with 16 years of working experience in public sector management, serving as director of the Public Procurement Office.

Tatjana Ivanović, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, Serbia

Tatjana Ivanovic is an Associate Professor for HRM at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Organizational Sciences. Besides PhD in HRM, she also holds a Master in Public Management degree from SDA Bocconi, Italy. Her research interests are in the field of HRM and International HRM.

Milica Maričić, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, Serbia

Milica Maricic is an Assistant Professor of Computational Statistics at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Organizational Sciences. She specializes in the field of applied statistics and data analysis. Her research interests include the development and evaluation of ranking methodologies, structural equation modelling, and multivariate analysis.

Sonja Ivančević, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, Serbia

Sonja Ivancevic is a Teaching Associate at the Human Resource Management (HRM) department at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Organizational Sciences. She holds an M.A. in HRM and does research in the fields of employee motivation, engagement, generational differences, heavy work investment, and burnout syndrome.