Agency Autonomy in Pakistan: Exploring the Role of Agency Task in Public Sector Organizations

Abstract

Aim of the study: This article aims to empirically explore the effect of the task a public agency performs on its managerial autonomy. The structural-instrumental perspective theorizes that the structure and task of organizations are the principal features based upon which public agencies are granted a certain degree of autonomy.

Methodology: The study adopted a quantitative research methodology by surveying federal public agencies in Pakistan. Data was collected from heads of 145 public agencies by adopting the key respondent approach. It tested hypotheses regarding the perceived autonomy of federal agencies, variation in tasks across these agencies and the role that the task of the agency plays in explaining its autonomy. Data was coded and labelled in SPSS and statistical tests of bivariate correlation were performed. Cross-tabulations were also used to analyze the relationship between the primary task of an agency and its level of managerial autonomy.  

Findings: The findings of the study indicated that the overall managerial autonomy of federal public agencies in Pakistan was perceived to be low. Moreover, the task of the agency was found to have a negligible effect on agency autonomy. 

Conclusion: The study suggests that considering the contextual and structural features of  a country other than agency tasks need to be tested to explain agency autonomy. Agencies are involved in multiple tasks that lead to complexity in task measurement and its impact on autonomy. This has to be taken into account while designing autonomy of agencies. The findings can help policymakers and public managers to adopt public sector governance arrangements and structural and procedural reform initiatives conducive to the successful implementation of managerialism.