Developing and Evaluating Measurement Items for Institutional Logics in Public Administration

Forschungsthema/Bereich: Digital Government · Public Administration · Institutional Logics
Typ der Abschlussarbeit: Bachelor / Master
Startzeitpunkt: -
Bewerbungsschluss: 31.08.2026
Dauer der Arbeit: -

Beschreibung

Digital transformation in public administration is not only a technological challenge but also a cultural and institutional one. How public servants perceive and engage with data-based work is strongly influenced by institutional logics: the managerial logic, emphasizing efficiency, performance, and service delivery, and the bureaucratic-legalistic logic, rooted in legal compliance, procedures, and stability.

To systematically investigate these influences, researchers need reliable measurement instruments. This thesis focuses on developing and evaluating survey items that capture these logics in a way that allows for empirical analysis. Such instruments are crucial for understanding how institutional logics shape attitudes toward data-driven decision-making, and they can later be utilized in both surveys and experimental research designs.

Potential subtasks
- Item Development: Derive initial items from theory, prior literature, and operationalizations of institutional logics.
- Data Collection: Conduct a survey among public administration employees.
- Evaluation: Apply exploratory factor analysis and reliability tests to assess the dimensionality and consistency of the data.
- Optional Extension: Explore how the items perform across different contexts.

Disclaimer
The thesis is meant to teach you the scientific approach. Please keep that in mind. We expect you to learn and use scientific methods and to submit a scientifically sound result. Our role is to provide you with everything you need to succeed at that. We expect that you create a piece of work, in which you demonstrate a sound data collection method, an extensive dataset and your analysis of that dataset. A motivated student who works consistently on the thesis throughout the designated period can expect a very good grade. Details on the process and the format that we use to support you in succeeding with your thesis can be found here:

Bachelor: https://bwsyncandshare.kit.edu/s/g7pKCiScRZY5YtH
Master: https://bwsyncandshare.kit.edu/s/MiN8yTkfgeCrnSW

References
- Thornton, P. H., Ocasio, W., & Lounsbury, M. (2012). The Institutional Logics Perspective: A New Approach to Culture, Structure and Process. Oxford University Press.
- Friedland, R., & Alford, R. R. (1991). Bringing Society Back In: Symbols, Practices, and Institutional Contradictions. In W. W. Powell & P. J. DiMaggio (Eds.), The New Institutionalism in Organizational Analysis (pp. 232–263). University of Chicago Press.
- Ocasio, W., Thornton, P. H., & Lounsbury, M. (2017). Advances to the Institutional Logics Perspective. In R. Greenwood, C. Oliver, T. B. Lawrence, & R. E. Meyer (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of organizational institutionalism (2 ed., pp. 509-531). SAGE.
- Meyer, R. E., & Hammerschmid, G. (2013). Of Bureaucrats and Passionate Public Managers: Institutional Logics, Executive Identities, and Public Service Motivation. Public Administration, 92(4), 861-885. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9299.2012.02105.x

Voraussetzung

Voraussetzungen an Studierende

A general interest in digitalization, public administration, and (social) sustainability. If you’re interested in tackling a pressing issue at this intersection using a research-based approach, we look forward to hearing from you.

Studiengangsbereiche

Wirtschafts- und Rechtswissenschaften
Wirtschaftsinformatik
Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen

Betreuung

Titel, Vorname, Name: Fabian Steinert
Organisationseinheit: KIT WIN - ESIS
E-Mail Adresse: fabian.steinert@kit.edu
Link zur eigenen Homepage/Personenseite: Website

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E-Mail Adresse für die Bewerbung
Senden Sie die oben genannten Bewerbungsunterlagen bitte per Mail an fabian.steinert@kit.edu

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