چکیده مقاله
Leadership in public organizations is traditionally examined through the lens of formal authority, hierarchical position, and designated managerial roles However, everyday organizational life in the public sector often reveals a different reality: influence and guidance are frequently exercised by individuals who hold no formal leadership titles Despite this, empirical research in public administration continues to prioritize formally appointed leaders while largely overlooking informal leadership dynamics This study investigates the differential effects of formal and informal leadership on employee engagement and discretionary behavior in public sector organizations Drawing on leadership and social influence theory, it distinguishes between formal leaders, defined by positional authority, and informal leaders, identified through peer recognition and social network influence The study proposes that while formal leadership primarily shapes compliance and role clarity, informal leadership plays a stronger role in fostering trust, engagement, and organizational citizenship behavior Using survey data combined with peer nomination and social network analysis, the proposed model is tested among public sector employees Multilevel modeling is employed to account for individual and group level leadership effects The findings demonstrate that informal leadership exerts a stronger and more consistent influence on employee engagement and discretionary behavior than formal leadership, particularly in highly bureaucratic environments Formal leadership effects are found to be contingent on perceived legitimacy and interpersonal competence This study contributes to public administration and organizational behavior literature in three ways First, it empirically integrates informal leadership into public sector leadership analysis rather than treating it as anecdotal or secondary Second, it clarifies the distinct behavioral pathways through which formal and informal leadership operate Third, it offers practical insights for public human resource management by highlighting the risks of leadership systems that recognize authority but overlook influence
کلیدواژهها
نویسندگان
Maryam Rahimi
PhD Student, Public Administration Organizational Behavior , Firuzkuh Islamic Azad University, Iran
شیوه ارجاع
Rahimi, Maryam,1404,Who Really Leads in Public Organizations? Formal Authority, Informal Leadership, and Their Differential Effects on Employee Engagement,22th International Conference on New Research in Management, Economics, Accounting and Banking (ICMEAB)
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