The Role of Public Enterprise Employee Identities in Policy Implementation: The Contentious Case of Worker Regularization in South Korea’s Public Enterprises

Abstract

This study examines the perceptions of permanent employees in South Korea’s public enterprises regarding the conversion of contract workers to permanent employment—a contentious reform highlighting in-group/out-group dynamics. Using Q-methodology, we stylized four ideal types: (1) Free Market, (2) Regulatory Trust, (3) Egocentric Rights Preservation, and (4) Socio-Rational. Our analysis revealed heterogeneous and asymmetric reactions among participants, even when the policy negatively impacted them. Viewpoints characterizing three ideal types suggested amenability to reconciliation. These exploratory findings offer insights into how participant identities shape perspectives on policy implementation and suggest starting points for reconciling differing value configurations. Our results indicate that while some participants mirrored the self-interested logic of public choice theory, others exhibited prosocial views consistent with public service motivation. Recognizing this diversity suggests that not all public sector workers are driven solely by utility maximization, highlighting the need for policy approaches addressing both efficiency concerns and normative commitments.

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