Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
acceptedVersion
Publication Date
10-2025
Abstract
This study investigates the impact of meritocracy on equal access to the public sector, focusing on public sector employment and services. While meritocratic principles promote impartiality and fairness in administrative processes, their effectiveness in improving equal accessibility remains understudied and contested. Drawing on the literature linking meritocracy to democratic stability, we argue that strong meritocratic systems enhance equal access to the public sector regardless of social groups and gender by fostering professional stewardship in the bureaucracy and strengthening checks and balances between bureaucrats and politicians. Our findings, drawn from a panel dataset consisting of 161 countries over 49 years, suggest that meritocratic recruitment systems improve equal access to public sector employment and public services.
Keywords
Public sector accessibility, meritocracy, quality of government
Discipline
Human Resources Management | Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration
Research Areas
Political Science
Publication
Public Performance and Management Review
First Page
1
Last Page
23
ISSN
1530-9576
Identifier
10.1080/15309576.2025.2577701
Publisher
Taylor and Francis Group
Embargo Period
10-23-2025
Citation
CHO, Beomgeun, & CHOI, Heasun.(2025). Meritocracy and equal access to the public sector: A comparative analysis of accessibility to public sector jobs and public services. Public Performance and Management Review, , 1-23.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/4237
Copyright Owner and License
Authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1080/15309576.2025.2577701
Included in
Human Resources Management Commons, Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons