Proactive Management, Reactive Management, and Perceived Political Support

Starting from the assumption that political support is essential for public managers to manage their organizations, this study investigates factors that enhance political leaders' support toward top executives in public organizations. Based on the literature of proactive behaviors, this study tests hypothesis that proactive managers are more likely to acquire political support. Analyses on more than 500 cases in Texas school districts find that superintendents perceive more support from their school board members as they proactively interact with their board members, proactively express their opinions to the board, protect their organizations from external events, and exercise strong discretion in decision making within their organization. However, too much proactiveness threatening discretion of school board members does not help obtaining political support. This study suggests that top managers need to take strategic approach to enhance political support. Lastly, this study preliminarily finds that political support is significantly and positively associated with organizational performance.