This article identifies four primary sources of upward mobility within public sector organizations, namely, ability, reputation, social credentials, and patronage. Ability is the single most important source, but the other factors taken collectively are at least equally as important. Reputation rests on three factors: ability, visibility, and demeanor. Social credentials comprise race, ethnicity, gender, education, personality traits, attitudes, and values. Reputation, social credentials, and patronage figure as sources of upward mobility for three reasons: the fact that ability is assessed subjectively, the requirement for trustworthiness in administrative work, and the fact that superiors and subordinates engage in social exchanges.
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