Jeannette's research aims to provide a better understanding of and an improvement in the administration of public institutions. Her research in public administration and policy is largely divided into three streams. The first focuses on public sector integrity, such as whistleblowing. Her research on factors affecting public servants' whistleblowing behaviours have included multiple types of corruption (e.g., cronynism and conflict of interest) and workgroups (e.g., management and supervisors). The second stream of research focuses on human resource management issues in the public sector, such as employee recruitment and motivation. Jeannette's studies have examined how public institutional policies, practices, and culture have shaped public servants' work attitudes and behaviours. 

The thrid stream focuses on the performance management of public institutions and their members. In a recent project, Jeannette and members of an international research team are developing an essential set of indicators for the effective governance of public institutions. This set of indicators will enable governments, experts (e.g., academics and consultants), and citizens to monitor and evaluate the extent to which public institutions (e.g., a country's public service) are fulfilling their core responsibilities. Specifically, the mix of indicators will measure the degree to which public institutions: (1) protect the common good when delivering services to the public; (2) exhibit fair and legitimate institutional policies, procedures, and practices; and (3) motivate and support their institutional members (e.g., public servants and other stakeholders) to perform meaningful public service.