No One Can Serve Two Masters : Revisiting the Interaction Effect of Love of Money and Public Service Motivation on Job Satisfaction

Love of money (LOM) signifies self-interest. At first glance, it is incompatible with the altruistic notion of public service motivation (PSM). A recent study based in China, however, indicated that LOM can interact with PSM to enhance job satisfaction. Driven by the conjecture that the finding is reflective of China’s unique circumstances and therefore cannot be replicated in other contexts, the present study re-examined this relationship. By testing data collected in Taiwan, it was found: (1) LOM is negatively correlated with PSM; (2) the positive relationship between PSM and job satisfaction is more pronounced when LOM is low; and (3) this moderating effect occurs only when LOM becomes a potent work motive. These findings lend support to the incompatibility between LOM and PSM and also clarify the different roles of money attitudes that have implications for influencing work motivation and behavior in the public workplace.