Components, Antecedents, and Consequences of Public Service Motivation
公共服務動機的構成、影響因素與結果
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis
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Detail(s)
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| Award date | 8 Jun 2023 |
Link(s)
| Permanent Link | https://scholars.cityu.edu.hk/en/theses/theses(52de8d00-c63c-4e81-b7ba-3b1547743877).html |
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| Other link(s) | Links |
Abstract
As a core theoretical concept in public administration studies, public service motivation (PSM) is defined as individuals’ intrinsic proclivity to deliver services that benefit the interests of others and society at large. Despite their growth, pertinent scholarly inquiries have yet to address three major challenges in this space: a unitary measurement scale, underexploited non-workplace antecedents, and oversimplified model specifications. This dissertation takes a step forward by filling these research gaps and supplementing current PSM research with more nuanced insights.
Study 1 aims to fine-tune the existing PSM measurement scale for the Chinese context, specifically, by enriching the components associated with the operationalization of on-the-job motivation for young public employees. Thus, a qualitative approach was adopted in the form of in-depth interviews. Study 2 employs a nationally representative dataset to test the independent and interactive effects of parents and teachers on shaping adolescents’ PSM. Study 3 offers experimental evidence on the link between PSM, contextual factors, and the coping strategies of street-level bureaucrats.
This dissertation’s contributions are fourfold. First, since little attention has been paid to examining the motivational bases of Chinese civil servants, this dissertation echoes the scholarly call to further contextualize PSM studies. Second, it advances the existing literature on PSM antecedents by adding new empirical insights, particularly from a relational perspective, into how PSM-related values originate and develop among adolescents. Third, novel experimental evidence is offered to not only shed light on the consequences of PSM but also to help establish solid causal claims between PSM and other significant constructs that influence the behavioral patterns of civil servants. Finally, the causal mechanisms identified in this dissertation provide practitioners with insights on how to design and implement policies more effectively to appeal to, retain, and motivate the most talented to fully serve in the public sector.
Study 1 aims to fine-tune the existing PSM measurement scale for the Chinese context, specifically, by enriching the components associated with the operationalization of on-the-job motivation for young public employees. Thus, a qualitative approach was adopted in the form of in-depth interviews. Study 2 employs a nationally representative dataset to test the independent and interactive effects of parents and teachers on shaping adolescents’ PSM. Study 3 offers experimental evidence on the link between PSM, contextual factors, and the coping strategies of street-level bureaucrats.
This dissertation’s contributions are fourfold. First, since little attention has been paid to examining the motivational bases of Chinese civil servants, this dissertation echoes the scholarly call to further contextualize PSM studies. Second, it advances the existing literature on PSM antecedents by adding new empirical insights, particularly from a relational perspective, into how PSM-related values originate and develop among adolescents. Third, novel experimental evidence is offered to not only shed light on the consequences of PSM but also to help establish solid causal claims between PSM and other significant constructs that influence the behavioral patterns of civil servants. Finally, the causal mechanisms identified in this dissertation provide practitioners with insights on how to design and implement policies more effectively to appeal to, retain, and motivate the most talented to fully serve in the public sector.
