Exploring a relationship between creativity and public service motivation

ABSTRACT

This study, relying on seemingly unrelated regression(SUR) model, tests whether or how public service motivation(PSM) is related to creativity. Creativity may be related to public motivations including attraction to public interest, civic duty, and sacrifice. These PSM subfactors involve the propensity for risk-taking to solve common problems and public issues. This study compares how male and female Korean and US college students differ in PSM and creativity and shows that PSM significantly affects creativity. Country differences rather than gender differences had a more significant effect on the relationship between PSM and creativity. A systematic investigation is needed of the relationship between PSM and creativity considering cultural differences and educational systems across various countries. Further study is also required to collect panel data to identify a causal impact of PSM on creativity.

KEYWORDS:

• Creativity
• public service motivation
• intrinsic incentives
• fashion interest
• openness

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea Grant funded by the Korean Government (NRF-2017S1A3A2066084).