Towards a measure of institutional public service motivation: theoretical underpinnings and propositions for future research

ABSTRACT

Empirical support for institutional influences on public service motivation (PSM) has been growing in recent years. Yet, we lack a concept and a measure that captures the capacity of public institutions to energise and propel members to perform meaningful public service and pursue the common good. This study aims to address this gap by presenting a conceptual foundation of institutional PSM. By extending PSM from the individual to the institutional level, we lay the groundwork for a fundamentally different approach to PSM measurement. We draw upon multiple theories and empirical studies to propose that institutional PSM consists of four pillars: public-service orientation, legitimacy, merit, and support. We then present research propositions for studying institutional PSM.

KEYWORDS:

• Public service motivation
• public service motives
• public service values
• institutionalism
• institutional public service motivation

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to APJPA co-editor, Professor Jim Perry, Professor Adrian Ritz, and the two anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jeannette Taylor

Jeannette Taylor is a Fellow at the Institute for Future Government in Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Jeannette’s research focuses on public service motivation, performance management, and whistle-blowing in the Australasian region. She sits on the editorial boards of various public administration journals, including Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration, and Public Administration Review.

Gene A. Brewer

Gene A. Brewer is Professor of Public Administration and Policy, School of Public and International Affairs, the University of Georgia. He is an internationally recognised scholar, researcher, and consultant with expertise in public administration, management, and the policy process. Dr. Brewer holds several secondary appointments at universities and research institutes internationally. He is a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and a senior Fulbright specialist for the U.S. Department of State.

Guillem Ripoll

Guillem Ripoll is Assistant Professor in the School of Economics and Business at the University of Navarra, Spain. His research revolves around the expansion of the concept of public service motivation; specifically, he investigates the relationship between motivation and ethics.