Attraction and attrition under extreme conditions– integrating insights on PSM, SOC-R, SOC and excitement motivation

ABSTRACT

This paper expands the frontier of PSM in relation to attraction/attrition, by integrating insights from PSM, SOC, SOC-R and EM. It identifies an extreme case, which offers a basis for qualitative, conceptual generalization. The paper generates three findings. Firstly, that PSM, SOC, SOC-R and EM co-exist and overlap. Second, that while personal needs as well as responsibility are important to attraction, if needs are not met attrition is difficult. However, also other-regarding forms of motivation can lead to derecruitment. Thirdly, it informs practitioners on the need to foster communities at work places where burn-out and de-recruitement is out-spoken.

KEYWORDS:

• Public service motivation
• sense of community
• sense of community responsibility
• excitement motivation
• challenging work conditions

Disclosure Statement

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

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Carlsberg Foundation [Education and Language in Greenland]; The Danish Council for Independent Research: Social Science [‘Rewards at the top’].

Notes on contributors

Benedikte Brincker

Benedikte Brincker, PhD, is an associate professor in the Copenhagen Business School Department of Management, Politics and philosophy. She has published extensively in the field of political and historical sociology, especially in the area of state-nation relations. In 2012, she extended her research to the Arctic region and has specialized in Greenland. One focus has been public administration and management. This research was funded by the Carlsberg Foundation and the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Lene Holm Pedersen

Lene Holm Pedersen, Ph.D., is a professor in public management at the Department of Political Science and a director of research at VIVE. As a social scientist expert on public policy and management she conducts research on steering, motivation and performance in the public sector and has published extensively on these topics.