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

Abstract

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.

Keywords:

• altruism
• employee motivation
• intrapersonal conflicts
• money ethics

Acknowledgment

The author is grateful to Chung-An Chen for his assistance and comments during the early stages of manuscript preparation, and Kaifeng Yang, the editor of Public Performance & Management Review, for his support for this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Chih-Wei Hsieh

Chih-Wei Hsieh is assistant professor in the Department of Public Policy, City University of Hong Kong. His research interests focus on public service delivery, human resource management, and organizational behavior. He has published articles on emotional labor, public service motivation, workplace diversity, and employee well-being.