Evolving Motivation in Public Service: A Three‐Phase Longitudinal Examination of Public Service Motivation, Work Values, and Academic Studies Among Israeli Students

Published date01 March 2022
AuthorRotem Miller‐Mor‐Attias,Eran Vigoda‐Gadot
Date01 March 2022
DOIhttp://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13452
Research Article
210Public Administration Review March | Apri l 202 2
Abstract: What are the impact of work values and academic training on public service motivation (PSM) over time?
We present findings from a three-phase longitudinal study on the evolvement of PSM of Israeli students who gradually
enter the job market. A cohort of 2,799 students were surveyed in late 2012 and a surviving final cohort of 558
respondents took part in the third stage of data collection during early 2015. We analyzed this group’s postgraduate
career development when they joined various public and nonpublic organizations and professions. We tested several
hypotheses about possible relationships between and effects of work values (intrinsic–extrinsic; individualistic–
collectivistic), academic studies, and person-organization fit and PSM over time. In general, individuals with higher
levels of intrinsic and collectivistic values, and an academic background in core public service studies demonstrated
stronger PSM over time. Implications and suggestions for future studies are discussed.
Evidence for Practice
Human resource departments in the public sector should be aware of changes in employees’ public service
motivation (PSM) over time.
People’s field of study is relevant for their PSM, beyond its relevance for a specific job.
Intrinsic–extrinsic values as well as individualism–collectivism values may be used as criteria in selecting new
public servants.
Tracking transformations in work values may help improve PSM over time.
Public sector organizations should improve the person-organization fit as it has special meaning for
encouraging PSM over time.
Introduction
Public service motivation (PSM) has emerged
as an important concept in the public
administration literature, theoretically,
empirically, and practically. The concept builds on the
rationale that the success of the public sector relies on
the motivation and resources of its workers (Baroukh
and Kleiner2002). The better we understand
PSM and the willingness to serve the public, the
closer we are to providing better public goods and
meeting citizens’ expectations (Vigoda-Gadot and
Mizrahi2014). Consequently, the recruitment of
highly motivated individuals for the public sector
is a major challenge for governments and for public
administration. Scholars have tried to respond to this
challenge by creating new models to understand the
drivers and impacts of PSM in various settings and
population groups such as high school graduates,
newcomers to public service, and private and public
sector employees.
The importance of PSM is rooted in a variety
of studies that have utilized different research
foci. For example, some studies have focused on
the meaning of PSM and the theory behind it
(e.g., Perry1996, 2000). Others demonstrated
the significant relationship between PSM, moral
behavior, and desirable organizational behavior
(e.g., Bangcheng and Perry 2016; Kjeldsen2012;
Perry et al.2008). Additional studies explored the
relationship between PSM and employees’ job
satisfaction (e.g., Taylor and Westover2011; Wrighe,
Cristensen, and Pandey 2013), organizational
commitment (e.g., Bakker2015; De Simone
etal.2016; Ugaddan and Park2017), formal and
informal job performance (e.g., Andersen, Heinesen,
and Pedersen2014; Kroll and Vogel2014; Wright
and Grant2010), the attractiveness of the sector
(Asseburg and Homberg2020), intentions to leave
the job (e.g., Caillier2016; Campbell and Im2016),
and abnormal and nonconformist behaviors
(Koumenta2015). Most of these studies have been
conducted among already functioning public servants
(e.g., Houston2000; Kim2009; Ritz2009) or a
specific group of professionals (e.g., Kjeldsen and
Jacobsen2013).
Rotem Miller-Mor-Attias
Eran Vigoda-Gadot
Division of Public Administration and Policy,
School of Political Science,University of Haifa
Evolving Motivation in Public Service: A Three-Phase
Longitudinal Examination of Public Service Motivation,
Work Values, and Academic Studies Among Israeli Students
Eran Vigoda-Gadot is a Professor of
Public Administration and Management at
the Division of Public Administration and
Policy, School of Political Science, University
of Haifa. He served as Head of the School
and as Dean of the Paul and Herta Amir
Faculty of Social Sciences. Founder of the
Center for Public Management and Policy
(CPMP) and an author and co-author of
many articles, books, and other publications
and working papers in the field of public
management, organizational behavior,
governance, and human resource
management.
Email: eranv@poli.haifa.ac.il
Rotem Miller-Mor-Attias is a faculty
member at the Division of Public
Administration and Policy, School of Political
Science, University of Haifa. She is the head
of the MPA program in Local Government
Administration and specializes in public
service motivation. The paper is based on
her PhD Dissertation.
Email: rotem.miller@poli.co.il
Public Administration Review,
Vol. 82, Iss. 2, pp. 210–224. © 2021 by
The American Society for Public Administration.
DOI: 10.1111/puar.13452.

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