Work motivation and public service motivation: disentangling varieties of motivation and job satisfaction

Jessica Breaugh, Adrian Ritz and Kerstin Alfes

Public Management Review, 2018, vol. 20, issue 10, 1423-1443

Abstract: Research on motivation in the public sector has used public service motivation (PSM) and self-determination theory (SDT) interchangeably. This paper compares both theories, develops hypotheses pertaining to their assumptions, and empirically tests them in two public offices in Switzerland. We then explore their relationship with job satisfaction as an indicator of predictive validity. We find that SDT and PSM display conceptual differentiation and SDT has a strongest relationship to job satisfaction. However, moderation analysis suggests that employees with high levels of PSM have more stable job satisfaction compared to their low-PSM counterparts.

Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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DOI: 10.1080/14719037.2017.1400580

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