Trust and public sector work: how public service motivation helps explain multi-level trust relations

Charis Rice, Rosalind Searle and Ann-Marie Nienaber

Chapter 26 in Handbook on Trust in Public Governance, 2025, pp 425-439 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter explores the relationship between public service motivation (PSM) and trust within public organisations. It provides an overview of the existing literature, structuring this around the interpersonal, intergroup, and organisational levels of analysis. The review points to a reciprocal relationship between trust and PSM, highlighting shared theoretical foundations and empirical insights across these two concepts, such as the importance of aligned values and common ground. The challenges and barriers in cultivating PSM and trust are considered within the context of contemporary public sector work, and avenues for further research are outlined, namely that of cross-level trickle effects.

Keywords: Public service motivation; Multi-level; Public sector work; Public sector organisations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781802201390
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