Public Service Motivation and Decisions to Report Wrongdoing in U.S. Federal Agencies: Is This Relationship Mediated by the Seriousness of the Wrongdoing

2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (7) ◽  
pp. 810-825 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Gerard Caillier

Scholars have argued that whistle-blowing is consistent with public service motivation (PSM), given that whistle-blowing is a form of self-sacrifice and concern for the public interest. Such a connection is also consistent with the Prosocial Organizational Behavior (POB) Model. However, only one article was found that examined the direct association between PSM and whether or not employees reported unlawful acts. Furthermore, no article was found to explore the relationship between PSM, whistle-blowing, and seriousness of wrongdoing—an important intervening factor that influences decisions to report. This is surprising because whistle-blowers can prevent detrimental harm to individuals and society and yet we still know little about the internal motives that cause them to come forward. Consequently, the connection between PSM and whistle-blowing was investigated further in this article. Consistent with the POB Model, PSM was positively associated with whistle-blowing generally, as well as internal and external whistle-blowing. Seriousness of wrongdoing was also found to have a positive effect on whistle-blowing. Furthermore, seriousness of wrongdoing was found to moderate the relationship between PSM and only internal whistle-blowing. The implications of the findings are discussed in the article.

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (18) ◽  
pp. 01-08
Author(s):  
Fauzahani Pairan ◽  
Jessica Hai Liaw Ong ◽  
Mohd Juraimy Kadir ◽  
Nora Ibrahim

A public organization is an important sector in the administration of the Nation and it needs to remain relevant and accepted by society. The sub-sector such as services and security are the most important organizations that require high performance in society and the country to ensure security is always guaranteed. Military Training Academy, NDUM is an organization involved in various security and humanitarian operations either nationally or internationally. Accordingly, this study was conducted to assess employee motivation in public service activities by using the Public Service Motivation Model (PSM). The elements contained in the model are an attraction to public policymaking, commitment to the public interest, self-sacrifice, compassion, and ethical leadership. This study aims to analyze the relationship between Public Service Motivation (PSM) and organizational performance with ethical leadership among employees in Military Training Academy, NDUM. Quantitative research methods were used and questionnaires have been distributed to staff and instructors in Military Training Academy, NDUM, located in Kuala Lumpur by distributing the questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS 19. The results of this study showed that the attraction towards public policy-making (t=1.927, p>0.01), commitment to public interest (t=0.289, p>0.01), self-sacrifice (t=1.623, p>0.01), compassion (t=0.704, p>0.01) and ethical leadership (t=7.071, p<0.01). Ethical leadership encourages employees to participate in community service programs and improve organizational performance.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 90-122
Author(s):  
Nicu Vasile

This paper brings in atention a concept emerging in the United States of America in the 1980s, which is then defined and developed as a theory in the 1990s, namely Public Service Motivation. Based on self-determination theory, the objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between the public service motivation variable and organizational commitment, abusive supervision and salary satisfaction. We have used multiple linear regression analysis as well as linear hierarchical analysis to test these relationships and to control two individual variables, the age and seniority of the participants. Results suggest that the organizational commitment is positively associated, and abusive supervision and satisfaction with salary are negatively associated with public service motivation. Age and seniority variables did not have a statistically significant relationship with the independent variable. Theoretical and practical implications will be discussed.


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 90-122
Author(s):  
Nicu Vasile

This paper brings in atention a concept emerging in the United States of America in the 1980s, which is then defined and developed as a theory in the 1990s, namely Public Service Motivation. Based on self-determination theory, the objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between the public service motivation variable and organizational commitment, abusive supervision and salary satisfaction. We have used multiple linear regression analysis as well as linear hierarchical analysis to test these relationships and to control two individual variables, the age and seniority of the participants. Results suggest that the organizational commitment is positively associated, and abusive supervision and satisfaction with salary are negatively associated with public service motivation. Age and seniority variables did not have a statistically significant relationship with the independent variable. Theoretical and practical implications will be discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 186
Author(s):  
Sadiq Sadiq

This paper highlights the effects of ‘Public Service Motivation’ (PSM) in public sector organizations. This research explores the relationship between employees’ motivation (intrinsic expectation & extrinsic expectation), goal clarity and employees’ participation with ‘Public Service Motivation’ (PSM). A questionnaire was used in this research to conduct a survey. About 70% response rate was generated out of 300 employees located in different public sector organizations of Hefei city of Anhui province in P.R.China, including health, education and High-Tech firms. The Scope of this study is delimited to the public sector organizations of Hefei City China. The result shows that there is a strong positively significant relationship of employees’ motivation, participation, and goal clarity with ‘Public Service Motivation’ (PSM), which can be further strengthened by innovative organizational culture. 


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-168
Author(s):  
Evelyne Ingrid Mitu ◽  
Elena Loredana Comănescu

Abstract Redefining recruitment systems and evaluating civil servants to take into account a number of general macroeconomic issues. Professionalization of the public function in order to identify future practical solutions to recruitment and evaluation processes is necessary to make a decision on several fundamental aspects of the public service system. Analysis of the relationship between the available human resources and the probable evolution of the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the existing resources as well as the design of future resources.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 9-23
Author(s):  
Abubakar Tabiu

Improving individual employee and organizational performance has been the main concern of many organizations for decades and several factors have also been studied as predictors of employee performance. However, the bulk of studies are mainly conducted in the private sector organizations with few attentions accorded to the public sector organizations, even though at present the difference between the two sectors is not much especially with introduction of privatization and New Public Management in the public sector. Drawing upon Social Exchange Theory and the application of Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS SEM), this study examined the mediating role of public service motivation on the relationship between job autonomy, communication practices and employee task and contextual performance. The participants were 288 senior staff of local governments in north-western part of Nigeria. The findings suggested that both job autonomy and communication practices predicted employee task and contextual performance. It was also found that public service motivation is an important mechanism (mediator) in the relationship.


2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 82-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Asseburg ◽  
Fabian Homberg

Public sector organizations are competing with the private sector for highly qualified staff. But the public sector lost attraction as an employer of choice. Public service motivation (PSM) and different sector rewards have been identified as alternative drivers of sector attraction. However, it is still unclear to what extent PSM is associated with sector attraction, especially when controlling for a comprehensive set of sector rewards. We investigate this sector attraction puzzle through a meta-analysis (Study 1) focusing on the relation between PSM and sector attraction and primary data collected from 600 German final-year students (Study 2). The two studies aggregate the literature on PSM and sector attraction and produce unique empirical evidence. Thus, we extend the knowledge on the relationship between PSM and sector attraction across different settings and in Germany, which enables us to derive implications for public sector recruiters.


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