skip to main content

EXPLORING PUBLIC SERVICE MOTIVATION IN PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS

*Ali Roziqin orcid scopus  -  Department of Government Studies, Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang, Indonesia
Yastinki Hasni Ivani  -  Department of Government Studies, Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang, Indonesia
Rifki Muhammad Bintang orcid scopus  -  Master of Public Administration, Universitas Brawijaya, Indonesia
Parimal Kumar Roy orcid scopus  -  Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre, Bangladesh, Bangladesh
Apriyansyah Apriyansyah  -  Department of Government Studies, Universitas Amikom Yogyakarta, Indonesia
M. Husni Tamrin orcid scopus  -  Department of Public Administration, Universitas Hang Tuah, Indonesia

Citation Format:
Abstract

Public Service Motivation (PSM) plays an important role as the foundation of intrinsic values for public officials, influencing performance, integrity, service quality, and the effectiveness of organizations performance. The growing body of research on Public Service Motivation (PSM) in public organizations has attracted increasing interest from both practitioners and academics in the fields of public administration and governmental bureaucracy. This study aims to investigate scientific literature related to PSM indexed in the Scopus database using a bibliometric analysis approach. The bibliometric data were analyzed with the help of VOSviewer software. A total of 119 articles published between 1999 and 2023 were selected for inclusion in this review. PSM has been examined from various perspectives. Public Personnel Management is the journal that most frequently publishes studies on PSM in public organizations. Andersen, L.B. and Aarhus Universitet are identified as the most prolific author and institution, respectively, contributing to the field. Furthermore, the United States is the most prominent contributing country in PSM research. The VOSviewer analysis revealed five dominant thematic clusters within the literature on PSM in public organizations. Two themes that remain underexplored are work engagement and burnout. Therefore, future research could place greater emphasis on these areas, as well as on related themes such as turnover and organizational culture.

Fulltext View|Download
Keywords: Public Service Motivation; Public Organizations; Bibliometric Analysis; VOSviewer; Scopus

Article Metrics:

  1. Agustina, I., Rindiani, B., Dellarosa, A., Gunawan, A. A., & Herdiana, S. (2023). How Well are Job Burnout and Engagement Related to Public Service Motivation Among Civil Servants? Empirical Evidence in Pandemic Setting. Res Militaris, 13(1), 69–79
  2. Ali, E. B., Agbozo, E., Aboagye, E. M., & Effah, N. A. A. (2024). Investigating the research trends on the determinants of Environmental degradation: A bibliometric analysis. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 21(11), 7775–7796. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-024-05521-y
  3. Amegavi, G. B., & Mensah, J. K. (2020). Commitment to public interest and public service motivation development challenges: A qualitative inquiry. Public Administration Issues, 6, 67–83. https://doi.org/10.17323/1999-5431-2020-0-6-67-83
  4. Asseburg, J., Homberg, F., & Vogel, R. (2018). Recruitment messaging, environmental fit and public service motivation: Experimental evidence on intentions to apply for public sector jobs. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 31(6), 689–709. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPSM-08-2017-0217
  5. Azhar, A., & Yang, K. (2019). Workplace and Non-workplace Pro-environmental Behaviors: Empirical Evidence from Florida City Governments. Public Administration Review, 79(3), 399–410. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13003
  6. Aziz, F. N., Roziqin, A., Loilatu, M. J., Sulistyaningsih, T., Hijri, Y. S., & Kismartini. (2024). Research Trends of Creative Industries in Indonesia: A Bibliometric Analysis. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 15(1), 2571–2588. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-023-01299-5
  7. Bright, L. (2007). Does Person-Organization Fit Mediate the Relationship Between Public Service Motivation and the Job Performance of Public Employees? Review of Public Personnel Administration, 27(4), 361–379. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X07307149
  8. Bright, L. (2008). Does public service motivation really make a difference on the job satisfaction and turnover intentions of public employees? American Review of Public Administration, 38(2), 149–166. https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074008317248
  9. Bright, L. (2011). Does public service motivation affect the occupation choices of public employees? Public Personnel Management, 40(1), 11–24. https://doi.org/10.1177/009102601104000102
  10. Bright, L. (2021). Does person organization fit and person-job fit mediate the relationship between public service motivation and work stress among u.S. federal employees? Administrative Sciences, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci11020037
  11. Camilleri, E. (2007). Antecedents affecting public service motivation. Personnel Review, 36(3), 356–377. https://doi.org/10.1108/00483480710731329
  12. Campbell, J. W., & Im, T. (2016). PSM and Turnover Intention in Public Organizations: Does Change-Oriented Organizational Citizenship Behavior Play a Role? Review of Public Personnel Administration, 36(4), 323–346. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X14567366
  13. Cerase, F. P., & Farinella, D. (2009). Public Service Motivation: How Does it Relate to Management Reforms and Changes in the Working Situation of Public Organizations? A Case Study of the Italian Revenue Agency. Public Policy and Administration, 24(3), 281–308. https://doi.org/10.1177/0952076709103812
  14. Chiu, J.-T., Chou, P.-P., & Wang, C.-Y. (2023). Public service motivation, role stress, and job burnout of police post-COVID-19: A study of the police in Taipei City in Taiwan. Policing (Oxford), 17. https://doi.org/10.1093/police/paac055
  15. Choi, Y., & Chung, I. H. (2017). Attraction-Selection and Socialization of Work Values: Evidence from Longitudinal Survey. Public Personnel Management, 46(1), 66–88. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091026017696397
  16. Ciobanu, A., Androniceanu, A., & Lazaroiu, G. (2019). An integrated psycho-sociological perspective on public employees’ motivation and performance. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(JAN). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00036
  17. Davis, R. S., & Stazyk, E. C. (2014). Making ends meet: How reinvention reforms complement public service motivation. Public Administration, 92(4), 919–936. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9299.2012.02112.x
  18. Donthu, N., Kumar, S., Mukherjee, D., Pandey, N., & Lim, W. M. (2021). How to conduct a bibliometric analysis: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 133(April), 285–296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.04.070
  19. Edey Gamassou, C. (2015). What Drives Personnel Out of Public Organizations? Public Organization Review, 15(3), 383–398. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11115-014-0277-8
  20. Eun, J. (2020). Innovative behavior in public sector services public service motivation and private sector experience. Korean Journal of Policy Studies, 35(3), 67–86
  21. Ferdosipour, L., & Montazeri, M. (2012). Public service motivation (PSM) of public organization’s managers and its relationship with their organizational commitment. Advances in Environmental Biology, 6(7), 2116–2119
  22. Fischer, C., & Schott, C. (2022). Why people enter and stay in public service careers: the role of parental socialization and an interest in politics. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 88(1), 59–75. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020852319886913
  23. Gutinyu, J., & Chang, Y. (2023). Public service motivation, job satisfaction, and turnover intention: evidence from the Ministry of Health, Zambia. International Review of Public Administration, 28(3), 357–376. https://doi.org/10.1080/12294659.2023.2256101
  24. Hadi, K., Roziqin, A., Rakhma, N. A., Nurjaman, A., Cahyaningtyas, V. E., & Sutanto, S. H. (2025). A Bibliometric Analysis of Political and Green Investment: Research Trends and Future Research Agenda. Securing Sustainable Futures Through Blue and Green Economies, 357–379. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-7893-9.ch014
  25. Hassan, H. A., Zhang, X., Ahmad, A. B., & Liu, B. (2021). Public Service Motivation and Employee Change-Supportive Intention: Utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior. Public Personnel Management, 50(2), 283–304. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091026020934515
  26. Hassan, S., Ansari, N., & Rehman, A. (2022). An exploratory study of workplace spirituality and employee well-being affecting public service motivation: an institutional perspective. Qualitative Research Journal, 22(2), 209–235. https://doi.org/10.1108/QRJ-07-2021-0078
  27. Homberg, F., Vogel, R., & Weiherl, J. (2019). Public service motivation and continuous organizational change: Taking charge behaviour at police services. Public Administration, 97(1), 28–47. https://doi.org/10.1111/padm.12354
  28. Houston, D. J. (2000). Public-Service Motivation: A Multivariate Test. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 10(4), 713–727. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.jpart.a024288
  29. Im, T., Campbell, J. W., & Jeong, J. (2016). Commitment Intensity in Public Organizations: Performance, Innovation, Leadership, and PSM. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 36(3), 219–239. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X13514094
  30. Jensen, U. T., Andersen, L. B., & Jacobsen, C. B. (2019). Only When We Agree! How Value Congruence Moderates the Impact of Goal-Oriented Leadership on Public Service Motivation. Public Administration Review, 79(1), 12–24. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13008
  31. Kim, J. (2018). The Effects of Relative Organizational Tenure on Job Behaviors in the Public Sector. Public Personnel Management, 47(3), 335–355. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091026017753646
  32. Kim, S. (2009). Revising Perry’s measurement scale of public service motivation. American Review of Public Administration, 39(2), 149–163. https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074008317681
  33. Langbein, L., & Roberts, F. W. (2022). Monetary and non-monetary compensation in for-profit, nonprofit, and public organizations: Comparison and competition. In Research Handbook on Motivation in Public Administration (pp. 137–153). Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781789906806.00016
  34. Lee, Y.-J., & Wilkins, V. M. (2011). More Similarities or More Differences? Comparing Public and Nonprofit Managers’ Job Motivations. Public Administration Review, 71(1), 45–56. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2010.02305.x
  35. Leisink, P., Andersen, L. B., Jacobsen, C. B., Knies, E., Brewer, G. A., & Vandenabeele, W. (2021). Conclusion: Directions for future research and practice. In Managing for Public Service Performance: How People and Values Make a Difference (pp. 297–315). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780192893420.003.0016
  36. Leisink, P., & Steijn, B. (2009). Public service motivation and job performance of public sector employees in the Netherlands. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 75(1), 35–52. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020852308099505
  37. Liu, B., Hui, C., Hu, J., Yang, W., & Yu, X. (2011). How well can public service motivation connect with occupational intention? International Review of Administrative Sciences, 77(1), 191–211. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020852310390287
  38. Luu, T. T. (2019). Service-oriented high-performance work systems and service-oriented behaviours in public organizations: the mediating role of work engagement. Public Management Review, 21(6), 789–816. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2018.1526314
  39. Luu, T. T. (2020). Activating job crafting in public services: the roles of discretionary human resource practices and employee use of normative public values. Public Management Review. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2020.1730942
  40. Lynggaard, M., Pedersen, M. J., & Andersen, L. B. (2018). Exploring the Context Dependency of the PSM–Performance Relationship. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 38(3), 332–354. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X16671371
  41. Marques, T. M. G. (2021). Research on Public Service Motivation and Leadership: A Bibliometric Study. International Journal of Public Administration, 44(7), 591–606. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2020.1741615
  42. Miao, Q., Newman, A., Schwarz, G., & Cooper, B. (2018). How Leadership and Public Service Motivation Enhance Innovative Behavior. Public Administration Review, 78(1), 71–81. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12839
  43. Moynihan, D. P., & Pandey, S. K. (2007). The role of organizations in fostering public service motivation. Public Administration Review, 67(1), 40–53. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6210.2006.00695.x
  44. Mukherjee, D., Lim, W. M., Kumar, S., & Donthu, N. (2022). Guidelines for advancing theory and practice through bibliometric research. Journal of Business Research, 148(May), 101–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.04.042
  45. Mussagulova, A., Chen, C.-A., & Dennis Dong, H.-K. (2021). Confronting Pension Reform: Public Employees’ Psychological Contract Breach, Negative Perception, Regret, and the Moderating Role of PSM. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 42(4), 641–668. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X211011640
  46. Mussagulova, A., & van der Wal, Z. (2021). “All still quiet on the non-Western front?” Non-Western public service motivation scholarship: 2015–2020. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration, 43(1), 23–46. https://doi.org/10.1080/23276665.2020.1836977
  47. Nees Jan van Eck & Ludo Waltman. (2014). Visualizing Bibliometric Networks. In W. Ding, Y., Rousseau, R. (Ed.), Measuring Scholarly Impact: Methods and Practice (pp. 285–320)
  48. Nguyen, N. T. H., Nguyen, D., Vo, N., & Tuan, L. T. (2023). Fostering Public Sector Employees’ Innovative Behavior: The Roles of Servant Leadership, Public Service Motivation, and Learning Goal Orientation. Administration and Society, 55(1), 30–63. https://doi.org/10.1177/00953997221100623
  49. Nurung, J., Rakhmat, Tamsah, H., Burhanuddin, & Azis, M. (2020). The effect of leadership on public service quality. 2nd International Conference on Global Issue for Infrastructure, Environment and Socio-Economic Development, IC-GIESED 2019, 473(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/473/1/012070
  50. Nyhan, R. C. (1999). Increasing affective organizational commitment in public organizations: The key role of interpersonal trust. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 19(3), 58–70. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X9901900305
  51. Oliveira, E., Abner, G., Lee, S., Suzuki, K., Hur, H., & Perry, J. L. (2023). What does the evidence tell us about merit principles and government performance? Public Administration, March, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1111/padm.12945
  52. Pandey, S. K., Wright, B. E., & Moynihan, D. P. (2008). Public service motivation and interpersonal citizenship behavior in public organizations: Testing a preliminary model. International Public Management Journal, 11(1), 89–108. https://doi.org/10.1080/10967490801887947
  53. Perry, J L. (1997). Antecedents of public service motivation. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 7(2), 181–197. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429497957
  54. Perry, James L. (1997). Antecedents of Public Service Motivation. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 7(2), 181–197. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.jpart.a024345
  55. Petersen, N. B. G. (2021). Disciplining the strong? Discrimination of service users and the moderating role of PSM and ability to cope. Public Management Review, 23(2), 168–188. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2019.1668469
  56. Ritz, A., Giauque, D., Varone, F., & Anderfuhren-Biget, S. (2014). From Leadership to Citizenship Behavior in Public Organizations: When Values Matter. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 34(2), 128–152. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X14521456
  57. Roach, C. M. L., Sabharwal, M., Abraham, R., & Charles-Soverall, W. (2022). Does the Public Service Motivation Model Hold in the Caribbean? Review of Public Personnel Administration, 42(3), 514–536. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X21996042
  58. Stritch, J. M., & Christensen, R. K. (2016). Going Green in Public Organizations: Linking Organizational Commitment and Public Service Motives to Public Employees’ Workplace Eco-Initiatives. American Review of Public Administration, 46(3), 337–355. https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074014552470
  59. Sulistyaningsih, T., Loilatu, M. J., & Roziqin, A. (2024). Research trends on smart urban governance in Asia: a bibliometric analysis. Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management, 15(5), 997–1105. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTPM-03-2022-0045
  60. Susanto, E. (2020). Does love of money matter for innovative work behavior in public sector organizations? Evidence from Indonesia. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 34(1), 71–85. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPSM-01-2020-0028
  61. Tran, K. T., Nguyen, P. V, Nguyen, T. D., & Ton, U. N. H. (2020). The impact of organisational commitment on the relationship between motivation and turnover intention in the public sector. International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change, 11(12), 1–25
  62. Tuan (Tuan Luu), L. T. (2018). Behind the influence of job crafting on citizen value co-creation with the public organization: joint effects of paternalistic leadership and public service motivation. Public Management Review, 20(10), 1533–1561. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2018.1430247
  63. Tuan, L. T. (2016). How servant leadership nurtures knowledge sharing: The mediating role of public service motivation. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 29(1), 91–108. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPSM-06-2015-0112
  64. Tuan, L. T. (2019). HR Flexibility and Job Crafting in Public Organizations: The Roles of Knowledge Sharing and Public Service Motivation. Group and Organization Management, 44(3), 549–577. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601117741818
  65. Van der Wal, Z., & Mussagulova, A. (2023). Developing public service motivation in the non-Western world. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration, 45(3), 244–247. https://doi.org/10.1080/23276665.2023.2237619
  66. Vinarski-Peretz, H., & Kidron, A. (2023). Comparing Organizational Trust and Public Service Motivation Influence on Job and Organization Engagement Between Public and Private Sector Organizations Employees. Review of Public Personnel Administration. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X231175342
  67. Wang, Q., Gan, K.-P., Wei, H.-Y., Sun, A.-Q., Wang, Y.-C., & Zhou, X.-M. (2022). Public service motivation and public employees’ turnover intention: the role of job satisfaction and career growth opportunity. Personnel Review. https://doi.org/10.1108/PR-11-2020-0836
  68. Wright, B. E., & Pandey, S. K. (2011). Public Organizations and Mission Valence: When Does Mission Matter? Administration and Society, 43(1), 22–44. https://doi.org/10.1177/0095399710386303
  69. Yeo, J. (2016). Recent Administrative and Managerial Practices and Public Service Motivation: Evidence from Seoul City Government, South Korea. International Journal of Public Administration, 39(3), 216–225. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2015.1004083

Last update:

No citation recorded.

Last update:

No citation recorded.