Comparative Analysis of Public Service Motivation Across Regions and Sectors

Thesis Abstract

Public service motivation (PSM) exhibits notable heterogeneity across regional contexts and administrative sectors, yet existing comparative work often treats regions or sectors in isolation, overlooking interaction effects and contextual moderators that shape motivation. This study addresses the problem by examining how regional administrative culture, governance legitimacy, and sector-specific demands influence PSM among public employees in a nationally representative sample. The aim is to assess how region and sector jointly shape PSM, and to identify contextual factors that amplify or dampen motivational orientations toward public service. Specific objectives are (1) to measure variations in PSM across regions and public sectors (central, regional, and local); (2) to test the main and interaction effects of region and sector on core PSM dimensions (attraction to public service, commitment to the public interest, compassion, and self-sacrifice); (3) to evaluate the moderating role of perceived organizational justice, perceived governance legitimacy, and job autonomy; (4) to explore qualitative perspectives on regional narratives and sectoral demands that underpin PSM through a complementary thematic analysis; and (5) to offer policy and management implications for designing regionally tailored public personnel strategies. A mixed-methods design will be employed, combining a cross-sectional survey with purposive qualitative interviews. The population consists of public sector employees across three regions and three sectors (central government, regional administration, and local government) in a mid-sized country. A stratified random sample of 1,200 respondents (approximately 400 per region, with 130–140 from each sector within a region) will be targeted to ensure adequate statistical power for interaction analyses. Instrumentation will include a validated PSM scale capturing the four dimensions, supplemented by scales measuring perceived organizational justice, governance legitimacy, job autonomy, and demographic controls. The survey instrument will be pilot-tested with 60 respondents to verify reliability (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.70 for all scales) and construct validity through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). In-depth semi-structured interviews (n = 36) will be conducted with purposively selected participants representing each region and sector to elucidate contextual narratives that explain quantitative patterns. Data collection will be conducted over six months with ethical approvals secured from the university and relevant public authorities. Descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, and CFA will validate the measurement model. Inferential analyses will proceed with multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) to test regional and sectoral differences in PSM dimensions while controlling for age, tenure, education, and gender. A two-way fixed-effects ANOVA will assess interaction effects between region and sector. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses will examine the moderating effects of perceived organizational justice, governance legitimacy, and job autonomy on region-sector differences in PSM. The qualitative component will be analyzed thematically using a deductive-inductive approach anchored in public administration theory, with coding guided by the Attraction to Public Service and Public Service Motivation framework and supplemented by region-specific governance narratives. Expected findings include significant regional variation in PSM, with higher attraction to public service and commitment to the public interest in regions characterized by stronger governance legitimacy and perceived justice. Sectoral differences are anticipated, with local government showing higher compassion but lower self-sacrifice, reflecting closer proximity to citizens and daily service demands. Interaction effects are expected to reveal that regional culture amplifies sectoral differences, such that local governments in regions with high governance legitimacy exhibit the strongest PSM across dimensions. Moderating effects are expected to indicate that perceived justice and job autonomy strengthen PSM, particularly in regions facing higher administrative complexity. The study contributes to knowledge by integrating regional and sectoral analyses of PSM within a unified analytical framework, providing empirical evidence on interaction effects and contextual moderators. It advances theoretical development by testing and extending the PSM framework to multi-level administrative contexts, linking regional governance quality and organizational justice to motivational orientations. Practical implications include informing region-specific human resource strategies, leadership development, and policy reforms aimed at sustaining public motivation in diverse administrative environments. Limitations include cross-sectional design constraints on causal inference and potential response biases; future research should adopt longitudinal designs and cross-country comparisons. Recommendations emphasize strengthening governance legitimacy, enhancing perceived organizational justice, and promoting autonomy-supportive managerial practices to bolster public service motivation across regions and sectors.