Public Sector Motivation as an Independent Variable Affecting Career Decisions

Abstract

This article addresses the issue of public sector motivation. Essentially, do public sector employees elicit different motives regarding their work expectations in contrast to people working in the private sector? For instance, do public sector employees have a higher need to serve the public and a lower need for monetary rewards? This article explores the conceptual and theoretical basis for public sector motivation and then reports the results of a small empirical study that tests hypotheses derived from these constructs. Our findings suggest that if public sector motivation does exist, that its effect on employee behavior and attitudes toward work expectations and personal goals is negligible at best.