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International Comparison of Public and Private Employees’ Work Motives, Attitudes, and Perceived Rewards
Author(s) -
Bullock Justin B.,
Stritch Justin M.,
Rainey Hal G.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
public administration review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.721
H-Index - 139
eISSN - 1540-6210
pISSN - 0033-3352
DOI - 10.1111/puar.12356
Subject(s) - incentive , public relations , perspective (graphical) , business , public service motivation , public sector , work (physics) , order (exchange) , public service , public good , compensation (psychology) , marketing , public economics , economics , political science , psychology , social psychology , finance , mechanical engineering , economy , artificial intelligence , computer science , microeconomics , engineering
This article presents a conceptual perspective on the distinctive characteristics of public organizations and their personnel. This perspective leads to hypotheses that public organizations deliver distinctive goods and services that influence the motives and rewards for their employees. These hypotheses are tested with evidence from the International Social Survey Programme in order to compare public and private employees in 30 nations. Public employees in 28 of the 30 nations expressed higher levels of public‐service‐oriented motives. In all of the countries, public employees were more likely to say they receive rewards in the form of perceived social impact. In most of the countries, public employees placed less importance on high income as a reward and expressed higher levels of organizational commitment . Practitioner Points The findings presented here add to previous evidence that public employees seek and attain more altruistic and public‐service‐oriented rewards than private sector employees. In particular, we add evidence that these differences hold in many different nations and cultural contexts. Compensation and incentive system reforms in many governments have often concentrated on financial incentives and streamlining procedures for discipline and removal. Such matters are important but should not drive out concerns with showing public employees the impact of their work on the well‐being of others and on the community and society. Leaders and managers should invest in incentive systems that emphasize such motives and rewards. Leaders and managers should invest in the use of altruistic and socially beneficial motives and rewards in recruiting systems.