For Those Who Care

Public service motivation (PSM) theory suggests that the alignment of values may explain sorting into public service work. Evidence suggests that people with high PSM cluster in government and nonprofit organizations. However, reliance on cross‐sectional data leaves open the question of whether observed patterns are the result of public and nonprofit organizations attracting and selecting high‐PSM people or cultivating PSM through socialization within the sector. Using longitudinal data, this article analyzes the relationship between motivational bases, such as PSM, and sorting into the public, for‐profit, and nonprofit sectors. The results indicate that PSM‐related values, measured before labor market entry, predict the sector a person will select for employment. Moreover, the effect on sector selection does not operate through some commonly cited alternative predictor of sector employment, such as college completion. Rather, PSM predicts sorting into college majors in a manner consistent with sector sorting in the labor market

Business · Economics · Government (linguistics · Labour economics · Political science · Public economics · Public relations · Public sector · Public service · Public Service Motivation · Service (business · Socialization · Sorting · Tertiary sector of the economy · Marketing · Nonprofit Sector and Volunteering · Psychology · Public Policy and Administration Research · Social Capital and Networks · Social Psychology

• Job-fit and high-performance versus high-empowerment HR

  James Travis Bland, Adam M Williams et al.•Public Management Review•2023

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• Job sector or PSM? Examining the relative effects of sector and public service motivation on prosocial behaviour

  Stephen B Holt, Jaclyn Piatak et al.•Public Management Review•2023

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• Sector switchers, what drives you? Exploring career shifts from private to public sector

  Open Access•Sandra Henninger, Rick Vogel•Public Management Review•2025

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• Retaining Front-Line Personnel in a Pandemic

  Alexander C Henderson, James Melitski•International Journal of Public…•2024

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• Essential but Ignored

  Open Access•Peter M Kruyen, Jessica E Sowa•Public Personnel Management•2023

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• Exploring the Role of SES, Motivation, and Representation Among High SES Social Workers

  Open Access•Sun Gue Yang•Public Personnel Management•2026

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• Crafting a Bright Future

  Open Access•Shanghao Song, Yunsheng Shi et al.•Public Personnel Management•2026

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• Variance risk, downside risk, and tail risk

  Open Access•Reona Hayashi, So Morikawa et al.•Public Management Review•2026

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• Getting Your Foot in the Door

  Open Access•Brenda Sciepura, Andrea Wall et al.•Public Administration Review•2025

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• Social Events and Career Aspirations

  Carl Dement, Joanne Burns•Journal of Criminal Justice…•2025

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• The bedrock of public service motivation among Chinese adolescents

  Open Access•Lei Tao, Bo Wen•Journal of Asian Public Policy•2021

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• Public service motivation helps

  Open Access•Yuanjie Bao, Wei Zhong•Australian Journal of Public…•2023

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• Creating Meaningfulness in Public Service Work

  Open Access•Robbie Waters Robichau, Billie Sandberg•The American Review of Public…•2021

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• Do Opinions of Policy Target Population Deservingness Correlate to Public Service Motivation? Insights from Medicaid

  Open Access•Jacqueline Chattopadhyay, Jaclyn Piatak•The American Review of Public…•2022

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• Public Service Motivation and Trust in Government

  Open Access•Colt Jensen, Jaclyn Piatak•The American Review of Public…•2023

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• Understanding the Spirit of the Sectors

  Open Access•Julie Langer•Administration & Society•2022

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• Does the Sector of Employment Matter? A Study of Employee Absenteeism in Public, Nonprofit, and For-Profit Organizations

  Open Access•Rui Wang, Yifei Hou•The American Review of Public…•2025

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• Which Public Values are Most Important? Linking Political Ideology and Public Service Motivation to Public Values Preferences

  Open Access•Nathan Favero, Colt Jensen et al.•The American Review of Public…•2025

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• Public service motivation and public sector employment in Korea

  Open Access•Harin Woo, Sangmook Kim•Public Administration Review•2024

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• Employer Branding and Recruitment

  Open Access•Florian Keppeler, Ulf Papenfuß•Public Administration Review•2020

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• Job Switching Motives and Employer Attractiveness

  Open Access•Adrian Ritz, Kristina S Weißmüller et al.•Public Administration Review•2025

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• Education and Public Service Motivation

  Open Access•Sangmook Kim•Public Administration Review•2020

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• Motivated to Serve

  Open Access•Mathieu Molines, Matthieu Mifsud et al.•Public Administration Review•2021

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• Absenteeism in the Public and the Private Sector

  Open Access•A Mastekaasa•Journal of Public Administration…•2020

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• Prosocial Behaviors

  Open Access•Jaclyn Piatak, Jaclyn S Piatak et al.•Journal of Public Administration…•2020

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• Commitment to Public Values, Charismatic Leadership Attributions, and Employee Turnover in Street-Level Bureaucracies

  Open Access•Gustavo M Tavares, Gustavo Tavares et al.•Journal of Public Administration…•2021

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• Giving Time

  Open Access•Stephen B Holt•Journal of Public Administration…•2020

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• Measuring Public Service Motivation

  Bradley E Wright, Robert K Christensen et al.•International Public Management…•2013

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• Working for America

  Open Access•Katherine C Naff, John Crum•Review of Public Personnel…•1999

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• Origin and theoretical basis of new public management

  G Gruening•International Public Management…•2001

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• Public Service Motivation and Interpersonal Citizenship Behavior in Public Organizations

  Sanjay K Pandey, Bradley E Wright et al.•International Public Management…•2008

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• Leading with Meaning

  Adam M Grant•Academy of Management Journal•2012

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• Building Theory and Empirical Evidence about Public Service Motivation

  James L Perry, Annie Hondeghem•International Public Management…•2008

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• Leadership and Public Service Motivation in U.S. Federal Agencies

  Sung Min Park, Hal G Rainey•International Public Management…•2008

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• Public Service Motivation

  Bradley E Wright, Robert K Christensen•International Public Management…•2010

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• What is coefficient alpha? An examination of theory and applications.

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• Building social capital

  David Robinson•Building social capital•2002

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• Public Service Motivation and Job Performance

  Open Access•Pablo Andrés, Pablo Alonso et al.•The American Review of Public…•2001

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• The Proverbs of New Public Management

  Open Access•Kenneth J Meier, Laurence J O’toole et al.•The American Review of Public…•2008

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• Does Public Service Motivation Really Make a Difference on the Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intentions of Public Employees

  Open Access•Leonard Bright•The American Review of Public…•2008

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• Behavioral Implications of Public Service Motivation

  Open Access•Young-Joo Lee•The American Review of Public…•2011

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• Government Employees

  Open Access•Sue A Frank, Gregory B Lewis•The American Review of Public…•2004

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• Reward Preferences among Public and Private Managers

  Open Access•Hal G Rainey•The American Review of Public…•1982

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• A Life Worth Living

  Open Access•Donald P Moynihan, Thomas Deleire et al.•The American Review of Public…•2013

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• Public Service Motivation

  Open Access•Adrian Ritz, Gene A Brewer et al.•Public Administration Review•2016

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• Public Service Motivation and the Assumption of Person—Organization Fit

  Open Access•Bradley E Wright, Sanjay K Pandey•Administration & Society•2008

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• Cultivating Public Service Motivation through AmeriCorps Service

  Open Access•Kevin D Ward•Public Administration Review•2013

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• Experimental Evidence on the Relationship between Public Service Motivation and Job Performance

  Open Access•Nicky Belle, Nicola Belle•Public Administration Review•2012

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• Individual Conceptions of Public Service Motivation

  Open Access•Gene A Brewer, Sally Coleman Selden et al.•Public Administration Review•2000

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• Past, Present, and Future of Public Service Motivation Research

  Open Access•Wouter Vandenabeele, Gene A Brewer et al.•Public Administration•2014

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• Government Calling

  Open Access•Wouter Vandenabeele•Public Administration•2008

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• Sexual orientation, work values, pay, and preference for public and nonprofit employment

  Open Access•Gregory B Lewis, Eddy S Ng et al.•Canadian Public Administration•2013

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• Incentives and Workers’ Motivation in the Public Sector

  Open Access•Josse Delfgaauw, Robert Dur•The Economic Journal•2008

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• Investigating the Structure and Meaning of Public Service Motivation across Populations

  Sangmook Kim, Wouter Vandenabeele et al.•Journal of Public Administration…•2013

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• Public-Service Motivation

  Don Houston, D J Houston•Journal of Public Administration…•2000

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• How Pro‐social Motivation Affects Job Satisfaction

  Open Access•Anne Mette Kjeldsen, Lotte Bøgh Andersen•Scandinavian Political Studies•2013

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• Who Wants to Work for the Government

  Open Access•Gregory B Lewis, Sue A Frank•Public Administration Review•2002

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• Exploring the Limits of Public and Private Sectors

  Barry Bozeman•Public Administration Review•1988

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• Revisiting the Motivational Bases of Public Service

  Open Access•James L Perry, Annie Hondeghem et al.•Public Administration Review•2010

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• Public Administrative Theory and the Separation of Powers

  David H Rosenbloom•Public Administration Review•1983

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• The Big Questions of Public Management

  Robert D Behn•Public Administration Review•1995

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• Working for a Good Cause

  Open Access•Robert Dur, Robin Zoutenbier•Public Administration Review•2014

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• Public Service Motivation Research

  Open Access•James L Perry, Wouter Vandenabeele•Public Administration Review•2015

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• The Motivational Bases of Public Service

  James L Perry, Lois Recascino Wise•Public Administration Review•1990

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• The Role of Organizations in Fostering Public Service Motivation

  Open Access•Donald P Moynihan, Sanjay K Pandey•Public Administration Review•2007

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• Public Service Motivation Concepts and Theory

  Open Access•Barry Bozeman, Xuhong Su•Public Administration Review•2014

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• Unanswered Questions about Public Service Motivation

  Open Access•Bradley E Wright, Adam M Grant•Public Administration Review•2010

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• The “Publicness Puzzle” in Organization Theory

  Barry Bozeman, Stuart Bretschneider•Journal of Public Administration…•1994

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• How Does Public Service Motivation Among Teachers Affect Student Performance in Schools

  Lotte Bøgh Andersen, Eskil Heinesen et al.•Journal of Public Administration…•2014

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• The Effects of Public Service Motivation on Job Choice Decisions

  Open Access•Robert K Christensen, Bryan E Wright•Journal of Public Administration…•2011

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• Measuring Public Service Motivation

  Jay L Perry•Journal of Public Administration…•1996

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• Walking the Walk” of Public Service Motivation

  David J Houston•Journal of Public Administration…•2006

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• Public Sector Motivationad fonts

  A Van Witteloostuijn, Marc Esteves et al.•Journal of Public Administration…•2017

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• Antecedents of Public Service Motivation

  Jay L Perry•Journal of Public Administration…•1997

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• Bringing Society In

  Open Access•Jay L Perry•Journal of Public Administration…•2000

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• Public-Service Motivation

  Philip E Crewson•Journal of Public Administration…•1997

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• Public Service Motivation and Employment Sector

  Anne Mette Kjeldsen, C B Jacobsen et al.•Journal of Public Administration…•2013

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• Why Elephants Gallop

  Gene A Brewer, Sally Coleman Selden et al.•Journal of Public Administration…•2000

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• Individual-Level Factors and Organizational Performance in Government Organizations

  Kim, Sangmook Kim•Journal of Public Administration…•2004

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• Whistle Blowers in the Federal Civil Service

  Gene A Brewer, Sally Coleman Selden et al.•Journal of Public Administration…•1998

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• Building Social Capital

  Gene A Brewer•Journal of Public Administration…•2003

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• Public Service in the Private Sector

  Stephanie Moulton, Moulton et al.•Journal of Public Administration…•2011

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• Leading to Make a Difference

  Nicky Belle, Nicola Belle•Journal of Public Administration…•2014

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• The Middle Aging of New Public Management

  Christopher Hood•Journal of Public Administration…•2004

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• Bureaucrats, Legislators, and the Size of Government

  Open Access•Gary J Miller, Terry M Moe•American Political Science Review•1983

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