Public Service Motivation and Public Service Behaviors: Testing the Moderating Effect of Tenure
基于丹麦全科医生的面板数据，研究发现公共服务动机中的自我牺牲和同情心维度变化会引发客观测量的公共服务行为变化，且任职年限越长，这种影响越弱。
Providers of public services are expected to act upon their motivation to deliver public service with the purpose of doing good for others and society (public service motivation [PSM]). While existing studies seem to support this claim, methodological shortcomings question the validity of their conclusions. We analyze the relationship between PSM and the use of home visits among Danish general medical practitioners (GPs) using a panel research design to examine how changes in PSM dimensions relate to changes in objectively measured public service behaviors. We show that GPs alter their public service behaviors according to changes in their level of self-sacrifice and compassion, as predicted by PSM theory. Importantly, we also find that behavioral effects are conditional on tenure. Longer-tenured GPs alter their public service behaviors less strongly in response to changes in their level of PSM. The findings imply that PSM is malleable and that PSM is a particular workable lever in changing public service behaviors among shorter-tenured public service providers.