Past, present, and future of public service motivation research

Abstract

This article reviews the evolution of almost 25 years of public service motivation research in order to identify what is necessary to raise future research to a higher level. First, we look at the rise in public service motivation research and try to provide an explanation for the increasing number of publications. Second, we review the empirical research on public service motivation and summarize the knowledge that has been built up so far in terms of the nature of the concept and its prevalence, its antecedents, and its consequences or outcomes. Third, we identify the challenges which future research is likely to face and we develop a strategy to address the aforementioned issues. In doing so, we aim to provide a roadmap for future research and thus contribute to a further increase in more robust knowledge on a topic that has been increasingly influential in public administration and public management.