Public Service Motivation: Origins, Development, and Future Research (VIRTUAL)
James Perry
Distinguished Professor Emeritus
Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs
Indiana University, Bloomington
In 1990 James Perry and colleague Lois Wise initiated research on public service motivation, which they defined as “an individual’s predisposition to respond to motives grounded primarily or uniquely in public institutions and organizations.” In the intervening 30 years, research about public service motivation has diffused globally, reaching more than 50 countries. This presentation will focus on the origins of research about public service motivation, what has been learned from the research, and questions for future research. Perry will explicitly refer to research conducted in international settings, with special emphasis on attraction-selection processes, performance, and incentives.
