Does Public Service Motivation Matter in Public Higher Education? Testing the Theories of Person–Organization Fit and Organizational Commitment Through a Serial Multiple Mediation Model

Abstract

To address some of the inconsistencies in the literature regarding links between public service motivation (PSM) and individual performance, this study proposes and tests a three-path mediation model in public higher education in which the relationship is mediated by personorganization fit (P-O fit) and organizational commitment (OC) in serial. Based on a sample of 692 faculty at an urban public university, we find that P-O fit and OC as a causal chain mediate the relationship between PSM and organizational citizenship behavior and that this mediated relationship varies depending on the specific context of the performance dimensions. While PSM has positive influence on service through its effect on P-O fit and OC in serial, the results indicate an indirect negative effect on research productivity and no association with teaching. The results regarding both direct and indirect effects further reveal that the directions and significance of the relationships can vary depending on how performance is conceptualized.

Researcher engagement in policy deemed societally beneficial yet unrewarded

“…Doing so might help align institutions’ engagement processes with their mission statements, and the motivations of the next generation of researchers (Jin et al . ).…”

“…Perceptions are also key for determining whether individual and institutional goals align with each other, and with evaluation metrics. Previous research indicates that individuals' public engagement efforts are more effective when they feel that their institution shares their values and supports their efforts (Jin et al 2016). Researchers may become apathetic or cynical when they are incentivized to perform activities they see as having little value, or when institutional rhetoric that promotes such activities is not supported by evaluation metrics that place value on them (Colvin and Boswell 2007).…”

“…Among those employed in research positions, we note widespread agreement that societal benefit is found not only (or even primarily) in research per se, but most strongly in teaching and engagement. Given that there is some evidence of a trade-off between engagement activity and research output (Jin et al 2016), rewarding engagement in addition to research can avoid putting the career advancement of researchers who engage at a disadvantage. In short, research institutions espousing public benefits would do well to acknowledge the importance of engagement and teaching, and to reward these activities commensurate with their importance to institutional missions.…”

“…Perhaps students would be better served by institutional assessments that are reformulated to reflect not only the increasingly diverse research-based professions outside of academia (Cyranoski et al 2011) but also the strong motivations to engage. Doing so might help align institutions' engagement processes with their mission statements, and the motivations of the next generation of researchers (Jin et al 2016).…”

Impact of Affective Commitment with Employee Performance Moderated by Organization Citizenship Behavior (OCB)

“…Affective commitment is the emotional involvement of an employee in the organization in the form of feelings of love in the organization (Amin, et.al, 2018). Something similar is said (McDonald, & Park, 2018) feelings of love in the organization that led to the willingness to stay on and develop social relationships and appreciate the value of the relationship with the organization due to have been a part of the organization.…”