EXPLORING FACTORS AFFECTING PUBLIC SERVICE MOTIVATION: AN INVESTIGATION OF PUBLIC SERVICE MOTIVATION IN SAUDI ARABIA
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Saudi Digital Library
Abstract
This research builds on social exchange theory and self-determination theory to better
understand the relationships between employee engagement, demographic and personal
attributes, and public service motivation (PSM). It hypothesizes that employee engagement and
demographic and personal characteristics (education, income, gender, and parents working in
civil service) will directly affect PSM. I also hypothesize that education, income, and gender will
have an indirect effect and moderate the relationship between employee engagement and PSM.
This dissertation uses a quantitative approach to investigate the hypotheses introduced with the
conceptual model. This research uses structural equation modeling as a data analysis technique.
Based on 704 valid questionnaires distributed to Saudi public employees in Riyadh,
Jeddah, Dammam, and Assir, the analysis shows that a higher level of employee engagement
will lead to a higher level of public service motivation. It also reveals that a higher level of
education will lead to a higher level of PSM.; the hypothesis that income positively affects PSM
is not supported. Thus, this study finds that there is no significant relationship between income
and PSM. Being female is found to be negatively associated with PSM. Therefore, the
hypothesis that females are lower PSM than males is supported. Parents of public employees
whose parents work or have worked in civil service demonstrated a high level of PSM compared
with employees whose parents do not work in civil service. Regarding the moderation
hypotheses, interestingly, the analysis shows that education, gender, and income do not moderate
the effect of employee engagement on public service motivation.