The Dark Sides of Public Service Motivation: A Multi-Level Theoretical Framework

Over the past decade, research on public service motivation (PSM) has made substantial progress in terms of explaining the desired work outcomes of the concept such as individual performance and satisfaction. In light of Perry and Wise’s warning, already voiced in 1990, that high levels of PSM may produce negative outcomes, we find it all the more surprising that there is only a small albeit growing body of research on its potential “dark sides.” We address this void by proposing a theoretical framework explicating the mechanisms underlying the relationships between PSM and its potential dark sides at individual and organizational levels of analysis. We also offer a number of propositions referring to different parts of our conceptual framework that provide directions for future research and should lead to a more complete understanding of PSM.