The Effects of Public Service Motivation on Job Satisfaction and Organizational Citizenship Behavior of the Public Servants: Moderated Mediating Effect of Job Autonomy

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the mediating effect of job satisfaction in the relationship between public service motivation and organizational citizenship behavior of public servants and to demonstrate the moderated mediation effect of job autonomy. To this end, a moderated mediation analysis was conducted with the data of the 「2021 Perception Survey on Public Life」announced by the Korea Institute of Public Administration to survey general public officials belonging to central administrative agencies and metropolitan governments. As a result of the study, first, it was confirmed that public service motivation had a positive effect on job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behavior. Second, job satisfaction was found to have a positive mediating effect between public service motivation and organizational citizenship behavior. Third, it was found that the mediating effect of job satisfaction between public service motivation and organizational citizenship behavior was moderated by job autonomy. Based on the research results, practical implications and future research suggestions to improve individuals’ affect and behaviors from the perspective of human resource development in the public sector were presented.