A systematic review of person-environment fit in the public sector: Theorizing a multidimensional model

Abstract

Following PRISMA guidelines, this study offers a systematic review of 78 articles on person-environment (P-E) fit in the public sector. The study reveals both an emphasis on supplementary person-organization (P-O) fit and its relationship to public service motivation (PSM). We also find evidence of both bottom-up and top-down processes that mutually adjust to determine fit over time. Building on these findings, we propose an integrative theory that models the multidimensionality of fit as mutual adjustment between the person and the environment along three major dimensions: values, needs, and skills. Integrating the temporal dynamics of the attraction-selection-attrition (ASA) model, we demonstrate how these dimensions interact and generally settle upon an equilibrium over time, which we define as P-E fit.