The Double Edge of Public Service Motivation: Promoting and Preventing Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior Through Organizational Identification and Ethical Leadership

Abstract

This study develops and tests an integrated model explaining both the promotion and suppression of unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB) driven by public service motivation (PSM). While PSM is typically viewed as prosocial, growing research on the PSM’s dark side suggests that it may unintentionally foster UPB by strengthening organizational identification (OI). Drawing on the Cognitive-Affective Personality System (CAPS) theory, this study incorporates ethical leadership (EL) as a contextual moderator that shapes when OI increases or suppresses UPB. Using survey data from Korean public employees, results show that PSM enhances OI, which subsequently promotes UPB. However, EL significantly weakens both the direct effect of OI on UPB and the indirect pathway from PSM to UPB via OI. These findings advance understanding of the dual-function mechanism of PSM by integrating motivational, identity-based, and leadership factors, offering a more comprehensive explanation of when public servants’ prosocial motives lead to ethical versus unethical outcomes.