Factors Affecting the Preference for Public Sector Employment at the Pre-Entry Level: A Systematic Review

Abstract

ABSTRACT:Public sector personnel management faces severe challenges. Different long-term challenges contribute to a rising competition over the future workforce. This has sparked stark academic interest and a debate on possible existing differences between (potential) public and private sector employees has been gaining new ground. Public service motivation (PSM) can be identified as one of the crucial pieces of the puzzle of what drives preferences for public sector employment. However, despite the significant rise in the number of studies on occupational choice, more clarity is needed on what factors drive, and—equally important—hinder preferences for employment in the public sector. This systematic review provides a consolidation of extant findings on preference for public sector employment at the pre-entry level and thus possible future employees. We assess and summarize the research progress in this field in terms of theories, methods, and measurement. In doing so, we do not only contribute to a more balanced view of prior results, but also raise questions about the relevance and (future) role of PSM in occupational choice and highlight important issues that need to be addressed in future research.