Mapping Public Service Motivation among Street-Level Bureaucrats: A Bibliometric Study

Abstract

The efficacy of public policies is highly dependent on the cooperation of street-level bureaucrats, but their abilities to perform are often limited by systemic issues, such as excessive bureaucracy - red tape, insufficient resources and political pressures. In this context, Public Service Motivation becomes an essential mechanism for resilience. The present study proposes a comprehensive mapping of the literature on public service motivation especially focusing on public servants. Through a bibliometric analysis, over 300 WoS articles are analyzed and used to identify global and regional trends. A specific subtopic of interest is the body of research focusing on public service motivation within Eastern Europe. The study aims to contribute to a better understanding of how motivation is conceptualized and studied in different administrative contexts and to highlight potential gaps in the existing research. The findings provide a basis for future empirical investigations and policy-relevant discussions on supporting public employees.