Using Fundamental Methodology to Explore the Formation of Public Service Motivation Theory

Public Service Motivation (PSM) is one of the theories that has been introduced via translation and studied in the field of public administration in Iran during the past decade. With 30 research papers covering the past three decades, James Perry is the most well-known researcher in this field. His theorization of this concept has evolved in different ways. He initially defined Public Service Motivation as “an individual's predisposition to respond to motives grounded primarily or uniquely in public institutions and organizations”. Later, he referred to it as “an individual’s orientation to delivering services to people with a purpose to do good for others and society”. In other words, he generalized the PSM to private sector workers. In the course of developing and shaping his theory, James Perry presented a sociological-psychological analysis of motivation in his latest theoretical research. In order to properly address and understand this theory and its objective, the present study explored the epistemic principles and non-epistemic grounds of Perry’s theory relying on the Fundamental Methodology, Perry’s writings, and what he himself has stressed. Findings show that Stryker's “identity” theory, the decline of public trust in the US federal government, the “quiet crisis” in the federal civil service, Perry's faith tradition, and his democratic ideology are the most important epistemic principles and non-epistemic grounds that shape this theory.