Winnowing out high-PSM candidates : the adverse selection effect of competitive public service exams

Existing literature based in Western society generally supports that people who have high public service motivation (PSM) prefer a public service career, and public organizations are likely to recruit high-PSM individuals. This proposition may not hold in cultures where the public service exam is notoriously competitive. The present study, based in Taiwan, provides evidence showing that a competitive, standardized public service exam, along with its unique social symbolism, can deter high-PSM people from entering the public sector. We then discuss the theoretical and practical implications in the conclusion.Ministry of Education (MOE)Accepted versionThe author(s) received the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Taiwan Ministry of Science and Technology Research Grant: NSC-102-2410-H-004-124-MY2; TGBS III; Singapore Ministry of Education Tier-1 Grant: RG61/16