Mellowing With Tenure? Socialization Increases Prosocial Behavior in Public Organizations
18 Pages Posted: 21 May 2019
Date Written: June 1, 2016
Abstract
Recent research suggests that prosocial organizations are likely to have more prosocial employees, and that this match plays a significant role in organization contracting practices and productivity – for example, in government. Evidence suggests that selection plays a role: prosocial employees are more likely to join prosocial organizations. In this paper, we ask whether prosocial behavior increases with tenure in prosocial organizations. Using a unique sample of nearly 300 mid-career Indonesian public officials, we find that subjects with longer tenure in the public sector exhibit greater prosocial behavior.
Keywords: Prosocial motivation; public sector; effort
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation