Public service motivation in Kazakhstan: cross-cultural validation of Kim’s scale and evidence from public and quasipublic sectors

Public Service Motivation (PSM) has become a central construct for explaining prosocial behavior and organizational commitment among public sector employees worldwide. However, empirical evidence from Central Asia remains scarce. This study presents the first-ever application of Kim’s multidimensional PSM scale in Kazakhstan, assessing its internal reliability, factor structure, and behavioral relevance in a sample of 335 public and quasi-public employees. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey conducted between March and April 2025. Results indicate strong internal consistency (α = 0.885) and support for a modified four-factor structure, confirming the scale’s applicability in the Kazakhstani context. Respondents reported consistently high levels of PSM, particularly in the dimensions of compassion and self-sacrifice. Employees from the government sector and older participants demonstrated significantly higher motivational scores compared to their quasi-public and younger counterparts. Although PSM was positively associated with individuals’ intentions to remain in the public sector, logistic regression results did not reach statistical significance (p > .05), suggesting that additional mediating or contextual variables—such as compensation, leadership climate, or institutional prestige—may influence this relationship. This study contributes to the cross-cultural validation of PSM theory and offers actionable insights for public administration reform in Kazakhstan and comparable transitional governance systems. The findings reveal strong normative-altruistic motivations among Kazakhstani civil servants and emphasize the need to align institutional policies with deeply held public values.