Exploring public service motivation and commitment in Homeland Security volunteers

This research studied volunteering in Homeland Security to better understand the role of motivation and commitment. This study examined why individuals choose to volunteer in homeland security and disaster related actives within auxiliary organizations of the federal government, and what determines their willingness to continue. The functionalist perspective was used to develop a model of homeland security volunteering, that the individuals volunteering in homeland security have motives that are readily fulfilled by work in public sector organizations, and that the effect of these public service values on their choice as to continue to volunteer could be indirect, partially mediated through the perceived congruence of their values and those of the organization they serve.;An online survey was administered based on a snowball sample from members of an all-volunteer organization within the Department of Homeland Security. The survey contained 83 items consisting of the Public Service Motivation scale, Volunteer Functions Inventory, Organizational Commitment Questionnaire, Person-organization fit scale, and demographic questions. 87 complete surveys were used for analysis. The sample was representative of the target population based on age and gender. The Barron and Kenny mediation analysis technique and Sobel test were conducted to test the hypothesized partial mediation model.;The study findings support the influence of Public Service Motivations on attitudinal variables such as organizational commitment is mediated through its effect on value congruence. The current study further supports the use of the Public Service Motivation concept in researching volunteer motivation. The difficulties of gaining access to homeland security volunteers are discussed as a limitation to overcome in future research. Future research is recommended to test the generalizability of the model by comparing volunteer agencies.