The Impact of Village Cadres’ Public Service Motivation on the Effectiveness of Rural Living Environment Governance: An Empirical Study of 118 Chinese Villages

Abstract

Based on Perry’s Public Service Motivation Theory, this paper aims at (1) measuring public service motivation of village cadres and the effectiveness of rural living environment governance; (2) examining the public service motivation of village cadres as a factor potentially influencing the effectiveness of rural living environment governance. Through the survey of village heads, the village party secretaries and villagers in 118 villages in south-central China, an empirical study on the impact of village cadres’ public service motivation and effectiveness of rural living environment governance is conducted. Empirical results indicate that village cadres’ public service motivation (four dimensions) positively influences the effectiveness of rural living environment governance (three aspects). Therefore, we could consider more about perspective of village cadres’ public service motivation for improving the effectiveness of rural living environment governance.