ABSTRACT

An enduring theme in public administration has been the question of the public service as a special occupational calling. The new men and women of knowledge, including professionals and scientists, tend, it is suggested, to bring attitudes and modes of behavior to the public service which are incompatible with a basic public service obligitas. In addition to open-ended questions about public service awareness and professional self-identification, the study utilized several standardized devices to evaluate individual concepts of public service responsibility. Conversely, three public service professions—law enforcement, tax specialization, and public administration—ranked high on both. Engineering professionals, law enforcement officials, and tax specialists are concerned with building state roads, enforcing state laws, and collecting state taxes. The service groups, in contrast, relate to individuals and clients. For them, serving people may be much more significant than serving the state. One must conclude that public service values are complex and multidimensional.