This dissertation aims to empirically analyze the effects of job engagement and public service motivation on job fulfillment among local council members in both metropolitan and basic-level assemblies in Jeollanam-do Province. Local assemblies serve a...
This dissertation aims to empirically analyze the effects of job engagement and public service motivation on job fulfillment among local council members in both metropolitan and basic-level assemblies in Jeollanam-do Province. Local assemblies serve as core institutions of regional democracy, performing representative functions for constituents, legislative functions, and oversight and monitoring functions over the executive branch. Job fulfillment of local council members directly impacts the quality of legislative activities and regional community development. Particularly, as decentralization accelerates and the roles of local governments expand, interest in the competencies and effectiveness of local council members' job performance has increased substantially.
However, existing research has predominantly focused on external evaluations by citizens and civil servants, while studies on job fulfillment as perceived by local council members themselves remain relatively limited. Against this backdrop, the present study seeks to identify factors influencing job fulfillment among local council members and to derive policy implications for strengthening the capacity of local assemblies and promoting legislative activities. Specifically, the study analyzes the effects of job engagement on public service motivation, the effects of job engagement and public service motivation on job fulfillment, the mediating effect of public service motivation, and the moderating effect of self-efficacy.
To achieve the research objectives, job engagement (comprising vigor, dedication, and absorption) was set as the independent variable, public service motivation (comprising concern for public interest, compassion, and self-sacrifice) as the mediating variable, job fulfillment (comprising satisfaction with achievement and satisfaction with task completion) as the dependent variable, and self-efficacy as the moderating variable.
A survey was conducted from August 5, 2025 to September 5, 2025, targeting both current and former local council members in metropolitan and basic-level assemblies in Jeollanam-do Province. The inclusion of both current and former members was intended to secure a sufficient sample size. A total of 200 questionnaires were distributed, with 183 retrieved. Excluding 10 responses with insufficient sincerity, 170 valid questionnaires were used for the final analysis.
The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 20.0. Analyses performed included descriptive statistics, reliability and validity analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, multiple regression analysis, mediation effect analysis, moderation effect analysis, and difference analysis. The major findings of this study can be summarized as follows.
First, among the sub-factors of job engagement, dedication and absorption were found to have statistically significant effects on the sub-factors of public service motivation—concern for public interest, compassion, and self-sacrifice. This indicates that as local council members dedicate themselves to and become absorbed in their duties, their motivation to serve the public interest is strengthened. However, vigor was found to have no statistically significant effect on public service motivation. This is interpreted as suggesting that cognitive and emotional involvement in one's duties plays a more crucial role in forming public service motivation than physical and emotional states such as energy levels.
Second, both job engagement factors and public service motivation factors were confirmed to have statistically significant effects on job fulfillment. Notably, absorption and self-sacrifice exerted the greatest influence on satisfaction with achievement, while dedication and concern for public interest had the strongest effects on satisfaction with task completion. These results demonstrate that the two sub-factors of job fulfillment are influenced by different antecedents. Specifically, satisfaction with achievement, being related to goal attainment, requires deep absorption and self-sacrificial dedication, whereas satisfaction with task completion, being related to the quality of daily task performance, is primarily influenced by dedication to duties and commitment to public interest.
Third, public service motivation was confirmed to have a partial mediating effect in the relationship between job engagement factors and job fulfillment factors. Notably, self-sacrifice demonstrated a complete mediating effect in the relationship between absorption and satisfaction with task completion. This indicates that the effect of absorption on satisfaction with task completion is manifested solely through self-sacrifice, suggesting that when local council members become absorbed in their duties, self-sacrificial public service motivation is formed, which in turn enhances satisfaction with task completion.
Fourth, the moderation effect analysis of self-efficacy revealed that self-efficacy had no statistically significant moderating effect on the relationship between public service motivation and satisfaction with achievement. However, self-efficacy exerted a statistically significant moderating effect on the relationship between public service motivation and satisfaction with task completion. Specifically, among local council members with high self-efficacy, the positive effect of public service motivation on satisfaction with task completion was further enhanced. This suggests that for council members with higher confidence in their competencies, the pathway through which public service motivation translates into actual job performance satisfaction is strengthened.
Fifth, the difference analysis based on demographic characteristics revealed non-linear patterns: vigor and concern for public interest were higher in the group aged 50 and above, while absorption and satisfaction with task completion were higher in the group below age 40. In terms of legislative career, first-term council members exhibited higher satisfaction with task completion compared to those serving for two or more terms, which is interpreted as reflecting the high job enthusiasm and achievement motivation of first-term members. Regarding assembly type, provincial assemblymen (do-level) showed higher levels of job engagement, concern for public interest, and satisfaction with task completion compared to county assemblymen (gun-level). Additionally, council members whose political affiliation aligned with the chief executive of their local government demonstrated higher levels of absorption compared to those whose affiliation did not align.
The implications of this study are as follows.
First, it is necessary to establish an integrated support system at the local assembly level to enhance job engagement among council members. Support for specialized personnel, information, and budgets required for legislative activities should be expanded, and networks that facilitate inter-member cooperation and information sharing must be activated.
Second, a recognition system for dedicated activities is needed to strengthen public service motivation among council members. Through commendations for excellent legislative activities, media publicity, and resident recognition programs, an environment should be created where the value of dedicated legislative work is socially acknowledged.
Third, substantive enhancement of local assembly authority is required. Institutional foundations must be established to enable local assemblies to perform meaningful oversight and monitoring functions over the executive branch and to expand policy-making authority regarding local issues.
Fourth, support for basic-level assemblies (gun-level) should be expanded. Considering that job engagement and job fulfillment among basic-level assembly members were found to be lower than those of provincial assembly members (do-level), it is necessary to strengthen support policies to improve the conditions for legislative activities at the basic level.
Fifth, inter-party cooperation and non-partisan legislative activities must be promoted. Given that council members whose political affiliation differs from that of their local government chief executive demonstrated lower levels of absorption, institutional mechanisms should be established to mitigate inter-party conflict and promote non-partisan cooperation on local issues.
This study holds significance in that, in contrast to previous research focused primarily on appointed civil servants, it is the first to empirically analyze factors influencing job fulfillment among elected public officials—specifically local council members—thereby providing concrete policy directions for strengthening the capacity of local assemblies and promoting legislative activities.
However, this study has limitations in generalizing its findings due to its restricted scope to the Jeollanam-do region. Additionally, the cross-sectional research design limits the clear identification of causal relationships among variables. Future research should expand the scope to include local councils nationwide and analyze causal relationships among variables more precisely through longitudinal studies.
Keywords: Local Council Members, Job Fulfillment, Job Engagement, Public Service Motivation, Self-efficacy, Jeollanam-do Province