Reward Expectancy and External Whistleblowing: Testing the Moderating Roles of Public Service Motivation, Seriousness of Wrongdoing, and Whistleblower Protection

Abstract

Previous research has provided valuable insights into the role of rewards in motivating whistleblowing, but there are still unanswered questions regarding the conditions under which whistleblower rewards can encourage or discourage individuals from whistleblowing. This study focuses on the disclosure of grand corruption activities and employs an expectancy theory framework to investigate the relationship between reward expectancy and external whistleblowing intentions. In so doing, this study examines whether this relationship is contingent upon the influence of three relevant factors, namely, public service motivation (PSM), seriousness of wrongdoing, and whistleblower protection. Survey data were gathered from 2,710 employees in 38 government agencies in Thailand. The findings generally support the hypotheses. Specifically, the results provide evidence against the motivation crowding out effect, while highlighting the importance of situational factors in enhancing the influence of whistleblower rewards. These findings offer practical implications for how whistleblower reward systems can be designed and leveraged to enhance the motivation of potential whistleblowers.