My research focuses on public management, human resource management, organizational behavior, and higher education. I am very interested in questions relating to work motivation among government employees, the effect of public service motivation on management outcomes, and the efficacy of public administration education on student career interests.
I edited a book that does a deep dive into not only the types of stress (i.e., work, organizational, and environmental demands) that are endemic in a variety of public service workplaces (i.e., government, nonprofit, schools, and universities), but also the effects of stress on an assortment of outcomes (i.e., performance, commitment, motivation, happiness, and physical and emotional wellbeing) and the potential mitigation strategies (i.e., coping strategies, support systems, work-life balance, organizational resources, and public service motivation. The book is currently available on Amazon.
I have also questioned what degree programs can do to improve how they teach and prepare students for public service. This research grew from the finding that students become less interested in public service careers as they progress through their degree programs. I have been interested in learning why this happens and what professors and program administrators can do about it.
I am also in the final stages of completing a book about my experiences in the tenure and promotion process. This book will be based on my personal experience moving through the ranks from assistant professor to full professor. During the journey, I experienced some of the worst that academia had to offer. I was also amazed at the lack of research that has focused on the academic promotion process, especially at the full professor level. This book will be unique in terms of its blend of first-person narrative and a complete set of supporting documentation, giving readers the opportunity to draw their own conclusions. I hope this book will shed light and inspire change. Stay tuned. More to come…
Below are a few of my most recent publications:
In other words, what makes employees happy, satisfied, and committed in their work? Why are some employees attracted to public service opportunities and others are not? What can public organizations do to attract the best and motivate them to perform at their very best? I have surveyed hundreds of local, state, and federal public employees to find the answers to these questions.
I have also explored issues of occupational stress and burnout, especially among public service workers. Public service is among the most stressful occupations on this earth. Public servants are expected to address society's most difficult and demanding wicked problems, which include pandemics, terrorism, natural disasters, and a host of complex social issues. These problems expose employees to high physical dangers, deep emotional toils, and often constant media, political, and citizen criticism for their efforts. I am thankful for the dedication that public servants contribute to our country, often at the cost of their health, and even their very lives. I believe that research on this topic is critical.
Bright, L. (Ed) (2025). Burned Out: Exploring the Causes, Consequences, and Solutions of Workplace Stress in Public Service Organizations.
Bright, L., (2023). Does Stress Type Matter? Clarifying the Relationships between Public Service Motivation, Work-Related Stress, and Employee Attitudes, In M. Sarfraz, (Ed.), Organizational Culture: Cultural Change and Technology. IntechOpen.
Bright, L., (2022). Public Service Motivation Education and Government Career Preferences: A Teaching Agenda. Stazyk & Davis (Eds). The Handbook of Research on Motivation in Public Administration. Edward Elgar.
Bright, L., (2022). Why Does PSM Lead to Higher Work Stress? Exploring the Role that Organizational Identity Theory has on the Relationship between Public Service Motivation and External-Related Stress among Federal Government Employees. Public Organization Review; 22, 803– 820.
Bright, L., (2021). Military Experience in Civilian Government Organizations: An Exploratory Study of its Effects on a Range of Work Attitudes and Behaviors, Administrative Sciences, 11, 1-14
Bright, L., (2021). Does Person Organization Fit and Person-Job Fit Mediate the Relationship between Public Service Motivation and Work Stress among US Federal Employees? Administrative Sciences, 11 (2), 1-37.
Bright, L., (2021). An Exploratory Study of the Consequences of Perceived Organizational Prestige on a Range of Work Attitudes and Behaviors among Public Employees: A Call to Future Research. Public Administration Research, 10 (1), 26-40.
Bright, L., (2021). Does Perceptions of Organizational Prestige Mediate the Relationship Between Public Service Motivation, Job Satisfaction, and the Turnover Intentions of Federal Employees? Public Personnel Management, 50 (3), 408-429.
