How Institutional Pressures Influence the Blame Avoidance Behavior of Civil Servants in China

Blame avoidance behavior by civil servants has become an obstacle to government innovation and social governance, and it is crucial to explore the causes of this behavior. This study explored how institutional pressures affect the blame avoidance behavior of Chinese civil servants. Data obtained through a survey experiment showed that high institutional pressure induces more blame avoidance behavior in Chinese civil servants by increasing their risk perception and reducing their public service motivation. The influence path of risk perception is stronger than that of public service motivation. Additionally, positive incentives reduce the impact of institutional pressures on risk perception, while negative incentives increase this impact. This study confirmed that institutional pressures influence blame avoidance behavior through a combination of risk perception, public service motivation, and incentive strategies. Theoretical guidance and practical experience are provided for the governance of blame avoidance behavior.