Behavioral Science Perspective on Motivating Officials: Theory and Practice of “Nudge” “Self-Nudge” and “Nudge+” Tools

Motivating officials is a significant issue in theory and practice of public administration. To solve the problems in current methods of cadre behavior management, this paper adopts a behavioral science perspective. It focuses on the practical issues and research frontiers of behavioral intervention to explore cadre motivation, discussing the theoretical foundations of behavioral intervention tools. It particularly introduces three widely recognized practical tools: nudge, self-nudge, and nudge+. By clarifying the main characteristics and relative features of these behavioral intervention tools, the paper proposes a logic for selecting cadre motivation tools, outlines their practical processes, and highlights key points for their use. This provides effective motivational tools for China’s cadre management practices, enabling government managers to avoid beyond some of the deviations and inefficiencies of traditional motivational methods. It is to truly become “behavioral designers” effectively intervening in cadre behavior.