Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Intrinsic Motivation among Middle-Level Management Employees - an Empirical Research


Affiliations
1 Indian Institute of Management (IIM)Bangalore, India
 

Gone are days where extrinsic motivators, such as pay alone were sufficient to keep employees happy and motivated. Many studies have already found that in addition to extrinsic motivators, intrinsic motivators are necessary to ensure that employees remain in the organisation. Previous researches proved that lower-level employees' need extrinsic motivators while for top management level, employees' intrinsic motivation plays important role to perform well and to be happy in the organisation, though at varied extents. In our country, substantial number of employees belong to middle level management. In this research, an analysis is done on the impact of intrinsic motivators - i.e., autonomy, competence and relatedness - on overall motivation. These are mentioned in the Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Questionnaire-based survey was used to examine the intrinsic motivational state of the middle level management employees working in companies from various sectors. Results of the study suggest that there are a strong impact of autonomy and relatedness components on overall motivation while competency component has less impact on overall motivation. The study also suggests that there is a strong impact of pay/remuneration on overall motivation.

Keywords

Intrinsic Motivation, Extrinsic Motivation, Self-Determination, Autonomy, Competence, Relatedness.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Chua, S.N., & Koestner, R. (2008). A SelfDetermination Theory Perspective on the Role of Autonomy in Solitary Behavior. The Journal of Social Psychology.
  • Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The "What" and "Why" of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the SelfDetermination of Behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11.
  • Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The Darker and Brighter Sides of Human Existence: Basic Psychological Needs as a Unifying Concept. Psychological Inquiry, 11.
  • Deci, E. L., & Vaansteenkiste, M. (2004). Self Determination Theory and Basic need satisfaction: Understanding human development in Positive Psychology. Ricerche de Psicologia, 27.
  • Latham, G. P., & Pinder, C. C. (2005). Work motivation theory and research at the dawn of the twenty-first century. Annual Review of Psychology.
  • Manolopoulos, D. (2008). Work motivation in the Hellenic extended public sector: an empirical investigation. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 19,
  • Maltby, J, & Day, L. (2001). The Relationship Between Exercise Motives and Psychological Well-Being. The Journal of Psychology, 135.
  • Mundhra, D.D., & Jacob, W. (2011). Intrinsic Motivators in the Indian Manufacturing Sector: An Emperical Study. IUP Journal of Organisational Behaviour, 10.
  • Robbins, S. P. (2006). Organizational Behaviour (11 ed.). New Delhi: Prentice Hall India.
  • Ryan, R. (2009). Self determination Theory and Wellbeing. WeD Research Review, 1-2
  • Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations: Classic Definitions and New Directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 54-67.
  • Shalley, C. E., Oldham, G. R., & Porac, J. F. (1987). Effects of Goal Difficulty, Goal-Setting Method, and Expected External Evaluation on Intrinsic Motivation. Academy of Management Journal, 30.
  • Sheldon, K.M. (1995). Creativity and SelfDetermination in Personality. Creativity Research Journal, 8.
  • Sheldon, K. M., Ryan, R., & Reis, H. T. (1996). What makes for a Good day? Competence and Autonomy in the Day and in person. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 22.
  • Sheldon, K. M., Ryan, R., & Reis, H. T., & Roscoe, J. (2000). Daily well-being: The role of Autonomy, Competence and Relatedness. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26.
  • Steininger, D. J. (1994) Why Quality initiatives are failing: The Need to Address the Foundation of Human Motivation. Human Resource Management, 33.
  • Stone, D. N., Bryant, S. M., & Wier, B. (2010). Why Are Financial Incentive Effects Unreliable? An Extension of Self-Determination Theory, Behavioral research in Accounting, 22.
  • Stone, D. N., Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2009). Beyond talk: creating autonomous motivation through selfdetermination theory. Journal of General Management, 34.
  • Thrash, T. M., & Elliot, A. (2002). Implicit and Self-Attributed Achievement Motives: Concordance and Predictive Validity. Journal of Personality.
  • Vaitkuviene, l., Balvoeiute, r., & Stookus, S. (2010). The Comparative Analysis of Employee Motivation Tools: the Case of Lithuanian and Swedish Manufacturing Companies. Management of Organizations: Systematic Research.
  • Vansteenkiste, M., Neyrinck, B., Niemiec, C. P., Soenens, B., De Witte, H., & Broeck, A. V. (2007). On the relations among work value orientations, psychological need satisfaction and job outcomes: A self-determination theory approach. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 80.
  • Vansteenkiste, M., Williams, G. C., & Resnicow, K. (2012). Toward systematic integration between Self-Determination Theory and Motivational Interviewing as examples of top-down and bottom-up intervention development: Autonomy or volition as a fundamental theoretical principle. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 1-11.
  • Caldicott, S. M. (2014). Forbes. Retrieved from Forbes Web site: http://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahcaldicott/2014/09/18/can-middle-managersinnovate3-ways-to-engage-the-center-of-yourorganization.

Abstract Views: 389

PDF Views: 166




  • Intrinsic Motivation among Middle-Level Management Employees - an Empirical Research

Abstract Views: 389  |  PDF Views: 166

Authors

Girish V. Gurjar
Indian Institute of Management (IIM)Bangalore, India

Abstract


Gone are days where extrinsic motivators, such as pay alone were sufficient to keep employees happy and motivated. Many studies have already found that in addition to extrinsic motivators, intrinsic motivators are necessary to ensure that employees remain in the organisation. Previous researches proved that lower-level employees' need extrinsic motivators while for top management level, employees' intrinsic motivation plays important role to perform well and to be happy in the organisation, though at varied extents. In our country, substantial number of employees belong to middle level management. In this research, an analysis is done on the impact of intrinsic motivators - i.e., autonomy, competence and relatedness - on overall motivation. These are mentioned in the Self-Determination Theory (SDT). Questionnaire-based survey was used to examine the intrinsic motivational state of the middle level management employees working in companies from various sectors. Results of the study suggest that there are a strong impact of autonomy and relatedness components on overall motivation while competency component has less impact on overall motivation. The study also suggests that there is a strong impact of pay/remuneration on overall motivation.

Keywords


Intrinsic Motivation, Extrinsic Motivation, Self-Determination, Autonomy, Competence, Relatedness.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.20968/rpm%2F2015%2Fv13%2Fi1%2F69339