A cautionary tale: on the adoption of self-determination theory principles for practice
Self-determination theory (SDT) continues to be among the most popular need-based theories of motivation in psychology and the organizational sciences. In their interesting and wide-ranging work, Gagné and Hewett (2024, this issue) contrast the assumptions and presumed mechanisms of SDT with the res...
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
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2024
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/179522 |
| _version_ | 1811694190453587968 |
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| author | Shaw, Jason D. |
| author2 | Nanyang Business School |
| author_facet | Nanyang Business School Shaw, Jason D. |
| author_sort | Shaw, Jason D. |
| collection | NTU |
| description | Self-determination theory (SDT) continues to be among the most popular need-based theories of motivation in psychology and the organizational sciences. In their interesting and wide-ranging work, Gagné and Hewett (2024, this issue) contrast the assumptions and presumed mechanisms of SDT with the restrictive assumptions of agency theory. They also offer several suggestions for implementing SDT principles in practice, business school curricula, and public policy. In this counterpoint, I highlight areas of agreement with the authors, but also offer thoughts on SDT limitations and blind spots. My conclusion is a large-scale adoption of SDT – to the exclusion or minimization of other views – would not be advisable. I base this conclusion on the logic that needs vary in importance across individuals and needs are broader than those encompassed by SDT. Moreover, scholars and practitioners should embrace the notion that factors beyond the needs in SDT (e.g., values, fairness, quasi-rational calculations, and rewards) also play important roles in determining motivation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-10-01T07:03:38Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | ntu-10356/179522 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-10-01T07:03:38Z |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/1795222024-08-06T08:23:50Z A cautionary tale: on the adoption of self-determination theory principles for practice Shaw, Jason D. Nanyang Business School Business and Management Cognitive evaluation theory Incentives Self-determination theory (SDT) continues to be among the most popular need-based theories of motivation in psychology and the organizational sciences. In their interesting and wide-ranging work, Gagné and Hewett (2024, this issue) contrast the assumptions and presumed mechanisms of SDT with the restrictive assumptions of agency theory. They also offer several suggestions for implementing SDT principles in practice, business school curricula, and public policy. In this counterpoint, I highlight areas of agreement with the authors, but also offer thoughts on SDT limitations and blind spots. My conclusion is a large-scale adoption of SDT – to the exclusion or minimization of other views – would not be advisable. I base this conclusion on the logic that needs vary in importance across individuals and needs are broader than those encompassed by SDT. Moreover, scholars and practitioners should embrace the notion that factors beyond the needs in SDT (e.g., values, fairness, quasi-rational calculations, and rewards) also play important roles in determining motivation. 2024-08-06T08:23:50Z 2024-08-06T08:23:50Z 2024 Journal Article Shaw, J. D. (2024). A cautionary tale: on the adoption of self-determination theory principles for practice. Journal of Management Studies, 13112-. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/joms.13112 0022-2380 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/179522 10.1111/joms.13112 2-s2.0-85194843403 13112 en Journal of Management Studies © 2024 Society for the Advancement of Management Studies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved. |
| spellingShingle | Business and Management Cognitive evaluation theory Incentives Shaw, Jason D. A cautionary tale: on the adoption of self-determination theory principles for practice |
| title | A cautionary tale: on the adoption of self-determination theory principles for practice |
| title_full | A cautionary tale: on the adoption of self-determination theory principles for practice |
| title_fullStr | A cautionary tale: on the adoption of self-determination theory principles for practice |
| title_full_unstemmed | A cautionary tale: on the adoption of self-determination theory principles for practice |
| title_short | A cautionary tale: on the adoption of self-determination theory principles for practice |
| title_sort | cautionary tale on the adoption of self determination theory principles for practice |
| topic | Business and Management Cognitive evaluation theory Incentives |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/179522 |
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