Český finanční a účetní časopis 2020(3-4):71-93 | DOI: 10.18267/j.cfuc.549

Work motivation. Self-determination theory: literature review

Kateřina Knorová, Jana Fibírová
Kateřina Knorová; Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze, Fakulta financí a účetnictví, katedra manažerského účetnictví, nám. W. Churchilla 4, 130 67 Praha 3; .
Jana Fibírová; Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze, Fakulta financí a účetnictví, katedra manažerského účetnictví, nám. W. Churchilla 4, 130 67 Praha 3, .

Reward system is a key management tool associated with significant costs and its potential to influence work performance and motivation has been the subject of scientific interest for many years. The self-determination theory (and the preceding cognitive evaluation theory) is one of the relevant theories of work motivation on which research (including managerial accounting research) is based in assessing the impact of rewards on employees' work behavior. This literature review focuses on the development of the self-determination theory, its assumptions, the key conclusions of research studies, and the shift in the perception of rewards from the time the theory was formulated to the present. While early research highlighted the undesirable motivational effects of pay for performance, recent research addresses the contextual factors of the work environment and reward system and analyzes in more detail the effect of pay for performance not only on motivation and performance but also employee retention and satisfaction.

Keywords: Self-determination theory; Intrinsic motivation; Extrinsic motivation; Pay for performance
JEL classification: M41

Received: December 6, 2020; Revised: December 29, 2020; Accepted: December 29, 2020; Prepublished online: February 4, 2021; Published: February 5, 2021  Show citation

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Knorová, K., & Fibírová, J. (2020). Work motivation. Self-determination theory: literature review. Czech Financial and Accounting Journal, 2020(3-4), 71-93. doi: 10.18267/j.cfuc.549
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