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The illusion of no control: management control systems facilitating autonomous motivation in university research

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  • Nicole C. Sutton
  • David A. Brown
  • Mandy Cheng

Abstract

type="main" xml:id="acfi12099-abs-0001"> Autonomous motivation, a fundamental factor influencing research success, can be undermined when people feel pressured, managed or controlled. So how do universities – which are under increasing external pressure to manage research activities to produce outcomes – exert management control without threatening the autonomous motivation of their researchers? We address this question through an exploratory case study of the management control systems used in two university faculties. Our results confirm the importance of autonomous motivation in driving researchers’ activity and show how incentives, performance evaluation and cultural–administrative structures can be designed to not only preserve, but also enhance and leverage this motivation.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicole C. Sutton & David A. Brown & Mandy Cheng, 2016. "The illusion of no control: management control systems facilitating autonomous motivation in university research," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 56(2), pages 577-604, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:acctfi:v:56:y:2016:i:2:p:577-604
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/acfi.2016.56.issue-2
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    Cited by:

    1. Tucker, Basil P. & Tilt, Carol A., 2019. "‘You know it when you see it’: In search of ‘the ideal’ research culture in university accounting faculties," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    2. Rossi, Federica & Sengupta, Abhijit, 2022. "Implementing strategic changes in universities’ knowledge exchange profiles: The role and nature of managerial interventions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 874-887.
    3. Gellatly, Lauren & D'Alessandro, Steven & Carter, Leanne, 2020. "What can the university sector teach us about strategy? Support for strategy versus individual motivations to perform," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 320-330.

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