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Managing Moral Motivations

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  • Lanse Minkler

    (University of Connecticut)

Abstract

Firms confront three problems: (1) shirking (sub-optimal provision of effort), (2) smooth transfer of knowledge, and (3) eliciting new knowledge. The motivations possessed by firm members are four: (a) instrumental rationality (i.e., self-interest), (b) moral motivations and integrity, (c) intrinsic motivations, and (d) fairness motivations. The trick for the firm is to manage motivations in a way that solves its particular problems. The purpose of this paper is to provide the foundations for moral motivations and moral integrity, and to discuss the kinds of problems that they can and cannot solve, particularly in context of the complex motivational mix.

Suggested Citation

  • Lanse Minkler, 2003. "Managing Moral Motivations," Working papers 2003-06, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:uct:uconnp:2003-06
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Sabatini, Fabio, 2006. "Social Capital and Labour Productivity in Italy," Knowledge, Technology, Human Capital Working Papers 12090, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    2. MARTIN Ludivine, 2007. "The impact of technological changes on incentives and motivations to work hard," IRISS Working Paper Series 2007-15, IRISS at CEPS/INSTEAD.
    3. Dan Ofori & Jocelyn Sackey, 2010. "Assessing Social Capital for Organisational Performance: Initial Exploratory Insights From Ghana," Organizations and Markets in Emerging Economies, Faculty of Economics, Vilnius University, vol. 1(2).
    4. Fabio Sabatini, 2006. "Does Social Capital Improve Labour Productivity in Small and Medium Enterprises," Working Papers in Public Economics 92, University of Rome La Sapienza, Department of Economics and Law.

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