The Hierarchical Model of Motivation: A Lens for Viewing the Complexities of Motivation

Abstract

There are compelling financial and quality‐of‐life reasons to care about employee motivation. This two‐part article surveys the complexities of motivation through the lens of the Hierarchical Model of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation. Based on self‐determination theory, motivation is examined at situational, contextual, and global levels. The situations that people encounter, the feedback they receive, and the consequences derived from each situation impact an individual's autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Since there is a recursive impact between levels, motivation may be improved through positive feedback and consequences at the situational level. Furthermore, individuals may be able to change their perspective to become more resilient in less motivating situations. Part one of this article focuses on individual performance. Part two, focusing on organizations, will be published in the next issue.