Preferred Name
Christian Diaz
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Date of Graduation
5-16-2026
Semester of Graduation
Spring
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Department of Learning, Technology and Leadership Education
Abstract
Employee motivation remains central to organizational research, yet less is known about how employees personally experience the relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and performance. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory and Expectancy Theory, this qualitative narrative inquiry examined how employees describe their motivational experiences and their influence on workplace effectiveness. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 3 employees across diverse industries and analyzed using thematic analysis.
Four themes emerged: (1) autonomy as a primary driver of sustained performance, (2) recognition as a reinforcing factor, (3) organizational culture as either amplifying or diminishing motivation, and (4) motivation as evolving across career stages. Findings suggest that intrinsic motivation—particularly autonomy—plays a central role in sustaining performance, while extrinsic factors such as recognition and rewards strengthen or weaken motivation depending on organizational context. Additionally, motivation shifts as employees progress professionally.
These findings highlight the importance of aligning leadership practices, organizational systems, and cultural norms with employees’ psychological needs to enhance sustained performance and overall effectiveness.
Included in
Industrial and Organizational Psychology Commons, Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons
