Creating better human motivation theories for personal flourishing in organizations

Abstract

In order to pursue organizational objectives effectively and to develop skills and virtues that lead to flourishing in the workplace, motivation has to be properly understood and explained. This study contends that the classical and most popular taxonomies describing employee motives and needs have either neglected or minimized the importance of the ethical and spiritual dimensions of motivation, resulting in a model of a person as self-interested, amoral and non-spiritual. This work summarizes, discusses and expands some of the ideas recently published by the author and two other colleagues in the Journal of Business Ethics. There they presented a new categorization of motivations that brings out the full dimensions of being human. Now, the author suggests promoting more critical thinking in the classroom by explaining this taxonomy in relationship with personal flourishing in organizations.