Group Creativity: The Effects of Extrinsic, Intrinsic, and Obligation Motivations

ABSTRACT: Creativity-reducing extrinsic motivation generally has been associated with rewards tied to task performance. However, there is also evidence that creativity-affecting motivation may also result from extrinsic rewards that are not tied to task performance. This type of motivation may be due to feelings of obligation. A research model is developed that examined how such obligation motivation differs from extrinsic and intrinsic motivations in terms of influencing creativity. Given the importance of groups in organizations, the focus is on motivation and creativity within interacting groups. A laboratory experiment is performed that involved groups determining requirements for an academic information system. The results support a conceptual differentiation between the three types of motivation.

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