Assessing social identity and collective efficacy as theories of group motivation at work

Abstract

The increasing reliance globally on teams raises the question whether existing theories of work motivation remain applicable as bases for inspiring people to perform. There is some support for the view that well-known theories of work motivation were conceived with individuals as the unit of analysis, and that they may not apply for groups at work. Some authors have added a cultural dimension to this argument, contending that existing theories have ignored cultural practice in eastern countries, where collectivism at work is the normal mode. In light of arguments of this nature, this article critically examines the merits of two theories, social identity, and collective efficacy, as bases of group work motivation, and provides a model that can serve to organize studies on teamwork processes and outcomes, and for designing studies that compare the two types of groups, or that look individually at the workings of a particular type. The model includes four types of variables, namely contextual, independent, moderator, and dependent.

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