2010 Volume 33 Issue 1 Pages 47-56
Cognitive evaluation theory (CET) suggests that external reward can have two functional aspects: an informational aspect and a controlling aspect. CET further suggests that external reward encourages intrinsic motivation when it is perceived as an informational aspect while it discourages when it is perceived as controlling one. CET underscores the importance of the social context of external reward for the facilitation or undermining of intrinsic motivation.
“Performance Evaluation System (P.E.S.),” as a tool of public management to adapt to this situation, has been introduced into all the prefecture governments and is now spreading rapidly to the municipal governments. It is not, however, always functioning effectively under the existing highly centralized structure of organization. But Shizuoka prefecture government, which is known as one of the pioneers of the flat organizational system, has started to decentralize organizational structure in conjunction with P.E.S.
This article focuses on the effects of decentralized organizational structure in conjunction with P.E.S. as social contexts for enhancing intrinsic motivation by using a simultaneous analysis in multiple populations with structural equation modeling. To examine our proposition, we have based this article on the job enrichment research framework by Hackman & Lawler and Hackman & Oldham.
