Culturally Predisposed Motivation Through Identities and Implications for Multicultural Organizational Environment

Abstract

In this paper authors argue the impact of culture on motivational processes through various identities. The paper combines the most recent findings from cultural, identity and motivation theories in order to determine cultural impact on each of the elements of motivational cycle. By analyzing each theory, applicable analogous similarities are compiled to distinguish important factors and determine psychological processes that are relevant for understanding cultural impact on human motivation and behavior. Results derived from compilation are used to create implications for multicultural organizational environment. This paper concludes that among others, culture has substantial impact on individual's motivation and behavior which creates specific psychological and cognitive patterns that serve as guidance in future situations that individual encounters. Such patterns become integrated in individual and applied to various social groups and environment. Furthermore, paper provides implications stressing the importance of implementation of organizational identity, comprehensive and transparent communication and verification of social, work-related and personal identities of employees. This paper has limitations due to its theoretical framework. Since this topic implies broad interdisciplinary research, additional theoretical and empirical contributions are required in order to provide more detailed insight and implications. However, this paper contributes to the existing theories by providing compilation of their common elements from motivational perspective and arguments for stated implications