From Purity to Ambidexterity: The Moralization of Intrinsic Motivation and Beyond

“Why do you work?” It’s one of the most familiar questions we face, posed by employers, friends, and sometimes even by ourselves. My dissertation shows that work motivation is more than just a reason for working; it also carries moral weight. People often view intrinsic motivation—working for the inherent satisfaction of the task—as a marker of moral worth, using it to judge others and to signal their own values. In contrast, external rewards such as money or recognition are frequently viewed with suspicion and distaste. Yet despite the common belief that intrinsic and extrinsic motivations are opposites, most of us are driven by both. If mixed motivation is common, an important question is how people manage the coexistence of multiple motives. My current research explores this through the concept of motivational ambidexterity. Defined as the capacity to balance different types of motivation, I theorize about where motivational ambidexterity comes from and how it influences employees’ pursuit of meaningful and effective work.