Employee Motivation in IT Specialists in the Context of a Dominating Type of Organizational Structure ¹⁴⁷⁹

This paper studies the connection between employee motivation and organiza- tional structure within IT organisations based on Cameron and Quinn's typology. The example of 16 organizations operating in the field of software development and deployment has revealed that they share in common a mixed type of organizational structure, with clan and hierarchical types dominating over others. The type of orga- nizational structure that is characterised by a number of specific values promotes demonstration and implementation of motives in the work activities of IT specialists (n=357): their interest in the process of software development, aspiration for pro- fessional growth and decent remuneration. The dominant type of organizational structure in an IT organisation depends on whether it is a state-owned or a com- mercial entity. Internal employee motivation (interest in the process of work activi- ties and responsibility for the outputs of the work) and motivation to achieve suc- cess are observed in those employed with state-owned IT organizations, where the culture is predominantly hierarchical and adhocratic. External positive employee motivation (salary level and peer respect) and motivation to avoid failures are characteristic of those employed in commercial organizations, most of which are of the clan type.

Keywords: motives for IT specialists, internal and external employee motivation, organizational structure types, state-owned and commercial organizations

Column: Experimental Research