As companies rely on people to cope with the current world economic crisis and with competition, in general, academics and practitioners specialists continue the research to find the answer to the classic question „what drives us?”. The latest discoveries regarding the implications of financial incentives on creative performance are surprising. Several findings show that rewards are often ineffective and, in some cases, they have a harmful impact on the overall performance. The classical management instruments are outdated and companies need to engender a new vision that takes into account scientific research findings regarding intrinsic motivation. Creativity is limited by the use of financial motivation techniques. The negative effect of financial incentives on creative performance is not something to ignore. Our aim is to emphasize the need for an improved research methodology that can enlighten the relationship between financial incentives, creativity and performance. While there is no clear answer on the effect of intrinsic motivation on performance, many companies are building a new management conception based on autonomy, mastery and purpose, the three elements of a new operating system according to Daniel Pink’s view.
