Examining Applications of Motivational Theories to the IT Field

Humans increasingly interact with information technology (IT) in order to attain both individual and organizational goals. As a result, studies applying motivational theories to the IT field gain importance in the research literature. Emerging from several different scholarly disciplines, including psychology, social psychology, sociology, business and management, motivational theorists have identified different types of motivations, and consequently developed different theories and concepts related to motivation. All motivational theories and concepts, however, seek to explain why individuals do what they do (Reeve, 2005). This paper surveys applications of motivational theories to the IT field. First, the authors identify three approaches that have been used by researchers applying motivational theories to the IT field. Second, the authors examine these applications using an IT lifecycle framework. Last, the authors propose possible directions for future research in this area