The Role of Intentions in Work Motivation: Implications for Goal-Setting Theory and Research

The concepts of goal and intention have not been adequately differentiated in the work motivation and goal-setting literatures. As discussed in theories of intentional behavior (Ajzen, 1985; Fishbein Kuhl, 1985; Ryan. 1970), intention is a cognitive representation of both means and end, and, thus, is a broader concept than goal. It is argued here that an examination of the nature and role of intentions in the motivational process helps clarify several issues in the work motivation literature, including the process by which assigned goals influence behavior.