Why Performance Fails Without Intent: The Working–Perceiving–Pretending (WPP) Model as a Conceptual Framework for Management and Organizational Design

This paper introduces the Working–Perceiving–Pretending (WPP) Model, a conceptual framework for understanding employee intent and its impact on organizational performance. While traditional management theories emphasize motivation, efficiency, and performance metrics, they often overlook the foundational role of intent in guiding employee behavior. The WPP Model differentiates between three dynamic states: Working Workers (those who genuinely contribute), Perceiving Workers (those who think they contribute but misalign their efforts), and Pretending Workers (those who appear to work without meaningful contribution). By foregrounding intent as a pre-behavioral driver, the model explains why performance management systems often fail, highlighting the need to diagnose intent before implementing strategies for improvement. The paper argues that addressing intent, rather than simply optimizing effort or engagement, leads to more effective organizational design, leadership, and performance evaluation. This framework offers both a diagnostic tool for managers and a foundation for further empirical research in organizational behavior. Preprint – not peer-reviewed. English version, with a Greek version also available.