Why Do People Work if They Are Not Paid? An Example from Eastern Europe

Irina l. Zinovieva

No 206, William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series from William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Abstract: The phenomenon of non-paid work on a massive scale is discussed. Research is done in a textile firm in Eastern Europe, which withheld payment for the performed work for more than a half a year. The following questions were studied: (a) what are the perceptions of work and work results in this highly unusual situation, (b) what kind of other incentives are available to substitute for lack of payment, (c) how do people explain their behavior under such circumstances. Results show that lack of payment is not a barrier for a high level of effort spent in work, relatively good performance, and organizational commitment. The reasons lye mainly in a high level of need for sense, i.e. tendency to search for the meaning of one's actions and the meaning of life, as well as in perceptions of the work situation as opportunities to satisfy higher order (Maslow type of) needs (self-actualization, esteem from others, and belongingness).

Pages: pages
Date: 1998-05-01
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.wdi.umich.edu/files/Publications/WorkingPapers/wp206.pdf
Our link check indicates that this URL is bad, the error code is: 404 Not Found (http://www.wdi.umich.edu/files/Publications/WorkingPapers/wp206.pdf [302 Found]--> https://wdi.umich.edu/files/Publications/WorkingPapers/wp206.pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wdi:papers:1998-206

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series from William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan 724 E. University Ave, Wyly Hall 1st Flr, Ann Arbor MI 48109. Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by WDI ().