Professional Pedagogics · Vol. 2 No. 33 (2026): Professional Pedagogics · Pages 109-123
SUBSTANTIATION OF THE ROLE OF MOTIVATIONAL MANAGEMENT IN THE CAREER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OF MILITARY SERVICEMEN TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE EXPERIENCE OF NATO MEMBER STATES
Published
DOI https://doi.org/10.32835/2707-3092.2026.33.109-123
Downloads
Abstract
Relevance. The development of a modern military career management system requires more than isolated material and non-material incentives. In the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the transition towards people-centred, competence-based, meritocratic, transparent, and development-oriented personnel management makes it necessary to establish a clear relationship between a service member’s professional efforts, performance, assessment, recognition, professional development, and actual career outcomes. However, the systemic motivational effect of the career-management architecture itself remains insufficiently conceptualised.
Purpose. To provide a theoretical justification for the role and place of motivational management in military career management, identify its principal functions, mechanisms, and instruments, synthesise motivationally significant practices of NATO member states, and develop an organisational and functional mechanism applicable to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Methods. The study employed analysis and synthesis, systemic and structural-functional analysis, comparative analysis, generalisation of regulatory and doctrinal provisions, and conceptual modelling. The theoretical foundations of work motivation were integrated with evidence from contemporary organisational and military research and with a comparative review of career-management approaches used by NATO member states.
Results. Motivational management is substantiated as a cross-cutting functional mechanism rather than a separate personnel-management subsystem. Its motivational potential is realised through the transparent, fair, predictable, and practically effective linkage of professional effort, performance, assessment, recognition, professional development, career opportunity, personnel decision, feedback, and new professional goals. The study specifies the functions of assessment, individual career planning, professional military education, talent-pool formation, competitive selection, mentoring, digital support, and military rank within this mechanism. It also introduces the concept of motivational dysfunction, which occurs when one or more links in this causal chain are disrupted.
Conclusions. Motivational management should be embedded across existing military career-management processes and implemented through the coordinated activity of personnel bodies, commanders, collective decision-making bodies, authorised career decision-makers, and service members. Military rank has motivational value as a form of professional recognition, a career milestone, and an institutional signal of readiness for greater responsibility, but it is effective only when linked to position requirements, performance, competence, education, and experience. The proposed mechanism can be implemented without creating additional specialised units; its practical effectiveness depends on interconnected procedures, meaningful feedback, and an integrated digital information environment.
Keywords
- motivational management, military career, career management, military personnel, professional development, performance assessment, military rank, talent pool, personnel decisions, organisational justice, human capital, NATO
References
Adamovic, M. (2023). Organizational justice research: A review, synthesis, and research agenda. European Management Review, 20 (4), 762–782. https://doi.org/10.1111/emre.12564 [in Еnglish]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/emre.12564
Armed Forces of Ukraine. (2025). Doctrine "Personnel Management" (OP 1-0; 2nd ed.) [in Ukrainian].
Armed Forces of Ukraine. (2026a). Doctrine "Personnel Recruitment" (OP 1-0(163)) [in Ukrainian].
Armed Forces of Ukraine. (2026b). Doctrine "Personnel Career Management" (OP 1-0(450)) [in Ukrainian].
Chaykovska, O. (2024). Selection and placement of officers in the military command and control bodies of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: The existing procedure and the need for its improvement in the conditions of a special period (martial law). Social Development and Security, 14 (3), 167–179 https://doi.org/10.33445/sds.2024.14.3.12 [in Ukrainian]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33445/sds.2024.14.3.12
Department of the Army. (2023a). Officer talent management (DA Pamphlet 600-3). https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN36110-PAM_600-3-000-WEB-1.pdf [in Еnglish].
Department of the Army. (2023b). U.S. Army noncommissioned officer professional development guide (DA Pamphlet 600-25). https://www.regsovereasy.com/viewer/da-pam-600-25 [in Еnglish].
Dumenko, M. P. (2024). Method for assessing the effectiveness of the functioning of the system of personnel bodies of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Modern information technologies in the field of security and defence, 49 (1), 128–140 https://doi.org/10.33099/2311-7249/2024-49-1-128-140 [in Ukrainian]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33099/2311-7249/2024-49-1-128-140
Eisenberger, R., Rhoades Shanock, L., & Wen, X. (2020). Perceived organizational support: Why caring about employees counts. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 7, 101–124. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-012119-044917 [in Еnglish]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-012119-044917
Els, R. C., & Meyer, H. W. (2023). The role of career development in ensuring effective quality management of training. SA Journal of Human Resource Management, 21, Article a2126. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajhrm.v21i0.2126 [in Еnglish]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajhrm.v21i0.2126
Gagné, M., Parker, S. K., Griffin, M. A., Dunlop, P. D., Knight, C., Klonek, F. E., & Parent-Rocheleau, X. (2022). Understanding and shaping the future of work with self-determination theory. Nature Reviews Psychology, 1 (7), 378–392. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-022-00056-w [in Еnglish]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-022-00056-w
Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., & Snyderman, B. B. (1959). The motivation to work (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons. [in Еnglish].
Hulyak, U. (2022). Professional motivation of military personnel: Experience of foreign armies. Bulletin of the National Defence University of Ukraine, 67 (3), 47–55. https://doi.org/10.33099/2617-6858-2022-67-3-47-55 [in Еnglish]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33099/2617-6858-2022-67-3-47-55
Kasdorf, R. L., & Kayaalp, A. (2021). Employee career development and turnover: A moderated mediation model. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 30 (2), 324–339. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOA-09-2020-2416 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOA-09-2020-2416
McAnally, K., & Hagger, M. S. (2024). Self-determination theory and workplace outcomes: A conceptual review and future research directions. Behavioral Sciences, 14 (6), Article 428. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060428 [in Еnglish]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060428
Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. (2023, October 27). On approval of the Concept of Military Personnel Policy in the system of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine for the period until 2028 (Order No. 637) https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/rada/show/v0637322-23#Text [in Ukrainian].
NATO. (2023). NATO non-commissioned officer and junior officer bi-strategic command employment and development strategy (Bi-SC Directive 040-002). https://shape.nato.int/resources/site7234/General/BISCD040-002%20NATO%20NCO_JO%20Employment%20and%20Development%20Strat.pdf [in Еnglish].
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. Guilford Press. https://doi.org/10.1521/978.14625/28806 [in Еnglish]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1521/978.14625/28806
Slemp, G. R., Lee, M. A., & Mossman, L. H. (2021). Interventions to support autonomy, competence, and relatedness needs in organizations: A systematic review with recommendations for research and practice. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 94 (2), 427–457. https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12338 [in Еnglish]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12338
Tikhonov, G. M. (2019). Evaluating the effectiveness of personnel systems in the military sphere. Ivan Chernyakhovsky National Defence University of Ukraine [in Ukrainian].
UK Ministry of Defence. (n.d.). Joint Service Publications (JSP). GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/joint-service-publication-jsp [in Еnglish].
Vroom, V. H. (1964). Work and motivation. Wiley. [in Еnglish].
Wolfe, S. E., & Lawson, S. G. (2020). The organizational justice effect among criminal justice employees: A meta-analysis. Criminology, 58 (4), 619–644. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9125.1225 [in Еnglish]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9125.12251
Yemtsov, A. A., Agaeva, N. S., Shpanchuk, G. V., & Smirnov, I. I. (2022). Career management of military personnel by military ranks: Moving towards NATO standards. Collection of scientific papers of the Center for Military and Strategic Studies of the National University of Ukraine, 1 (74), 78–85 https://doi.org/10.33099/2304-2745/2022-1-74/78-85 [in Ukrainian]. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33099/2304-2745/2022-1-74/78-85
Zhou, J., Zhang, J., Hua, W., & Zhao, M. (2024). How does enlistment motivation shape organizational commitment? The role of career identity and organizational support. Psychological Reports, 127 (1), 321–350. https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941221109097 [in Еnglish] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941221109097
