Final answer:
Rensis Likert believed that intrinsic motives are essential for keeping the job organization system running effectively, which includes a sense of control over work and participation in decision-making processes leading to higher job satisfaction.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the job organization system, Rensis Likert postulated that it is intrinsic motives that keep the system running as it should. Likert identified that workers are generally more motivated and hence more productive when they have a sense of control over their work, are involved in decision-making processes, are free from excessive oversight, and feel integral to the outcomes of their efforts. This aligns with findings from researchers like Melvin Kohn, who also emphasized the importance of job control and decision-making participation for job satisfaction.
The need for a merit-based system in government bureaucracies, while beneficial in elevating ability and accountability, also has the consequence of creating motivations within bureaucracies that are designed to benefit and perpetuate the bureaucracy itself. This creates a tension where bureaucracies must harness self-serving instincts to maintain organizational goals, as they potentially become less responsive to political changes and could prioritize their perpetuation over elected leaders' designs.