This study investigates the effects of the organizational management practice of indirect goal-based control on self-determined participation, learning motivations, unpaid overtime, and dropout intentions among apprentices. Two key theses are examined: the instrumentalization thesis posits that promoting self-determination and intrinsic motivation are merely means to achieve organizational ends, while the self-undermining thesis suggests that apprentices may undermine their own autonomy and intrinsic motivation by engaging in practices such as working unpaid overtime, which ultimately hinders organizational efficiency. The empirical analysis is based on data from a nationwide study conducted in Germany involving over 700 apprentices. Findings indicate that self-determined participation significantly mediates the relationship between indirect control and unpaid work performance. Furthermore, apprenticeship-related interest amplifies both the relationship between indirect control and controlled motivation and the relationship between indirect control and unpaid overtime. Additionally, indirect control is positively associated with apprentices’ dropout intentions, both directly and through mediating variables. Finally, ethical and practical implications of the instrumentalization and self-undermining theses for vocational training are outlined. © The Author(s) 2025.
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