Greed vs. incentive is one of the most commonly debated economic questions, though the arguments take many forms. Is there a difference between the two, or are they the same? Could a company thrive despite having a greedy leader? Would mankind be stuck in the stone age without the incentive of profit? This topic can be highly controversial at times, and seemingly easy answers are often more complex than people think. Greed and incentive: both have a purpose in the workplace, though they are far more similar than they sometimes seem. Greed is the lust for more than you have, for far more than one could need. Incentive is the motivation one has to complete a task, a reason to finish regardless of whether they 're enjoying themselves or not. Greed and incentive are similar in that they both motivate people to better themselves. While greed usually has a negative stigma attached, it does provide a certain motivation to better oneself. One difference between the two is in the form of public opinion. When a person hears the term "incentive" they think of some object or promotion, something desirable used to incite action. The cheese at the end of the maze. Greed is seen as a little green monster, something no decent human is capable of, and those that are, do their best to hide it. Incentive is seen as honorable, while greed is cause for shame. In 1776 Adam Smith stated in his book An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, “It is not from