This paper points out that, in order to reduce the phenomenon of " vase independent directors”, it is a feasible way to develop the duty motivation of independent directors from the legality level to the morality level. This paper firstly puts forward the concept of the organizational field of independent directors. The necessity and possibility of evolution from legality to morality in the organizational field of independent directors are further discussed. In the setting of specific goals, efforts should be made to realize the most suitable morality duty motivation, to implement excellent behaviors, and to avoid falling into the hypocritical traps. Finally, this paper constructs a duty motivation evolution model of three levels and five stages, and explores some important theoretical propositions, such as " evolution subject”, " evolution cause”, " evolution mode” and " evolution trap”. Motivation evolution from legality to morality is the five-stage process of cultivation, breakthrough, divergence, persuasion and consolidation in the time axis, and is also the hierarchical transition process of the morality motivation internalization from the organizational field society of independent directors to the organizational field enterprises of independent directors, and then to the organizational field individuals of independent directors in the space axis. Both processes are going on simultaneously. Problems at any step along the time and space axes can interrupt or even destroy the entire evolution of motivation.
By constructing the theoretical framework of morality, this paper fills the existing research shortage on the phenomenon of " vase independent directors” and has important theoretical contributions. At the same time, it has a certain guiding role in practice on how independent directors effectively perform their duties and how the behavioral subjects at all levels of the organizational field of independent directors should act in this evolutionary process. In a word, rebuilding the duty motivation of morality for independent directors, and achieving " win-win” among independent directors, enterprises and society would become an important development trend in the future. Although there are many difficulties in promoting the evolution of duty motivation of independent directors under the current situation in China, the joint efforts of independent directors, enterprises and society will surely push forward this important process.