Is There a Need to Incentivize Initiative?

I'm sorry but I really need to vent this out.  

Apologies to my company's HR people.

Last Friday I attended an orientation about an HR program in the company I work for.  In a nut shell the idea is to spur individuals to think and possibly implement projects that will provide output in terms of  process improvement and cost savings.  Well, I must say the incentives is very enticing and I'm sure many will try to vie for the various award categories that would give away gift certificates and domestic tours.  However, I do believe this is being done for the wrong reasons.  

We should always provide VALUE in our work.  Without value we become expendable.  That's what I learned from the bosses that I have had.  But come to think of it this has been the company direction ever since my time as a service crew---ALWAYS GO BEYOND WHAT IS EXPECTED FROM YOU.  During that time the mind set was that we own the company.  I guess I still have that same mind set as of today which is why I have difficulty subscribing to the idea of incentivizing what I feel like PART OF THE JOB.  What ever happened to "all for the love of the company"?  

As a manager,  I also try to imbibe the same philosophy to my people.  This is even before this project was hatched.  As a reward, I placed process improvement and cost savings initiatives as part of the performance appraisal.  But what I want my people to really understand and appreciate is that in each semester that passes we contribute something extra to our company.  That we have VALUE.  And we do not do this all for the love of the company.