Motivation

Motivation is of two types.

  1. Intrinsic motivation- comes from the personal satisfaction of the work itself.
  2. Extrinsic motivation – comes from the rewards that are linked to job performance, such as a paycheck.

The theories of Motivation can be divided into the following categories:

  1. Content theories of motivation seek to understand what underlies and drives motivation
  2. Process theories of motivation seek to understand what steps can be taken to improve and maintain motivation
  1. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
  1. Alderfer’s ERG Theory: there is no fixed hierarchy of needs

Growth: desires for continued psychological growth and development

Relationships: desires for satisfying interpersonal relationships

Existence: desires for physiological and material well-being

Frustration-regression principle: An already satisfied lower-level need becomes reactivated when a higher-level need is frustrated.

  1. Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory: focuses on characteristics that motivate and reduce motivation at work.

Lack of Hygiene Factors= Dissatisfaction

Presence of Hygiene factors= No Dissatisfaction

Lack of Motivators= No Satisfaction

Presence of Motivator= Satisfaction

d. McClelland’s Theory of Learned Needs: identifies the set of needs that can serve as motives.

Process Views Of Motivation

Process theories of motivation seek to understand what steps can be taken to improve and maintain motivation

a. Goal-Setting Theory

Effective Goals are:

Accepted by employees

Challenging and realistic

Specific, quantifiable, and measurable

SMART

MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES:

  1. Equity Theory:

Inequity occurs when the ratio is not equivalent and creates cognitive dissonance

To restore equity, people may use one of the following:

  1. Reduce inputs by cutting back on the effort, and if the imbalance becomes too great, to leave the firm
  2. Influence the outcome, such as persuade the boss for a raise
  3. Decrease others’ outcomes, such as spread rumors about others
  4. Increase effort level if they think they are getting more than they deserve
  1. Reinforcement Theory:Based on the law of effect. It links desirable outcomes to behaviors managers want to encourage. Reduces undesirable outcomes.

Managerial Implications:

  1. Expectancy Theory:

Vroom’s Expectancy Theory of Motivation

Expectancy: Link between effort and performance on a task

Instrumentality: Link between task performance and rewards

Motivation (M), expectancy (E), instrumentality (I), and valence (V) are related to one another in a multiplicative fashion:

M = E x I x V

If either E, I, or V is low, motivation will be low

Motivation by Design:

Job Enlargement

Job Rotation

Job Enrichment

Job Characteristics Model

Organizations can develop:

  1. Compressed work weeks
  2. Flexible working hours
  3. Job sharing
  4. Work Sharing
  5. Telecommuting