Motivation is the psychological process that drives and directs an individual’s towards achieving particular goals (Buford, Bedeian, & Lindner, 1995): an internal drive to accomplish the unsatisfied desires (Higgins, 1994). In other words, motivation is the internal vigor to acquire desired needs and attain personal or organizational targets. According to Smith (1994), motivation is an important factor for a company’s survival in the current dynamic society since highly motivated employees are more productive. Thus, the question of how to improve motivation is a complex question that management should take into consideration. Employees’ motivation are influenced by diverse factors, like their needs, work environment and target performance, if managers want to enhance employee motivation, they should understand employees’ motivation in different aspects. There are four main theories, which are Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, Frederick Herzberg’s two-factor theory, Victor Vroom’s expectancy theory and John Stacey Adams’ equity theory. Maslow and Herzberg’s theories concentrate on satisfying people’s needs to enhance their motivation, which are known as content theories. However Vroom and Adams’ theories recognize the complexity of motivation, which are process theory, they assume employees are motivated by their own performance. This essay will compare the similarities and differences between these four theories and articulate how management can critically use these theories to motivate employees. Employee motivation is optimal when the external factors are tailored to the individuals’ needs. According to Maslow’s (1954) hierarchy of needs, people’s needs are divided into physiological, safety, relationship, esteem and self-ac... ... middle of paper ... ... and outputs will influence people’s motivation, in other words, if the expectancy was satisfied, it will increase motivation. Employees’ fairness also related to the comparison between their own rewards and others. People feel their rewards are equal to the reference people, then they subjectively fell fair which will lead to higher motivation. As the four theories’ advantages and drawbacks are obvious, need’s theory do not build to the right relationship between satisfaction and motivation, expectancy and equity theories refer to reward need to suit individuals’ needs, which connected to Maslow and Herzberg’ needs theory. Thus, management should critical use these four theories, considering employees’ needs, tying the rewards with performance and correctly access the fairness amidst employees, therefore comprehensively understand employees’ motivation.
Motivation play an important role in today’s work environment as motivated employees are more productive employees. However, the ways how we motivate the employees have to be improved from time to time as employees are being more demanding and that they are more concern about their needs than before. Motivational strategies have probably affected the most by employee concerns and values (Greiner 1986, p. 82). ‘A motivational strategy is any effort to induce employees to initiate and sustain activities that can directly or indirectly improve service productivity’ (Greiner 1986, p. 82). Motivation can have an effect on the output of your business and concerns both quantity and quality. For example, if you are in a manufacturing company, your business actually relies heavily on your production staff to make sure that quality product are being produce and being delivered to your client at the right time. However, if your production employees are lack of motivation they will be not motivated to produce the amount of product demanded, thus will be very costly. In the essay below, we will be discussing on the strength and weaknesses of McClelland’s acquired needs theory and the expectancy theory.
According to the management scholars Richard Kreitchner and Carlene Cassidy, “the term motivation, refers to a physiological process that gives behavior purpose and direction” (328). In chapter 12 of the book entitled “Management,” authors Kreitchner and Cassidy discuss how managers can attempt to motivate their employees effectively. The authors insist that managers can work to keep employees loyal to organizations by “administering rewards fairly, building trust and teamwork, and creating a stimulating work environment” (328). There are many theories that analyze how to motivate workers, one of the most prominent being Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory. I aim to analyze this theory in order to make recommendations for work motivation at my current place of employment, The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), a non-profit membership association for family physicians.
When it is discovered that a worker can fulfill the requirements of their job, but are experiencing shortcomings in doing so, many times it is believed that worker motivation may be the root of the problem (Laird 95). What, though, is work motivation? According to Laird (2006), “motivation is a fundamental component of performance “ and “is the reason that someone chooses to do some things and chooses not to do others”. In other words, work motivation is what energizes workers to the level of output required to fulfill a task, directs their energy towards the objectives that they need to accomplish, and sustains that level of effort over a period of time (Steers et al., 2004). In essence, worker motivation is what gets the job done. Employee motivation has always been a central problem in the workplace, and, as an individual in a supervisory position, it becomes ones duty to understand and institute systems that ensure the proper motivation of your subordinates. Proper motivation of employees can ensure high productivity and successful workflow, while low worker motivation can result in absenteeism, decreased productivity rates, and turnover. A large body of research has been produced regarding motivation, and much of this research is applicable to the workplace. Due to the nature of man, motivation varies from individual to individual, and, because of this, there is no one system that is the best for ensuring worker motivation in every organizational situation, and, as a product, many theories have been created to outline what drives people to satisfactorily complete their work tasks. Throughout the course of this document, the three main types of these motivational theories will be outlined and examples of each as well...
Research has shown that motivation in an employee is an important factor which determines his performance. Motivation is the “driving force within individuals” (Mullins, 2007, p. 285). It is the concerned with finding out the reasons which shape and direct the behaviour of the individuals. The people act to achieve something so that they can satisfy some needs (Gitman and Daniel, 2008). It is important for the manager to understand this motivation of individual employees in order to inspire them and devise an appropriate set of incentives and rewards which would satisfy the needs that they have individually (Kerr, 2003). Once these needs are expected to be met in return for some specific behaviour or action, they would work more diligently to have that behaviour in them and to achieve that objective (Meyer and Hersovitch, 2001). Since it would lead to early and fuller achievement of the company objectives as the individual would work more diligently, it would lead to better organizational performance (Wiley, 1997).
Equity Theory of Motivation Introduction: Robbins & Judge (2007, p.186) defines Motivation “as the processes that account for an individual’s intensity, direction, and persistence of effort towards attaining a goal”. Equity theory comes under process theory which gives the perception whether the individual is going to work hard or not depending upon the rewards and possible outcomes. This paper discusses and describes the equity theory of motivation, with its implications for managers, in the light of a real organizational example. Analysis: What is the difference between John Stacey Adams, a workplace and behavioural psychologist,” articulated a construct of equity theory on job motivation and job satisfaction in 1965” (Okpara, 2006, p.226).
Robbins and Judge define motivation by means of three elements. The first element is defined as being the process that account for an individual’s intensity which is concerned with how hard a person tries. The second element is direction that benefits the organization and the third element is persistence which is a measure of how long a person can maintain effort. Motivation is also driven by certain situations that vary between individuals and within individuals, at different times. (Robbins & Judge, 2007, p.186) These elements should not only be expected from employees but from managers as well.
Motivation refers to the forces either within or external to a person that arouse enthusiasm and persistence to pursue a certain course of action. Employee motivation affects productivity, and part of a manager’s job is to channel motivation toward accomplishment of organisational goals. The study of motivation helps understand what prompts people to initiate action, what influences their choice of action, and why they persist in that action over time. (Daft, Richard L 2010). Motivation represents those psychological processes that cause the arousal, direction, and persistence of voluntary activities that are goal oriented. Mitchell (1982) cited in Islam.R. & Zaki,Hj.I.A (2008). Every people have needs. Needs are the physical or psychological requirements that must be met to ensure survival and wellbeing. (Mc Williams & Williams 2010). There are three type of approaches which is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Alderfer’s ERG theory and McClelland’s Learned Needs Theory. Hence, the purpose of this essay is to discuss what motivation and explain reinforcement theory of motivation in detail and also personal example.
Motivation plays an important role in today’s business environment. Motivated employees are often more productive employees than those employees who are not motivated. Managers are probing to find ways to meet the needs of their employees. Motivational strategies which are techniques used to encourage or motivate employees, are a concern for managers because of the increasing demand to meet the employees’ needs. Employee motivation can have a profound effect on the business or organization. This paper will discuss the literature of motivation in a parochial tone and the various strengths and weaknesses of McClelland’s acquired need theory. This will allow the reader to have a comprehensible glimpse of the motivation theory. The literature
Motivation is a reason/s for acting in a particular way or why we do something. Motivation can be intrinsic (meaning coming from within a person); or extrinsic (meaning outside factors). The importance of motivation in relation to physical activity plays a major part. There are many reasons why people partake in physical activity, whether because it is: fun, rewarding, provides social opportunities, possesses challenges, to win or to please themselves or others. As educators, we want our learners to participate in and want to do physical activity at school and outside of school. In order to partake in physical activity motivation is needed. As an educator,
In daily life, we need motivation to improve our performance in our job or in studies. Motivation is an internal force, dependent on the needs that drive a person to achieve. In the other words, motivation is a consequence of expectations of the future while satisfaction is a consequence of past events (Carr, 2005). We need to give reward to our self when we did correctly or we has achieve our target. Reward is something that we are given because we have behaved well, worked hard, or provided a service to the community. Theories of motivation can be used to explain the behavior and attitude of employees (Rowley, 1996; Weaver, 1998). The theories include content theories, based on assumptions that people have individual needs, which motivate their action. Meanwhile according to Robbins (2001), motivation is a needs-satisfying process, which means that when a person's needs are satisfied by certain factors, the person will exert superior effort toward attaining organizational goals. Schulze and Steyn (2003) affirmed that in order to understand people’s behavior at work, managers or supervisors must be aware of the concept of needs or motives which will help “move” their employees to act.Theories such as Maslow (1954), McClelland (1961), Herzberg (1966) and Alderfer (1969) are renowned for their works in this field. The intrinsic reward or also be known as motivators factors is the part of Herzberg motivation theory. Motivators are involve factors built into the job or the studies itself such as achievement, recognition, responsibility and advancement. Hygiene factors are extrinsic to the job such as interpersonal relationship, salary, supervision and company policy (Herzberg, 1966. There have two factors that are called hygiene fac...
Relating back to Figure4.3, the motivational factors affecting 3rd years are just as surprising with the sever contrasts with 83% of 3rd year students stated they were motivated because of the pleasure they found with training. Compared to first years only 16% found motivation through the pleasure of training. This motivational drive can be related to Vallerand’s (2004) intrinsic theories (2.5.1.). This refers to engaging in an activity for the pleasure and satisfaction of participation. Further relating to the three types of intrinsic motivation;
Article provides insight into the application of various theories of motivation like Maslow's needs herirachial theory, McGregor’s Theory and Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory. Higher order needs with Achievement, Self actualisation, Job satisfaction and other internal factors for motivation are discussed. Application of the five Is like Informal rather than formal approach, communicate well and allow employees to apply their own Initiative. If they are Informed, Invited for suggestions and Involved, they have a sense of ownership and autonomy with in the organization and stay motivated. Employees in health care institutes tend to be motivated more by intrinsic motivations and value congruence and person-environment fit is a crucial and integral component of their
Motivation is an important function in organizations to motivate their employees for their ability to perform well, improving their skills, increasing productivity, job satisfaction and employee extension. Employees also are not a machines that we could just program their task in their brain and they will do it automatically, they require motivation to actually do their job properly. And so, after discussing the process models of the Maslow’s “Hierarchy of needs”, Douglas McGregor theory X and Y, and also the Herzberg’s “two factor motivation hygiene theory.” understanding the ways of motivating people, the human nature, and the substance of nature. I believe that the true motivation can only come from within and also managers can actually motivate all of their employees.
Motivation, as defined in class, is the energy and commitment a person is prepared to dedicate to a task. In most of organisations, motivation is one of the most troublesome problems. Motivation is about the intensity, direction and persistence of reaching a goal. During the class, we have learned a substantial theories of motivation and many theories of motivations are used in real business. Each theory seems to have different basic values. But, they all have been analysed for one reason, recognising what motivates and increases the performance of employees. Ident...
People’s behaviour is determined by what motivates them. The aim of this essay is to discuss the essence of the motivation and psychological strengths, its evolution, a brief overview of the key theories of the employees’ motivation and behaviour analysis. The main task is to understand how motivation affects employee behaviour and to clarify the importance of motivation. In this essay I will discuss and produce definitions and examples to answer the main question of what is the driving force and how do people’s needs influence performance at work?