Motivation Research Paper

1951 Words4 Pages

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.

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