Which motivation theories do you regard as the most powerful and helpful in explaining how motivation works and why? Illustrate your answer with refe

Motivation is a perennial problem in an organisation. Organisations have a perpetual concern on what should be done to maintain high levels of performance in the workforce. Motivation is defined as “The will and desire that a person has to engage in a particular behaviour or perform a particular task” (Lawley & King, P269). Motivation is a key factor in a workforce. Theories’ have used this key element to explain how efficient an organisation or an individual can operate. They discuss how motivation may influence an individual’s behaviour physiology and give the individual an incentive to reach their goals and objectives.

A need-related model of the process of motivation suggests that motivation is initiated by the conscious recognition of unsatisfied needs. Needs create wants which leads to a desire for goals and objectives. This process of motivation forms a behaviour pathway. This process of repeated successful behaviour is called reinforcement or the law of effect (hall,1951).

There are two types of motivation identified by Herzberg et al (1957). The first theory of motivation is intrinsic motivation which suggests self-fulfilling factors that influence individual to behave in a particular way or stir in a particular direction. These factors include responsibility and autonomy. The second theory of motivation originally identified by Herzberg is extrinsic motivation which suggests people are motivated to perform efficiently by a cause of rewards such as pay, promotion, praise and punishment. Extrinsic motivation is immediate and has a powerful effect because this gives individuals the incentive to perform. The person has a sense of value and belonging and this will tend to put the person in a positive and optimistic attitude. Their behaviour may change causing the individual to less likely dwell on pass negatives and less likely opt towards performing