Motivational Theories

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Motivation is the force that makes us do things, whether accomplishing personal goals or completing tasks at work. Most people are motivated as a result of their individual needs being satisfied, which gives them the inspiration to perform specific behaviors for which they receive rewards (Kinicki & Williams, 2011). These needs vary from person to person, as everybody has specific needs to be satisfied. When we consider factors that determine the motivation of employees, many of us think of a high salary. This answer is correct for the reason that some employees will be motivated by money, but mostly wrong for the reason that it does not satisfy other needs to a lasting degree (Bizhelp24, 2010). This supports the idea that human motivation is a personal characteristic and not a one-size-fits-all option. Managers will achieve a better rate of motivation in their employees by identifying the key factors that determine the rate of motivation. These factors are linked directly to the employees’ individual needs, behavior, and attitudes. There are numerous motivational theories that attempt to explain how motivation works, but the challenge is applying these theories to actual situations or individuals. Many experts believe utilizing a combination of several motivational theories is more effective than selecting a single theory and applying it all-inclusively. To further explore the practical application of motivational theories, we will attempt to apply different theories to an organization that includes several types of employees, including salespeople, production workers, and administrative staff. Salespeople Traditionally, sales commissions have been the primary method of motivating salespeople. However, compensation based so... ... middle of paper ... ...ople.html Cichelli, D. J. (2010). Are sales people coin-operated? Retrieved May 31, 2011, from http://www.salesgrowthimperative.com/articles/Are%20Sales%20People%20Coin-Operated%20022210.pdf Compensation Today (2009, July 8). Different types of motivation theories [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://blogs.payscale.com/compensation/2009/07/different-types-of-motivation-theories.html Kinicki, A., & Williams, B. K. (2011). Management: A practical introduction (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Kjeralf, A. (2007, January 8). Motivation for production workers [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://positivesharing.com/2007/01/ask-the-cho-motivation-for-production-workers/ Struyk, R. J. (n.d.). Motivating staff for higher productivity and increased retention. Retrieved May 31, 2011, from http://www.urban.org/uploadedPDF/410454_managing_think_tanks_CH02.pdf

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