MG-201 Exam 2

Chapters 6-9

Ch. 6: What is motivation?

The set of energetic forces that originate both within and outside an employee, initiates work-related effort, and determines its direction, intensity, and persistence.

Ch. 6: Can motivation can be directly observed in another’s behavior?

No. It is latent and unobservable.

Ch. 6: True or false: motivation must be goal-directed and inferred from one’s behavior.

True

Ch. 6: What does job performance require high levels of?

Motivation and ability.

Ch. 6: What is the equation for performance?

Performance = Motivation x Ability.

Ch. 6: Managers must motivate employees to:

Join, stay, and perform.

Ch. 6: What does motivation determine in terms of effort? (3)

Direction, intensity, and persistence of effort.

Ch. 6: What is expectancy theory?

The cognitive process that employees go through to make choices among different voluntary responses.

Ch. 6: How is expectancy (broader concept) determined?

By how badly you want something and how likely you think you are to get it.

Ch. 6: Which motivational theory is the most comprehensive and well-regarded?

Expectancy theory.

Ch. 6: What are two additional concepts included in expectancy theory that are not in the chapter?

Organizational equity: same outcomes for same performance in different employees; and organizational trust: trust in supervisor/management.

Ch. 6: Which way is employee behavior directed in according to expectancy theory?

Toward pleasure (certain outcomes) and away from pain (others).

Ch. 6: What is the ‘E’ of expectancy theory?

Expectancy is defined as the belief that if I exert a certain amount of effort, I will be able to reach some predetermined level of performance.

Ch. 6: What kind of probability is expectancy, and what does it describe?

Expectancy is a subjective probability ranging from 0 to 1 that a specific amount of effort will result in a specific level of performance (abbreviated E —> P).

Ch. 6: What is self-efficacy?

The belief that a person has the capabilities needed to execute the behaviors required for task success.

Ch. 6: What four sources is self-efficacy influenced by?

Past accomplishments (your experiences), vicarious experiences (those who have done it before you), verbal persuasion (others express their belief/unbelief that you can complete the task), and emotional cues (exs.: anxiety, excitement).

Ch. 6: What is the formula for total motivating potential?

Total Motivating Potential = Expectancy x Instrumentality x Valence.

Ch. 6: Why might the total motivating potential formula not be the best for determining an employee’s total motivating potential, and how might it be improved?

The TMP formula cannot compensate for any zeroes in the equation. An additive model might be better to measure total motivating potential.

Ch. 6: What is the ‘I” of expectancy theory?

Instrumentality is defined as the belief that once I reach a predetermined level of performance, I will receive a desirable outcome or avoid an undesirable consequence.

Ch. 6: What kind of probability is instrumentality, and what does it describe?

Instrumentality is a set of subjective probabilities, each ranging from 0 to 1 that successful performance will bring a set of outcomes (abbreviated P —> O).