Learning Objectives

  • Define the motivation process.
  • Explore early motivation theories.
  • Understand contemporary theories of motivation.
  • Identify management practices that foster employee motivation.

Key Concepts of Motivation

  • Motivation Definition: The willingness to exert high levels of effort to achieve organizational goals, conditioned by the effort’s ability to satisfy individual needs.
  • Motivation Process:
  • Unsatisfied need → Creates tension → Drives behavior → Search behavior → Satisfied need → Reduction of tension.

Theories of Motivation

Early Motivation Theories:
  1. Hierarchy of Needs Theory (Maslow):
  • Categorizes needs into five levels:
    1. Physiological
    2. Safety
    3. Love/Belonging
    4. Esteem
    5. Self-Actualization
  1. Theory X and Theory Y (Douglas McGregor):
  • Theory X: Assumes employees dislike work, need to be controlled.
  • Theory Y: Assumes employees are self-motivated, seek responsibility.
  1. McClelland’s Needs Theory:
  • Need for Achievement: Desire to accomplish something challenging.
  • Need for Affiliation: Desire for social relationships.
  • Need for Power: Desire to influence and lead others.
  1. Motivation-Hygiene Theory (Herzberg):
  • Distinguishes between motivators (factors that lead to job satisfaction) and hygiene factors (which can lead to dissatisfaction).
Contemporary Theories:
  1. Equity Theory:
  • Focuses on fairness and perceived equity in input-output ratios compared to others.
  • Perceived inequities can lead to changes in behavior or quitting.
  1. Organizational Justice:
  • Distributive Justice: Fairness of outcomes.
  • Interactional Justice: Fairness of interpersonal treatment.
  • Procedural Justice: Fairness in processes and procedures.
  1. Expectancy Theory (Vroom):
  • Motivation = Expectancy (belief that effort leads to performance) x Instrumentality (performance leads to outcomes) x Valence (value of outcomes).
  1. Goal-Setting Theory:
  • Specific and challenging goals enhance performance.
  • Management by Objectives (MBO): participative goal-setting process.

Job Design and Motivation

  • Job Design: Changing job content/process to increase satisfaction and performance.

  • Job Characteristics Model: Identifies five core job dimensions:

  • Skill Variety

  • Task Identity

  • Task Significance

  • Autonomy

  • Feedback

  • Motivating Potential Score (MPS): Formula to calculate overall job potential to motivate based on these dimensions.

Management Practices to Enhance Motivation

  • Recognize individual differences and preferences.
  • Match employees to jobs suited to their skills and interests.
  • Set attainable goals and ensure they are perceived as such.
  • Individualize rewards and link them to performance outcomes.
  • Analyze systems for perceived equity and fairness.
  • Ensure monetary rewards are not overlooked, as they remain a significant motivator.

Conclusion

  • Focus on integrating various theories of motivation to create a well-rounded approach to enhance employee engagement and performance.
  • Recognize the importance of individual needs and organizational context in motivation strategies.