THEORIES OF MOTIVATION
MOTIVATION
The internal force that drives a worker to action as well as
the external factors that encourage that action
Ability and skill determine whether a worker can do the job,
but motivation determines whether the worker will do it
properly
Self determination Theory (SDT) Intrinsic and
Extrinsic Motivation
• Intrinsically motivated, people seek to perform well because they
either enjoy performing the actual tasks or enjoy the challenge of
successfully completing the task
• Extrinsically motivated, they don’t particularly enjoy the tasks but
more motivated to perform well to receive some type of reward or to
avoid negative consequences
Work Preference Inventory (WPI) – measure individual orientation
towards intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
Organizational citizenship behaviors(OCBs)- Behaviors that are not part of an
employee’s job but which make the organization a better place to work (e.g.,
helping others, staying late).
Consistency theory Korman’s theory that employees will be motivated to
perform at levels consistent with their levels of self-esteem.
KORMAN’S CONSISTENCY THEORY
Self-Esteem – the extent to which a person views himself as
valuable and worthy.
-There is a positive correlation between self esteem and
performance
- Employees with high self esteem actually desire to
perform at high levels and employees with low self esteem
desire to perform at low levels
KORMAN’S CONSISTENCY THEORY
THREE TYPES OF SELF ESTEEM
1. Chronic Self Esteem- a person’s overall feeling about
himself
2. Situational Self Esteem- is a person’s feeling about himself
in a particular situation such as operating a machine or
talking to other people
3. Socially Influenced Self Esteem- is how person feels about
himself on the basis of the expectation of others.
▪ Self-Fulfilling Prophecy – states that an individual will perform as
well or as poorly as he expects to perform
▪ Galatea Effect – the relationship between self expectations and
performance
- Train supervisors to communicate a feeling of confidence in an
employee
▪ Pygmalion Effect – if an employee feels that the manager
has confidence in him, his self-esteem will increase
▪ Golem Effect – occurs when negative expectations of an
individual cause a decrease in that individual’s actual
performance
Have the Employee’s Values and Expectations
been Met?
Job Expectations – a discrepancy between what an employee expected a job to be like and the
reality of the job can affect motivation and satisfaction
▪ When expectations from the job was not met, the employee might feel unmotivated
▪ Realistic Job Preview is really important
Job Characteristics – employees desire jobs that are meaningful, provide them opportunity to be
personally responsible for the outcome of their work, and provide them with feedback of the results
of their efforts
Jobs will have motivation potential if they allow employees to use a variety of skills and to
connect their efforts to an outcome which has meaning, is useful, or is appreciated by coworkers as
well as by others in society
MASLOW HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
MASLOW HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
Basic biological needs The first step in Maslow’s needs hierarchy, concerning
survival needs for food, air, water, and the like.
Ex. An individual who does not have a job, is homeless, and is on the verge of
starvation will be satisfied with any job as long as it provides for these basic needs.
Safety needs The second step in Maslow’s hierarchy, concerning the need for
security, stability, and physical safety.
Ex. public-sector employees often list job security as a main benefit to their jobs a
benefit so strong that they will stay in lower-paying public sector jobs rather than
take higher-paying, yet less secure, jobs in the private sector
MASLOW HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
Social needs The third step in Maslow’s hierarchy, concerning the
need to interact with other people.
Ex. Company cafeterias provide workers with a place and an
opportunity to socialize
Ego needs The fourth step in Maslow’s hierarchy, concerning the
individual’s need for recognition and success.
Ex. praise, awards, promotions, salary increases, publicity, and many
other ways.
MASLOW HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
Self-actualization needs The fifth step in Maslow’s hierarchy,
concerning the need to realize one’s potential.
Ex. A college professor always has new research to conduct, new classes
to teach, and new clients to consult. Thus, the variety of tasks and the new
problems encountered provide a constant challenge that can lead to higher
motivation
Alderfer’s ERG Theory
ERG theory Alderfer's needs theory, which describes three levels of
satisfaction: existence, relatedness, and growth.
EXISTENCE- analogous to Maslow’s physiological and safety needs (e.g.,
pay and fringe benefits).
RELATEDNESS- relatedness needs, which correspond to Maslow’s love
needs and are focused on social relationships.
GROWTH- growth needs parallel Maslow’s esteem and self-actualization
needs.
MASLOW HIERARCHY THEORY VS. ERG THEORY
Maslow’s theory was chiefly rooted in his own clinical observations
Alderfer set out to empirically generate a theory of motivation that focused on the subjective states of need
satisfaction and desire.
ERG theory suggests that all three categories of needs can operate simultaneously rather than in the sequence
suggested by Maslow.
Alderfer posited a frustration–regression hypothesis, which allows for situations in which an individual who
is frustrated at a higher level of need then refocuses energy on satisfying a lower-level need.
Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory
Two-factor theory Herzberg’s motivational theory that proposes that two
factors motivators and hygiene's are important in determining worker
satisfaction and motivation.
MOTIVATORS elements related to job content that, when present, lead to job
satisfaction
Ex. recognition, interesting work, responsibility, reinforcement for work well
done, and potential advancement
HYGIENES elements related to job context that, when absent, cause job
dissatisfaction
Ex. supervision, salary, and working conditions.
Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory
NEEDS THEORIES
SELF REGULATING BEHAVIOR
Self-regulation A theory that employees can be motivated by monitoring their own progress toward the
goals they set and adjusting their behavior to reach those goals.
-a person’s ability to select, set, and modify goals to adapt to changing conditions.
4 Step in Self-regulation
1. Choose their goals and set levels for each goal
2. Plan how they will accomplish those goals
3. Take action toward accomplishing the goals (goal striving)
4. Evaluate progress toward goal attainment and either maintain, revise, or abandon a goal
McClelland NEEDS THEORY
Need for achievement are motivated by jobs that are challenging and over which
they have some control, whereas employees who have minimal achievement
needs are more satisfied when jobs involve little challenge and have a high
probability of success.
Need for affiliation are motivated by jobs in which they can work with and help
other people.
Need for power are motivated by a desire to influence others rather than simply
to be successful.
Job Characteristics Theory
Richard Hackman and Greg Oldham
Skill Variety- the job requires a variety of activities that involve different skills
and talents
Task Identity- job requires completion of a “whole” and identifiable piece of
work; that is extend to which a job has a beginning and end outcome.
Task Significance – the job affects the lives or work of other people, both in the
immediate organization and in the external environment
Autonomy- the job allows the individual substantial freedom, independence and
discretion to schedule the work and determine the procedures for carrying it out
Feedback- the job activities give the individuals a direct and clear information
about the effectiveness of his or her performance
DOES EMPLOYEE HAVE ACHIEVABLE
GOALS?
Goal Setting – employee is given a goal such as increasing attendance, selling more products, or reducing the
number of grammar error in reports
For the goal setting to be most successful, the goals should be SMART:
SPECIFIC
MEASURABLE
ATTAINABLE
RELEVANT
TTIME BOUND
Participating in goal setting does not increase performance but employee participation in goal setting
increases the commitment to reach the goal
Are Employees receiving Feedback on their Goal
Progress?
To increase the effectiveness of goal setting, feedback should be given to
employees on their progress in reaching their goals
Positive feedbacks increases performance rather than negative and controlling
Constructive when it is given positively with the goal of encouraging and
reinforcing positive behavior
Self-Regulation Theory – employee monitor their own progress toward attaining
goals and then make the necessary adjustments; that is to self-regulate
EQUITY THEORY
Stacy Adams
Equity Theory – based on the premise that our levels of
motivation and job satisfaction are related to how fairly we
believe we are treated in comparison with others
Inputs – those elements that we put into our jobs
Outputs – elements we receive from our jobs
EQUITY THEORY
Stacy Adams
INPUT OUTCOME
Effort. Education Good
coworkers,
Work Experience learnings
pay, benefits
