Motivation
Motivation: an appreciation, happiness, incentive, inspiration, enthusiasm, driving force, a human psychological characteristic that contributes to a person's degree of commitment
Motivators: instigators, persuaders, promoters or influence people who make others to act in a certain way of interest.
Satisfaction feeling of contentment when you have achieved your desires or dreams, something that satisfies desires or gratifies a feeling.
Basic Assumption about Motivation and Motivating
Theories of motivation and motivationalism practicum by managers in an organization
HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
The hierarchy of motivation was developed by Abraham Maslow - he viewed human motivation as a hierarchy of five (5) needs. They are
Self-actualization needs
Lower-order needs:
a.) Physiological Needs
b.) Safety Needs
Higher-order needs:
a.) Social Needs/Affiliation Acceptance
b.) Self Esteem
c.) Self-Actualization
The difference was that higher-order needs are satisfied internally, while lower-order needs are predominantly satisfied externally. Maslow's classification is that, in times of economic prosperity almost all permanent employed workers have their lower-order needs substantially met. This means that it is the higher-order needs that may have the highest relevance from a motivational point of view for today's employees.
VARIOUS LEADING THEORIES OF MOTIVATION (CONTEMPORARY THEORIES OF MOTIVATION) The various leading theories have been sorted into
Five (5) categories.
1.Need theory
2.Reinforcement theory
3.Equity
theory
4.Expectancy theory and
5.Goal setting theory
However, the above theories are categories into
two major groups. They are the
Content and Process theories: Both theories compliment rather than compare with one another.
Content theory offers ways to profile or analyze individuals to identify the needs that motivate their behaviors.
The content theories are more directly linked with job satisfaction than with work efforts.
The Process Theory and
reinforcement theory will assist this
understanding.
Process theories seek to understand the thought
process that take place in the minds of people that act to motivate behavior.
They are directly concerned with work efforts and their work performance application.
Goal Setting theory, Equity theory and Expectancy theory are three (3) well-known process theories. These theories attempt to explain why people choose to behave in a certain way and the reasons they react as they do.
Attained certain levels or degree of satisfaction with his/her life.
Focus on analyzing what motivates an individual.
Managers should identify an employee's needs in order to understand
job satisfaction and work behaviors'. If needs are not met, the
individual becomes dissatisfied; if they are met, the employee is
satisfied.
The manager should focus on Identifying what needs
are important to each individual and allocate rewards so that everyone
finds opportunities to satisfy important needs on the job.
A
manager has to develop an understanding of how motivation is energized
and sustained and what underlying thought processes influence an
individual's behavior regarding motivation.
ERG THEORY
A theory of motivation that says
people strive to meet a hierarchy of Existence, Relatedness, and
Growth needs, if efforts to reach one level of needs are frustrated,
individuals will regress to a lower level.
This theory was
developed by Clayton Alderfer who agreed with Maslow that worker
motivation could be gauged according to a hierarchy of needs, however,
ERG theory differs from Maslow's theory in two basic ways.
OTHER STUDIES TO THE NEED THEORY
Three 3 Needs theory
proposed by John W. Atkinson
The need for achievement.
The need for power.
The need for affiliation or close association with others.
David McClellan's acquired Needs theory
The
need for achievement (Achievements)-desire to undertake something
better or more efficiently to solve problems or to master complex
tasks.
The need for affiliation (Affiliations) - desire to
establish and maintain friendly and warm relation with others.
The need for power (Power & Orders)-desire to control others to
influence their behaviors, or to be responsible for others.
Frederick Herzberg's two-factor theory
PROCESS EQUITY THEORY
Equity theory is a theory
of motivation. It emphasizes the roles play by an individual embodied
in the equity or the fairness of rewards and punishment in determining
his/her performance and satisfaction. Equity can be defined as a ratio
between the individual's job inputs (such as efforts or skills) and
job rewards
(Such as pay or promotions). Individuals are motivated when they are experiencing satisfactions with what they received from an effort in proportion to the effort they apply. At the extreme, feelings of inequity may lead to reduced performance or job turnover.
Example, reduce the inequity by exerting less effort.
EXPECTANCY THEORY
Expectancy theory also a
process theory of motivation, it says that people choose how to
behave from among alternatives courses of behavior, based on their
expectations of what there is to gain from each behavior.
There are four assumptions about behavior in organizations on
which the expectancy approach is based.
~Behavior is determined by a continuation of individuals and
environmental factors or forces
Individuals make sound decision about their behavior in the
organizations
Individuals have different needs, desires and
goals.
Individuals decide between alternatives behaviors on the
basis of their expectations that a given behavior will lead to a
desired outcome.
These assumptions become the basis for the expectation needed by
individuals.
Note: Expectancy is the probability according to
Expectancy Theory, high motivation results from high levels of
expectancy, and performance/Valence, (reference Contemporary
Management by Gareth R. Jones/Jennifer M. George-page 462-Valence).
REINFORCEMENT THEORY
An approach to motivation
based on the "law of effect"-the idea that behavior with
positive consequences tends to be repeated, whilst behavior with
negative consequences tends not to be repeated. It involves people's
memory of past stimulus response- consequences. Reinforcement theory,
like expectancy theory, is a way to link motivation and behaviors.
BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION
Behavior Modification: The use of reinforcement
theory to change human behavior. A manager who wishes to change
employee behavior must first change the consequences of that
behavior.
There are four (4) methods of behavior
modification;
1. Positive
reinforcement- the use positive consequences to encourage
desirable behavior such as raise in salary or praise.
2.
Avoidance learning- Learning that occurs when individuals
change behavior to avoid or escape unpleasant circumstances such as
criticism or a poor evaluation.
3.Extinction- the absence reinforcement for undesirable behavior so that the behavior eventually stops recurring such as starting meeting on time and ignore jokesters.
4. Punishment- the application of negative consequences to stop or correct improper behavior. Common punishment range from criticism to reduced pay and dismissal
GOAL SETTING THEORY
Goal-Setting Theory: A goal
setting theory of motivation is that, it really focuses or setting
future goals. Workers will not be motivated if they do not possess the
skills needed to achieve a goal. Goal-setting theory joins expectancy
theory and reinforcement theory as different ways to explain why
people behave as they do.
There are four (4) phases of a person's reasoning the
goal-setting process as described by Christopher Earley and
Christine Shalley.
1.Establishment of a standard goal to be attained
2.Evaluation of whether the standard goal to be achieved
3.Evaluation of whether the standard goal matches personal goals
4.The standard goal is accepted, the goal is thereby set, and
behavior proceeds towards the anticipated goal.
Research shows that when goals are specific and challenging, they function more effectively as motivating factors in individuals, peers and group performance. It also indicates that motivation and commitment are higher when employees participate in the setting of goals. Employees need positive feedback on their performance, however, to help them adjust their work methods when necessary and to encourage them to persist in working towards goals.