DRM11 OF MOTIVATION

THEORIES

Motivation:

Motivation

is

a process of

stimulating

people

to

take

action

to

accomplish desired goals.

Motivation is the result of processes, internal or external to the individual, that arouse enthusiasm and persistence to pursue a certain course of action.

Motivation is defined as a willingness to extend energy to achieve a goal or a reward.

Importance of Motivation:

Motivation

coupled

with

ability

leads

to

performance.

Its

the

responsibility of a manager to make employees look for better ways of doing jobs.

Motivated employee is more quality oriented. E.g. a clerk taking extra cares when filing important documents.

Motivation Theories:
The theories of Motivation can be classified into
1. 2. 3.

Maslows Need Hierarchy Theory Herzbergs Motivation - Hygiene (Two Factor) Theory Vrooms expectancy theory

Maslows Need Hierarchy Theory:

Maslows theory postulates that human needs can be organized into hierarchy of prepotency with the physiological needs at the bottom and self-actualization at the top. He presents five levels of needs.

DRM11 OF MOTIVATION

THEORIES

Self-actualization needs:
Highest need level; need to fulfill oneself; to grow and use abilities to fullest and most creative extent.

Esteem needs:
Need for esteem of others; respect, prestige, recognition, need for self-esteem, personal sense of competence, mastery.

Social needs:
Need for love, affection, sense of belongingness in ones relationships with other persons.

Safety needs:
Need for security, protection and stability in the physical and inter-personal events of day-to-day life.

Physiological needs:
Most basic of all human needs; need for biological maintenance; need for food , water, sustenance.
2

DRM11 OF MOTIVATION

THEORIES

Limitations of Maslow's Hierarchy - Criticism

There is little evidence to support its strict hierarchy. For example, some cultures appear to place social needs before any others.

It is difficult to interpret the concepts like - unsatisfied needs motivate, a satisfied needs activates movement to a new need level.

Herzbergs Motivation - Hygiene (Two Factor) Theory:

The theory was derived various countries.

by conducting

interviews of professionals in

The research was simple and built around one question- Think of a time when you felt exceptionally good or exceptionally bad about your job.

Result was as following:

Hygiene factors represent the need to avoid pain in the environment. They are not an intrinsic part of a job, but they are related to the conditions under which a job is performed. Motivators are associated with positive feelings of employees about the job. They are related to the content of the job.
3

DRM11 OF MOTIVATION

THEORIES

Vrooms expectancy theory:

Victor Vroom presented the expectancy theory. The theory is based upon a rational economic view of people. It views people as having their own needs and expectations of what they desire from their work (rewards).

This theory says motivation depends upon the situation facing people and how it satisfies their desires.

The Expectancy theory is built around three concepts:

Valence

DRM11 OF MOTIVATION

THEORIES

Expectancy Instrumentality
1. Expectancy the

perceived probability that effort will lead to task

performance.
2. Instrumentality- the perceived probability that performance will lead to

rewards.
3. Valence- the anticipated value of a particular outcome to an individual.

Advantages of the Expectancy Theory:

It is based on self-interest individual who want to achieve maximum satisfaction and who wants to minimize dissatisfaction.

This theory stresses upon the expectations and perception; what is real and actual is immaterial.

It emphasizes on rewards or pay-offs. It focuses on psychological extravagance where final objective of

individual is to attain maximum pleasure and least pain.

Limitations of the Expectancy Theory:

The expectancy theory seems to be idealistic because quite a few individuals rewards. perceive high degree correlation between performance and

The

application

of

this with

theory

is

limited in

as

reward

is

not is

directly

correlated

performance

many

organizations. It

related to other parameters also such as position, effort, responsibility, education, etc.