BASIC CONCEPTS OF MOTIVATION

Motivation - is the set of forces of forces that leads people to engage in one behavior
rather than alternative behavior.
*For managers, the objective is to motivate people to behave in ways that are in
the organization's best interest.
Importance of Motivation
Performance=Motivation+ Ability+ Environment
-To reach high level of performance, an employee must want to do the job (motivation),
must be able to do the job (ability), and must have materials, resources and equipment
to do the job (environment).
Motivational Framework
Experienced need Search
deficiencies
for ways to Choice
satisfy of
needs
goal-directed behaviors

Reassessment of need
Experienced
deficiencies
rewards
Enactment
or punishement
of behavioral choice (performance)

Needs and Motives

Needs

Behavior

Motives

Need - something a person requires or wants.

*Stimulus for action.

Primary needs - physical requirements to sustain life.

o Ex. Food, water and shelter
Secondary needs -psychological requirements learned from the environment and
culture in which the person lives.

o Ex. Needs for achievement, autonomy/power, order,

affiliation/companionship and understanding.
*Secondary needs often arise in an organization, it is important to consider when
examining motivated behavior.
*People's needs change thru time, satisfied or dissatisfied.
Motive - a person's reason for choosing one behavior among several choices.
*Derived from needs in that most behaviors are undertaken to satisfy needs.
Early Theories of Motivation
1. Hedonism - people seek pleasure and comfort and try to avoid pain and discomfort
- yet not applicable to other behaviors. Ex. Volunteers work tirelessly to collect
money for charities.
2. Scientific Management Approach - by Frederick W. Taylor
- assumes that people are motivated by money
3. Human Relations Approach - assumes that people are motivated by things other
than money (Social environment ex. Job Satisfaction)
Theory X - authoritarian; people dislikes work people must be forced with a
threat of punishment
Theory Y - participative; people likes work people has self-control and direction
no threat of punishment.
4. Need Theories of Motivation - assumes that need deficiencies cause behavior
a. The Hierarchy of Needs - by Abraham Maslow
- He described human beings as "wanting animals" - innate desire to satisfy
needs.

A c h ie v e m e n ts /C h a lle n in g Jo b
S ta tu s /Jo b Title
Frie n d s h ip /Frie n d s in W o rk

Se
lf
Ac
tu
a li
za
tio
ne m
E s te
N eNeed s
ed
s
B e lo n g in g n e s s N e e d s

S ta b ility /Pe n s io n
P la n

S e c u rity N e e d s

S u s te n a n c e /B a s
e S a la ry

P h y sio lo g ic a l N e e d s

*In order to reach self actualization, physiological needs must be prioritized

first.
b. ERG Theory - by Clayton Alderfer
- a refined Maslow's Hierarchy of needs concept

Existence needs - necessary for basic human survival

o equal to Maslow's needs for physiological and security
Relatedness needs - equal to Maslow's needs for belongingness and
esteem
Growth needs - equal to Maslow's needs for self-esteem and self
actualization
*frustration-regression - if people became frustrated trying to
satisfy one set of need, they will regress to previous satisfied set of
needs.
*satisfaction-progression - if people became satisfied to one set of
need, they will progress to next set of needs.

5. The Dual-Structure Theory - by Frederick Herzberg; similar to need theories of

motivation.
- it identifies motivation factors which affect satisfaction, and hygiene factors,
which determines dissatisfaction.
Motivation factors - intrinsic factors to the work and includes factors such as
achievement and recognition
Hygiene factors - extrinsic factors to the work and includes factors such as pay
and job security.
Traditional View

Satisfaction

Dissatisfacti
on

Herzberg's View

No
Satisfaction
Satisfaction
Motivation Factors:
*Achievement
*Recognition
*The Work Itself
*Advancement and
Growth

No
Dissatisfaction Dissatisfacti
on
Hygiene Factors:
*Supervision
*Working Conditions
*Interpersonal
Relationships
*Pay and Job Security
*Company Policies

The Equity Theory of Motivation - based on the simple premise that people want to
be treated fairly.
- focuses on the people's desire to be treated with what they perceive as equity
and to avoid perceived inequity.

Equity - belief that we are treated fairly

Inequity - belief that we are not treated fairly

Outcomes (self ) Outcomes(others)

>
Inputs( Self )
Inputs( others)

Inequity due to being overrewarded

Outcomes (self ) Outcomes(others)

=
Inputs( Self )
Inputs(others)

Equity

Outcomes (self ) Outcomes(others)

<
Inputs( Self )
Inputs( others)

Inequity due to being underrewarded

Comparison of
Self and Others

Inequity

Motivation to reduce
inequity:
1. Change Inputs
2. Change outcomes
3. Alter perception of self
4. Alter perception of
others
5. Change comparisons
6. Leave situation

How to
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Equity

Motivation to
maintain
current
situation

reduce inequity?
Change Inputs
Change outcomes
Alter perception of self
Alter perception of others
Change comparisons
Leave situation

Evaluation:
When people faces inequity:
o Overpaid inequity - quality quanitity
o Underpaid inequity - quality quantity
o

The Expectancy Theory of Motivation - by Edward Tolman and Kurt Lewin

-suggests that people are motivated by how they want something and the
likelihood they perceived of getting.

Performance to
Outcome
Expectancy
Effort

Performance
Environment &
Ability

Effort to
Performance
Expectancy

Porter-Lawler
Model
Outcome

Reward
High
Performance
outcome

Increase
Satisfaction

Valence of
Outcomes

Effort -to-Performance Expectancy - person's perception of probability that

the effort will lead to performance
Performance-to-Outcome Expectancy - is the individual's perception of the
probability that performance will lead to certain outcomes
Outcomes and Valences
o Outcomes - anything that result performing a particular behaviour
o Valence - degree of attractiveness or unattractiveness a particular outcome
has for a person
Porter-Lawler Model - suggests that a high performance level, if followed by
equitable rewards, may lead to increased satisfaction
o Intrinsic rewards - intangible . Ex. a feeling of accomplishment, sense of
achievement
o Extrinsic rewards - tangible. Ex. Pay and promotion.

* Expectancy theory is complex, it is difficult to apply it in the workplace.

Manager must determine what reward for each employee wants.
Guidelines for expectancy theory:
1. Determine the primary outcomes each employee wants.
2. Decide what level and kind of performance are needed to meet organizational
goals.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Make sure the desired levels of performance are possible.

Link desired levels of performance are possible.
Analyze the situation for conflicting expectancies.
Make sure rewards are large enough.
Make sure the overall system is equitable for everyone.