Concept and Theories in Organizational Behavior:

MOTIVATION

A Report Presented
to the Graduate School Faculty
San Pedro College, Davao City

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Science in Medical Technology

Precious Dianne E. Bardon, RMT

September 2016

Determinants of Job Performance

1. Capacity to perform: degree to which the employee possesses skills, abilities,
knowledge, and experiences relevant to his job.
2. Opportunity to perform: depend on the work environment provided to the
employee
3. Willingness to perform (Motivation): employee desires and is willing to exert
effort to achieve goals assigned to him.
What is Motivation?
The Process of Work Motivation
Internal Force

External Force

WORKER

Course of Action

Certain behavior

Organizational Goals

Key Elements of Motivation

1. Intensity: level of effort provided by an employee. How hard a person tries to do
the work?
2. Direction: what an individual chooses to do when confronted with a number of
possible choices.
3. Persistence: Measures how long a person can maintain effort to achieve the
organizational goal.
Theories of Motivation
A. Content Theories: focus on analyzing the wants and needs of an individual.
1. Hierarchy of Needs Theory of Abraham Maslow
i. Physiological -> safety -> social -> esteem -> self-actualization
ii. As each need is substantially satisfied, the next need becomes dominant
2. ERG Theory of Clayton Alderfer
i. Existence, Relatedness, Growth
ii. If a higher order cannot be satisfied, a lower older becomes dominant
iii. More than one need may be activated at the same time
3. Acquired Needs Theory of David L. McClelland
i. Need for: Achievement, Affiliation, & Power
ii. Foregoing needs are acquired over time as a result of life experiences.
4. Two-factor Theory of Frederick Herzberg
i. Job Context: source of Job dissatisfaction

- Work setting: hygiene factors (organizational policies, quality of supervision,

working conditions, case wage or salary, relationship with peers, relationship
with subordinates, status, and security)
- Only prevent people from being dissatisfied
ii. Job Content: source of Job satisfaction
- What people do in their work: Motivator factors (achievement, recognition,
work itself, responsibility, advancement, and growth)
- If not present, there is low job satisfaction
B. Process Theories: Explain how people act in response to the wants and needs that
they have.
1. Expectancy Theory of Victor Vroom
i. Valence x Expectancy x Instrumentality = Motivation

Effort

Performance

Reward

Instrumentality
Expectancy
Valence
(Perceived
performance-reward probability)
(Perceived effort-performance
probability)
(Perceived values of rewards)

2. Equity Theory of J. Stacey Adams

i. individuals compare job inputs and
outcomes with others, and then respond
to eliminate inequities.
ii. Over rewarded vs under rewarded
INPUTS

3. Goal Setting Theory of Edwin

A. Locke

OUTPU
TS

VALUES

Improved Performance

MOTIVATIONAL METHODS AND PROGRAMS

1.
2.
3.
4.

Motivation through JOB DESIGNS

Organizational Behavior Modification
Motivation through RECOGNITION and PRIDE
Motivation through FINANCIAL INCENTIVES

Inequity in the Work Environment

Professor A
Professor B
PhD degree
Masters degree
10 years
10 years
experience
experience
54 hrs.
54 hrs. work/week
V
work/week
S
P 40,000 salary
P 40,000 salary
Vacation/sick
Vacation/sick leave
Medical Insurance
leave
Medical
Insurance
GOALS that are:
1. Specific
2. Difficult but achievable
3. Accepted by the person
4. Used in evaluating performance
5. Linked to feedback

1. Motivation through Job Designs

- Make job challenging so worker responsible could enjoy doing it.
3 Concepts
a. Job enrichment: practice of building motivating factors.
- Characteristics: Direct feedback, Client relationship, New learning, Control
over method-scheduling-resources, Unique experience, Direct
Communication authority and Personal accountability.
b. Job characteristics model: focuses on the tasks and interpersonal demands.
- 5 core job characteristics: Skill variety, Task identity-significance, Autonomy,
and feedback.
c. Job Crafting: physical and mental changes workers make in the task or
relationship aspects of their job.
- Changing: number & type of job tasks, interactions with others on the job &
ones view of the job.
2. Organizational Behavior Modification (OB Mod)
- Application of reinforcement theory in motivating people at work.
- Reinforcement theory: contention that behavior is determined by its
consequences.
- Consist of a 5-step problem solving model (Identifying critical behaviors->
Developing baseline data -> Identifying behavioral consequences ->
Developing and implementing an intervention strategy -> evaluating
performance improvement)
3. Motivation through Recognition and Pride
- Recognition: a natural human need and is a strong motivator
- Pride: also a motivator but is intrinsic.
- Other important points to be considered: feedback, praise, reward,
identification and evaluation.
4. Motivation trough financial incentives
- Financial incentives are powerful tools of motivation
- May take the form or combination of:
a. Time rates: use number of hours worked as a means of determining
rewards.
b. Payment be results: links pay to the quantity of individuals output
c. Performance and Profit related pay: Performance pay (results or output
plus actual behavior in the job), Profit related (pay is linked to the
company profits)
d. Skill/competency based pay: pay plan that sets pay levels on basis of
how many skills employees have or how many jobs they can do.
e. Cafeteria or flexible benefits system: benefit plan that allows each
employee to put together a benefit package individually tailored to his or
her own needs and situation.

SUMMARY
Employee performance is a very important concern for people running organizations. One of the
requirements of performance is motivation. Motivation may be defined as the process of
activating behavior, sustaining it and directing it toward a particular goal. The key elements of
motivation are intensity, direction, and persistence. The various theories of motivation may be
categorized as either content or process theories. The better known content theories are:
hierarchy of needs theory, ERG theory, acquired needs theory, and two-factor theory. The better
known process theories are: expectancy theory, equity theory, and goal setting theory. Workers
may be motivated through any of the following methods and programs: job design, organizational
behavior modification, recognition and pride, and financial incentives.
CASE
Miss Liza Gil was a very effective training officer in one of the biggest appliance dealership in the
Philippines. She was much satisfied with her job not only because of the pay she receives monthly
but also because the top management recognizes her value in the organization. Every morning,
when she arrives to report for work, everyone greets her out of courtesy and in deference to her
rank.
One day, while in a birthday party, she was introduced by her father to a longtime friend, Mr.
Enrique Reyes, who happens to be the president of a large motorcycle dealership. The company
operates branches in all provincial capitals throughout the Philippines. When Mr. Reyes heard
about Lizas job, he offered her a bigger job in his company. The job offer was as a HR manager
and it comes with twice the salary she was receiving from her current employer.
Lizas father advised her to accept the offer and after a week, she began working for Mr. Reyes.
With a complementary staff of five subordinates, she proceeded to perform her new job with
enthusiasm. Through written memos and personal calls, she laid out the HR polices to the twelve
regional managers of the company.
Eleven of the regional managers religiously observed and implemented the HR policies, Except Mr.
John Carlo who was assigned to Northern Luzon.
On one particular weekend, the president called all the regional managers and Liza to a meeting
to discuss the companys HR policies. Liza was asked to make a report but before she could finish,
one aspect of her report was criticized by Mr. Reyes. Liza took the matter lightly, but as if on Mr.
Reyes cue, Mr. Carlo, began to show disrespectful behavior toward Liza. This he did even in front
of other managers. One of the managers told Liza that Mr. Carlo is a bright fellow but he is not a
high performer, and he thinks highly of himself, and he feels he is indispensable to the company.
Mr. Reyes considers the regional managers as the workhorses of his company and so he provides
them with all incentives, financial or otherwise that he can give them. Liza believes that this is the
main reason why Mr. Carlo behaves as he does.
During the past few months, Liza tried hard to win the respect of Mr. Carlo, but all her efforts
failed. One of Lizas subordinates reported to her that Mr. Carlo told her that the HR work is a
waste of company funds.
After some weeks, Mr. Reyes related to Liza that henceforth all recommendations for promotions
of any employee would emanate from the HR department. After a few months, however, Mr. Carlo
recommended one of his subordinates for promotion and it was approved by Mr. Reyes without the
knowledge of Liza. When Amelia was informed by one of her staff members about the promotion,
she filed her resignation the next day.
Questions:
1. What, if any, did the president failed to do?
2. Do you agree with Lizas action?

References:
(Medina PhD, 2011) (Martires & Fule, 2004)
Exercises
I.
Fill in the Blanks
1. The willingness to perform is also alternatively called _________________.
2. Intensity, direction, and ___________________ are the elements of motivation.
3. The various theories of motivation may be classified as either content or ________________
theories.
4. __________are human needs which include, security and protection from physical and
emotional harm.
5. __________ is the type of needs which, according to Alderfer, refers to needs satisfied by an
individual making creative or productive contributions.
6. Herzberg refers to _____________ as the source of job satisfaction.
7. __________ refers to how much one wanted a reward.
8. _________ theory assumes that employees are motivated by a desire to be equitably
treated at work.
9. _________ refers to the way elements in a job are organized.
10. _______is a type of monetary reward which use the number of hours worked as means of
determining rewards.
II.

Match Column A with Column B

A.
______ 1. The willingness to
perform
______ 2. Direction
______ 3. Abraham Maslow
______ 4. Social needs
______ 5. Job content
______ 6. Instrumentality
______ 7. Under rewarded
______ 8. Goal Setting Theory
______ 9. Skill variety
______ 10. Changing ones view of
the job

B.
a. A common type of Job crafting
b. A core job characteristic
c. Behavior is regulated by values and goals
d. A type of inequity
e. Ones estimate that performance will result
in receiving the reward
f. What people actually do in their work
g. Affection, belongingness, acceptance, and
friendship
h. Hierarchy of needs theory
i. A determinant of job performance
j. An element of motivation

Questions for Review and Discussion

1. What conditions make job performance possible in any organization?
2. What motivates people to behave differently?
3. How may one define intensity as an element of motivation?
4. What does Abraham Maslow espouse in his hierarchy of needs theory?
5. According to David McClelland, what motivates people?
6. What is the two factor theory?
7. Under the equity theory, when does equity exist?
8. In what ways does job design motivate people?
9. What does the OB Med program consist of?
10. What is the nature of profit related pay?