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Summary
Two Factor Theory is also known as motivation-hygiene
theory and was propounded by Frederick Hertzberg. He
used critical incident method and observed that
certain characteristics are related to job
satisfaction and others to job dissatisfaction. These
characteristics could be classified into
intrinsic/motivationfactors andextrinsic/hygiene
factors. Intrinsic factors keep workers happy while
absence of extrinsic factors makes them unhappy.
5.3 Contemporary [Modern] theories of Motivation
Achievement Motivation Theory, also known as Three
Needs Theory, was put forward by David C
McClelland.He states that a person’s behaviour is
mostly motivated by any of the three needs – power,
affiliation and achievement. A person does have other
needs but these three are primary needs that motivate
him.The theory highlights importance of matching the
individual and the job.Employees with high
achievement needs thrive on work that is challenging.
However, psychologists suggest that the acquisition
of motives normally occurs in childhood and hence
cannot be taught to adults.
The equity theory, also known as ‘social comparison’
theory or inequity theory is based on the assumption
that individuals are motivated by their desire to be
equitably treated in their work relationships.An
employee compares his job inputs and outcomes with
another employee having similar work & education
background. If his input-outcome ratio is equal with
that of other employee there is equity. If not, he
will try to correct inequity by altering
inputs/outcomes. The equity theory recognizes the
influence of social comparison processes on
motivation. If employees observe inequity they are
motivated to restore equity.
The most comprehensive explanation of motivation is
expectancy theory. The theory argues that the
strength of tendency to act in a certain way depends
on the strength of an expectation that the act will
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Human Resource Management
be followed by a given outcome and on the
attractiveness of that outcome to the individual.
Thus it can be seen that the theory is based on three
variables; Attractiveness, Performance reward linkage
and Effort- performance linkage. The theory views
individuals as thinking, reasoning beings. It values
human dignity.It implies that managers must make it
possible for employee to see that effort can result
in appropriate rewards.
5.4 Applied motivation practices.
After understanding theory, managers must know how to
apply it. Some of the ways of motivating employees
are through rewards, job design, empowerment,
participative management, profit sharing, merit pay
etc. In addition to both financial and non-financial
rewards, managers have some other methods to motivate
staff.Job design has a critical impact on the
motivation of the employees. It is a process of
determining contents of the job and how the job
should be performed. The objective is to make it
interesting to the employee. Job rotation, job
enlargement and job enrichment are stages in using
job design to motivate employees. Empowerment, one
more motivator, is the process of enhancing feelings
of self-efficiency and sense of ‘owning’ a job. Being
empowered, employees aspire to do a better job and
suggest improvements or cost reduction initiatives.