Motivation and Management

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Table of Contents

Introduction
The motivational process
Theories of motivation and management
Content theories
Process Theories
Conclusion
Reference List

Introduction

Motivation is usually an essential with regards to managers’ job because it enables a manager to make his or her employees want to carry out their duties enthusiastically so as to enable the accomplishment of the organizational goals. Motivation is developed from the term motive which entails an inner force which moves one to act in a particular manner.

Motives thus may be arising from both the psychological as well as physiological needs. However, the environment in which one operates in usually affects the motivation and so the mere management of environmental factors helps to lighten the motivation function.

Both the reward as well as the punishment concepts usually forms the basis to motivation. Punishment may be used to motivate the behavior of persons e.g. punishing prisoners so as to get rehabilitated. The application of rewards as well as punishments in management usually depends on individual manager.

The motivational process

Human motivation is usually a complex process which starts withy the human needs. When needs becomes strong, people in turn get involved in efforts meant to fulfill them. The process of motivation is a vibrant one entailing that one may at a certain time be faced with several needs that require being satisfied. The satisfaction of these needs takes place at different times.

Motivation is thus a complex problem as far as organizations are concerned due to the variation of the needs, wants as well as the desires. This means that each person in the organization is unique with regards to psychological and biological make up (Nuttin, 1984, 45).

Motivation can emanate from internal or external. External motivation is derived from the management and so the employees tend to react in a positive or a negative manner depending on what their managers are doing. Internal motivation on the other hand id derived from within a person as one satisfies his or her needs (Weiner, 1992, 87).

Theories of motivation and management

Motivation theories could be categorized into content and process theories depending on their applications and the theoretical basic tenets they deduce. The understanding of these theories is important as it can enable one to become a better manager. Content theories are concerned with the specific factors that influence one at his or her work place.

The content theories thus identify the needs of the people together with their strengths and objectives so as to satisfy their needs. The content theories include the Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy, Alderfer’s Modified Need Hierachy, Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory as well as the McClelland’s achievement motivation.

Process theories on the other hand are concerned with the identification of variable factors that makes up the motivation. The main focus of the process theories is how the behavior is commenced, directed and continued. The process theories include the expectancy-based models of Vroom and Porter as well as the Lawler and Adam’s equity theory (Stacey & Demartino, 1963, 6-17).

Content theories

Hertzberg’s two-factor Theory

Also referred to as the hygiene theory, the two factor theory was derived from the study of engineers and accountants by Fredrick Herzberg. The manager usually controls those factors which produces job satisfaction. Frederick discovered that there are a set of factors that influences motivation as well as dissatisfaction.

The factor that influences demotivating according to this theory includes the organizational policy, working conditions, remuneration, and job status among others. The factors which affects satisfaction includes achievements, recognition, individual growth and development.

Therefore, for someone to become a better manager, one should try as much as possible to eliminate dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction can be eliminated by ensuring that there are reasonable salaries, organizational policies as well as working conditions. The manager should then enhance motivation through improving the factors which cause satisfaction such as providing opportunities for growth, achievements and recognition (Elliot, 2005, 75).

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy

Maslow argued that needs of people are found at different levels in their live and that lower needs must be met before the higher heeds becomes necessary. A met need does not have effect on the motivation of the individual. Maslow came up with five levels of human needs which include psychological needs, safety of security needs, social needs, esteem needs and self actualization needs which are met one at a time.

Maslow’s theory helps managers to identify the needs of their employees. Once a manager identifies what the employees requires, he or she can come up with solutions meant to satisfy their needs e.g. esteem needs (Landy & Conte, 2009, 38).

Alderfer’s Modified Need Hierarchy Model

Alderfer who is a proponent of this theory squeezes the five levels of needs in accordance to Maslow into 3 levels. Alderfer three levels of needs are usually based on the needs human existence, relatedness as well as growth. The existence needs entails the needs for human survival and they are concerned with the safety and physiological needs of Maslow’s theory.

The existence needs thus includes the all aspects of human desires such as good salaries, conducive working environment and food. Relatedness needs entails the relationships that a person develops with others and includes the sense of love, belonging e.t.c.

This theory enables managers to realize that it is not necessary to satisfy needs that are in lower level before the motivators or needs that are of high level emerges. Alderfer theory also enables the managers to understand the fact that the strength of lower needs tends to decrease as they becomes satisfied (Miner, 2007, 125).

McGregor Theory X and Theory Y

McGregor came up with two modes of managing i.e. Theory X which is also referred to as autocratic managements and theory Y which is also referred to as participative managements. The assumptions of theory X are that average people hates work ad so they try to avoid work as much as possible. People hate working and avoid responsibilities and are therefore forced to do so.

Theory Y, however, has such assumptions as work is no different with play and it is thus normal, threat enables people to work, people who are committed to their work are usually self-motivated, a person seeks and likes responsibilities under ideal conditions and finally that people are capable of thinking in a creative way so as to solve problems.

In order to enhance their managerial skills, managers should know that every person in the organization is unique and each person should be treated and understood differently. According to this theory, the external motivation is deemed to be very flexible and this allows each employee to be uniquely accommodated in the company. The manager should therefore not force employees to fit into his or her viewpoint.

McCllelland-Need based motivation

According to this theory, people have three important needs which include power, affiliations as well as achievements. People who have high achievement usually have such characteristics as; they prefers those roles in which they can be answerable in case of negative outcomes; they sets specific and attainable goals and also prefers to take calculated risks, prefers immediate feedback with regards to their accomplishments or failures. Enables managers to teach employees to have an achievement motive.

Skinner-motivation theory

This theory maintains that stimulus is the reason behind all kind of behaviors. Therefore, motivational stimulus entails all that can be applied so as to alter the behavior of a person. The understanding of the Skinner theory of motivation is important on the part of a manager because it enables them to encourage the workers and also to help them solve their work related problems (Chaplin & Krawiec 1974, 18-25).

Process Theories

The Vroom Model

This theory is concerned with one’s objectives and the relationship that exists between the productivity on one hand and the achievement of objectives on the other hand. The goals that an employee can set includes job promotion, good salary e.t.c.This in-depth understanding of this theory is important for managers who aspires to become better because they understand the perceptions of their employees and thus coming up with measures on how an employee can influence his or her output.

Productivity and Satisfaction

This theory is also referred to as Porter & Lawler Model and its based on the notion that rewards usually leads to satisfaction and that the desire to work results from rewards. The in-depth knowledge of this theory is important as it enables the managers to understand that motivation lies within an employee despite the influence that the company has and therefore the employees requires to be rewarded so as to perform well (Cofer & Appley,1964,68).

Conclusion

Employees require motivation so as to perform their duties effectively. Motivation is the drive that will make aggressive in achieving organization goals. The employees require be recognizing and providing with advancement opportunities as well as ideal working conditions.

The in-depth understanding of motivational theory is important as it enables manager to enhance his or her managerial skills. The understanding of the motivational theory enables a manger to motivate employees to achieve the set goals and influence them positively.

Reference List

Chaplin, J. P. & Krawiec, T. S., 1974. Systems and theories of psychology. Austin: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

Cofer, C. N. & Appley, M. H., 1964. Motivation: theory and research. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Elliot, A. J., 2005. Handbook of competence and motivation. New York: Guilford Press.

Landy, F. J & Conte, J.M., 2009. Work in the 21st Century: An Introduction to Industrial And Organizational Psychology. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

Miner, J. B., 2007. Organizational behavior: From theory to practice. Armonk: M.E. Sharpe.

Nuttin, J., 1984. Motivation, planning, and action: a relational theory of behavior Dynamics. London: Routledge.

Stacey, C. L. & Demartino, M. F., 1963.Understanding human motivation Psychology Series. Hanover: H. Allen.

Weiner, A., 1992. Human motivation: metaphors, theories, and research. Thousand Oaks: SAGE.

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