“Motivation is a process that starts with a physiological
or psychological deficiency or need that activates
behaviour or a drive that is aimed at a goal or
incentive”.
-Fred Luthans
“Motivation is the willingness to exert high levels of
efforts toward organisational goals, conditioned by the
effort ability to satisfy some individual need”.
- Stephen P. Robbins
“Motivation is the result of processes, internal or
external to the individual, that arouse enthusiasm and
persistence to pursue a certain course of action”.
- Gray and Starke
Motivation and Its Importance
• Proper utilization of production • Efficiency in work
factor
• Reduce absenteeism
• Willingness and interest creation
• High productivity • Employees’ satisfaction
• Organizational goals • Less disputes and strikes
• Readiness for change • Better human relation
Theories and Motivation: A Summary Overview
Content Motivation Theories Process Motivation Theories
Theories that focus on factors within a Theories that describe and analyze how
person that: behavior is
Energize behavior Energized
Direct behavior Directed
DEFINITION Sustain behavior Sustained
Stop behavior Stopped
These factors can only be inferred
Managers need to be aware of differences Managers need to understand the
in needs, desires, and goals because each process of motivation and how
MANAGERIAL
APPLICATION individual is unique in many ways individuals make choices based on
preferences, rewards, and
accomplishments
Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy Theory Victor Vroom’s Expectancy Theory
Frederick Herzberg’s Motivation- hygiene Adam’s Equity Theory
Concept Douglas Mcgregor’s Theory X and Y
THEORIES Clayton Alderfer’s ERG Theory David Mcclelland’s Achievement
Motivate Theory/ Trait Theory
¬ A person attempts to satisfy basic needs before directing
behavior toward satisfying upper-level needs
¬ A satisfied need ceases to motivate
¬ Unsatisfied needs can cause frustration, conflict, and stress
¬ People have a need to grow and develop and will strive
constantly to move up the hierarchy in terms of need
satisfaction
Abraham Maslow’s Need Hierarchy
ERG Theory vs Hierarchy of Needs Theory
ERG theory consists of three groups of core needs: existence, relatedness, and
growth. ERG theory shows that a person works on fulfilling these needs
simultaneously or separately depending on the difference of goals, status, and the
environment.
Factors for Satisfaction Factors for Dissatisfaction
Company policies
Achievement Supervision
Recognition Relationship with supervisor and peers
The work itself Work conditions
Responsibility Salary
Advancement Status
Growth Security
Vroom’s Expectancy Motivation Theory
• Motivation is the process that account for an individual’s intensity, direction and
persistence of effort towards attaining a goal.
Intensity
: Defined as how hard a person tries.
Direction
: Effort must be channelled in right direction for higher
performance
Persistence
: Defined as how long a person can maintain the effort
3 Elements of Motivation
Expectancy Theory of Motivation
• A process theory.
• Provides an explanation of why individuals choose one behavioural
option over others.
• "The basic idea behind the theory is that people will be motivated
because they believe that their decision will lead to their desired
outcome" (Redmond, 200
• Proposes that work motivation is dependent upon the perceived
association between performance and outcomes and individuals
modify their behaviour based on their calculation of anticipated
outcomes" (Chen & Fang, 2008).
Expectancy Theory of Motivation
• It emphasizes individual perceptions of the environment and
subsequent interactions arising as a consequence of personal
expectations.
• The theory states that individuals have different sets of goals and can
be motivated if they believe that:
• There is a positive correlation between efforts and performance.
• Favourable performance will result in a desirable reward.
• The reward will satisfy an important need.
• The desire to satisfy the need is strong enough to make the effort
worthwhile (Lawler, Porter. L., Vroom, 2009).
