Concept of Motivation

Motivation is the reason for which humans and other animals initiate,
continue, or terminate a behavior at a given time. Motivational states are
commonly understood as forces acting within the agent that create a
disposition to engage in goal-directed behavior. It is often held that different
mental states compete with each other and that only the strongest state
determines behavior.[1] This means that we can be motivated to do
something without actually doing it.

The term motivation is derived from the Latin word movere, meaning “to
move”.

Motivation can be referred as a combination of motive and action.

Motivation is an action word that influences every aspect of our daily lives.

Motivation is fundamental in the level of success an individual attains.

Motivation is a personal and internal feeling. This feeling arises from needs
and wants.

Motivation is continuous process because as our one need fulfills it gives

rise to other needs.

There is general agreement that people are motivated in situations where

they can participate,

they can feel accomplishment and receive recognition for their work,

where the communication is frequent and

there are opportunities for career and knowledge growth

Definitions

J.E.Ormrod defines motivation as an internal state that arouses us to action,

pushes us in particular direction and keeps us engaged in certain activities.
William G Scott defines motivation is a process of stimulating people to
action to accomplish desired goals.

Kinds of Motivation

Motivation can be intrinsic or extrinsic; Positive or Negative

1. Extrinsic motivation

Motivation that comes from an external source.Extrinsic motivation occurs when an

individual is driven by external influences. These can be either rewarding (money,
good grades, fame, etc.) or punishing (threat of punishment, pain, etc.). The
distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation lies within the driving force
behind the action. When someone is intrinsically motivated, they engage in an
activity because it is inherently interesting, enjoyable, or satisfying. With extrinsic
motivation, the agent’s goal is a desired outcome distinct from the activity itself.
The agent can have both intrinsic and extrinsic motives for the same activity, but
usually one type of motivation outweighs the other.[50] Playing tennis to receive an
award is an example of extrinsic motivation, while playing because one enjoys the
game involves intrinsic motivation.
2. Intrinsic motivation

The source of the motivation comes from an internal

factor.Intrinsic motivation exists within the individual and is

driven by satisfying internal rewards rather than relying on

external pressures or extrinsic rewards. It involves an

interest in or enjoyment of the activity itself. For example,

an athlete may enjoy playing football for the experience,

rather than for an award. Activities involving their own

inherent reward provide motivation that is not dependent

on external rewards. Pursuing challenges and goals comes

easier and is more enjoyable when one is intrinsically

motivated to complete a certain objective; for example,

because the individual is more interested in learning, rather

than achieving them.

3.Positive Motivation: Positive motivation induces people

to do work in the best possible manner and to improve their

performance. Positive motivation or incentive motivation is

based on reward. The workers are offered incentives for

achieving the desired goals. Under this, better facilities and

rewards are provided for their better performance. Such

rewards and facilities may be financial and non-financial.

For a salesperson, positive motivation could be to achieve

sales target and claim increased commission, remuneration,

recognition, promotion etc.

4.Negative motivation: Negative or fear motivation is based

on force or fear. Fear causes employees to act in a certain

way. In case, they do not act accordingly then they may be

punished with demotions or lay-offs. The fear acts as a push

mechanism. The employees do not willingly co-operate,

rather they want to avoid the punishment. A salesman’s

negative motivation could be that he would lose his job if he

does not perform well.

Benefits of Motivation

Puts human resources into action.

Improves level of efficiency of employees.

Leads to achievement of organizational goals.

Builds friendly relationship.

 Leads to stability of work force.

In a nutshell

Motivation boost the morale of employee.

Motivation develop sound team spirit.

Motivation is quality oriented.

Motivation can develop co-ordial and conducive environment

Motivation enhances the productivity.

Motivation can retain employee in an organisation.

Motivation can stimulate employee to achieve organisational goals.

Motivation prepares employee responsible and challenging jobs.

Motivation promotes healthy competition among employees.

Motivational steps

Sizing up

Preparing a set of motivating tools

Selecting and applying motivators

Feedback
Reasons for demotivation

No recognition

Setting of unrealistic goals

Overloaded

Micromanagement

Lack of opportunity

Unpleasant organizational environment

Job-security

Strategies of Motivation

Financial
Non-financial

✓ Goal-setting

✓ Participation

✓ Job enrichment

✓ Reinforcement

✓ Transcendental meditation

✓ Job enlargement

✓ Quality of work life

Rules of Motivation

Motivation should not be the same.

Goals should be SMART.
Motivational efforts should be based on sound theory.
Should appeal feelings and emotions.
Relate organization interest with employee interest at the time of
motivating the employee.
MOTIVATIONAL REASONS:-
Motivational reasons are practical reasons an agent has for
favoring a certain course of action. They are contrasted with
normative reasons, which determine what the agent should do
from an impartial point of view. For example, Jane suffers from
high blood pressure, which is a normative reason not to have a
big piece of chocolate cake. Its deliciousness, on the other hand,
is Jane’s motivating reason to have a serving anyway. We can
have normative reasons without being aware of them, which is
not the case for motivating reasons. It is possible for
unconscious states to affect our behavior in various ways. But
these states and their contents are not considered motivating
reasons in such cases.Taken in the widest sense, there are forms
of motivation that do not involve motivating reasons. A second
difference is that normative reasons are factive while
motivating reasons may deceive the agent. So having high blood
pressure can only be a normative reason for Jane if she actually
has high blood pressure. But the cake’s deliciousness can be a
motivating reason even if the cake is not delicious at all. In this
case, the motivation is based on a false belief.But ideally,
motivational reasons and normative reasons coincide: the agent
is motivated by facts determining what he should do.
A closely related issue concerns the relation between what we
believe we ought to do, so-called ought-beliefs, and what we are
motivated to do or actually intend to do. Philosopher John Broome
holds that this relation is at the core of enkratic rationality:
“Rationality requires of you that, if you believe you ought to F, then
you intend to F”. He thinks that the process of reasoning is
responsible for getting our intentions in line with our ought-beliefs.
The requirements of rationality are not always fulfilled, resulting in
cases of irrationality. A person is said to suffer from akrasia or
weakness of the will if they fail to satisfy the enkratic requirement,
i.e. if they do something different from what they believe they
should do. An author who believes he ought to work on his new
book but ends up watching TV instead is an example of a case of
akrasia. Accidie is a closely related phenomenon in which the agent
believes that there is something important to be done but lacks any
motivation to engage in this action due to listlessness.