Chapter 6:

Motivation
LEARNING OUTCOMES
• After studying this topic, you should be able to understand:
• Definition of motivation.
• Theories of motivation:
1.Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
2.Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory
3.McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y
• Issues and challenges in motivating employees in public
sector.
 Motivation can be defined as:

 The act of stimulatingsomeone or oneself to get a desired

course of action – Michael J. Juicus
 It is an incentive in terms of monetary and non monetary
benefits of individual or group.
 It is a psychological process that causes the arousal, direction,
and persistence of voluntary actions that are goal directed
towards the achievement of the team work and goals of an
enterprise.
• Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow)
• Individuals have various needs and try to satisfy these needs using a
priority system or hierarchy.
• Maslow specified five fundamental needs.
• Lower-order needs must be satisfied before higher-order needs can be
addressed.
• To motivate someone, you need to understand what need level that person
is on in the hierarchy and focus on satisfying needs at or above that level.
• No consistent evidence exists that the satisfaction of a need at one level
will decrease its importance and increase the importance of the next-
higher needs.
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reserved.
Figure 14.2 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

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Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
• Physiological Needs
• Food, water, air and shelter.
• Security Needs
• Safe physical and emotional
environment.
• Affiliation Needs
• Friendship, love and a feeling of
belonging.
• Esteem Needs
• Feelings of achievement and
self worth through recognition,
respect and prestige from
others.
• Self-Actualization Needs
• Self-fulfillment and
achievement.
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reserved.
• The needs have been classified into the following in order:

• Physiological needs- These are the basic needs of an individual which

includes food, clothing, shelter, air, water, etc. These needs relate to the
survival and maintenance of human life.
• Safety needs- These needs are also important for human beings.
Everybody wants job security, protection against danger, safety of
property, etc.
• Social needs- These needs emerge from society. Man is a social animal.
These needs become important. For example- love, affection,
belongingness, friendship, conversation, etc.
• Esteem needs- These needs relate to desire for self-respect,
recognition and respect from others.
• Self-actualization needs- These are the needs of the highest order and
these needs are found in those person whose previous four needs are
satisfied. This will include need for social service, meditation.
• Two-Factor Model (Herzberg)

• Also called as motivation-hygiene theory

• The factors leading to job satisfaction are separate and distinct
from those that lead to job dissatisfaction.
• Motivator factors
• Related to job content or what people actually do in their work.
• Hygiene factors
• Associated with the job context in which the job is performed.

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Figure 14.3 Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory

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 Douglas McGregor
• Proposed the Theory X and Theory Y styles of management.

• Theory X managers perceive that their subordinates have

an inherent dislike of work and will avoid it if at all
possible.
• Theory Y managers perceive that their subordinates enjoy
work and that they will gain satisfaction from performing
their jobs.

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 Comparison of Theory X and Theory Y Assumptions

Factor Theory X Assumptions Theory Y Assumptions

Employee attitude Employees dislike work and. Employees enjoy work and
toward work will avoid it if at all possible. will actively seek it.

Management view Employees must be directed, Employees are self-motivated

of direction coerced, controlled, or threatened and self-directed toward achieving
to get them to put forth adequate effort. organizational goals.

Employee view Employees wish to avoid responsibility; Employees seek responsibility;

of direction they prefer to be directed and told what they wish to use their creativity,
to do and how to do it. imagination, and ingenuity in
performing their jobs.
Management style Authoritarian style of management Participatory style of management

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 Issues and Challenges in motivating employees in public sector
 Loyalty of employees (eg., gen Y).
 Promotion opportunities (eg., District Council – limited post and
can’t be transferred).
 Older workforce.
 Strong civil service rules.
 Constraints in term of financial incentives.
 Strong union.

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