Motivation

• Job performance is a given requirement in any

organization. It possible if the following
conditions are met:
1. The capacity to perform
2. The opportunity to perform
3. The willingness to perform
… the willingness to perform is also alternately
called MOTIVATION.
• Motivation:
… is defined as the process of activating behavior,
sustaining it, and directing it toward a particular
goal.
… it moves people to act and accomplish.
… in the workplace, motivation is specifically
defined as the set of internal and external forces
that cause a worker or employee to choose a
course of action and engage in certain behavior.
• Elements of Motivation:
1. Intensity – refers to the level of effort provided by
the employee in an attempt to achieve the goals
assigned to him.
2. Direction – relates to what an individual chooses to
do when he is confronted with number of possible
choices.
3. Persistence – is a dimension of motivation which
measures how long a person can maintain effort to
achieve the organization’s goals
• Theories of Motivation:
… Content Theories – are those that focus on
analyzing the wants and needs of individuals.
1. The Hierarchy of Needs Theory – authored
by Abraham Maslow – states that man posses a
hierarchy of 5 needs : physiological, safety, social,
esteem and self- actualization. – as each need is
substantially satisfied, the next need becomes
dominant.
… Physiological needs- hunger, thirst, shelter, sex
… Safety needs – security and protection
… Social needs – affection, belongingness,
acceptance and friendship
… Esteem needs- self respect, achievement, status,
recognition and attention
…Self-actualization – the drive to what one is
capable of becoming, including growth, self
fulfillment
 2. The ERG Theory – is a need hierarchy theory of
motivation that was developed by Clayton Alderfer. He
believed that in motivating people we are confronted by
3 sets of needs:
… Existence (E) – refers to needs satisfied by such factors
as food, air, pay, working condition
… Relatedness (R)- refers to needs satisfied by
meaningful social and interpersonal relationship
… Growth (G) – refers to needs satisfied by an individual
making creative or productive contributions
 3. Acquired Needs Theory – this was developed
by David McClelland and his associates. According
to them, managers are motivated by 3 needs:
… Need for achievement – the desire to do
something better or more efficiently
… Need for affiliation- the desire to establish and
maintain friendly and warm relations with others
… Need for power- the desire to control others, to
influence their behavior.
 4. The Two-Factor Theory – developed by Frederick
Herzberg identifies job context as a source of job
dissatisfaction and job content as the source of job
satisfaction.
… Job context ( hygiene factors) relates more to the
environment in which people work.
… Job content (motivator factors) relates more to what
people actually do in their work.
… According to this theory, improving the hygiene factors will
not make people satisfied with their work, it will only prevent
them from being dissatisfied.
… Furthermore, when the job content are not present,
there is low job satisfaction among the workers and
there is lack of motivation to perform.

… Process Theories – explains how people act in

response to the wants/needs that they have.
1. Expectancy Theory- developed by Victor Vroom,
the theory sees people as choosing a course of action
according to what they anticipate will give them the
greatest value.
… Motivation is a product of the following
factors:
1. valence- how much one wants a reward
2. expectancy – one’s estimate of the
probability that effort will result in successful
performance
3. instrumentality – one’s estimate that
performance will result in receiving the reward.
 2. Equity Theory – a theory that individuals
compares job inputs and outcomes with those of
others and then respond to eliminate the inequities.
… It assumes that employees are motivated by a desire
to be equitably treated at work.
… Equity exists when employees perceived that the
ratios of their inputs (efforts) to their
outputs(rewards) are equivalent to the ratios of other
employees. If the ratios are not equivalent, inequity
exist.
 … Inequity leads to tension, and tension
motivates a person to act in a manner to resolve
the inequity
… Employees who feel over rewarded will think
Think there is an imbalance in their relationship
with their employer and will seek to restore the
balance
… Employees who feel under rewarded will seek to
reduce their feelings of inequity.
 3. Goal Setting Theory – defined as the theory that states: specific
and difficult goals with feedback lead to higher performance.
… This theory is based on the premise that behavior is regulated by
values and goals
… Further, it states that GOALS that improved performance are
those that are:
1. specific
2. difficult but achievable
3. accepted by the person
4. used in evaluating performance
5. linked to feedback