Expectancy

Theory
Expectancy
Theory
• Formulated in 1964 by
Victor Vroom, expectancy
theory relates the effort a
person puts forth to the
expectation of achieving
some desired goal.
This involves a combination of two
expectancies:
Effort-to-performance expectancy Performance-to-outcome expectancy
a l s o k n o wn a s i n s t ru m e n t a l i t y, i s t h e p e rs o n ’s
i s a p e rs o n ’s p e r c e p t i o n o f t h e p ro b a b i l i t y t h a t h i s o r
p e rc e p t i o n t h a t a t t a i n i n g t h e p e rfo rm a n c e j u s t
h e r e ffo r t wi l l l e a d t o h i g h p e rfo rm a n c e , u s u a l l y i n
d e s c ri b e d wi l l l e a d t o i n t ri n s i c a n d e x t ri n s i c re wa rd s
m e e t i n g a n o rg a n i z a t i o n a l l y d e s i re d g o a l . Th e a b i l i t y
(s e c o n d - o rd e r o u t c o m e s ). In t ri n s i c r e wa r d s a re
t o a c h i e v e h i g h p e r fo r m a n c e , u s u a l l y i n m e e t i n g a n
i n t a n g i b l e s s u c h a s a fe e l i n g o f a c c o m p l i s h m e n t o r
o rg a n i z a t i o n a l l y d e s i re d g o a l . Th e a b i l i t y t o a c h i e v e
s e n s e o f a c h i e v e m e n t ; e x t ri n s i c a wa rd s a re t a n g i b l e
h i g h p e rfo rm a n c e (fi rs t -o rd e r o u t c o m e s i n t h e m o d e l )
re s u l t s s u c h a s p a y o r p ro m o t i o n . B o t h t h e e ffo rt -t o -
i s c o n s i d e re d a fu n c t i o n o f i n d i v i d u a l a b i l i t y a n d t h e
p e rfo rm a n c e a n d t h e p e rfo rm a n c e -t o -o u t c o m e
e n v i ro n m e n t (t o o l s , re s o u r c e s , a n d o p p o rt u n i t y ), i n
e x p e c t a n c y m a y b e ra t e d o n a s c a l e fro m 0 .0 (n o
a d d i t i o n t o t h e e ff o rt a p p l i e d .
re l a t i o n s h i p ) t o 1 .0 (c e rt a i n t y ).
VALENCE
•Valence refers to the emotional
orientations people hold with respect to
outcomes [rewards]. The depth of the
want of an employee for extrinsic
[money, promotion, time-off, benefits]
or intrinsic [satisfaction] rewards).
Management must discover what
employees value.
 EXPECTANCY
Employees have different
expectations and levels of
confidence about what they are
capable of doing. Management must
discover what resources, training, or
supervision employees need.
INSTRUMENTALITY
The perception of employees as to whether they
will actually get what they desire even if it has
been promised by a manager. Management must
ensure that promises of rewards are fulfilled and
that employees are aware of that. Vroom suggests
that an employee's beliefs about Expectancy,
Instrumentality, and Valence interact
psychologically to create a motivational force such
that the employee acts in ways that bring pleasure
and avoid pain.
REFERENCES
Management and Motivation, Vroom, V.H., Deci,
E.L., Penguin 1983 (first published 1970) [This book
contains selected readings on "motivation"; Including
Simon, Maslow, Herzberg, Vroom, Lawler etc.]