Motivational Theories: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Motivational Theories

• Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs:
  • Five categories of needs: physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization
  • Primary needs (physiological and safety) must be satisfied before secondary needs can be pursued
  • Physiological needs: basic biological survival needs (food, water, air, rest, sex)
  • Safety needs: physical and psychological security and stability
  • Social needs: affiliation, affection, friendship, and a sense of belonging
  • Esteem needs: personal respect, recognition, and appreciation
  • Self-actualization needs: fulfillment and realization of potential
• Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory:
  • Two types of factors: hygiene factors (dissatisfiers) and motivators (satisfiers)
  • Hygiene factors: physical working conditions, salary, and company policies
  • Motivators: recognition, achievement, and personal growth
• McClelland's Achievement Model:
  • Three types of motivational needs: achievement, affiliation, and power
  • Achievement need: desire to accomplish challenging tasks and achieve success
  • Affiliation need: desire for social interaction and building relationships
  • Power need: desire for influence and control

Process Motivational Theories

• Vroom's Expectancy Theory:
  • Three variables: expectancy, instrumentality, and valence
  • Expectancy: belief that effort will lead to performance
  • Instrumentality: belief that performance will lead to reward
  • Valence: value placed on the available rewards
  • Choices: quantified model (VIE equation) to demonstrate the relationship between these factors and the likelihood of a person's choosing to behave in a certain manner
• Adams' Equity Theory:
  • Perceived fairness of rewards in relation to effort and contribution
  • Three components: inputs, outcomes, and comparisons
  • Inputs: effort, skills, and experience
  • Outcomes: rewards, recognition, and benefits
  • Comparisons: comparison of own outcomes to those of others
• Skinner's Reinforcement Theory:
  • Behavior is modified by its consequences (rewards or punishments)
  • Four types of reinforcement: positive, negative, extinction, and punishment

Applying Motivational Theories in the Workplace

• Leadership:
  • Application of motivational principles to the workplace
  • Directly related to the role of work itself in the motivational process
• Job Satisfaction:
  • Degree to which employees feel their jobs meet their needs and wants
  • Reflected in absenteeism and turnover rates, as well as attitude and functional performance level
• Goal Setting:
  • Incorporates themes from expectancy, reinforcement, and achievement theories
  • Examples: management by objectives (MBO) and total quality management (TQM)
• Pay:
  • Material pay: tangible or monetary rewards (salary, fringe benefits, etc.)
  • Psychic pay: intrinsic rewards that give a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction (pride in work, sense of belonging, etc.)

Leadership and Group Dynamics

• Leadership:
  • Process of influencing the efforts of others to achieve designated organizational goals
  • Directing function in the management process model
• Group:
  • Collection of individual persons with a purpose or mission
  • Shared opinions on how things should be done, performance and commitment expectations, and sanctions for non-compliance
• Work Group:
  • Collection of individual persons working together to perform specific functions for the benefit of the organization
  • Management justification lies in the principle of specialization of work
• Individual Group Interface:
  • Push-pull relationship between individuals and groups
  • Individuals provide energy and substance to the group, while groups shape individual behavior and performance
• Interpersonal Relationships:
  • Factors influencing interpersonal relationships: personal image, behavior expectations, and personal benefits
  • Personal image: personal goals, belief systems, assumptions, and values
  • Behavior expectations: derived from experiences and feedback
  • Personal benefits: attractiveness of membership in a group

Unions

• Purpose:
  • Represents employees to management
  • Provides security, fairness, and involvement in decision-making
• Reasons for union membership:
  • Security, fairness, and peer pressure
• Arguments in favor of unions:
  • Provide mechanism to balance managerial power, ensure fair treatment, and provide social opportunities
• Arguments against unions:
  • Loss of managerial control, competitive disadvantage, interference in labor relationships, and philosophical conflicts

Teamwork

• Definition:
  • Teamwork, also referred to as esprit de corps or team spirit
• Importance:
  • Essential for achieving organizational goals and improving performance