NOTES MOTIVATION-all theories, Study Guides, Projects, Research of Management Theory

Download NOTES MOTIVATION-all theories and more Study Guides, Projects, Research Management Theory in PDF only on Docsity! MOTIVATION 1 DEFINITION OF MOTIVATION Generally, people differ by nature, not only in their ability to perform a specific task but also in their will to do so. People with less ability but with willpower are able to perform better than people with superior ability and lack of will. Hard work is crucial to success and achievement. Albert Einstein underscored this belief when he said, "genius is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. Where there is a will there is a way. Willpower is, thus, the main source of motivation. Motivation is the one and only force which sets a person into motion. The word motivation is derived from motive, which is defined as an active form of a desire, craving or need, which must be satisfied. All motives are directed towards goals and the needs and desires affect one’s behaviour. Motivation is a process that account for an individual’s willingness to exert high levels of effort to reach organizational goals and to satisfy individual needs. Motivation works best when individual needs are compatible with organizational goals. 2 THEORIES OF MOTIVATION (a) MASLOW'S MODEL Maslow’s "needs hierarchy theory" is probably the most widely used theory of motivation in organizations. He developed his model of human motivation in 1943, based upon his own clinical experience. Abraham Maslow suggested that people have a complex set of exceptionally strong needs and the behaviour of individuals is usually determined by their strongest need. His theory is based upon two assumptions. First and foremost, human beings have many needs which are different in nature and which range from the biological needs at the lower level (which is the level of survival) to psychological needs at the upper extreme (which is the level of growth). Secondly, these needs occur in an order of hierarchy so that lower level needs must be satisfied first before higher level needs arise. Maslow postulates a five-staged model for motivation and needs satisfaction, namely, a) Physiological needs b) Security and Safety needs c) Love and Social needs d) Esteem needs e) Self-actualization needs The physiological needs form the foundation of the hierarchy and tend to have the highest strength in terms of motivation. These are primarily the needs arising out of basic physiological or biological needs, namely, food, water, and shelter. Once these basic needs are satisfied, then the other levels of needs become important and start acting as motivators. Once the physiological needs are gratified, the safety and security needs become predominant. Love and social needs include the needs for love, friendship, affection, and social interaction. The need for esteem is to attain recognition from others and induces a feeling self- confidence in the individual. It is an urge for achievement, prestige, status and power. Self-actualization needs help individuals to develop fully and to realize their potential. A self-actualized person is creative, independent, self-content, and has a good perception of reality. It is to be noted that the first three sets of needs at the bottom are known as “deficiency” needs, because they must be satisfied in order to ensure the individual's very existence. The top two sets of needs are termed "growth" needs because they are concerned with personal growth, development and realization of one’s potential. (b) McCLELLAND'S THEORY OF NEEDS Studies conducted by Harvard psychologist David McClelland concluded that from a behavioural point of view the primary motive is the "achievement motive" and is defined as a desire to succeed in competitive situations based upon a perceived standard of excellence. Individuals with a strong "need for achievement" (known as n Ach), ask for, accept and perform, well in challenging tasks which require creativity, ingenuity and hard work. They are constantly preoccupied with a desire for improvement and look for situations in which successful outcomes are directly correlated with their efforts so that they can claim credit for success. The "need for power" (n Pow) is the desire is the desire to affect and control the behaviour of other people and to manipulate the surroundings. Power motivation when applied positively results in successful managers and leaders who prefer democratic style of leadership. Power motivation, applied-negatively tends to create arrogant autocratic leadership. The "need for affiliation" (n Aff) is related to social needs and reflects a desire for friendly and warm relationships with others. Individuals tend to seek affiliation with others who have similar beliefs, backgrounds and outlook on life. This results in the formation of informal groups and informal organizations.