MOTIVATION THEORIES

MOTIVATION THEORIES
Motivation Theories
•Are tasked with discovering what drives individuals to work towards a
goal or outcome.

•Content theories:
• These theories look for the factors inside people that cause, sustain or stop
behavior. Their main focus are the needs that motivate people.

•Process theories:
• The process theories on the other hand explore how behavior is caused,
sustained or stopped by the motivational factors.
 Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs

 developed by Abraham Maslow in the 1940s

 earliest and most widely known theory of

motivation

 Maslow argued that human beings are “wanting”

animals. They have Innate desires to satisfy a
given set of needs

 Furthermore, Maslow believed that theseneeds

are arranged in a hierarchy of importance, with
the most basic needs at the foundation of
hierarchy.
 Alderfer’s ERG Theory
 proposed by Yale psychologist Clayton Alderfer. 

 Alderfer further developed Maslow's hierarchy of needs by categorizing the

hierarchy into his ERG theory (Existence, Relatedness and Growth).

 extends and refines Maslow’s needs hierarchy concept, and among the
important differences are as follows:
1) A lower level need does not have to be gratified
2) If a relatively more significant need is not gratified, the desire to gratify a
lesser need will be increased
3) Alderfer's ERG theory allows the order of the needs to differ for different
people
 Herzberg’s Two-factor Theory (Dual Structure
Theory)

 also called motivation-hygiene theory.

 This theory identifies motivation factors which

affect satisfaction, and hygiene factors, which
determine dissatisfaction. That means that these Motivation factors are needed to
ensure employee's satisfaction and
feelings are not opposite of each other, as it has to motivate an employee to higher
performance.
always previously been believed.

 Opposite of satisfaction is not dissatisfaction, but

rather, no satisfaction. According to Herzberg
(1987) the job satisfiers deal with the factors
Hygiene factors are needed
involved in doing the job, whereas the job to ensure that an employee
is not dissatisfied.
dissatisfiers deal with the factors which define the
job context.
 McClelland’s Theory Of Learned Needs

 proposed by David McClelland.

 an individual's specific needs are acquired over time

and are shaped by one's life experiences.

 we all have three motivating drivers (need for

achievement, affiliation and power) and it does not
depend on our gender or age. One of these drives or
needs will be dominant in our behavior
                      
  COMPARISON OF CONTENT THEORIES OF MOTIVATION  
   
  Maslow ERG Herzberg McClelland  
   
  Self-Actualization Growth Motivation Factors Need for achievement  
Desire for continued Improving factors leads to
personal growth and satisfaction, effort, and a drive to pursue and
  - Highest need level. - development - performance - attain goals  
accomplishment is
Involves an individual’s desire Related to job concerns: what important for its own
  - to realize full potential. - employees actually do. - sake.  
Can be satisfied without this
  - level. - Factors:  
      Achievement    
  Recognition  
  Work Itself Need for competence  
a desire to do quality
  Esteem Responsibility - work  
  Self - esteem Advancement - want to develop skills  
Need for personal sense of Growth
  - accomplishment, mastery  
  Social - esteem Relatedness Need for power  
Need for respect, recognition, - Desire to satisfy - desire to influence
attention, and appreciation of interpersonal others
  - others. relationship.  
- desire recognition to
  others  
                       
                     
  COMPARISON OF CONTENT THEORIES OF MOTIVATION  

  Maslow ERG Herzberg McClelland  

  Social Needs Hygiene Factors Need for affilation  

Need for love, affection, sense
of belonging in one's Improving factors prevents a drive to relate to
  -relationship - dissatisfaction - people effectively  
Dealings with friends, family, Related to job enviroment desire for close
  -and colleagues falls in here - mpre than nature of work itself - relationship  
  - Factors:  
  Policies and procedures  
  Supervision  
  Relations with supervisor  
  Safety and Security Work Conditions  
  Relationships Salary  
need for security in
  -relationships   Relations with peers  
  Physical Personal life  
need for security, protection
  -from future threats, and stability Existence Relations with subordinates  
Desire for psychological
    - and material well - being Status  
  Security  
  Psychological Needs  
  Basic needs, food, water, etc.  
 Skinner’s Reinforcement Theory

 based on Skinner's operant conditioning theory, says that

behavior can be formed by its consequences. (rewards and
punishment for specific behaviors)
 Behavior that results in pleasant consequences is more
likely to be repeated and behavior that results in
unpleasant consequences is less likely to be repeated.
 This theory also suggests that in any given situation,
people explore a variety of possible behaviors. Future
behavioral choices are affected by the consequences of
earlier behaviors.
 Vroom’s Expectancy Theory
 places an emphasis on the process and on the content of motivation as well, and it
integrates needs, equity and reinforcement theories.

 aims to explain how people choose from the available actions. Vroom defines
motivation as a process that governs our choices among alternative forms of voluntary
behavior. The basic rationale of this theory is that motivation stems from the belief that
decisions will have their desired outcomes.

 The motivation to engage in an activity is determined by appraising three factors.

These three factors are the following:
 Adams’ Equity Theory
 suggested by Adams (1965) and is based on Social Exchange theory.

 states that people are motivated if they are treated equitably, and receive what they consider fair for
their effort and costs.

 According to this theory, people compare their contribution to work, costs of their actions and the
benefits that will result to the contribution and benefits of the reference person. If people perceive that
the ratio of their inputs-outputs to the ratio of referent other's input-output is inequitable, then they will
be motivated to reduce the inequity.

Examples for the inputs and outcomes in the equity theory

 Locke’s Goal-Setting Theory
 Locke's (1990) goal setting theory is an integrative model of motivation just like the expectancy theory.

 It emphasizes that setting specific, challenging performance goals and the commitment to these goals are
key determinants of motivation. Goals describe a desired future, and these established goals can drive the
behavior. Achieving the goals, the goal accomplishment further motivates individuals to perform.

Goal
attainment,
Improved
Performance

Process of motivation according to goal-setting theory.

Reference:
1.
https://www.academia.edu/32350054/Course_Material_For_Principles_of_Motivation_and_Leaders
hip_Course_Title_Principles_of_Motivation_and_Leadership_Course_Code_HRML242_3Cr_Hrs_C
ourse_Description
2
2.https://www.academia.edu/37436822/Theories_of_Motivation_Content_and_process_theories_Th
e_Distinction_between_Content_and_Process_Theories_of_Motivation
3. https://www.knowledgehut.com/tutorials/project-management/motivation-theories
4. https://businessjargons.com/theories-of-leadership.html
5. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/leadership-styles-and-theories