Ch.7: Motivation Flashcards
7.1 - what is motivation?
motivation is defined as a set of energetic forces that originates both within and outside an employee, initiates work-related effort, and determines its direction, intensity, and persistence.
7.2 - what three beliefs help determine work effort, according to expectancy theory?
according to expectancy theory, effort is directed toward behaviours when effort is believed to result in performance (expectancy), performance is believed to result in outcomes (instrumentality), and those outcomes are anticipated to be valuable (valence).
differences in need states help to explain why some outcomes are more attractive (“positively valenced”) than others.
7.3 - what two qualities make goals strong predictors of task performance, according to goal setting theory?
according to goal setting theory, goals become strong drivers of motivation and performance when they are difficult and specific. specific and difficult goals affect performance by increasing self-set goals and task strategies. those effects occur more frequently when employees are given feedback, tasks are not too complex, and goal commitment is high.
7.4 - what does it mean to be equitably treated, according to equity theory, and how do employees respond to inequity?
according to equity theory, rewards are equitable when a person’s ratio of outcomes to inputs matches those of some relevant comparison other. a sense of inequity triggers equity distress. underreward inequity typically results in lower levels of motivation or higher levels of counterproductive behaviour. overreward inequity typically results in cognitive distortion, in which inputs are re-evaluated in a more positive light.
7.5 - how does motivation affect job performance and organizational commitment?
psychological empowerment reflects an energy rooted in the belief that tasks are contributing to some larger purpose. psychological empowerment is fostered when:
- work goals appeal to employees’ passions (meaningfulness),
- employees have a sense of choice regarding work tasks (self-determination),
- employees feel capable of performing successfully (competence),
- and employees feel they are making progress toward fulfilling their purpose (impact).
7.6 - what steps can organizations take to increase employee motivation?
motivation has a strong positive relationship with job performance and a moderate positive relationship with organizational commitment. of all the energetic forces subsumed by motivation, self-efficacy/competence has the strongest relationship with performance.
7.7 - what steps can organizations take to increase employee motivation?
organizations use compensation practices to increase motivation. those practices may include individual-focused elements (piece-rate, merit pay, lump-sum bonuses, recognition awards), unit-focused elements (gain sharing), or organization-focused elements (profit sharing).
