Chapter 4 Motivation Flashcards
Strands of motivation theory:
1) Satisfaction Theories: “The satisfied worker is a productive worker”
2) Incentive Theories: “Specific rewards encourage good performance”
3) Intrinsic Theories: “The reward will come from the satisfaction in the work itself.”
The problem with motivation theories:
- Satisfaction Theories (conditions of work count): There is little evidence that a satisfied worker actually works harder. At least satisfaction correlates with health.
- Incentive Theories - the carrot approach (rewards count): Depending on culture. Hard to measure.
- Intrinsic Theories (higher human needs count): Technology works against it.
Underlying Assumptions
1) The rational economic assumption. Economic needs!
2) The social assumption. Identity from relationships!
3) The self-actualizing assumption. Innate maturity!
4) The complex assumption. We are so variable!
5) The psychological assumption. People strive towards “ideal ego”!
Motivation Calculus
Needs -> E-Factors -> Results
E-Factors: Effort, Energy, Excitement, Expenditure
Maslow’s Insight
- Physiological needs
- Safety needs
- Social needs
- Esteem needs
- Self-actualisation
Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory (1959):
Hygiene Factors and Motivators:
1) Factors that dissatisfy: Hygiene or Maintenance factors. Conditions of work (policy, administration, salary, relations, physical conditions.
2) Factors that satisfy, called Motivators. Achievement, recognition, work itself, responsibility, advancement, equity.
1) Satisfying and dissatisfying factors are not the opposite.
2) Hygiene factors do not motivate. Good hygiene answers the question: Why work here?
Motivators deal with Why work harder?
McGregor’s X-Y Theories
X
- people need close supervision
- will avoid work when possible
- will avoid responsibility
- that they desire only money
- people must be pushed to perform
Y
- people want independence in work
- people seek responsibility
- people are motivated by self-fulfillment
- people naturally want to work
- people will drive themselves to perform
Different Professional Orientations:
- Realistic : Concrete Goals
- Intellectual : Creativity
- Social : Interpersonal Skills
- Conventional : Administration
- Enterprising : Leadership
- Artistic : Intuition and Imagination
The Psychological Contract
- Coercive contracts: “Rule and Punishment” Conformity. Individual deprived of identity.
- Calculative contracts: Management controls access to “desired things”
- Co-operative contracts: Individual identifies with the goals of the organization.
Money as Motivating Agent:
- Money is all-embracing – Money is bad but the things money signals, and buys, are all right.
- Money is the basis for comparison – It is unique as motivation agent in that in can be measured.
- Money as reinforcement – Regular pay comes to be perceived as a work condition.
A Preliminary Conclusion:
- Motivation is a process that largely works within people as they are.
- Existing theories on motivation are helpful but far from being able to explain our raison d’être.
- We generally see ourselves as different – departing from a unique self-concept.
The self-concept:
- Relies largely on our selection of models in life.
- Rarely formed without trauma – adolescence is a difficult time.
- Heavily influenced by ‘reference groups’, media.
- Peer group pressure often extremely powerful.
- The tendency is to fix on a self-concept and unconsciously seek confirmation.
What can change our Self-Concept, or Ego-Ideal:
- Traumatic experiences.
- A sabbatical, or major educational program.
- A stay in hospital.
- A prison term.
Enhancing One’s Self-Concept –The Search for Psychological Success
1) The goal is relevant to our self-concept.
2) We set challenging goals for ourselves.
3) We determine our own methods forachieving that goal.
Conditions for Psychological Failure:
- Can stem from the urge to protect one’s selfconcept.
- Generally leads to a lowering of goals. Failure breeds failure.
- The person accustomed to failure tends to quit while he/she is ahead, for fear of success
