Theories of Work Motivation Flashcards
Motivation
The extent to which persistent effort is applied toward a goal
Effort
is the strength of the persons work related behaviour, or the amount of effort the person exhibits on the job
Persistence
that individuals exhibit in applying effort to their work tasks
Direcition (also quality)
of the person’s work behaviour, do workers channel persistence effort in a direction that benefits the organization
Goals
all motivated behaviour has some goal or objective toward which it is directed
Why do we care about Motivation
Key driving factor for task performance
Performance
f(ability x motivation).
- is the extent to which an orgnaizational member contributes to achieving the objectives of the organization
General cognitive ability
is a person’s basic information-processing capacities and cognitive resources
Emotional Intelligence
The ability to understand and manage one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions
Additive Model
Effect of ability and motivation on performance is independent and compensatory.
Needs theories:
are motivation theories that specify the kinds of needs people have and the conditions under which they will be motivated to satisfy these needs in a way that contributes to performance
Needs → Behaviour → Incentives and Goals
Maslow’s Hirearchy of Needs
Phsycolgical needs
Safety needs
Belogningness needs
Esteem needs
Self-actualization needs
Alderfer’s ERG Theory
- Existences needs - food, water, shelter
- Relatedness needs - satisfied by open communication
- Growth needs - fulfilled by strong personal involvement in the work setting
McClelland’s Theory of Needs
A nonhirearchal need theory of motivation that outlines the conditions under which certain needs result in particular patterns of motication
need for achievement (n Ach)
have a strong desire to perform challenging tasks well, they exhibit the following qualities
Need for affiliation (n Aff)
a strong desire to establish and maintain friendly, compatible interpersonal relationships
Need for power (n Pow) -
a strong desire to influence others, making a significant impact or impression
Self Determination Theory
A theory of motivation that relates to the satisfaction of three basic psychological needs to autonomous motivation and controlled motivation
- All individuals have three innate basic psychological needs that are important for psychological growth and well being: competence, autonomy, and relatedness
Autonomous motivation
self motivation or intrinsic motivation that occurs when people feel they are in control of their motivation
Controlled motivation
- motivation that is externally controlled, such as when one is motivated to obtain a desired consequence or extrinsic award
Autonomy support
- providing employees with choice and encouragement for personal initiative
- Positively related to the satisfaction of the needs for competence, relatedness, and autonomy
Process theories
are motivation theories that specify the details of how motivation occurs
Expectancy theory
a process theory that sates that motivation is determined by the outcomes that people expect to occur as a result of their actions on the job
- outcomes - consequences from work behaviour
- instrumentality - the probability that a particular first-level outcome will be followed by a particular second-level outcomes
- Valance the expected value of work outcomes; the extent to which they are attractive or unattractive
Equity theory
- A process theory that states that motivation stems from a comparison of the inputs one invests in a job and the outcomes one receives in comparison with the inputs and outcomes of another person or group
- Individuals are motivated to maintain an equitable exchange relationship
- Gender and equity
Goal Setting Theory
a process theory that states that goals are motivational when they are specific and challenging, when organizational members are committed to them, and when feedback about progress toward a goal attained is provided
Goal Commitment
- Goal specify - specific and an exact time frame
- Goal challenge - challenging = motivating
- Goal commitment
Goal feedback
Enhancing
Participation
Rewards
Management support
Goal orientation
an individuals goal preferences in achievement situations
Learning goal orientation
preference to learn new things and develop competence in an activity by acquiring new skills and mastering new situations
Performance-prove goal orientation
a preference to obtain favourable judgments about the outcomes of one’s performance
Performance -avoid goal orientation
a preference to avoid negative judgmenta about the outcome of one’s performance
Goal proximity - distant
is a long term or end goal, such as achieving a certain level of sales performance
Proximal goal
is a short term goal or sub goal that is instrumental for achieving a distal goal
- Breaking down a distal goal into smaller, more attainable sub goals
Intrinsic motivation
motivation that stems from the direct relationship between the worker and the taks, it is usually self-applied
- Feelings of achievement, accomplishment, challenge, and competence
- Wanting to do a task for its own sake (e.g., interesting)
- Usually self-applied, from inside
- Strong and stable impacts
Extrinsic motivation
- Wanting to do a task to obtain external reward (e.g., money, recognition)
- Usually applied by others (managers), from outside
- Only work in certain situations, not long lasting
- motivation that stems from the work environment external to the task, it is usually applied by others
- Pay, fringe benefits, company policies, and various forms of supervision
What can Managers do
Boost expectencies: increase self-efficacy
- training and mentoring, feedback
Boost instrumentiality: clarify reward contingencies
- objective performance assessments, fair rewards
Boost valence of outcomes:
Appreciate diversity needs: be aware of value differences
