MOTIVATION AND ITS CONCEPTS

CONCEPT OF MOTIVATION:

The term motivation is derived from the word ‘motive”. The word ‘motive’ as a noun means an objective, as a verb this word means moving into action. Therefore, motives are forces which induce people to act in a way, so as to ensure the fulfillment of a particular human need at a time. Behind every human action there is a motive. Therefore, management must provide motives to people to make them work for the organization.

Motivation may be defined as a planned managerial process, which stimulates people to work to the best of their capabilities, by providing them with motives, which are based on their unfulfilled needs.

 

According to William G. Scott,

“Motivation means a process of stimulating people to action to accomplish desired goods.” 

Features of the concept of motivation:

1. Motivation is a personal and internal feeling:

Motivation is a psychological phenomenon which generates within an individual.

2. Motivation is need based:

If there are no needs of an individual, the process of motivation fails. It is a behavioural concept that directs human behaviour towards certain goals.

 

3. Motivation is a continuous process:

Because human wants are unlimited, therefore motivation is an ongoing process.

4. Motivation may be positive or negative:

A positive motivation promotes incentives to people while a negative motivation threatens the enforcement of disincentives.

5. Motivation is a planned process:

People differ in their approach, to respond to the process of motivation; as no two individuals could be motivated in an exactly similar manner. Accordingly, motivation is a psychological concept and a complex process.

6. Motivation is different from job satisfaction:

The process of motivation is illustrated in the figure given below:

Figure 15.1 shows an employee has a need or urge for promotion to a higher position. If this need is strong, the employee will fix his goal and find alternatives to reach the goal. The might have two alternatives, namely, (i) hard work and (ii) enhancement of qualification (e.g., getting MBA) and hard work.

He might choose the second alternative and succeed in getting promotion (goal achievement) thus, his need for promotion would be satisfied and he would start again for the satisfaction of a new need.

THEORIES OF MOTIVATION:

1. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Abraham Maslow postulated that a person will be motivated when his needs are fulfilled. The need starts from the lowest level basic needs and keeps moving up as a lower level need is fulfilled. Below is the hierarchy of needs:

• Physiological:  Physical survival necessities such as food, water, and shelter.
• Safety:  Protection from threats, deprivation, and other dangers.
• Social (belongingness and love):  The need for association, affiliation, friendship, and so on.
• Self-esteem:  The need for respect and recognition.
• Self-actualization:  The opportunity for personal development, learning, and fun/creative/challenging work.  Self-actualization is the highest level need  to which a human being can aspire.

The leader will have to understand the specific need of every individual in the team and accordingly work to help fulfil their needs. 

 

 

  

 

2. Hertzberg’s two factor theory

Hertzberg classified the needs into two broad categories namely hygiene factors and motivating factors.

Hygiene factors are needed to make sure that an employee is not dissatisfied. Motivation factors are needed for ensuring employee's satisfaction and employee’s motivation for higher performance. Mere presence of hygiene factors does not guarantee  motivation, and presence of motivation factors in the absence of hygiene factors also does not work.

 

 

  

 

3. McClelland’s theory of needs

McClelland affirms that we all have three motivating drivers, and it does not depend on our gender or age. One of these drives will be dominant in our behaviour. The dominant drive depends on our life experiences. 

The three motivators are:

• Achievement: a need to accomplish and demonstrate own competence People with a high need for achievement prefer tasks that provide for personal responsibility and results based on their own efforts.  They also prefer quick acknowledgement of their progress.
• Affiliation: a need for love, belonging and social acceptance People with a high need for affiliation are motivated by being liked and accepted by others.  They tend to participate in social gatherings and may be uncomfortable with conflict.
• Power: a need for control own work or the work of others People with a high need for power desire situations in which they exercise power and influence over others.  They aspire for positions with status and authority and tend to be more concerned about their level of influence than about effective work performance.

 

 

 

 

4. Vroom’s theory of expectancy

Victor Vroom stated that people will be highly productive and motivated if two conditions are met:  1) people believe it is likely that their efforts will lead to successful results and 2) those people also believe they will be rewarded for their success.

People will be motivated to exert a high level of effort when they believe there are relationships between the efforts they put forth, the performance they achieve, and the outcomes/ rewards they receive.

5. McGregor’s theory X and theory Y

Douglas McGregor formulated two distinct views of human being based on participation of workers. The first is basically negative, labelled as Theory X, and the other is basically positive, labelled as Theory Y. Both kinds of people exist. Based on their nature they need to be managed accordingly.

• Theory X:  The traditional view of the work force holds that workers are inherently lazy, self-centred, and lacking ambition.  Therefore, an appropriate management style is strong, top-down control.
• Theory Y:  This view postulates that workers are inherently motivated and eager to accept responsibility.  An appropriate management style is to focus on creating a productive work environment coupled with positive rewards and reinforcement.                                                                                  

Conclusion

Motivation is the state of mind which pushes all human being to perform things with the highest spirit and with positivity. The leader will have to ensure that every individual in the team and the organization is motivated. The various motivation theories helps in understanding what will motivate people.

 

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