Motivation theories

Motivation is defined as the force within a person that establishes the level, direction and persistence of effort at work. From a conceptual perspective, motivation is typically divided into content theories and process theories.

Content theories – are needs theories that identify a variety of needs that motivate individuals.
Process theories – examine the thought process that determines behaviour.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory
Concluded that individual needs can be arranged in a hierarchy which made up of five distint levels:
· Physiological needs – needs that individual need to survive
· Safety needs – serve to protect individuals from outside threads
· Belongingness – affection, love and friendship
· Self-esteem – focus on need for recognition and respect from others
· Self-actualization needs – relate to developing one’s full potential.
Maslow argued that as soon as one level of needs is met, those needs will no longer motivate behavior.

Alderfer’s ERG theory
Argued that more than one need may be activated at the same time. ERG theory suggest that needs are categorized into three classes:
· Existence needs – satisfy by material condition and make up the first two level in Maslow’s hierarchy.
· Relatedness needs – dependent on social interaction through communication and exchange of ideas with other members within the organization. Similar to Maslow’s belonging and self-esteem needs.
· Growth needs – are intrinsic and are focused on personal development, much like Maslow’s self-actualization
ERG urges that should one feel a higher order need fulfilled, then he/she will have an increased desire to satisfy a lower-level need.

McClelland’s trichotomy of needs or acquired need theory
· Need for achievement (nAch) – when individual place priority on the quality of their work and have a preference for situations that enable them to shape the outcome.
· Need for affiliation (nAff) – focus on establishing and maintaining relationships with others. Tend not to be competitive, preferring, co-operation and conformity.
· Need for power (nPower) – id often evident among middle and upper levels of management because these individuals by definition must influence other members of the organization.

Herzberg’s two-factor theory
Two sets of factor called “motivators” and “hygienes” that somewhat unrelated in terms of satisfaction.
Motivators – are job content factors and are associated with feelings of meaningful work, accomplishment, achievement, responsibility, growth and advancement opportunities and the job itself.
Hygienes – are job context or extrinsic factors, representing sources of job dissatisfaction that are associated with physical arrangements in the workplace, supervisor and interpersonal relations.
Motivators are factors lead to worker satisfaction, while hygienes are factor which prevent dissatisfaction.

Process theory
Examine how and why people are motivated:
· Equity theory – suggest that people perceive a level of inequity or unfairness when they compare their work situation to that of others, they will be motivated to do something about it in order to create a better or more accurate sense of fairness.
· Expectancy theory – motivation is determine by individual beliefs regarding effort-performance relationship and work outcomes.
M = E x I x V where M=motivation, E=Expectancy, I=Instrumentality and V=valence

Diversity
It examine different with respect to age, gender, race, education, background, ethnicity and disabilities of workers.