Work Motivation

1
Work Motivation
Hitt et al Chapter 6 Abridged and Augmented

• MGT 5371-001
• Managing Organizational Behavior Design
• May 6-14-07
• John D. Blair, PhD
• Georgie G. William B. Snyder Professor in
  Management

2
What is motivation?

• Motivation refers to forces within an individual
  that account for the level, direction, and
  persistence of effort expended at work.
• Direction an individuals choice when presented
  with a number of possible alternatives.
• Level the amount of effort a person puts forth.
• Persistence the length of time a person stays
  with a given action.

3
Motivation

• Persons level of performance is a function (f)
  of both ability and motivation
• Performance f (Ability x Motivation)
• Theories of Motivation
• Content theories
• Process theories

4
Acquired needs theory

• Need for achievement (nAch).
• The desire to do something better or more
  efficiently, to solve problems, or to master
  complex tasks.
• Need for affiliation (nAff).
• The desire to establish and maintain friendly and
  warm relations with others.
• Need for power (nPower).
• The desire to control others, to influence their
  behavior, or to be responsible for others.

5
People with a high need for achievement

• Prefer to set their own goals
• Set goals of moderate difficulty, but that are
  achievable
• Like to solve problems rather than leave the
  results to chance
• Are more interested in achieving the goal than in
  the associated rewards
• Prefer situations in which they receive regular,
  concrete feedback on their performance
• Are positive thinkers who find workable solutions
  to lifes hurdles and challenges
• Take a strong personal responsibility for their
  work

6
People with a high need for affiliation

• Have a strong desire to be liked and to stay on
  good terms with most other people.
• Tend not to make good managers because they often
  treat different people in different ways (for
  example, may apply inconsistent rules)
• Are more concerned with initiating and
  maintaining personal relationships than with
  focusing on the task at hand

7
People with a high need for power

• People with a high need for institutional power
• Are concerned about the functioning of the
  organization and have a desire to serve others
• Are controlled in their exercise of power
• People with a high need for personal power
• Desire to influence others for their own personal
  gain
• Are more impulsive in exercising power
• Show little concern for other people
• Are focused on obtaining symbols of prestige and
  status (such as big offices)

8
Content Theories Achievement, Affiliation, and
Power Conclusion

• People with a high need for institutional power
  are particularly good at
• Increasing morale
• Creating clear expectations
• Getting others to work for the good of the
  organization
• People high in need for achievement
• Take responsibility for their own work and
  require short-term feedback
• Are reluctant to delegate work to others and to
  be patient in working toward long-term objectives
• Effective managers have both a high need for
  achievement and a high need for institutional
  power

9
Two-Factor Theory

• Focuses on the rewards or outcomes of performance
  that satisfy individuals needs
• Job satisfaction and dissatisfaction are not
  opposites ends of the same continuum but are
  independent states
• Job factors leading to satisfaction are different
  from those leading to dissatisfaction, and vice
  versa

10
Two-Factor Theory
When increased, lead to greater satisfaction
When deficient, lead to greater dissatisfaction
Achievement Recognition Responsibility Opportunity
for advancement or promotion The work
itself Potential for personal growth
Salary Technical supervision Working
conditions Company policies, administration, and
procedures Interpersonal relationships with
peers, supervisors, and subordinates Status Securi
ty
11
Job dissatisfaction versus Job satisfaction
12
Process theories of motivation

• Process theories.
• Focus on the thought processes through which
  people choose among alternative courses of
  action.
• We focuse on two process theories
• Equity theory.
• Expectancy theory.

13
Process Theories Expectancy Theory

• To increase motivation
• Heighten expectancy by increasing associates
  beliefs that exerting effort will lead to higher
  levels of performance (training, support)
• Increase instrumentalities by clearly linking
  high performance to outcomes (pay for
  performance)
• Increase valence by providing outcomes that are
  highly valued (provide rewards employees desire)

14
Process Theories Expectancy Theory

• Three factors affect decision to exert effort
• Expectancy
• Subjective probability that effort will lead to
  performance
• Instrumentality
• Subjective probability that a given level of
  performance will lead to certain outcomes
• Valence
• An Individuals expected satisfaction associated
  with each outcome resulting from performance

15
Study Question 3 What do the process theories
suggest about individual motivation?
16
Expectancy Theory
Motivational Force
E
I1
Effort
Performance
Outcome 1
V1
I2
Outcome 2
V2
I3
E Subjective probability that effort will lead
to performance I Subjective probability that
performance will lead to various outcomes V
Valence Expected satisfaction with each
outcome Motivational Force E C S(I C V)
Outcome 3
V3
Adapted from Exhibit 6-2 Expectancy Theory
17
Study Question 3 What do the process theories
suggest about individual motivation?

• A persons motivation is a multiplicative
  function of expectancy, instrumentality, and
  valence (M E x I x V).
• Motivational implications of expectancy theory.
• Motivation is sharply reduced when, expectancy,
  instrumentality, or valence approach zero.
• Motivation is high when expectancy and
  instrumentality are high and valence is strongly
  positive.

18
Process Theories Equity Theory

• Motivation is based on a persons assessment of
  the ratio of the outcomes or rewards (pay,
  status) he receives for input on the job (effort,
  skills) compared with the same ratio for a
  comparison other

My Outcomes
Others Outcomes
vs.
My inputs
Others Inputs
19
Process Theories Equity Theory

• Employees may
• Increase or decrease inputs
• Change their outcomes
• Distort their perceptions of inputs and/or
  outcomes
• Distort perceptions of others inputs and/or
  outcomes
• Change the referent others
• Leave the organization

20
Equity theory

• People gauge the fairness of their work outcomes
  in relation to others.
• Felt negative inequity.
• Individual feels he/she has received relatively
  less than others in proportion to work inputs.
• Felt positive inequity.
• Individual feels he/she has received relatively
  more than others in proportion to work inputs.

21
Equity restoration behaviors

• Change work inputs.
• Change the outcomes received.
• Leave the situation.
• Change the comparison person.
• Psychologically distort the comparisons.
• Take actions to change the inputs or outputs of
  the comparison person.

22
Coping methods for dealing with equity comparisons

• Recognize that equity comparisons are inevitable
  in the workplace.
• Anticipate felt negative inequities when rewards
  are given.
• Communicate clear evaluations for any rewards
  given.
• Communicate an appraisal of performance on which
  the reward is based.
• Communicate comparison points that are
  appropriate in the situation

23
Extrinsic and intrinsic rewards

• Extrinsic rewards.
• Positively valued work outcomes given to the
  individual by some other person.
• Intrinsic rewards.
• Positively valued work outcomes that the
  individual receives directly as a result of task
  performance.

24
Guidelines for the distribution of extrinsic
rewards

• Clearly identify the desired behaviors.
• Maintain an inventory of rewards that have the
  potential to serve as positive reinforcers.
• Recognize individual differences in the rewards
  that will have a positive value for each person.

25
Guidelines for the distribution of extrinsic
rewards (cont.).

• Let each person know exactly what must be done to
  receive a desirable reward set clear target
  antecedents and give performance feedback.
• Allocate rewards contingently and immediately
  upon the appearance of the desired behaviors.
• Allocate rewards wisely in terms of scheduling
  the delivery of positive reinforcement.

26
Contrived versus natural rewards
27
Motivating Associates Integration of Theory

• Tie individual rewards to individual needs
• Individuals differ on what they find rewarding
• Tailor individual rewards to individual needs
• Do not overemphasize extrinsic rewards
• Tie rewards to performance
• Performance is difficult to measure
• Managers may lack flexibility in determining
  rewards
• Intrinsic rewards may work when extrinsic rewards
  are unavailable

28
Motivating Associates Integration of Theory Cont.

• Provide feedback
• In conjunction with goals
• Repeat at regular intervals
• Provide information as to how performance can be
  improved
• Come from a credible source
• Focus on the performance, not the person