Introduction

In this essay we will be discovering the definition of motivation, then examine the content and process motivational theories and come a conclusion with the differences.

Motivation

Motivation means the internal and external factors that encourage aspiration and energy in people to be continually interested and committed to a job or a role to exert persistent effort in achieving a target goal. Motivation could results from interaction factors such as the reward value of the target goal, intensity of need and the expectations of individuals (Buelens, Sinding, Waldstrom, 2011).

In this competitive world the companies must always use variety of motivation techniques to make the employees stay within the company. It is often said that money is the main motivator but the enjoyment, convenience and experience also involves making the employees motivated, for instance appreciations, annual parties, appraisal, providing internal training, giving annual bonus, providing staff vouchers and encouraging the staff performance.

Motivation is the key task to achieve the goals of an organization. Basically a management must make sure the team of the people thinks that their needs are being met by listening, getting their ideas and suggestions.

One of the important responsible of a management is to make their employees feel that she/he is being treated as a part of the team whereby all the staffs share the aim of wanting to achieve an agreed goal.

Content theories

The best way to understand how to motivate employees, a management should be clear about the basic theories of motivation (Cheng, 1995). The two well-known founding theories include Maslows Hierarchy and Alderfers ERG theories are both present the basic needs of human.

Maslows hierarchy of needs

The bottom level of Maslows hierarchy of needs, such as physical needs, money is a main motivator, but this tends to have a motivating fact on employees that has not lasts for a long period (in accordance with Herzbergs two factor motivation theory). According to Maslows theory employees are motivated by their unsatisfied needs. The bottom level of the needs have to be achieved before top level needs are to be satisfied. For instance, if a management needs to improve its employees by satisfying their needs, according to Maslow (1954), it must satisfy the lower level needs before it try to satisfy the upper level needs. Also the management has to remember that not every employee will be motivated by same needs. A best management will recognize which levels of needs are suitable for an individual. Maslows hierarchy shows that money at the bottom level and has other needs are better motivators to employees. However David McClelland believed that employees cannot be motivated just by the mere need for money-for example money as extrinsic motivation could extinguish intrinsic motivation such as other achievement motivations.

Alderfers ERG theory

Alderfers ERG theory (1969) is taking a little further suggesting of first two needs on Maslows are under existence needs-survival needs (safety and physiological

needs), then the relatedness needs-to keep well personal relationships, are the second level of Alderfers theory. Then finally the growth-oriented needs such as learning something new and potential development, which covers the Maslows selffulfilment needs. There are two differences between Maslows and Alderfers theories. Aderfer said that sometimes more than one need could simultaneously. The second different is that Maslows theory says motivation must start from the lower level, but Alderfer said sometimes people could go to the higher level before the lower level, and it could happen up to the circumstances (Wren, 1995).

Herzbergs two factor theory Another content theory is Herzbergs two factor theory, considers job factors such as work environment, status, good pay, job security and interpersonal relation as extrinsic factors (motivating factors). Extrinsic factors have disruptive effect if these needs are not met adequately that the employees will become dissatisfied with their jobs. On the other side of Herzbergs theory the hygiene factors such as the job, feeling of achievement, recognition, opportunities for growth and the advancement are known as intrinsic factors (Wong, Siu and Tsang, 1999). In 1993 Balmer and Baum applied the Herzbergs factor theory to a certain department of hotel guest satisfaction in Cyprus. Finally they said Herzbergs theory is more relevant in the point of changes in customer expectation and the concept of quality (Balmer, Baum, 1993).

Process theories

Equity theory

Equity theory is based on a function of fairness and justice in social exchanges, assumes that individually employees are strongly motivated to maintain a balance between what they receives adequate rewards for their contributions and inputs.

Employees evaluate this by comparing the perceived fairness with their relevant people at work. Managers must treat their employees fairly, and then only the employees will believe that whatever they put into job, they get out of it the same as other who did the same activities. Equity theory mainly focuses the exchanges that take place between the management and the individual, in terms of input such as taking effort to do something with good performance, and output such as promotion, good pay. In general, a perceived equity or inequity theory results when an individual compares input and output with other (Wren, 1995).

Goal setting theory Goal setting theory focuses how individual links to the task performance. This theory also states that when there is a challenging goal with suitable feedback will contribute to higher and better task performance. In another word, goal theory indicates how a direction should be given to an employee about what needs to be done and how much efforts are required to be put in. Goal setting theory has two certain eventualities such as: Goal commitment- the individual is committed to certain goal and he/she will not leave the goal. this could be depend on following factors: Goal are known, open and easier

The goal must be set-self by individual

Goal should be consistent with organizational goals and vision.

Self efficiency- is the individuals self confidence, and also the faith that he/she has the potential talent of performing the specific task. The higher level of self efficiency, greater will be the efforts that he/she put in when the individual face the challenging task. For example; Tetlock and Kim motivated people to use accuracy goals by giving them a task and

telling them they would have to explain their thinking. The people wrote more cognitively complex responses than the control group (Tetlock, P. E., & Kim, J. 1987)

Conclusion As we can see the content theories of motivation are mainly focuses the things that actually motivate people in their jobs

|(Buelens, Sinding, Waldstrom, 2011). These theories explain the goals that the people aspire and focus on the factors within an

|individual that direct, improve or stop the behaviour. In general, content theories are used to identify the employees needs, and their goals that they want to achieve in order to satisfy their needs. Specifically the need theories such as Maslows hierarchy, Alderfers ERG theory and McClellands theories are demonstrating the human needs in different ways. Herzbergs job enrichment

|theory also a content motivational theory, because it also focuses what could motivate people to satisfy their unmet needs.

The process theories are much more complex than the content theories; tries to recognize the process of motivation by answering the

question how people become motivated such as, equity theory, expectancy and goal setting theories (Buelens, Sinding, Waldstrom,

2011). The key feature of the process motivational theories is people can make cognitive decision with several choices.

REFERENCES | |

Buelens, M. Sinding, K. Waldstorm, C. et al. (2011) Organisational Behaviour. 4th ed. London: McGraw-Hill Education (UK) ltd, p.204-252.

The Times 100 (n.d.) motivational theory in practice. [online] Available at: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/tesco/motivational-theory-in-practice-at-tesco/whatis-motivation.html#ixzz1xumkrIAw [Accessed: 08/06/2012].

www.managementstudyguide.com (n.d.) motivation theories. [Online] Available at: http://www.managementstudyguide.com/equity-theory-motivation.htm 12/06/2012]. [Accessed: