Journal Title Theories of Motivation and Their Application in Organizations: A Risk Analysis

Badubi, R.M. (2017). Theories of Motivation and Their Application in Organizations:

APA Citation A Risk Analysis. International Journal of Management Science and Business
Administration, 3(3), 44-51.
DOI: 10.18775/ijied.1849-7551-7020.2015.33.2004

Methodology
 Concepts and related data were gathered from different authors provided in the study and articles from
Google Scholar and other related search engines. However, motivational theories that are not
applicable in the workplace and the employees motivation were excluded from the study.

Essential Concepts Related to the Study

 Motivation: as Locke defined it, it is a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the
appraisal of one’s job experiences. Two aspect surrounding the definition of Locke is the emotional
attachment an employee has to their job, and their deliberate review of an employee’s work by the
employer. It can be determine by an outside factor (extrinsic) or an inner drive to achieve a goal
(intrinsic).
 Job Satisfaction: it is how the work is done and how expectations in the job meet the employee’s
standard. According to Jehanzeb, et.al., job satisfaction is a sensation an employees have about their
work and environment and their expectation towards work.
 Theories of Motivation
o Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs – it states that job satisfaction revolves around the employee’s
need and the factor that bring them a reasonable degree of satisfaction, whether be it physical,
biological, social, or psychological needs of human being. The five categories include:
1.physiological needs, 2.safety and security needs, 3.social needs, 4.esteem needs, 5. self-
actualization.
o Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory/Motivator-Hygiene – the theory that emphasize the fact that
there are factors that satisfy (achievement, recognition, job itself, responsibility and
advancement) and dissatisfy (institutional politics, the management approach. Supervision,
pay, relationship at work and working conditions) the employees.
o Equity Theory - postulates that employees will weigh their input into a job against the output
they receive from it – the more the rewards, the greater their satisfaction. Employees who
perceive that they receive more output from their jobs than what they put into them will
experience job satisfaction. 
o Vroom’s Expectancy Theory - stipulates that behavior is a product of choices that are
available for to be prioritized. According to this theory performance it greatly determine by
personality and skills. The higher the effort in works relates to the higher performance of an
individual.
Interpretation of Results
 During the day to day operation of business, workers that are not motivated in the workplace are a risk
in the business, specially workers who handle equipment essential to the proceeding with the daily
operation
 In order for the employer to keep their employees and staffs in the organization, it is important to pay
attention to the motivational forces their employees have. To do that, they need to conduct regular
assessment of their employees to determine the innovation they would take to meet their employee’s
needs.
 A motivated employee contributes well to the improvement of the whole organization, thus, it is
essential to reasonably meet their employee’s demand.

Summary of Outcomes/Results
 According to the article, there is no single reliable theory to be used to determine all the employees
motivation, but a mixture of those theories can be utilized simultaneously.
 Rewards and promotions following performance appraisals maybe used to boost employee’s moral as
well as feedback. All employees should understand the company’s vision and goals and work together
towards those. In some organizations, workers perform their duties in an assembly whereby if a certain
section of employees is affected it will affect the whole plant.

Recommendation
 In order to broaden the understanding about these motivational theories and how it affect the
organization as a whole, a further qualitative research. Hence, conducting related studies is
recommended.
Remarks
 The researchers might be able to conduct further studies to explore not just the discussion of the
definition of motivational theories but also contribute to broaden the understanding of these theories.
Hence, be able to postulate a theory that would suffice all the factors circling the issue of motivation.
Thus, be able to contribute to literature reviews of further researches.
Checked by:
Analyn B. BAracena, RN

JOURNAL REPORT
Journal Title: The Utility of Equity Theory in Enhancing Organizational
Effectiveness

APA Citation: European Journal of Economics, Finance and Administrative Sciences

ISSN 1450-2275 Issue 46 (2012) © EuroJournals, Inc. 2012
http://www.eurojournals.com/EJEFAS.htm

Methodology:
 This paper will focus on examining equity theory, its propositions and underlying
assumptions.
 This researchers used review of literature to broadly define the equity theory.

Essential Concepts Related to the Study:

 Equity theory has a one major proposition which is the comparison of one’s inputs and
outcomes to others inputs and outcomes and as a result of this comparison one might
experience equity or inequity.
 Equity theory has received more attention lately from human resource professionals
especially regarding the fairness of outcomes. Equity, or more precisely, inequity is a major
concern of industry, labor, and government.
 The purpose of this research paper an attempt would be to determine the effect pay would
have on employees.

Interpretation of Results:
 Equity theory has focused on what motivates employees and describes that employees input
something and expect something back in return. This equalization of relationship will tend to
motivate employees to perform.
 The theory also emphasized two situations of inequity, which is the case of over reward and
under reward and how humans tend to react in either situation.
 According to equity theory, it is the perception of equitability and inequitability. Equity
theory focuses on two sides: the input and the outcome. An employee compares his or her
job’s inputs with an outcomes ratio. If the employee perceives inequality, he or she he will act
to correct the inequity. The employee may lower productivity or reduce the quality of their
job.
 Most of the research reviewed emphasized that underpayment inequity is associated with
negative attitude and dissatisfaction.

Summary of the Outcomes/Results:

 Adams proposed this theory in particular on how employees would behave in response to
situations when they are treated less or more justly in comparison to others.
 The theory suggests that inequitable comparison will result in a state of tension, which will
encourage employees to restore equity.
 The research of equity theory examined how employees would behave in reaction to inequity
as well as the kind of behavior that will result to compensate for the inequity such as theft.
 An unfair system is one in which has a lack of predictability, so that arbitrary decisions are
made and employees fear victimization. Unfair systems undermine the employees believe that
efforts will result in valid outcomes.
 Employee theft is one of the important problems that organizations face today. The research
revealed that theft is a predictable behavior in response to underpayment inequity and it is
also possible to lower such behavior by the two-way communication with upper management
 that explains in an honest way the reason for pay cuts.
 HRD needs to take equity theory under serious consideration when dealing with people
whether in cases of administering simple tasks like pay, promotions, and recognition or in
cases of training, improvements, and development. Equity theory will help HRD explain
employee’s behavior and provide them with the possible factors that might decrease
efficiency and performance.

Recommendations:
 Managers should be aware of the benefits of behaving toward subordinates in a manner
perceived as fair. Managers should be concerned with how they treat their employees because
employee’s perceptions of that treatment could affect the level of citizenship behavior.
 Because of the importance of the pay factor and how it affects other factors such as
motivation, performance, and job satisfaction, every single organization needs to pay close
attention to pay when constructing its mission and goals.
 Human resource development should be very concerned with the pay factor and the kind of
relationship it has with motivation, performance, and job satisfaction.
 Further studies need to be directed toward this relationship accounting for individual
differences and different cultures.

Remarks:
 Equity theory has a one major proposition which is the comparison of one’s inputs and
outcomes to others inputs and outcomes and as a result of this comparison one might
experience equity or inequity. This proposition is very clear and parsimonious unlike many
theories in the social science.
 Researchers emphasized that theories should not be too broad or too narrow. Equity theory
has achieved this limitation.

Checked by:

Analyn B. Baracena, RN

JOURNAL REPORT

Journal Title: A Review of B. F. Skinner’s ‘Reinforcement Theory of Motivation

APA Citation: Marzieh Gordan (Corresponding author)

School of Language Studies and Linguistics, University Kebangsaan
Malaysia
E-mail: marzieh.gordan@yahoo.com
Isai amutan krishanan
Faculty of languages and linguistics, University of Malaya
E-mail: Kisai27@yahoo.com.my
Methodology:
Reinforcement theory describes specifically how people learn behavior and learn how to act. Also
different instructors who attempt to bring motivation for the students should make sure that these
teachers will not give reward to all students
at the same time. They should say to the students who are not acting well in the course of learning
and they are not
leading a correct way in this process. Teachers basically should bring awareness to the students
and teach them in what
they are able to gain positive reinforcement.

Essential Concepts Related to the Study:

 Positive reinforcement means that if someone gives a positive response to something or do
some positive action he or she should be rewarded positively.
 Punishment is: “ the application of aversive stimuli in order to reduce the chance of being a
behavior repeated”.
 Negative reinforcement is: “ the removal of aversive stimuli in order to increase the
probability of being a behavior repeated”.
 Social reinforcement is always considered as an effective reinforcement for the students or
employees.
 Token reinforcement are those stars tokens and cards which are given to the students for their
positive behavior.
 Tangibles which are considers small gifts which are handled to the person for his good
behavior or his good action and attitude.
 Activity reinforcers are those activities which will be given to the person as a reward and gift.
Interpretation of Results:
 Motivation is the concept we apply when “describe the forces acting on or within an organism
to initiate and direct behavior”. We also use the term motivation to explain differences in the
course of the behavior. More intense behaviors consider being the outcome of higher levels of
motivation.
 Centuries ago people were seeing themselves as a person who could feel himself better any
other creatures in the world. But in today‟s world he is not able to understand himself.
 As behaviorist B.F. Skinner brought up the Reinforcement Theory. The Reinforcement
Theory is one of the oldest theories of motivation which describe behavior and how we act.
This theory can called as „behaviorism‟ or ope-rant conditioning‟ that is taught in the today‟s
world of psychology.

Summary of the Outcomes/Results:

Recommendations:
 Theory of motivation concentrates on internal needs and Reinforcement Theory focuses on
external conditions and situations. Thus, this is much more easier for motivating a worker in
the workplace by external factors like giving promotions or increasing the wages (Operant
Conditioning, 2006).
 To conduct some tests or performance for the students or employees. So in this way they
always should be ready for the test and they should work properly with the highest potential
(Redmond, 2010).

Remarks:
 All people are not the same like each other and they have different abilities. A reinforcement
 which is very effective on some people may not be effective on others and shows a reverse
effect and act poorly.
 All behaviors are not the same in the same situations or different situations so it's very hard to
apply a reinforcement to a situation. So using the same reinforcement in the same station for
different people can not be effective.
 It's unethical if one who gives gifts and reward for changing behavior . This goes also for
those who are trying to control a person or a group of people by imposing reward (Redmond,
2010).
Checked by:

Analyn B. Baracena, RN

JOURNAL REPORT

Journal Title: VROOM’S EXPECTANCY THEORY. AN EMPIRICAL STUDY:

CIVIL SERVANT’S PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL INFLUENCING
EXPECTANCY

APA Citation: Transylvanian Review of Administrative Sciences, No. 39 E/2013, pp.

180-200

Methodology:
 This study is based on a quantitative research, a survey based on questionnaire.
 In order to collect data, they have used an omnibus type of questionnaire because it allows
handling more themes / issues and also offers the opportunity to capture their 191 interaction
and conditioning. Both factual and opinion questions were used. Also we have used both
closed and open questions
 The research was conducted in several cities from the Nord-West Region of Romania. The
purpose was that the area bounded by these cities to be considered a region, which we have
called the North-West Region
 The authors will focus on work motivation, as a particular form of motivation and its
determinants, based on Victor Vroom’s expectancy theory.
 The researchers will focus on showing the influence civil servants performance appraisal has
on the expectancy element, as described by Vroom in his theory.
Essential Concepts Related to the Study:
 The aspects related to employee’s job performance have been a concern of all times, but
especially of the contemporary society, regardless the field of activity.
 This study aims to highlight the importance of performance evaluation from the perspective
of work motivation.
 The research is based on the expectancy theory developed by Victor Vroom and is meant to
show that performance evaluation influences one of the factors from the VIE model, the
expectancy.
 The empirical part of the research aims to show the above mentioned in the context of local
public administration, namely in the case of the Romanian civil servants from the North-West
Region.

Interpretation of Results:
 The researchers have presented the particularities of civil servants performance evaluation in
 the Romanian local public administration, and its connection to their expectancy and work
motivation.
 The result confirms the hypothesis that performance appraisal is important to civil servants
and the importance of performance appraisal is reflected in a certain manner in their work
motivation.
 The hypothesis they started from was confirmed, meaning civil servants performance
appraisal influences civil servants expectancy and this in its turn influences their work
motivation.

Summary of the Outcomes/Results:

 The results have shown that civil servants performance appraisal influences civil servants
expectancy and this in its turn influences their work motivation.
 From this study they have found that performance evaluation is important, among others, also
because it influences the motivation process, in other words it affects civil servants’ work
motivation
 Applying the expectancy theory in local public administration and not only, requires from
individuals to believe they have the ability and skills necessary to exert the work effort and
this effort to be assessed in a manner that would lead to an increased self-esteem and
confidence.
Recommendations:
 In order for this to happen, civil servants had first to find the performance appraisal important
to them (to influence their beliefs) which we have found to be the case of more than 64% of
the respondents.
 Secondly, in order for performance appraisal to influence expectancy and through it, work
motivation, we have shown that there is a direct link with the fact that most civil servants are
motivated in the work they do also due to their professional performance evaluation.
 Thirdly, we have shown that the type of evaluation influences expectancy since most civil
servants believe that obtaining a positive evaluation will lead to positive outcomes for them,
while a negative one will lead to undesired ones.
 In addition, we have shown that the type of evaluation has a direct influence on work
motivation also (which is normal, since it influences expectancy).

Remarks:
 This study focuses on showing how the civil servants’ performance appraisal affects their
expectancy and how this is reflected on their overall work motivation.
 It is difficult to define performance criteria that would consistently lead to above average
results and also be generally valid and applicable to all categories of public institutions and
civil servants.

Checked by:

Analyn B. Baracena, RN