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(Download PDF) Essentials of Organizational Behaviour Canadian 1st Edition Robbins Solutions Manual Full Chapter
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Chapter 7 Motivation Concepts
Chapter 7
Motivation Theories
Chapter Overview
Motivation is one of the major areas of interest in OB. Properly motivating a workforce can
lead to gains in productivity, innovation, and employee retention. This chapter will review
the basics of motivation, assess the number of motivation theories, and provide an
integrative model that shows how the best of these theories fits together.
Chapter Objectives
I. INTRODUCTION
Motivation is a problem in the North American workforce. Poorly motivated workers
express themselves through detrimental behaviours such as time wasting, absenteeism,
and high turnover. It is important that motivational theories are understood and
applied in the workplace.
II. DEFINING MOTIVATION
Motivation: the processes that account for an individual’s intensity, direction, and
persistence of effort toward attaining a goal, specifically for OB, toward attaining an
organizational goal.
A. Three Key Elements in the Definition:
1. Intensity: how much effort a person puts forth to meet a goal.
2. Direction: efforts are channeled toward organizational goals.
3. Persistence: how long a person maintains effort toward a goal.
III. EARLY THEORIES OF MOTIVATION
Four early theories of employee motivation formulated during the 1950s, although now
of questionable validity, are probably the best known. We discuss more valid
explanations later, but these four represent a foundation, and practicing managers still
use their terminology.
A. Hierarchy of Needs Theory. In this, perhaps best known (and least supported) of all
motivational theories, Abraham Maslow proposed that there are five levels of
human needs. As each of the lower level needs are satisfied, the next unsatisfied
need becomes dominant. Satisfied needs no longer motivate; only unsatisfied needs
motivate people. In cultures that do not share North American traits, the
hierarchical order of needs may be out of sequence.
1. Physiological: lower order need, includes hunger, thirst, shelter, sex, and other
bodily needs. Lower order needs are satisfied externally, through forces outside
of the person.
2. Safety: lower order need, includes security and protection from physical and
emotional harm.
3. Social: upper order need, includes affection, belongingness, acceptance, and
friendship. Upper order needs are satisfied internally, that is, from within the
person.
4. Esteem: upper order need, includes internal (self-respect, autonomy, and
achievement) and external (status, recognition, and attention) esteem factors.
5. Self-actualization: upper order need, defined as the drive to “be all one can be,”
it includes growth, achieving one’s potential, and self-fulfillment.
B. Theory X and Theory Y. Douglas McGregor’s theory proposed that there were two
basic views of human nature, one essentially negative (Theory X) and the other
positive (Theory Y). Which view a manager believed was true would give that
manager a pre-set series of assumptions and related behaviours.
1. Theory X. In this negative view of human nature, workers inherently dislike
work and must be directed or even coerced into performing it.
2. Theory Y. In this positive view, employees view work as being as natural as rest
or play. Therefore, they can learn to accept and even seek responsibility.
3. Unfortunately, as with Maslow’s theory, there is no research evidence that either
view of human nature is valid or that taking actions based on Theory Y will
increase motivation in workers.
C. Two-Factor Theory. Frederick Herzberg proposed that an individual’s relation to
work is basic and that one’s attitude toward work can very well determine success
or failure. In other words, things that people feel good about at work are motivating
and those things they don’t feel good about are de-motivating. This theory is also
known as the motivation-hygiene theory.
1. In his research, Herzberg realized that the opposite of satisfaction is not
dissatisfaction; rather there are two different factor scales, one ranging from
satisfaction to no satisfaction and the other from dissatisfaction to no
dissatisfaction. When he related a number of workplace factors against these
two scales, he realized they were very different concepts. He called the first set
of factors motivation factors and the second hygiene factors.
a. Hygiene Factors. These workplace factors, when not met, lead to job
dissatisfaction. When they are met, they do NOT lead to job satisfaction, but
rather, to a lack of dissatisfaction. Therefore, meeting hygiene factors does
NOT increase motivation; it merely placates the workers. Hygiene factors
include quality of supervision, pay, company policies, physical working
conditions, relations with others, and job security.
b. Motivation Factors. These are intrinsically rewarding factors in the work
environment such as promotion and personal growth opportunities,
recognition, responsibility, and achievement. Meeting these factors will
increase motivation by creating a satisfying work environment.
2. As with the other two main motivational theories, this very popular theory is
also not well-supported in the research literature. There are many criticisms of
the Two-Factor Theory, mostly dealing with the methodology Herzberg used in
his initial studies.
D. McClelland's Theory of Needs. David McClelland and his associates created a theory
based on three subconscious needs:
1. Need for Achievement (nAch): the drive to excel and to achieve in relation to a
set of standards. High achievers perform best when they have a 50-50 chance of
success. High achievers perform best in jobs with a high degree of personal
responsibility and feedback with an intermediate degree of risk.
a. High achievers tend to be successful entrepreneurs.
b. A high need for achievement does not necessarily mean the person would be
a good manager for larger organizations, as his or her desire for personal
recognition supersedes his or her concern for the organization.
2. Need for Power (nPow): the need to make others behave in a way they would
not have behaved otherwise.
3. Need for Affiliation (nAff): the desire for friendly and close interpersonal
relationships.
4. The best managers appear to be those with a high need for power and a low
need for affiliation.
5. The need for achievement presupposes certain cultural characteristics such as
moderate degree of risk acceptance and a concern with performance. These two
cultural characteristics are not universal, and therefore the need for
achievement may not be as powerful in other cultures.
6. McClelland’s theory has the best research support, but has the least practical
effect of any of the early motivational theories.
IV. CONTEMPORARY THEORIES OF MOTIVATION
A. Unlike the historic theories of motivation, these current theories of motivation do
have a reasonable degree of supporting documentation. It is important to
remember that these are still theories. None of these has been totally proven to be
true.
B. Self-Determination Theory
1. Self-determination theory, which proposes that people prefer to feel they have
control over their actions, so anything that makes a previously enjoyed task feel
more like an obligation than a freely chosen activity will undermine motivation.
2. Much research on self-determination theory in OB has focused on cognitive
evaluation theory, which hypothesizes that extrinsic rewards will reduce
intrinsic interest in a task.
a. When people are paid for work, it feels less like something they want to do
and more like something they have to do.
3. Self-determination theory also proposes that, in addition to being driven by a
need for autonomy, people seek ways to achieve competence and positive
connections to others.
a. A large number of studies support self-determination theory.
b. When organizations use extrinsic rewards as payoffs for superior
performance, employees feel less like they are doing a good job because of
their own intrinsic desire to excel and more like they are doing a good job
because that’s what the organization wants.
1) Eliminating extrinsic rewards can also shift from an external to an
internal explanation of an individual’s perception of why she works on a
task.
they do is within their control and a result of free choice are likely to be
more motivated by their work and committed to their employers.
C. Goal-Setting Theory.
1. This theory studies the effects goal specificity, challenge, and feedback have on
performance. The study of goal setting has created the following general rules:
a. Specific goals produce a higher level of output than do generalized goals.
b. Typically, the more difficult the goal, the higher level of performance,
assuming that goal has been accepted by the employee. This is because:
1) Difficult goals focus attention on the task and away from distractions.
2) Difficult goals energize employees.
3) Difficult goals tend to make people persist in efforts toward attaining
them.
4) Difficult goals force employees to discover strategies to help them
perform the task or job more effectively.
2. Feedback is important in goal-setting theory, especially self-generated feedback.
3. The question of whether participative goal setting increases motivation has not
yet been resolved. The assumption is that when employees are involved in
setting the goals, they have greater buy-in and therefore will have a higher level
of commitment. When employees don’t participate in goal setting, the manager
must take pains to explain the purpose and importance of the goal.
4. Contingencies in goal-setting theory:
a. Goal Commitment. Commitment increases when goals are made public,
when the individual has an internal locus of control, and when goals are self-
set rather than assigned.
b. Task Characteristics. Goals are better in terms of performance on simple
rather than complex tasks, when tasks are familiar, and when they are
accomplished by a single individual.
c. National Culture. Goal-setting theory is culture-bound. It is important that
the key components of goal-setting theory match the culture traits.
5. Although goal setting has positive outcomes, it is not unequivocally beneficial.
For example, some goals may be too beneficial. When learning something is
important, goals related to performance undermine adaptation and creativity
because people become too focused on outcomes and ignore changing
conditions.
a. A goal to learn and generate alternative solutions will be more effective than
a goal to perform.
b. Individuals may fail to give up on an unattainable goal, even when it might
be beneficial to do so.
c. Managers should make sure goals are aligned with company objectives.
6. Research has found that people differ in the way they regulate their thoughts
and behaviours during goal pursuit. Generally, people fall into one of two
categories, though they could belong to both.
a. Those with a promotion focus strive for advancement and accomplishment,
and they approach conditions that move them closer toward desired goals.
b. Those with a prevention focus strive to fulfill duties and obligations and
avoid conditions that pull them away from desired goals.
c. Ideally, it’s probably best to be both promotion and prevention-oriented.
outcomes (salary levels, raises, recognition) relative to the inputs and outcomes
of other employees. If the ratios of inputs to outputs are roughly equal between
employees, a state of equity is said to exist.
2. The situation is perceived to be fair.
a. However, when the ratios are seen as unequal, employees may experience
tension and emotion.
b. Employees who believe they are under-rewarded may be angry, while those
who feel they are over-rewarded might feel guilty.
c. This emotional tension provides the motivation to do something to correct
the situation.
3. Based on equity theory, employees who perceive inequity will make one of six
choices:
a. Change inputs (exert less effort if underpaid or more if overpaid).
b. Change outcomes (individuals paid on a piece-rate basis can increase their
pay by producing a higher quantity of units at a lower quality).
c. Distort perceptions of self (“I used to think I worked at a moderate pace, but
now I realize I work a lot harder than everyone else.”).
d. Distort perceptions of others (“Mike’s job isn’t as desirable as I thought.”).
e. Choose a different referent (“I may not make as much as my brother-in-law,
but I’m doing a lot better than my Dad did when he was my age.”).
f. Leave the field (quit the job).
4. Some of these propositions have been supported, but others haven’t.
a. First, inequities by overpayment do not seem to significantly affect
behaviour in most work situations. So, don’t expect an employee who feels
overpaid to give back part of her salary or put in more hours to make up for
the inequity. Although individuals sometimes perceive that they are over-
rewarded, they restore equity by rationalizing their situation.
b. Second, not everyone is equity-sensitive. A few actually prefer outcome-
input ratios lower than the referent comparisons.
5. Although equity theory’s propositions have not all held up, the hypothesis
served as an important precursor to the study of organizational justice, or more
simply, fairness, in the workplace. Organizational justice is concerned with how
employees feel authorities and decision makers treat them. For the most part,
employees evaluate how fairly they are treated along four dimensions.
a. Distributive justice is concerned with the fairness of the outcome, such as
pay and recognition that employees receive. People base distributive
judgments on a feeling or an emotional reaction to the way they think they
are being treated relative to others, and their reactions are often “hot” and
emotional rather than rational.
b. Procedural justice focuses on the fairness of the process used to distribute
rewards. The two key elements of procedural justice are:
1) Employees perceive that procedures are fairer when they are given a say
in the decision-making process. Having direct influence over how
decisions are made, or at the very least being able to present your
opinion to decision makers, creates a sense of control and makes us feel
empowered.
2) Employees perceive that procedures are fairer when decision makers
follow several “rules.” It is important that managers be consistent,
justice are respected, and workers around the world prefer rewards based on
performance and skills over rewards based on seniority.
1. However, in collectivistic cultures employees expect rewards to reflect their
individual needs as well as their performance.
2. Other research suggests that inputs and outcomes are valued differently in
various cultures. Materialistic cultures are more likely to see cash compensation
and rewards as the most relevant outcomes of work, whereas relational cultures
will see social rewards and status as important outcomes.
3. International managers must consider the cultural preferences of each group of
employees when determining what is “fair” in different contexts.
I. Expectancy Theory.
1. This widely accepted theory explains motivation as a coupling of three beliefs:
a. Effort will lead to a good performance appraisal,
b. Good appraisals will lead to organizational rewards, and
c. Organizational rewards will satisfy the employee's personal goals.
d. The relationship between these three beliefs and the strength of the links
between them are the focus of this theory.
2. The Three Key Relationships:
a. Effort-Performance Relationship.
1) The probability perceived by the individual that exerting a given amount
of effort leads to successful performance.
2) If the employee believes that effort will not result in successful
performance or that the performance will not be accurately reflected in
the performance appraisal, little effort will be expended.
b. Performance-Reward Relationship.
1) The degree to which the individual believes that performing at a
particular level will lead to the attainment of a desired outcome. Unless
the relationship between strong performance appraisals and rewards is
clear, little effort will be expended to achieve those high appraisal marks.
c. Rewards-Personal Goals Relationship.
1) The degree to which organizational rewards satisfy an individual's
personal goals (or needs) and the attractiveness of those potential
rewards for the individual.
2) Unless organizational rewards are tailored to individual employee wants
and needs, they will not be very motivational and little effort will be
expended.
d. While the research results are mixed, there is reasonable support for this
theory.
1) It may be considered somewhat idealistic, considering the current
realities of the workplace.
2) This theory may explain why such a large portion of the workforce
exhibits low levels of effort in carrying out job responsibilities, as most
companies do not reward for performance.
VI. FOSTERING WORKPLACE MOTIVATION
A. Creating Job Engagement.
1. Job engagement is the investment of an employee’s physical, cognitive, and
emotional energies into job performance.
IX. SUMMARY
A. The motivation theories in this chapter differ in their predictive strength.
B. Maslow’s hierarchy, Theory X and Theory Y, Two-Factor Theory, and McClelland’s
Theory focus on needs. None has found widespread support, although McClelland’s
is the strongest, particularly regarding the relationship between achievement and
productivity.
C. Self-determination theory and cognitive evaluation theory have merits to consider.
D. Goal-setting theory can be helpful but does not cover absenteeism, turnover, or job
satisfaction. Reinforcement theory can be helpful, but not regarding employee
satisfaction or the decision to quit.
E. Equity theory’s strongest legacy is that it provided the spark for research on
organizational justice, which has more support in the literature.
F. Expectancy theory can be helpful, but assumes employees have few constraints on
decision making, such as bias or incomplete information, and this limits its
applicability.
G. Organizational justice is influenced by distributive, procedural, informational, and
Copyright ©2018 Pearson Canada Inc. 96
Chapter 7 Motivation Concepts
Discussion Questions
Equity theory compares the inputs and rewards of one worker (or group of
workers) with the inputs and rewards of another. Each worker, however, also
engages in selective perception. For example, Bianca notices every time she has to
stay on Friday afternoons but she doesn’t directly observe Stephen’s accounting
team when they stay late for month end. Stephen’s group has a similar experience;
they know when they stay late but don’t observe when Bianca’s group does the
same thing. As a result, each group feels that they do more work (deliver more
inputs) than the other group for inequitable rewards (time off), such that the end
result is unfair.
2) Assume that Sophia makes no changes to the summer hours program. What
long term motivational impacts do you anticipate for office staff? How about
production staff? Explain your reasoning.
Most office workers are unlikely to have their motivation negatively impacted since
they will continue to get Friday afternoons off. The summer hours will likely
motivate them slightly, but only at first because they will come to expect it and no
longer perceive it as a perk. Most production workers are also unlikely to have their
motivation negatively impacted since they don’t directly observe the discrepancy in
working hours. Production-related office staff, however, do directly observe the
difference and are likely to feel a lack of equity and justice, leading to lowered
motivation. It is possible that their attitude could unleash emotional contagion that
also impacts regular production staff. That would depend on the amount of contact
and communication between the two groups.
3) Imagine you are Sophia. What do you do now to maintain the highest possible
motivation among the greatest number of employees? Explain your reasoning.
The existing program could be maintained with some special consideration for
production related office staff. For example, production-related office staff could be
offered an afternoon off each week during the summer in exchange for coming into
work earlier too, but they could rotate through a schedule such that at least two
people were always available on Fridays. (Meaning the other four would take off
Monday, or Tuesday, or Wednesday, etc.) While still not ideal since it doesn’t create
a regular extended weekend, this system would address perceived equity problems
between Bianca’s team and Stephen’s team.
1. Using goal setting theory as your framework, explain why Nygard’s “mosquito
fine” policy would be ineffective at motivating desirable job task behaviours.
3. What impact would abusive behaviour and frequent temper tantrums by the
CEO be likely to have on short-term employee motivation? What about long-
term motivation and engagement? Explain your answer using motivational
theory to justify your perspective.
In the very short term, some employees may be motivated by aggressive behaviours
since they will respond quickly to dispel the immediate threat. Aggression causes a
physiological fight or flight response that can energize some people but may
debilitate others or result in aggression in return. Also, some employees will be
motivated by fear (Maslow’s safety needs) and deliver careful work to avoid
becoming a target.
Over the longer term, this motivational technique will become less and less effective.
People will become flooded and no longer respond in the same manner. In addition,
the lack of interpersonal justice will negatively impact work attitudes and
motivation. Intrinsic motivation will be significantly diminished, if not eliminated
entirely, since good performance ultimately helps someone who is abusive.
Employees will be much more likely to be absent, ill, or quit. Psychological stress
also causes a host of physical and psychological problems, including burnout, which
is characterized by diminished personal accomplishment.
Exercises
1. Self-analysis. After reviewing all of the motivational theories of this chapter, select
the one you believe to be the most accurate in describing human behaviour. Justify
your selection and describe how the motivational theory would explain the actions
you have taken in your own life.
2. Web Crawling. Using your favourite search engine, find webpages that relate to
McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y. Read five of the most interesting pages. What
overall impressions do you get on the perceived validity of this theory on those
pages? Did everyone explain the theory in the same way? What may have caused
the differences if there were any?
3. Teamwork. In small groups, discuss the motivations that each of you had when you
made the decision to attend this university and this class in particular. Were they
the same motivations? What motivates you to expend more effort in this class?
What motivates you to continue to attend university and expend the effort
necessary to graduate?
As a group, decide which motivational theory best fits the results of your discussion.
Be ready to give a short description of the most common motivators found in your
group. Justify your application of the chosen motivational theory.
What motivational suggestions would your team make to your professor or the
university administrators to increase the likelihood of student performance, that is,
successful graduation or increased study?
4. Analyzing Your Organization (Cumulative Project). Discuss with your manager the
various motivational theories outlined in this chapter. Interview the manager to
determine his or her beliefs regarding the validity of each of these theories. How
might these beliefs affect organizational effectiveness? Be prepared to present your
findings either orally in class or as a paper.
5. An Application of Motivation—MBO. Instructor notes: The goal here is to help
students apply MBO. The emphasis should be on creating measurable realistic
objectives. You may wish to use this as part of your grading for the course by
holding the students accountable for their objectives at the end of the term.
Review the principles of MBO with the class. Carefully describe the nature of
effective outcomes. The criteria for effective objectives are that they should be
Suggested Assignment
Leaving Ostend, we went out to sea under a clear sky and upon
smooth water--so smooth, indeed, that its surface was scarcely
rippled. I say the sky was clear, and so it was, clear and sunny; but a
rich haze lay upon the water in the distance--a soft, mellow mist,
through which a scattering sail or two loomed vaguely. One may call
such a morning perfect.
The corps of correspondents were well jaded with their railway
journey, but after champagne and soda downstairs with the officers,
everybody came up refreshed and cheery and exceedingly well
acquainted all around. The Persian grandees had meantime taken
up a position in a glass house on the afterdeck, and were sipping
coffee in a grave, Oriental way. They all had much lighter
complexions and a more European cast of features than I was
prepared for, and several of them were exceedingly handsome, fine-
looking men.
They all sat in a circle on a sofa (the deckhouse being circular),
and they made a right gaudy spectacle. Their breasts were
completely crusted with gold bullion embroidery of a pattern
resembling frayed and interlacing ferns, and they had large jeweled
ornaments on their breasts also. The Grand Vizier came out to have
a look around. In addition to the sumptuous gold fernery on his
breast he wore a jeweled star as large as the palm of my hand, and
about his neck hung the Shah’s miniature, reposing in a bed of
diamonds, that gleamed and flashed in a wonderful way when
touched by the sunlight. It was said that to receive the Shah’s portrait
from the Shah was the highest compliment that could be conferred
upon a Persian subject. I did not care so much about the diamonds,
but I would have liked to have the portrait very much. The Grand
Vizier’s sword hilt and the whole back of the sheath from end to end
were composed of a neat and simple combination of some twelve or
fifteen thousand emeralds and diamonds.
We closed up fast upon the ironclads. They fell apart to let our
flotilla come between, and as the Vigilant ranged up the rigging of
the ironclads was manned to salute the Shah. And, indeed, that was
something to see. The shrouds, from the decks clear to the trucks,
away up toward the sky, were black with men. On the lower rounds
of these rope ladders they stood five abreast, holding each other’s
hands, and so the tapering shrouds formed attenuated pyramids of
humanity, six pyramids of them towering into the upper air, and clear
up on the top of each dizzy mast stood a little creature like a clothes
pin--a mere black peg against the sky--and that mite was a sailor
waving a flag like a postage stamp. All at once the pyramids of men
burst into a cheer, and followed it with two more, given with a will;
and if the Shah was not impressed he must be the offspring of a
mummy.
And just at this moment, while we all stood there gazing---
However breakfast was announced and I did not wait to see.
THE SPECTACLE
But never mind. The sea scene grew little by little, until presently it
was very imposing. We drew up into the midst of a waiting host of
vessels. Enormous five-masted men-of-war, great turret ships, steam
packets, pleasure yachts--every sort of craft, indeed--the sea was
thick with them; the yards and riggings of the warships loaded with
men, the packets crowded with people, the pleasure ships
rainbowed with brilliant flags all over and over--some with flags
strung thick on lines stretching from bowsprit to foremast, thence to
mainmast, thence to mizzenmast, and thence to stern. All the ships
were in motion--gliding hither and thither, in and out, mingling and
parting--a bewildering whirl of flash and color. Our leader, the vast,
black, ugly, but very formidable Devastation, plowed straight through
the gay throng, our Shah-ships following, the lines of big men-of-war
saluting, the booming of the guns drowning the cheering, stately
islands of smoke towering everywhere. And so, in this condition of
unspeakable grandeur, we swept into the harbor of Dover, and saw
the English princes and the long ranks of red-coated soldiers waiting
on the pier, civilian multitudes behind them, the lofty hill front by the
castle swarming with spectators, and there was the crash of cannon
and a general hurrah all through the air. It was rather a contrast to
silent Ostend and the unimpressible Flanders.