ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

ADM 2513

Patrick Bruning
TODAY’S CLASS

Topic 1: Motivation

Topic 2: Expectancy Theory: Determining Direction

Topic 3: Goal Setting Theory: Persistence, Intensity, and Effort

Topic 4: Contextual motivation (Equity and Empowerment)

INDIVIDUAL INTROSPECTION

• What are three of the times in your life you have been most
motivated?

• What specifically was it that motivated you?

• What kind of feelings did you have when you were this
motivated?

• How did you behave?

 WHAT IS MOTIVATION
 Motivation - A set of energetic forces that originates both within and
outside an employee. It involves …

Effort,

Direction,

Intensity,

Persistence.

 Job performance often requires high ability and motivation.

Engaged (highly motivated) employees invest their selves and energies

into their jobs.
 EXPECTANCY THEORY

Expectancy theory - Describes the cognitive process that employees go

through to make choices among different voluntary behaviors/responses.

• General Assumption: Employee behavior is directed toward certainty and

away from uncertainty.

Effort Performance Outcomes (+/-)

Expectancy Instrumentality Valence
STUDENT: “I expect that if I STUDENT: “If I do well on STUDENT: “I want a
study hard for the test, I will do the test it will help my good grade,” OR … “I
well.” overall grade,” OR … “If I love my parents, and
do well on the test my want them to think I am
parents will think I am doing well.”
doing well!”
 EXPECTANCY THEORY
•Expectancy - The belief that exerting a high level of effort will result in the
successful performance of some task.
• Expectancy is a subjective probability, ranging from 0 to 1 that a
specific amount of effort will result in a specific level of performance
(abbreviated E → P).

•Self-efficacy (SE) - The belief that one is capable of executing the

behaviors required for success in a given task (task-specific SE), or across
tasks (generalized SE).
• SE is one of the most critical factors in the strength of expectancy.

SE is influenced by:
• Past accomplishments
• Vicarious experiences
• Verbal persuasion
• Emotional cues
EXPECTANCY THEORY - MODEL OF SE

Source of Cues/Information Analysis of Task

• Past Accomplishments
• Vicarious Experience
• Verbal Persuasion
• Emotional Cues
Requirements
Self Efficacy
Assessment of Personal
and Situational Aspects

Information Analysis Outcome

Test Example: In your groups describe the model of SE

Development regarding your SE for a Test.
PSYCHOLOGICAL
EMPOWERMENT
•Psychological empowerment - An energy rooted in the belief that work
tasks contribute to some larger purpose. Aspects Include:

• Meaningfulness - The value of a work goal or purpose, relative to a

person’s own ideals and passions.

• Self-determination - Reflects a sense of choice in the initiation and

continuation of work tasks.

• Competence - A person’s belief in his or her capability to perform work

tasks successfully.

• Impact - The sense that a person’s actions “make a difference”—that

progress is being made toward fulfilling some important purpose.
 GOAL SETTING THEORY
•Goal setting theory - Views goals as the primary drivers of the intensity
and persistence of effort.
• Assigning employees specific and difficult goals will result in higher
levels of performance.

•Why do specific and difficult goals have such positive effects?

• Assignment of a specific and difficult goal shapes people’s own self-set
goals.
• Goals trigger the creation of task strategies (learning plans and problem-
solving approaches used to achieve successful performance).

•Moderators on Task Performance

• Feedback - Updates on employee progress toward goal attainment (+).

• Task complexity - How complicated the information and actions involved

in a task are, as well as how much the task changes (-).

• Goal commitment - The degree to which a person accepts a goal and is

determined to try to reach it (+).
GOAL SETTING THEORY
S.M.A.R.T. GOALS IN-CLASS
EXERCISE

Managers are trained to identify five to seven SMART goals for

employees, and link rewards to goal achievement.
• S (specific)
• M (measureable)
• A (achievable)
• R (results-based)
• T (time-sensitive)

Using the concept of SMART Goals, use the remainder of the class to
create a list of SMART goals to strive for in completing your
group/applied project(s).
Focus on a comprehensive description of each goal, describe more
as you have time.
APPENDIX
INSTRUMENTALITY AND VALENCE

•Instrumentality - The belief that successful performance will result in

some outcome(s).
• If I do well, what will I get out of it?

•Valence - The anticipated value of the outcomes associated with

performance.
• Do the outcomes matter?

•Needs - Cognitive groupings of outcomes, viewed as having critical

consequences (psychological or physiological).
• Expectancy theory is another needs/values based theory like Value-
Percept Theory (and Job Characteristics Theory)
HOW IMPORTANT IS MOTIVATION?
• Strongest performance effects is self-efficacy
• People with a sense of SE tend to outperform those who doubt their
capabilities.

• Difficult (yet achievable) goals are the second most powerful motivating
force.
• The motivational force created by high levels of valence, instrumentality, and
expectancy.

• Perceptions of equity have a somewhat weaker effect on task

performance.
• But can have large/moderate effects on CWBs, OCBs, and commitment
(affective and normative).
 APPLICATION: COMPENSATION
SYSTEMS
Motivational techniques credited with improvements in employee
productivity.
• Lump sum bonuses (individual focused) - A bonus is received for
meeting individual goals, but no change is made to base salary.

• Gainsharing (Group focused) – A bonus is received for meeting unit

goals for criteria controllable by employees

• Merit pay (Individual focused) – An increase to base salary is made in

accordance with performance evaluation ratings.
• The most common element of organizational compensation plans.

• Piece-Rate (Individual focused) – A specified rate is paid for each unit

produced, each unit sold, or each service provided.

• Recognition Awards (Individual focused)

• Profit-Sharing (Organization focused) – A bonus is received when the

publicly reported earnings of a company exceed some minimum level.