Motivation

“Process that starts with physiological or
psychological deficiency or need that activates

a behaviour or a drive that is aimed at a goal
or incentive.”
Needs Drives Incentives
Needs
• Are created whether there is
physiological or psychological
imbalance
Drives
• Action oriented energizing thrust
toward reaching an incentive
Incentives
• Anything that will alleviate a need &
reduce a drive restoring the
physiological and psychological balance
Continuous Process
• Where a particular need is satisfied, a new need emerges. It is
the result of an interaction between human needs and the
incentives offered to satisfy them.
Psychological aspect
• It is the internal feeling which arises from the need and desires
of a person. Motivation generates from within an individual.
Complex Phenomenon
• Motives cannot be observed rather they can only be inferred
from behavior of others
• Some motives remain active even when original goal is
achieved.
Goals directed
• Motivation generates goals-directed behavior. Human needs

influence behaviours to achieve desired goals.
Integrated
• All needs are interrelated and influence behaviours in different

ways.
Complex and Dynamic process
• Individuals differ in their needs and wants. Different

individuals work to fulfill their own needs. They satisfy their
need in different ways. Moreover, human need change from
time to time
“Determines what motivates people at work
and concerned with identifying the needs/
drives that people have & how these are
prioritized.”
Abraham H. Maslow attempted to formulate a
needs-based framework of human motivation
and based upon his clinical experiences with
people.
Abraham Maslow's book Motivation and

Personality (1954), formally introduced the
Hierarchy of Needs.
Assumptions
• Person’s motivational needs could be arranged in a

hierarchical manner
• Once a given level of need is satisfied, it no longer

serves to motivate
• Next higher level of need has to be activated in order

to motivate the individual
Physiological Needs Physiological needs are those required to sustain life.
• Higher needs such as social needs and esteem are not recognized until one satisfies the
needs basic to existence.
Safety Needs Being free from the threat of physical and emotional harm.
• If a person feels threatened, needs further up the pyramid will not receive attention
until that need has been resolved.
Social Needs The first level of higher level needs are social needs.
• These are related to interaction with others.
Esteem Needs Urge to attain a degree of importance.

• Can be categorized as external motivators as Recognition & Reputation and internal
motivators as Self-respect & accomplishment.
Self-Actualization The quest of reaching one's full potential as a person.

• Unlike lower level needs, this need is never fully satisfied as wisdom, meaning etc.
Business Implications of Maslow’s Theory
Physiological Motivation
• Provide ample breaks for lunch and restoration and pay salaries that
allow workers to buy life's essentials.
Social Needs
• Generate a feeling of acceptance, belonging, and community by
reinforcing team dynamics.
Esteem Motivators
• Recognize achievements, assign important projects, and provide
status to make employees feel valued and appreciated.
Self-Actualization
• Offer challenging and meaningful work assignments which enable
innovation, creativity, and progress according to long-term goals.
Critical Appraisal
• Gratifying the self actualizing need of growth
motivated individuals can actually increase rather
than decrease this need
• Higher level needs emerge after lower needs that

have been fulfilled or suppressed for a long period are
satisfied
• Employees at workplace have diverse motives, some

of which are high level
Studied about 200 accountants & engineers employed by
firms in & around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Used Critical incident method of obtaining data for

analysis
Essentially asked two questions:
• When did you feel particularly good about your job-

What turned you on?
• When did you feel exceptionally bad about your job-
What turned you off?
Essentially asked two questions:
• What turned you on?- Associated with Job

Experiences & Job Content i.e. Job Satisfiers referred
as Motivators
• What turned you off?- Associated with surrounding or

peripheral aspects of the job or Job Context i.e. Job
Dissatisfiers referred as Hygiene Factors
Contribution to Work Motivation
• Explained why concentrating on hygiene factors does
not motivate employees
• Only challenging job that has opportunities for
advancement, achievement, recognition & growth will
motivate employees
Critical Appraisal
• Theory oversimplifies the complexities of work motivation
• Sample & setting (Age, & other factors) may affect

preferences for motivators & hygiene factors
• Job Factors like Pay- leading to both satisfaction &

dissatisfaction
• Contribution of the concept of Job Enrichment as Job

Design technique
• Attention to importance of Job Content factors

Motivational Theories X & Y
• Douglas McGregor proposed two theories by which to view
employee motivation.
• He avoided descriptive labels and simply called the theories

Theory X and Theory Y.
• Both of these theories begin with the premise that management's

role is to assemble the factors of production, including people,
for the economic benefit of the firm. Beyond this point, the two
theories of management diverge.
Motivational Theories X & Y
SA Theory Y - a set of
assumptions of how to
Esteem
manage individuals
motivated by higher
Love (Social)
order needs
Theory X - a set of
Safety & Security assumptions of how to
manage individuals
Physiological motivated by lower
order needs
Assumptions about Human Behaviour
Theory X
The typical person dislikes work & will avoid it if possible.
The typical person lacks responsibility, has little ambition, and seeks security above all.
Most people must be coerced, controlled, and threatened with punishment to get them to
work.
With these assumptions the managerial role is to coerce and control employees.
Essentially, Theory X assumes that people work only for

money and security.
Theory X
Hard Approach
• Relies on coercion, implicit threats, close supervision, and tight
controls, essentially an environment of command and control;
• Results in hostility, purposely low-output, and hardline union

demands.
Soft Approach
• Liberal and seek harmony with the hope that in return
employees will cooperate when asked to do so;
• Results in ever-increasing requests for more rewards in exchange

for ever-decreasing work output.
Critical Appraisal of Theory X
• McGregor argues that a satisfied need no longer motivates.
• Hinders the satisfaction of higher-level needs

Assumptions about Human Behaviour
Theory Y
Work is an natural as play or rest.
People are not inherently lazy. They have become that way as a result of experience.
People will exercise self-direction and self-control in the service of objectives to which they
are committed.
People have potential. Under proper conditions they learn to accept and seek
responsibility. They have imagination, ingenuity, and creativity that can be applied to work.
With these assumptions the managerial role is to develop the potential in employees and
help them release that potential in employees toward common objectives.
Implications of Theory Y
Decentralization and Delegation of authority
• Decentralized control and reduced number of levels of management
will force managers to delegate some responsibility and decision
making to their subordinates.
Job Enlargement
• Broadening the scope of an employee's job adds variety and
opportunities to satisfy ego needs.
Participative Management
• Consulting employees in the decision making process taps their
creative capacity and provides them with some control over their
work environment.
Performance Appraisals
• Having the employee set objectives and participate in the process of
evaluating how well they were met.

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“Process that starts with physiological or

psychological deficiency or need that activates

• Motivation generates goals-directed behavior. Human needs

• All needs are interrelated and influence behaviours in different

Complex and Dynamic process

• Individuals differ in their needs and wants. Different

Abraham Maslow's book Motivation and

• Person’s motivational needs could be arranged in a

• Once a given level of need is satisfied, it no longer

• Next higher level of need has to be activated in order

Esteem Needs Urge to attain a degree of importance.

Self-Actualization The quest of reaching one's full potential as a person.

• Higher level needs emerge after lower needs that

• Employees at workplace have diverse motives, some

Used Critical incident method of obtaining data for

Essentially asked two questions:

• When did you feel particularly good about your job-

• What turned you on?- Associated with Job

• What turned you off?- Associated with surrounding or

• Explained why concentrating on hygiene factors does

not motivate employees

• Only challenging job that has opportunities for

advancement, achievement, recognition & growth will

• Theory oversimplifies the complexities of work motivation

• Sample & setting (Age, & other factors) may affect

• Job Factors like Pay- leading to both satisfaction &

• Contribution of the concept of Job Enrichment as Job

• Attention to importance of Job Content factors

• He avoided descriptive labels and simply called the theories

• Both of these theories begin with the premise that management's

The typical person dislikes work & will avoid it if possible.

Essentially, Theory X assumes that people work only for

• Results in hostility, purposely low-output, and hardline union

• Results in ever-increasing requests for more rewards in exchange

• McGregor argues that a satisfied need no longer motivates.

• Hinders the satisfaction of higher-level needs

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