IOME ASSIGNMENT

COE II

275/COE/14

KISLAYA RANJAN
 Table of Content
What is motivation?

Technical Terms

Laymans Terms

Why do we need motivation?

Psychological theories of motivation

Incentive theory: Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation

Intrinsic/Internal motivation

Advantages

Disadvantages

External/Extrinsic motivation

Advantages

Disadvantages

Herzbergs motivation-hygiene theory / Herzbergs two-factor theory

Criticisms

Maslows hierarchy of needs

Psychological needs

Safety needs

Love/ Belonging

Esteem

Self-actualization

McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y

Theory X

Hard Approach

Soft Approach

Theory Y

David McClellands Theory of Needs

Characteristics of person with a dominant motivator

How to use the theory for different people with different motivators

Bibliography
What is motivation?
Technical Terms

Motivation is regarded as a theoretical construct in the field of psychology. It is used to

rationalise human behaviour. Motivation is the means or inducements which inspire or impel a person
(to behave in a certain manner and) to intensify his willingness to use his capabilities and potentials
for achieving the goals of the organisation for which he works. As an analogy, motivation is to an
individual what morale is to a work-group.

Laymans Terms

Motivation is quite literally the longing/desire to do things. Its the difference between a lazy
morning when you start questioning the worth of attending morning classes and mornings during
exam season. Its a pivotal element in setting and attaining goals. As another example to elucidate the
guiding nature of motivation behind our actions, consider the case when a person is hungry, he or she
may choose to eat a salad rather than a big juicy burger because he or she wants to be slimmer. As an
analogy motivation is to us what fuel is to a car. If the fuel reduces you must be cautious and still
ensure that the efficiency of the car if maintained. Else the car might just get damaged and totally
come to a halt. Or even if the fuel is totally dry, the car comes to a halt. Either ways it is not good.
Same way if you do not stay motivated, you will not be able to sustain the power to continue what you
are doing.

Why do we need motivation?

Imagine a supercar parked on the streets. It may have the most efficient engine to propel it
forwards in style. But remember it is parked because there is no one behind the wheel to spark that
engine. If we analyse this example we may realize that we are the supercar and the would-be driver is
motivation. Motivation helps us tap into our inner potential for better or worse whichever comes first.

"How soon not now' becomes never'" - Martin Luther King

Psychological theories of motivation

Incentive theories: intrinsic and extrinsic motivation

Motivation can be categorized into two different theories known as internal motivation and
external motivation.

Internal/Intrinsic Motivation

It is the self desire to learn new things, to explore ones own intellectual limitations, to
observe and to gain knowledge. It is generally driven by pleasure or engrossment in the task itself.
Unlike external motivation it is independent of superficial factors and pressures as it exists within a
person. This is similar to Ikigai, which is a Japanese concept meaning a reason for being. Everyone,
according to the Japanese has an Ikigai. Search for Ikigai requires introspection and is held in high
regard as it is believed to bring a sense of fulfilment and meaning to life. In a TED Talk, Dan Buettner
suggested ikigai as one of the reasons people in the area had such long lives. This phenomenon was
first recognized while conducting behavioural experiments on animals, particularly mice. In one such
experiment mice were placed in a maze and given incentives (like cheese) to go through the maze. It
was acknowledged that some mice were inquisitive even after the incentives were taken away. It was
evident that the organisms would engage in playful and curiosity driven behaviours in the absence of
reward. This along with other conclusive evidences made it apparent that intrinsic motivation is a
natural phenomenon and is a pivotal element in social, physical, and cognitive development as an
individual. An instance of internal or intrinsic motivation is when a person becomes an Information
Technology professional because he or she wants to learn about how computer users interact with
computer networks. The employee has the intrinsic motivation to gain more knowledge.

Advantages of Internal Motivation:

It can be self-sustaining and long-lasting in nature

It promotes learning
It enhances knowledge of self
It proves to be better than external motivation when a task demands cognizant or
creative skills

Disadvantages of Internal Motivation:

It can be slow
It may require long preparations

External/Extrinsic Motivation

External motivation concerns itself with if-then rewards along with other
circumstantial factors to drive a person to do a certain task. The external motivation of a high
grade compels me to write this assignment with signature finesse. Another example may help
elucidate this concept. A boy who was failing in studies, not doing so well suddenly started
getting very high grades in school and also started showing lot of interest in studying. The
reason was found that the boys father suddenly passed away. And he was the bread winner
for the family. His fathers death acted a powerful motivator for that boy. However it is not a
must that painful events must happen in our lives but before it happens if we take control of
ourselves then we become better.

Advantages of External Motivation:

It can be easily provided

It proves to be better than intrinsic motivation when a task requires mechanical skills

Disadvantages of External Motivation:

It may lead to overjustification and a subsequent reduction in intrinsic motivation

It reduces the desirability of the task

Herzbergs motivation-hygiene theory / Herzbergs two-factor theory

Frederick Herzberg, in 1959, theorized that job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction operate
independently of each other. The two-factor theory builds on this premise to state that there are certain
elements that influence job satisfaction , while a separate exclusive set of factors cause job
dissatisfaction. Herzberg thought it was imperative to eradicate job dissatisfaction in the workplace
before going onto creating an environment for job satisfaction.

Herzberg collected data by conducting interviews with 203 engineers and accountants in
the Pittsburgh area, chosen because of their professions' growing importance in the business world.
When quizzed about the process, Herzberg stated that the respondents were asked to briefly describe
periods in their lives when they felt exceedingly happy and unhappy with their jobs. Each interviewee
gave as many sequence of events as he could to meet a certain threshold. He summarized that his
proposed hypothesis had been verified.

The factors on the right that led to satisfaction (achievement, intrinsic interest in the work,
responsibility, and advancement) are mostly unipolar; that is, they contribute very little to
job dissatisfaction. Conversely, the dis-satisfiers (company policy and administrative
practices, supervision, interpersonal relationships, working conditions, and salary) contribute
very little to job satisfaction.

Herzberg, 1964[3]
After analysing the available data, he found that factors related to what an individual does
i.e., to the nature of the work one performs have the ability to pacify such needs as status,
competency, personal worth, achievement, and self-realization, thus making him pleased and
gratified. However, the absence or exclusion of aforementioned factors does not lead to unhappiness
and dissatisfaction. Instead, malaise results from critical assessment of factors such as technical
problems, company policies, working conditions and, pay. Two-factor theory essentially distinguishes
between Motivators that give gratification, arising from internal environment of the job itself, and
Hygiene factors that do not give positive satisfaction , though their exclusion results in gross
dissatisfaction.
The four possible combinations according to the two-factor theory are:

High Hygiene + High Motivation: This represents a utopian environment where every
individual is highly motivated and has few complaints.
High Hygiene + Low Motivation: People put in their efforts just for the pay without many
complains.
Low Hygiene + High Motivation: This represents a challenging job where the pay does not
match up to the standard of work demanded
Low Hygiene + Low Motivation: This represents a dystopian environment where employees
are not motivated and have many complaints.

Criticisms

Critics question the implicit assumption that happy and satisfied workers are more productive.
This is because criteria of satisfaction may vary from person to person. Consider a person who wants
to play golf but is stuck doing some other desk job. He will end up thinking more about golf than
about his work at hand, perhaps resulting in a lower output on the job due to a lower amount of focus.
Another problem is that these and other statistical theories are concerned with explaining "average"
behaviour, despite considerable differences between individuals that may impact one's motivational
factors. For instance, in their pursuit of status a person might take a balanced view and strive to
pursue several behavioural paths in an effort to achieve a combination of personal status objectives.
 Maslows hierarchy of needs
Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a theory by Abraham Maslow that first appeared in the 1943
paper labelled "A Theory of Human Motivation" in Psychological Review. Maslow subsequently
extended the idea to include his observations of humans' innate curiosity. Maslow studied the
healthiest 1% of college students and exemplary personalities like Albert Einstein, Frederick
Douglass, and Eleanor Roosevelt. He disregarded mentally ill or neurotic people from his studies
stating that a study of stunted, crippled, immature and unhealthy specimens could only yield a
crippled and unhealthy psychology and philosophy.

The theory of needs has a simple agenda, to climb up the pyramid of needs and attain self-
actualization, a state of complete intellectual, spiritual and creative gratification. Maslow
acknowledged that the human mind is rather complex, thus many different motivations may be in
action at the same time. However, he also stated that amongst these needs there is a need that trumps
all the other. He instead focused on identifying the basic types of motivation and the priority that
should logically be assigned to them.

Physiological needs

These needs are the fundamental physical requirements for human survival. If any of these
requisites is not met, the human body ceases to function properly and will inevitably fail.
Physiological needs are deemed to be the most important needs of the bunch hence it finds its place at
the bottom of the pyramid. Clean air, adequate water supply, and food are some examples of
metabolic requirements for survival common to all animals and which qualify as physiological needs.

Safety needs

These needs form the second layer of the pyramid. Once a persons physiological needs are
adequately met, their safety needs take precedence and dominate behaviour. Safety needs is a broad
term which encompasses personal, financial, health needs. For a person to climb up the ladder he or
she must have a secure/ stable job, must live around a healthy environment apt for holistic
development as an individual.
 Love and belonging

Man is a social creature. His actions are compelled by the need to socialize and fraternize.
After the lower levels of the pyramid of needs have been attained the need for love and belonging
takes the wheel. This need is more apparent in children and can override the need for safety. Many
people when deprived of these conditions develop disorders such as social anxiety, loneliness, and
clinical depression.

Esteem

Esteem represents the stereotypical human disposition to crave acceptance. People often
engage in a profession or hobby to gain recognition. Deprivation of these needs may lead to
weakness, inferiority complex and helplessness.

Self-actualization

This need refers to ones desire to tap into ones full inner potential and realization of that
potential. Maslow described this level as the desire to attain everything that one can, to become the
best that one can become. As previously mentioned, Maslow restates that to comprehend this level of
need, the person must master all the needs specified in the lower layers of the pyramid.

McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y

In the 1960s Douglas McGregor developed the Theory X and Theory Y of human management and
motivation at the MIT Sloan School of Management. These theories describe two contradicting
models of workforce motivation applied by managers in organizational behaviour, human resource
management, organizational development and organizational communication.
Theory X
Theory X stresses the importance of strict regulation, external rewards, and penalties. Theory X is
based on assumption of a worker being average. This management style assumes that the average
employee has little to no ambition, does not work or responsibilities, and is self-goal oriented.
Theory X Assumptions:
People have an innate dislike of work and will try to evade it at all costs
People need to be forced, and threatened in order to work hard
People arent ambitious and dislike responsibility and prefer to get directions.
Theory X managers are dictatorial and controlling, using threat and punishment to force people into
working hard. They arent able to produce high levels of performance from their teams.
There are 2 approaches to implementing Theory X:
Hard Approach
This approach depends on close supervision by the manager, intimidation, and a lot of punishment.
This could lead to the workforce being hostile and may result in development of resentment towards
management.
Soft Approach
This approach is the exact opposite of the hard approach and relies entirely on management being
lenient and less regulation giving employees some freedom. This usually leads to high workplace
morale and a lot of co-operation.
Theory X can also benefit a work place that is more suited towards an assembly line or manual labor
type of occupation.
Theory Y
This theory is entirely opposite of Theory X. Because of the drastic change Theory Y managers tend
towards relating to the worker on a more personal level, as opposed to a more conductive and
teaching based relationship.

Theory Y Assumptions:
People will naturally themselves put a lot effort into their work.
People will prefer self-direction and self-control and are committed towards a goal.
People will be committed to the organization if they are satisfied and happy from their work.
People appreciate and seek responsibility, like being in charge.
People are good at creative problem-solving
People are normally underused and their talent wasted.

Theory Y managers are democratic, advice-giving and empowering, helping people to develop
themselves and encourage them to take the initiative of their own. These managers tend to achieve
the best results from their teams.
Some more recent studies have questioned the validity of the model. However, the basic principle of
the model remains valid. Although a strict style of leadership is occasionally necessary, in crisis
situations for example, the positive and participative Theory Y style is generally accepted as more
effective for motivating people. People will contribute more to their job and organization if they are
treated as responsible and valued employees and are given challenging work.
DAVID McCLELLANDS THEORY OF ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION/
THREE NEEDS THEORY
In the early 1940s, Abraham Maslow created a theory known as theory of needs. David McClelland
built on his work and structured a needs based motivational model. In his work he talks about the
three motivators that he had discovered, namely: a need for achievement, a need for affiliation and a
need for power. McClelland believes that everybody possesses each of these motivators in some
proportion with one of them being the dominant one. The fraction of these motivators decides the
characteristics of a person.

Characteristics of person with a particular dominant motivator

1. Achievement:
a. peckish for leadership roles
b. strong need for feedback for personal satisfaction
c. capable of taking risks to accomplish more goals in less time
d. not a good team spirit
2. Affiliation:
a. Always in need of acceptance from other people
b. Make friendly relationships easily
c. Regard team spirit as important
d. Uncomfortable in attracting attention in the crowd
e. Favour common opinion rather than high risks
3. Power:
a. Want to control everything as opposed to taking a back seat
b. They hold their pride in high regard
c. They lack in inter personal skills
d. They thrive in heated arguments and competitions
e. Want to make an impact on their own rather than following someone elses
footprints
How to use the theory for different people with different motivators

1. Achievement (n-ach): the n-ach person is achievement motivated and needs

challenging projects. They are in constant need of feedback of their work so that they
can improve and produce better results. Hence try to engage them in difficult
problems or situations and make sure they are working alone as they work better that
way.
2. Affiliation (n-affil): the n-affil person is affiliation motivated and is constantly
looking for interactions with other people. They affect the opinions of managers due
to their constant need of attachment. Therefore make them work in groups, dont put
the pressure of difficult situations on their shoulders and the best way to praise them
would be in private.
3. Power (n-pow): the n-pow person is authority motivated and they love competitive
situations. It is best to employ them where there is a great amount of workload to be
finished in very little time. They may not perform well in a team but they are
effective in negotiating with someone.

Bibliography
Khanna, O. P. (1980). Industrial engineering and management. Delhi: Dhanpat Rai.

Theory X and Theory Y. (n.d.). Retrieved November 01, 2016, from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_X_and_Theory_Y

T. (2009). The puzzle of motivation | Dan Pink. Retrieved November 01, 2016, from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrkrvAUbU9Y

Why Do You Need Motivation In Life? (n.d.). Retrieved November 01, 2016, from
http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/107290/life_fear_and_attitude/why_do_you_need_motiv
ation_in_life.html

Ph.D., B. D., M.D., B. R., Ph.D., B. L., & Sisgold, B. S. (n.d.). Psychology Today. Retrieved
November 01, 2016, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/motivation

Ikigai. (n.d.). Retrieved November 01, 2016, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikigai

Maslow's hierarchy of needs. (n.d.). Retrieved November 01, 2016, from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs