Motivation Model Effectiveness (Other (Not Listed) Sample)

Motivation Model Effectiveness
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Abstract
Motivation is a vital tool that is under-utilized most of the time by managers in an organization today. Managers are required to use motivation in the workplace to inspire the workers to work as individuals and in groups. This is to ensure production of the best performance and results for business in an efficient and effective manner (Bessell, Dicks, Wysocki, & Kepner, 2002). Earlier, the assumption was that motivation originated from external sources and factors. However, today, it is acknowledged that every individual within an organization possesses his/her own set motivational forces. It is, therefore, the manager’s duty to identify the motivating forces each individual and address the forces at a personal level (Bessell, Dicks, Wysocki, & Kepner, 2002). This review of literature on motivation and insight into the different models of motivation and their effectiveness in ensuring job satisfaction, improved performance, and job enrichment among other elements of work by highlighting case studies.
Motivation Model Effectiveness
Managers may at times lack the knowledge for implementing successful programs for motivation. This in turn results into decreased levels of productivity and the existence of a poor working environment. There are several models/theories of motivation. Therefore, it is the role of the management team to conduct an investigation and identify together with the employees at an individual level, the employee’s motivational forces. This is critical in the successful selection of the appropriate model and establishment of the relevant motivational program. It is every manager’s goal to increase an organization’s productivity and efficiency and promote employee satisfaction and positive perception in operations. This propels the management and employees towards attaining the maximum results for the organization. Motivation for better performance is dependent on job satisfaction, recognition, and professional growth. The provision of a favorable environment for working is a challenging activity for most managers due to the value of motivation in the organization. Therefore, the management needs to understand motivation and the needs of the employees.
Motivation
Definition of Terms and Concepts
Researchers based in different fields such as psychology, sociology, economics, and politics have been for a long time attempting to establish the definition, reasons, and sources of motivation (Usher & Kober, 2012). However, motivation has several definitions and the challenges related to motivation can be addressed from different angles by reports on Newspapers, research studies, and opinion pieces. These sources often differ, but they all maintain the same goal of determining the best practices for motivating employees and this is the same throughout literature in business (Usher & Kober, 2012).
Motivation according to Guay et al., (2010) is the reason that underlies certain behaviors. Gredler, Broussard, & Garrison (2004) provide a broad definition of motivation. They broadly define motivation as those attributes that move individuals to do or not to do something (Lai, 2011). Motivation may be intrinsic or extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is the motivation that occurs internally and is animated by personal satisfaction, enjoyment, interest and/or pleasure. It energizes and sustains an individual’s activities by spontaneous satisfactions that are contained within effective volition action (Lai, 2011).
These forms of motivations manifest themselves through playful behaviors, exploration and challenge seeking attitudes and behaviors due to the external rewards associated with such activities/behaviors. Therefore, individuals engage in or carry out certain activities without expecting any external rewards that are associated with the activity (Lück, 2008).
Extrinsic motivation is the form of motivation that depends on contingencies that are associated with reinforcement. It is any motivating factor that is outside oneself that one needs to obtain/acquire in order to feel motivated or increase their level of motivation (Reinholt, 2006). It is the motivation that is involved with engagement in certain activities as they have desirable/pleasurable consequences that are separate from the activity itself these are often rewards that are tangible. Therefore, behavior acts as a means to a certain end, and it is not evoked for its own sake (Reinholt, 2006).
Motivation comprises of a constellation of belief systems, perceptions, the internal and external value systems, interest, and actions that have close relationships. Consequently, motivational approaches may be at the level of cognitive behaviors. At this level it considers factors such as monitoring and the application of strategy and non-cognitive factors such as attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions) or both factors (Lai, 2011). Motivation can also be taken synonymously associated with cognitive engagement. It is this regard that Turner (1995) defines motivation as the voluntary use of high-level strategies for learning that are self-regulated. These are, for example, listening, paying attention, planning, monitoring, and connection (Lai, 2011).
There are several constructs in motivation that have been proposed as being part of the motivation process for individuals. These include needs, schemata from the cognitive process, affects, goals, frames, preferences, rewards among other factors that occur externally as being the determinants of the behavior and motivation of an individual. These constructs interactions in determining the motivation and the consequent behavior are illustrated below.
Figure 1: Individual’s Motivational Process
Principles of Motivation
As highlighted above, among the most important function of a manager is motivating the employees. The other organizational functions that the manager has are organizing; directing and staffing have a direct impact on motivation. For years, the monastic theory of motivation was applied, and it suggested that individuals worked for only a single goal – money (ABAHE, 2009). However, a study in the USA using a pluralistic theory of motivation approach attempted to determine the main principles of organizational structure and the leadership principles and practice. These, when combined, are associated with a high level of productivity and increased job satisfaction. The study produced the general characteristics of motivation inherent in most of the successful managers (ABAHE, 2009).
Several attributes are linked to these managers’ behaviors and attitudes. These include being friendly, supportive, and helpful. The manager evokes confidence in his subordinate’s level of integrity, abilities, expectations of their level of attainment and perceives them as being properly trained and prepared for higher levels of appointment. The manager further trains and helps the employees whose performance is below average (ABAHE, 2009).
Due to the complexities in human behavior and the uniqueness of each human being, the principles of motivation are difficult to establish (ABAHE, 2009). While the characteristics of a motivating manager can be easily determined as indicated above, the principles of motivating the subordinates are difficult to establish. This is occasioned by the differences in every individual’s motivational forces (Bessell, Dicks, Wysocki, & Kepner, 2002). However, these principles can be generated from the motivational principles within educational psychology. That is the principles of learning as per Julia Thompson (2010).
According to Thompson (2010), there are ten principles of motivation. These are, first, all the learning and in this work case must have a specific purpose. The manager and his/her subordinates should collaboratively work to establish the goals to be attained so as to generate a sense of purpose (Thompson, 2011). Second, the employees require certain skills and level of knowledge that is needed for handling certain tasks and attain their goals. Therefore, as a principle, the manager should assist the employees develop short-term goals so as to develop the relevant competencies to attain the long term goals (Thompson, 2011). Third, work should have specific directions. This implies that workers should have clear instructions of what they are required to do. Having such knowledge will make them approach the work with increased confidence and interest (Thompson, 2011).
Fourth, the workers should be allowed to have fun while they are working. By offering employees tasks that are enjoyable increases the likelihood of poor performance and being off task. Fifth is offering tasks and activities that demand higher levels of thinking, skills and competencies. Work that is challenging and requires high levels of skills engages the employees, and this motivates the employees to move in the right direction (Thompson, 2011). Sixth is through the creation of curiosity. Employees who are motivated to work often challenge themselves to satisfy their curiosity. Therefore, as a principle the managers should create tasks that challenge the employees in order to motivate them to work and satisfy their curiosity (Thompson, 2011).
Seventh, motivation requires a blend of praise and encouragement as this develops a sense of confidence and builds self-reliance among the employees. Therefore, the work environment should be sincere in terms of praise and encouragement especially from the managers as it provides a positive environment for staff growth and development (Thompson, 2011). Moreover, as a principle, there should be a combined extrinsic and intrinsic reward system. These systems increase employees’ focus on time and focus o...