Content Motivation Theories: Important to Modern Management Practices

The word motivation can be defined as the concept we use to describe the forces acting on or within an employee to initiate or direct behavior. The concept of motivation can be helpful for a manager to understand the differences in behavior intensity and behavior direction from employee to employee. Motivation is not directly witnessed or measured but only inferred from observation of its effects on employee behavior. Therefore, inferences about motivations may be incorrect, and furthermore must be corroborated before taken solely as fact.

If our inferences are correct, theories of motivation can be useful in predicting the behavior of employees. Two different categories of motivation can be applied as an aide to understanding employee behavior: (1) Content theories focus on factors within the person that catalyze, alter, or cease behavior; and (2) Process theories seek to describe and analyze how the behavior is started, redirected, intensified, or stopped. Gibson, Ivancevich, and Donnelly (1994) described four content motivation theories that are useful in inferring the connection between motivation and behavior: Maslow's hierarchy of human needs, Alderfer's ERG, Hertzberg's Two factor, and McClelland's learned needs theory.

• In Maslow's need hierarchy the individual behavior tends toward satisfaction of basic needs first and then is intrinsically motivated toward pursuing higher order needs. The practical application of this theory is that it makes sense to managers who are trying to ascertain how motivation is manifested with respect to specific employees. A potential problem with the Maslow’s hierarchy is that it does not attempt to address the differences between individuals or the social context in which the needs are felt.
• Alderfer's ERG postulates how individuals fail to satisfy growth needs, exhibit frustration and focus on lower order needs. A practical application of this theory is that it calls attention to the result of when any need is not satisfied--managers can relate to the fact that frustration can be a major inhibitor to peak performance.
• In Hertzberg's Two factor theory, the assumption is that not all elements of the job motivate employees, but that motivational elements can be identified, developed and fine-tuned. Managers can relate to the practical nature of this theory. A clear shortcoming of the theory is that it assumes that all employees respond to the altered motivational elements in like fashion.
• In McClellan's learned needs theory, a person's needs are learned from culture and education. Therefore, the strength of these needs can be enhanced by education. An application of this principle is that needs that are compatible with the organization can be strengthened.
  
  

Given that each of the above theories assumes that observation and action will produce results, perhaps the greatest practical application of motivation theory is that it serves the purpose of getting managers to think constructively about what activities and circumstances motivate employees who possess certain types of backgrounds. Motivating employees is a high leverage managerial activity that tends to produce more efficient and effective operations in terms of quality and customer satisfaction.

Reference

Gibson, J.L., Ivancevich, J.M., & Donnelly, J.H., Jr. (1994). Organizations: Behavior, structure, processes (8th ed.). Boston, MA: Irwin.