Unit VI Discussion Board

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Course Learning Outcomes for Unit VI Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

6. Examine how differentiating characteristics factor into organizational behavior. 6.1 Summarize motivation in organizations.

Course/Unit Learning Outcomes

Learning Activity

6.1 Unit Lesson Chapter 7, pp. 214–244

Reading Assignment Chapter 7: Motivation Concepts, pp. 214–244

Unit Lesson Introduction Why do you do what you do? Whether we are talking about getting a glass of water, reading a book, or doing a task, we do it for a reason. Do you have any ideas what that reason might be? It all stems from motivation. In this unit we will define motivation, identify a number of classical and contemporary theories relating to motivation, and discuss the implications for managers. Motivation Defined Motivation can be defined as something that initiates, guides, and aids us in maintaining goal-oriented behaviors (Bateman & Snell, 2009; Delaney & Royal, 2017; Robbins & Judge, 2019). In essence, motivation is what drives each of us to exert effort to achieve a goal and to take action. This can involve a combination of social, biological, emotional, and cognitive forces that come together to activate behavior. In other words, motivation is the reason behind why we do anything and, sometimes, nothing. Remember, doing nothing is also an action that we take based on our motivation. Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Motivation In knowing how to motivate our employees, we need to consider designing jobs that motivate. People have proposed many ways of thinking about motivation. One method is dependent on whether we choose to focus on motivation from within or outside of the individual. More specifically, we are talking about intrinsic (inside) or extrinsic (outside) motivation. Intrinsic motivation occurs when someone is motivated to perform a behavior because that individual finds the behavior personally rewarding (Delaney & Royal, 2017). In other words, the behavior is done for its own sake simply because the individual enjoys doing so. Examples here can include participating in a sport because you find it exciting, gardening because you enjoy it whether your plants grow or not, and researching your family tree because you find the activity enjoyable. In each example, the individual performs the activity for the sheer enjoyment of it.

UNIT VI STUDY GUIDE

Motivation and its Impact on Organizational Behavior

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Extrinsic motivation occurs when someone is motivated to perform a behavior to obtain a reward for doing so or to avoid some sort of punishment (Delaney & Royal, 2017). Examples of this type of motivation can include studying to get a good grade, driving the speed limit to avoid a ticket, or running a race in order to win an award. In each example, the behavior is motivated by what the individual is seeking to obtain or avoid. What motivates you? What causes us to do the things we do and to decide not to do the things we choose not to? Why ask? Perhaps the beginning of this lesson is giving you a reason to pause and reflect on your own motivations. Theories To gain an even greater understanding of how we can motivate others, let’s look at a few researched theories. Despite just beginning to understand what motivates us individually, we will examine what researchers have investigated on the topic for many years. As we review the information, there are several different theories that help to explain much of what we see in our workplaces. As you read on, you will be challenged to reflect on how you have witnessed or experienced each of these in your own life experiences. Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs One of the earliest and most widely known theories regarding motivation is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. According to Maslow, there are five needs that form a hierarchy for everyone (Bateman & Snell, 2009; Robbins & Judge, 2019). These five needs are, in order, physiological, safety-security, social belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization. As an individual fulfills the need at the most basic level beginning with the physiological needs, then he or she moves up to the next level of need (Bateman & Snell, 2009). Some of our physiological needs are things like eating, drinking, and not being too hot or cold. The next level is safety- security because once we have a way to satisfy the need for food and drink, we will want someplace safe to consume them. Once these needs are met, we move on to social belongingness where we need or want to interact with others. Continuing this trajectory, we then start to build our esteem. Finally, providing all other needs are being met, we reach self-actualization where we focus on achieving our true potential. Edwin Locke’s Goal-Setting Theory Edwin Locke conducted early research that has led to our current understanding of motivation. His work led to a goal-setting theory. This theory states that people are mindful of goals that energize them, and they focus their thoughts and behaviors towards the achievement of such goals (Robbins & Judge, 2019). Locke’s analysis revealed specific goals that were challenging—but not too challenging—led to greater performance than vague goals that were perceived as being simply too easy. More specifically, as an example, a goal such as trying to achieve an 80% of an exam was more motivating and achieved higher results than simply telling someone to do his or her best. Why is that? Well, he concluded that it feels better to accomplish something upon which you had to work hard in order to achieve. Edward Thorndike’s Law of Effect Edward Thorndike’s theory on Law of Effect appeared to be rather straightforward. He purported that behaviors followed by pleasant consequences were likely to be repeated. Conversely, if a behavior was followed by an unpleasant consequence, it was likely to be stopped and not repeated (Bateman & Snell, 2009). This is something that many people can relate to more often than they realize. How many of you want to continue to do something when you know there will be negative consequences or some sort of a punishment for your actions? This is one that not only applies in many work environments, but it can be seen in one’s personal life as well, in parenting for example. For instance, children are familiar with this, and they do not even know it. Imagine this scenario: You are holding a young child, and he or she sees a light bulb that is turned on. Despite your repeated attempts telling the child not to touch the bulb, the child, against the parents’ better judgment, proceeds to touch the light bulb. Then, what happens? He or she cries and screams because it was hot. The pain was obviously more than the child anticipated. Now, the next time you hold the same child and pass by a light bulb with the light on, what happens? One would suspect that the child would pull away

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from the bulb without any hesitation, simply because the child will recall the unpleasant feeling. Similar examples can be seen when watching younger people who just reached the legal age to consume alcohol. In some cases, these individuals partake of way more than they should because they enjoy having fun with their friends of a similar age. Now, as people age, many are more reluctant to continue spending the same amounts of money for the same volume of alcohol they consumed at a much younger age due to not wanting to experience the hangover the following morning. Are you recalling where this can be applied in your own life experiences? For instance, how have consequences, or lack of consequences, sometimes motivated our actions? Expectancy Theory Vroom’s Expectancy Theory involves a person’s perceived value of a possible outcome and how they modify their behavior to respond one way over another based upon the expected results (Robbins & Judge, 2019). For instance, one may believe if they do something at work or behave in a certain way at work that this may lead to a raise or a certification. The phrase dress for success comes into mind. If the individual values the outcome, he or she is more likely to behave in a manner that would lead to the anticipated outcome. Additional Theories There are many more theories relating to motivation than the few introduced in this unit lesson. Other early theories included in this unit’s assigned reading include Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory and McClelland’s Theory of Needs. As the evolution continues, more contemporary theories are also introduced. These more contemporary theories include the self-determination theory, cognitive evaluation theory, self-concordance, goal-setting theory, self-efficacy theory, social-learning theory, and more. While each theory is unique in its own right, they are all still somewhat related. With a focus on motivation, they are not mutually exclusive. Implications for Managers So, why would managers want employees to be motivated? There are several reasons. The importance of this cannot be ignored. Managers must motivate people to join an organization, remain employed within the organization, come to work regularly, perform as expected, meet or exceed customer satisfaction, and exhibit good citizenship. When employees are motivated, the benefits can be seen through increased productivity, lower turnover, and greater overall performance. Conclusion Given the multitude of influences one’s motivation can have on the world around them and the significant benefits for the organizations that they work with, it is imperative for all managers to be cognizant of many theories around this subject that can be used to influence others with whom he or she interacts within the workplace. The benefits are too great to be ignored.

References Bateman, T. S., & Snell, S. A. (2009). Management: M start here. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill. Delaney, M., & Royal, M. (2017). Breaking engagement apart: The role of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation in

engagement strategies. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 10(1), 127–140. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direc t=true&db=edo&AN=ejs41586287&site=eds-live&scope=site

Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2019). Organizational behavior (18th ed.). New York: NY Pearson.

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Learning Activities (Nongraded) Nongraded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in their course of study. You do not have to submit them. If you have questions, contact your instructor for further guidance and information. When designing jobs that motivate, it is helpful to distinguish between intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. Intrinsic motivation occurs when we do something that we want to do simply because we enjoy that activity. We gain a sense of personal satisfaction from doing it. As an example, gardening is something that many people do for the pure enjoyment of it. On the other hand, extrinsic motivation leads us to do certain things or exhibit certain behaviors because of an expectation of receiving some sort of reward or avoiding some sort of punishment. For instance, completing the assigned reading and all graded activities each unit because you want to get a good grade is an example of extrinsic motivation. Make a list of three personal or professional goals. Next, write one or two intrinsic or extrinsic motivations for each of the goals you identified.