Introduction to Management

Chapter Summary

Managers cannot lead unless subordinates are motivated to follow them. In this chapter, we first defined motivation and then moved on to a classification of motivation theories. Motivation theories are broadly classified into content and process theories. Content theories specify what motivates individuals, and process theories focus on the dynamics of motivation and how the motivation process takes place.

Abraham Maslow, Frederick Herzberg, David McClelland and Clayton Alderfer are the major contributors to the content theories. Maslow developed 'hierarchy of needs theory' in which he classified human needs into five groups - physiological needs, security needs, social needs, self-esteem needs, and self-actualization needs. McClelland identified three types of basic motivating needs (need for achievement, need for affiliation, and need for power) in his 'acquired needs theory.'

Alderfer developed 'ERG' theory based on Maslow's five needs, and classified human needs into three groups of core needs - existence, relatedness and growth needs. Though many different process theories have been discussed in management literature, two among them are of particular significance - the expectancy theory and the equity theory. Victor H. Vroom, in his expectancy theory, contends that individuals consider three elements - valence, expectancy and instrumentality - when they decide whether or not to put in the necessary effort in a particular direction. Porter and Lawler expanded the expectancy theory model.

According to them, satisfaction does not lead to performance. Rather, the reverse is true; performance can (but does not always) lead to satisfaction through the reward process. The equity theory developed by J. Stacy Adams refers to an individual's subjective judgments about the fairness of the reward he or she gets, relative to the inputs, in comparison with the rewards of others. The next section of the chapter explained briefly various motivation techniques used by managers. Finally, we discussed the significance of a systems and contingency approach to motivation.

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