The following summary is based on the JEL article code :M54: Labor Management ¨Employees motivation Theories developed at an international level¨. For; Viorel Lefter, Aurel Manolescu , Cristian MarinasVirgil and Ramona Puia Stefania from the Academy of Economic Studies of Bucharest Faculty of Management 6 Piata Romana, sector 1, Bucharest, Romania.
Motivation is the element that makes people move towards something, is the incentive we use to do things, if people would not have any motivation in life, it would not exist any stimulus to perform. Although motivation is what drives members of an organisation to do things, this motivation can't necessarily be enthusiastic about the stimulus (Example: Desire to distinguish her/himself from the others and acquire knowledge), but as reaction for threats and fear of risk, failure or insecurity. ¨This means that the motivation of a person covers all the reasons for which he/she chooses to act in a certain way¨. (Adair, 2006) (1).
There are some studies that have led some theoreticals to propose ¨Theories¨ about motivation, let’s see some of them and its main characteristics.
There are some studies that have led some theoreticals to propose ¨Theories¨ about motivation, let’s see some of them and its main characteristics.
- Maslow's Theory
Maslow mentioned that, when an inferior rank need is satisfied (for example, assuring food, clothing, the need of breathing, etc), the next level need becomes dominant, and the attention of the person is dedicated to the accomplishment of this higher rank need.
He mentioned five need's levels, that goes from the basic needs as a human being to the personal needs for realization.
During the evolution of needs towards the top of the hierarchy of needs, there is also a psychological evolution, but it doesn't happen necessarily as a direct progression. The inferior rank needs continue to exist, even if temporarily states as motivation factors, and people constantly come back to previously satisfied needs.
- Douglas McGregor (Theory X and Theory Y)
- Clayton Alderferer (ERG Theory)
It is basically an evolution of Maslow's Theory, but with the difference that in this Theory, the workers can pursue multiple needs at the same time, there is no need to accomplish the first or second level needs in order to accomplish the third or fifth level needs. Everything depends on the frustration or satisfaction that the individual feels when doing something that makes them return, advance, intensify or combined all their needs.
- Herzberg’s two-factor theory
Motivation at work is related to the satisfaction or dissatisfaction feeling, which is link to the psychological growth such as: knowledge, achievements, promotions, responsibilities and the nature of work itself. These psychological elements can be affected by things like: The company policy, the management, the surveillance system, the salary, the work conditions, the relationship with coworkers and superiors and many other factors that depending on the individuals perceptions about them, he/she can feel satisfy or not.
- Vroom (Expectancy theory)
"It is the connection between the employees’ motivation and the certitude of their expectancies¨. (2)
It is impossible to have motivation if there is no relation between the efforts a worker needs to do, in order to performe at a certain level with the idea that the effort in the specific performance will bring him certain kind of reward.
(2)Took from the article ¨Employees motivation Theories developed at an international level¨. For; Viorel Lefter, Aurel Manolescu , Cristian MarinasVirgil and Ramona Puia Stefania from the Academy of Economic Studies of Bucharest Faculty of Management 6 Piata Romana, sector 1, Bucharest, Romania.
Maslow's Theory image: Pyramid, took from http://ambrand.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/400px maslows_hierarchy_of_needssvg.png
Image:People taking hands: http://www.franklinpierce.edu/images/MBA%20human%20res%20mgt.jpg
WHAT ARE THE HAWTHORNE STUDIES?
¨The Hawthorne research is so named because the studies were conducted by Western Electric at the company's Hawthorne Works, a large plant outside Chicago. There were six studies which ran for the duration of several months to several years between the years of 1924 and 1933¨. (3)
The study basically tried to show how illumination or lightening affected the productivity of the workers. They made several tests by reducing or intensifying the lights, according to intervals or constant levels. Some of the results were that workers could increase the productivity until the work elements were barely visible and that they could also work at moonlight intensity. These conclusions among others did not really help to determine whether illumination in the companies was relatively influential in the workers motivation but in their skills to do or not their job.
Later on with the collaboration of Harvard University researchers like Fritz Rothlisberger, W. Lloyd Warner and Elton Mayo, they helped to redefine the study of illumination to a study of the physical factors causing fatigue and monotony.
When we talk about motivation at work, people tend to think in monetary incentives, such us commissions over sales, but what all people failed to know, is that physical instruments, such us the chairs, the color of a wall, the food serve in the dinners of the organisations, the transportation facilities, the uniforms, the fresh air and many other things that complement the work environment are of same importance as the monetary incentives. A person can know that if she sales ¨X¨ product to a company she will earned 35% commission over the price of that sale, but if the company do not have good communication elements (Telephone, radio, computers, internet) and she also needs to pay for the transportation used to meet the potential client, she goes back to the office and there is no air conditioning when the temperature is 30º and the chair is broken, there is a big chance that that person won't close the deal, because by the end of the day, that person will be tired of fighting and dealing with so many variables, that she hasn't been able to focus on the real goal.
We can relate this theory with Herzberg’s two-factor theory, where workers sized their satisfaction not only with their psychological needs but with their physical needs, such as; salary, surveillance systems, work conditions and hygiene among others.
At the end all theories link to each other, because they all based their states in one common thing which are the needs of the human being in its personal and professional environment. The person that is well motivated and knows how to use that motivation in his performance will have more chance of having positive self-actualization and the others members recognition as an effective (Efficiency + efficacy) partner.
(3) Shedding light on the Hawthorne studies.By: Sonnenfeld, Jeffrey A.. Journal of Occupational Behavior, Apr85, Vol. 6 Issue 2, p111-130, 20p; (AN 6358829) Especialidades: ORGANIZATIONAL behavior; CORPORATE culture; GROUP decision making; ORGANIZATIONAL change; ORGANIZATIONAL sociology; SOCIAL psychology. Site:http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.eafit.edu.co/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&hid=108&sid=873131ec-f214-49b5-b4f4-063ab246d9c4%40sessionmgr114
¨FLIGHT 001: MOTIVATING EMPLOYEES¨
The motivational situation of Emily Griffin in Flight oo1 is a combination between Maslow's Theory and McGregor's Theory Y, because since she has already fulfilled the lower levels of needs such us; biological, safety and belonging needs (Maslow's), she is now trying to fulfill the higher order needs, such us; new responsibilities , new challenges, and the opportunity to improve her knowledge (McGregor's), with the idea that she is capable and have the necessary skills to contribute to achieve the organizational goals. And prove of that, is that when she is asked how she feels she says that enjoys working in Flight 001.
The motivational situation of Emily Griffin in Flight oo1 is a combination between Maslow's Theory and McGregor's Theory Y, because since she has already fulfilled the lower levels of needs such us; biological, safety and belonging needs (Maslow's), she is now trying to fulfill the higher order needs, such us; new responsibilities , new challenges, and the opportunity to improve her knowledge (McGregor's), with the idea that she is capable and have the necessary skills to contribute to achieve the organizational goals. And prove of that, is that when she is asked how she feels she says that enjoys working in Flight 001.
Clayton's Alderfere theory can also fit in this case, since Emily pursued multiple needs at the same time, the case does not show the need of Emily to accomplish the first or second level needs in order to accomplish the third or fifth level needs. Everything she seeks for, depends on the frustration or satisfaction that the she feels when doing something that makes her return, advance, intensify or combined all her needs.
Emily is a perfect example of theory Y, in the case, she is shown as a person that is always looking for a balance between the organisation's goals and her own needs, that is why empowerment is her best ally, she knows what she is good at and uses those skills and capabilities to meet the companies' goals, because in that way she will also be able to fulfill her owns.
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