Page 373 - Fundamentals of Management Myths Debunked (2017)_Flat

11 Review

CHAPTER SuMMARY

The job characteristics model is based on five core job
11-1 Define and explain motivation. dimensions (skill variety, task identity, task significance,
autonomy, and feedback) that are used to design motivating
Motivation is the process by which a person’s efforts are ener- jobs.
gized, directed, and sustained toward attaining a goal. Equity theory focuses on how employees compare their
The energy element is a measure of intensity or drive. The inputs-outcomes ratios to relevant others’ ratios. A perception
high level of effort needs to be directed in ways that help the of inequity will cause an employee to do something about it.
organization achieve its goals. Employees must persist in put- Procedural justice has a greater influence on employee satis-
ting forth effort to achieve those goals. faction than does distributive justice.
Expectancy theory says that an individual tends to
11-2 Compare and contrast early theories act in a certain way based on the expectation that the act
will be followed by a desired outcome. Expectancy is the
of motivation. effort-performance linkage (how much effort do I need to
exert to achieve a certain level of performance); instrumen-
Individuals move up the hierarchy of five needs (physiologi- tality is the performance-reward linkage (achieving at a
cal, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization) as needs are certain level of performance will get me what reward); and
substantially satisfied. A need that’s substantially satisfied no valence is the attractiveness of the reward (Is the reward
longer motivates. what I want?).
A Theory X manager believes that people don’t like to
work, or won’t seek out responsibility, so they have to be 11-4 Discuss current issues in motivating
threatened and coerced to work. A Theory Y manager assumes employees.
that people like to work and seek out responsibility, so they will
exercise self-motivation and self-direction.
Herzberg’s theory proposed that intrinsic factors associated During rough economic conditions, managers must look for
with job satisfaction were what motivated people. Extrinsic creative ways to keep employees’ efforts energized, directed,
factors associated with job dissatisfaction simply kept people and sustained toward achieving goals.
from being dissatisfied. Most motivational theories were developed in the United
Three-needs theory proposed three acquired needs that are States and have a North American bias. Some theories
major motives in work: need for achievement, need for affilia- (Maslow’s need hierarchy, achievement need, and equity the-
tion, and need for power. ory) don’t work well for other cultures. However, the desire for
interesting work seems important to all workers and Herzberg’s
11-3 Compare and contrast contemporary motivator (intrinsic) factors may be universal.
Managers face challenges in motivating unique groups
theories of motivation. of workers. A diverse workforce is looking for flexibil-
ity. Professionals want job challenge and support, and are
Goal-setting theory says that specific goals increase perfor- motivated by the work itself. Contingent workers want
mance, and difficult goals, when accepted, result in higher the opportunity to become permanent or to receive skills
performance than do easy goals. Important points in goal- training.
setting theory include intention to work toward a goal as a major Open-book management is when financial statements (the
source of job motivation; specific hard goals to produce higher books) are shared with employees who have been taught
levels of output than generalized goals; participation in setting what that information means. Employee recognition programs
goals as preferable to assigning goals, but not always; feedback consist of personal attention, approval, and appreciation for
to guide and motivate behavior, especially self-generated feed- a job well done. Pay-for-performance programs are variable
back; and contingencies that affect goal setting, such as goal compensation plans that pay employees on the basis of some
commitment, self-efficacy, and national culture. performance measure.

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