Download Motivation organization behavior and more Essays (university) Organization Behaviour in PDF only on Docsity!
Theterm motivationisderivedfrom theword‘motive”.Theword‘motive’asanoun
meansanobjective,asaverbthiswordmeansmovingintoaction.Therefore,motives
areforceswhichinducepeopletoactinaway,soastoensurethefulfillmentofa
particularhumanneedatatime.Behindeveryhumanactionthereisamotive.
Therefore,managementmustprovidemotivestopeopletomakethem workforthe
organization.
Motivationmaybedefinedasaplannedmanagerialprocess,whichstimulatespeople
toworktothebestoftheircapabilities,byprovidingthem withmotives,whichare
basedontheirunfulfilledneeds.
“Motivationmeansaprocessofstimulatingpeopletoactiontoaccomplishdesired
goods.”—William G.Scott
“Motivationistheprocessofattemptingtoinfluenceotherstodoyourwillthroughthe
possibilityofgainorreward.”—Flippo
Motivationis,infact,pressingtherightbuttontogetthedesiredhumanbehaviour.
Featuresoftheconceptofmotivation:
1 .Motivation is a personaland internalfeeling:Motivation is a psychological
phenomenonwhichgenerateswithinanindividual.
2 .Motivationisneedbased:Iftherearenoneedsofanindividual,theprocessof
motivationfails.Itisabehaviouralconceptthatdirectshumanbehaviourtowards
certaingoals.
3 .Motivationisacontinuousprocess:Becausehumanwantsareunlimited,therefore
motivationisanongoingprocess.
4 .Motivationmaybepositiveornegative:Apositivemotivationpromotesincentivesto
peoplewhileanegativemotivationthreatenstheenforcementofdisincentives.
5 .Motivationisaplannedprocess:
Peopledifferintheirapproach,torespondtotheprocessofmotivation;asnotwo
individualscouldbemotivatedinanexactlysimilarmanner.Accordingly,motivationisa
psychologicalconceptandacomplexprocess.
6 .Motivationisdifferentfrom jobsatisfaction:
Employeehasaneedorurgeforpromotiontoahigherposition.Ifthisneedisstrong,
theemployeewillfixhisgoalandfindalternativestoreachthegoal.Themighthavetwo
alternatives,namely,(i)hardworkand(ii)enhancementofqualification(e.g.,getting
MBA)andhardwork.Hemightchoosethesecondalternativeandsucceedingetting
promotion(goalachievement)thus,hisneedforpromotionwouldbesatisfiedandhe
wouldstartagainforthesatisfactionofanewneed.
Significance/ImportanceofMotivation:
Motivationisanintegralpartoftheprocessofdirection.Whiledirectinghissubordinate,
amanagermustcreateandsustaininthem thedesireto workforthespecified
objectives:
1 .HighEfficiency:
Agoodmotivationalsystem releasestheimmenseuntappedreservoirsofphysicaland
mentalcapabilities.Anumberofstudieshaveshownthatmotivationplaysacrucialrole
in determining the levelofperformance.“Poorlymotivated people can nullifythe
soundestorganisation.”said Allen.Bysatisfying human needs motivation helps in
increasing productivity.Betterutilisation ofresources lowers costofoperations.
Motivationisalwaysgoaldirected.Therefore,higherthelevelofmotivation,greateris
thedegreeofgoalaccomplishment.
2 .BetterImage:
Afirm thatprovidesopportunitiesforfinancialandpersonaladvancementhasabetter
imageintheemploymentmarket.Peopleprefertoworkforanenterprisebecauseof
opportunityfordevelopment,andsympatheticoutlook.Thishelpsinattractingqualified
personnelandsimplifiesthestaffingfunction.
3 .FacilitatesChange:
Effectivemotivationhelpstoovercomeresistancetochangeandnegativeattitudeon
thepartofemployeeslikerestrictionofoutput.Satisfiedworkerstakeinterestinnew
organisationalgoalsandaremorereceptivetochangesthatmanagementwantsto
introduceinordertoimproveefficiencyofoperations.
4 .HumanRelations:
Effectivemotivationcreatesjobsatisfactionwhichresultsincordialrelationsbetween
employerandemployees.Industrialdisputes,labourabsenteeism andturnoverare
reducedwithconsequentbenefits.Motivationhelpstosolvethecentralproblem of
management,i.e.,effectiveuseofhumanresources.Withoutmotivationtheworkers
maynotputtheirbesteffortsandmayseeksatisfactionoftheirneedsoutsidethe
organisation.Thesuccessofanyorganisationdependsupontheoptimum utilisationof
resources.Theutilisationofphysicalresourcesdependsupontheabilitytoworkand
thewillingnesstoworkoftheemployees.Inpractice,abilityisnottheproblem but
necessarywilltoworkislacking.Motivationisthemaintoolforbuildingsuchawill.Itis
forthisreasonthatRensisLikertsaid,“Motivationisthecoreofmanagement.”Itisthe
Needhierarchytheory
Maslow'shierarchyofneedsisamotivationaltheoryinpsychologycomprisingafive-tiermodel ofhumanneeds,oftendepictedashierarchicallevelswithinapyramid. Needslowerdowninthehierarchymustbesatisfiedbeforeindividualscanattendtoneeds higherup.From thebottom ofthehierarchyupwards,theneedsare:physiological,safety,love andbelonging,esteem andself-actualization. Theoriginalhierarchyofneedsfive-stagemodelincludes: Maslow( 1943 , 1954 )statedthatpeoplearemotivatedtoachievecertainneedsandthatsome needstakeprecedenceoverothers.Ourmostbasicneedisforphysicalsurvival,andthiswillbe thefirstthingthatmotivatesourbehavior.Oncethatlevelisfulfilledthenextlevelupiswhat motivatesus,andsoon.
Physiologicalneeds-thesearebiologicalrequirementsforhumansurvival,e.g.air,food,drink, shelter,clothing,warmth,sex,sleep. Iftheseneedsarenotsatisfiedthehumanbodycannotfunctionoptimally.Maslowconsidered physiologicalneedsthemostimportantasalltheotherneedsbecomesecondaryuntilthese needsaremet. Safetyneeds-protectionfrom elements,security,order,law,stability,freedom from fear. Loveandbelongingnessneeds-afterphysiologicalandsafetyneedshavebeenfulfilled,the thirdlevelofhumanneedsissocialandinvolvesfeelingsofbelongingness.Theneedfor interpersonalrelationshipsmotivatesbehavior Examplesincludefriendship,intimacy,trust,andacceptance,receivingandgivingaffectionand love.Affiliating,beingpartofagroup(family,friends,work). Esteem needs-whichMaslow classifiedintotwocategories:(i)esteem foroneself(dignity, achievement,mastery,independence)and(ii)thedesireforreputationorrespectfrom others (e.g.,status,prestige). Maslow indicatedthattheneedforrespectorreputationismostimportantforchildrenand adolescentsandprecedesrealself-esteem ordignity. Self-actualizationneeds-realizingpersonalpotential,self-fulfillment,seekingpersonalgrowth andpeakexperiences.Adesire“tobecomeeverythingoneiscapableofbecoming”(Maslow, 1987 ,p. 64 ).
Personality:Determinants
Theterm ‘personality’isderivedfrom theLatinword‘persona’whichmeansamask.According toK.Young,“Personalityisa….patternedbodyofhabits,traits,attitudesandideasofan individual,astheseareorganisedexternallyintorolesandstatuses,andastheyrelateinternally tomotivation,goals,andvariousaspectsofselfhood.”G.W.Allportdefineditas“aperson’s patternofhabits,attitudes,andtraitswhichdeterminehisadjustmenttohisenvironment.” AccordingtoRobertE.ParkandEarnestW.Burgess,personalityis“thesum andorganisationof thosetraitswhichdeterminetheroleoftheindividualinthegroup.”HerbertA.Blochdefinedit as “the characteristic organisation ofthe individual’s habits,attitudes,values,emotional characteristics…….whichimpartsconsistencytothebehaviouroftheindividual.”Accordingto ArnoldW.Green,“personalityisthesum ofaperson’svalues(theobjectsofhisstriving,suchas ideas,prestige,powerandsex)plushisnon-physicaltraits(hishabitualwaysofactingand reacting).”According to Linton,personality embraces the total“organised aggregate of psychologicalprocessesandstatuspertainingtotheindividual.” DeterminantsofPersonality: Personalityisaresultofthecombinationoffourfactors,i.e.,physicalenvironment,heredity, culture,and particularexperiences.Here we discuss each factordetermining personality separately. PersonalityandEnvironment: Abovewedescribedtheinfluenceofphysicalenvironmentoncultureandpointedoutthat geographicalenvironmentsometimesdeterminesculturalvariability.ThattheEskimoshavea culturedifferentfrom thatoftheIndiansisduetothefactthattheformerhaveageography differentfrom thelatter. Thus,climateandtopographydeterminetoagreatextentthephysicalandmentaltraitsofa
questions,thethingsthatmatter,anddivingintothecomplexitiesthatliebeneaththesimple- seemingsurface. ModelsoftheMind PerhapsthemostimpactfulideaputforthbyFreudwashismodelofthehumanmind.His modeldividesthemindintothreelayers,orregions: Conscious:thisiswhereourcurrentthoughts,feelings,andfocuslive. Preconscious(sometimescalledthesubconscious):thisisthehomeofeverythingwecan recallorretrievefrom ourmemory. Unconscious:atthedeepestlevelresidesarepositoryoftheprocessesthatdriveourbehavior, includingprimitiveandinstinctualdesires(McLeod, 2013 ). Later,Freudcameupwithamoresophisticatedandstructuredmodelofthemind,onethatcan coexistwithhisoriginalideasaboutconsciousnessandunconsciousness.Inthismodel,there arethreemetaphoricalpartstothemind: Id:theidoperatesentirelyatanunconsciouslevelandfocusessolelyonbasic,instinctual drivesanddesires.AccordingtoFreud,twobiologicalinstinctsmakeuptheid: a.Eros,ortheinstincttosurvivethatdrivesustoengageinlife-sustainingactivities. b.Thanatos,orthedeathinstinctthatdrivesdestructive,aggressive,andviolentbehavior. Ego:theegoactsasbothaconduitforandacheckontheid,workingtomeettheid’sneedsin asociallyappropriateway.Itisthemosttiedtorealityandbeginsdevelopingininfancy. Superego:thesuperegoistheportionofthemindinwhichmoralityandhigherprinciplesreside, encouragingustoactinsociallyandmorallyacceptableways(McLeod, 2013 ). According toSigmund Freud,human personalityiscomplexand hasmore than a single component.Inhisfamouspsychoanalytictheoryofpersonality,personalityiscomposedof three elements.These three elementsofpersonality—known asthe id,the ego,and the superego—worktogethertocreatecomplexhumanbehaviors. Eachcomponentnotonlyaddsitsownuniquecontributiontopersonality,butallthreeelements interactinwaysthathaveapowerfulinfluenceoneachindividual.Eachofthesethreeelements ofpersonalityemergesatdifferentpointsinlife.AccordingtoFreud'stheory,certainaspectsof yourpersonalityaremoreprimalandmightpressureyoutoactuponyourmostbasicurges. Otherpartsofyourpersonalityworktocounteracttheseurgesandstrivetomakeyouconform tothedemandsofreality. Takeacloserlookateachofthesekeypartsofpersonality,howtheyworkindividually,andhow theyinteract. TheId Theidistheonlycomponentofpersonalitythatispresentfrom birth. Thisaspectofpersonalityisentirelyunconsciousandincludestheinstinctiveandprimitive behaviors. AccordingtoFreud,theidisthesourceofallpsychicenergy,makingittheprimarycomponent ofpersonality. Theidisdrivenbythepleasureprinciple,whichstrivesforimmediategratificationofalldesires, wants,andneeds.Iftheseneedsarenotsatisfiedimmediately,theresultisastateanxietyor tension.Forexample,anincreaseinhungerorthirstshouldproduceanimmediateattemptto eatordrink. Theidisveryimportantearlyinlifebecauseitensuresthataninfant'sneedsaremet.Ifthe
infantishungryoruncomfortable,heorshewillcryuntilthedemandsoftheidaresatisfied. Becauseyounginfantsareruledentirelybytheid,thereisnoreasoningwiththem whenthese needsdemandsatisfaction.Imaginetryingtoconvinceababytowaituntillunchtimetoeathis meal.Instead,theidrequiresimmediatesatisfaction,andbecausetheothercomponentsof personalityarenotyetpresent,theinfantwillcryuntiltheseneedsarefulfilled. However,immediatelyfulfillingtheseneedsisnotalwaysrealisticorevenpossible.Ifwewere ruledentirelybythepleasureprinciple,wemightfindourselvesgrabbingthethingsthatwewant outofotherpeople'shandstosatisfyourowncravings. Thissortofbehaviorwouldbebothdisruptiveandsociallyunacceptable.AccordingtoFreud, the id tries to resolve the tension created bythe pleasure principle through theprimary process,whichinvolvesformingamentalimageofthedesiredobjectasawayofsatisfyingthe need. Althoughpeopleeventuallylearntocontroltheid,thispartofpersonalityremainsthesame infantile,primalforceallthroughoutlife.Itisthedevelopmentoftheegoandthesuperegothat allowspeopletocontroltheid'sbasicinstinctsandactinwaysthatarebothrealisticand sociallyacceptable. TheEgo Theegoisthecomponentofpersonalitythatisresponsiblefordealingwithreality. AccordingtoFreud,theegodevelopsfrom theidandensuresthattheimpulsesoftheidcanbe expressedinamanneracceptableintherealworld. Theegofunctionsinboththeconscious,preconscious,andunconsciousmind. Theegooperatesbasedontherealityprinciple,whichstrivestosatisfytheid'sdesiresin realisticandsociallyappropriateways.Therealityprincipleweighsthecostsandbenefitsofan actionbeforedecidingtoactuponorabandonimpulses.Inmanycases,theid'simpulsescan be satisfied through a process ofdelayed gratification—the ego willeventuallyallow the behavior,butonlyintheappropriatetimeandplace. Freudcomparedtheidtoahorseandtheegotothehorse'srider.Thehorseprovidesthepower andmotion,yettheriderprovidesthedirectionandguidance.Withoutitsrider,thehorsemay simplywanderwhereveritwishedanddowhateveritpleased.Theriderinsteadgivesthehorse directionsandcommandstoguideitinthedirectionheorshewishestogo. Theegoalsodischargestensioncreatedbyunmetimpulsesthroughthesecondaryprocess,in whichtheegotriestofindanobjectintherealworldthatmatchesthementalimagecreatedby theid'sprimaryprocess. Forexample,imaginethatyouarestuckinalongmeetingatwork.Youfindyourselfgrowing increasinglyhungryasthemeetingdragson.Whiletheidmightcompelyoutojumpupfrom yourseatandrushtothebreakroom forasnack,theegoguidesyoutositquietlyandwaitfor themeetingtoend.Insteadofactingupontheprimalurgesoftheid,youspendtherestofthe meetingimaginingyourselfeatingacheeseburger.Oncethemeetingisfinallyover,youcan seekouttheobjectyouwereimaginingandsatisfythedemandsoftheidinarealisticand appropriatemanner. TheSuperego Thelastcomponentofpersonalitytodevelopisthesuperego. Thesuperegoistheaspectofpersonalitythatholdsallofourinternalizedmoralstandardsand idealsthatweacquirefrom bothparentsandsociety—oursenseofrightandwrong.
