Motivation
Motivation is an important driver in an organization and is crucial to
the management of intellectual capital. Motivation underlies what employees
choose to do (quality and/or quantity), how much effort they
will put into accomplishing the task, and how long they will work in
order to accomplish it. Employees who are motivated will work more
20 PEOPLE, MANAGEMENT, AND POLICY
TLFeBOOK
effectively and efficiently and shape an organization’s behavior. A motivated
workforce will have a strong effect on an organization’s bottom
line. Motivation is strongly tied to job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is
how individuals feel about the tasks they are supposed to accomplish
and may also be influenced by the physical and social nature of the
workplace. The more satisfied employees are with their jobs, the more
motivated they will be to do their jobs well.
There are several important studies relating to motivation. These
include Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Frederick Herzberg’s
study of hygiene and motivational factors, Douglas McGregor’s Theory
X and Theory Y, Theory Z, Victor Vroom’s Expectancy Theory, J. Stacy
Adams’ Equity Theory, and Reinforcement Theory.