Organization Culture | Course Paper

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Concept of Motivation

The term ‘motivation’ has been derived from the word motive. Motives are expression of

a person’s goal or need. They give direction to human behavior to achieve goals or fulfill

need, motive arouse and energize persons activities. Motivation is defined as a process of

stimulating to adopt a course of action. It refers to the way in which urges, derive,

desires, striving, aspirations or needs direct control or explain the behavior of human

being. Motivation initiates, guides and maintains goal-oriented behaviors. It involves the

biological, emotional, social and cognitive forces that activate behavior. It is the

processes that account for an individual’s intensity, direction, and persistence of effort

toward attaining a goal. In everyday usage, the term motivation is frequently used to

describe why a person does something.

The process of motivation consists of three stages:-

A felt need or drive

A stimulus in which needs have to be aroused

When needs are satisfied, the satisfaction or accomplishment of goals.

Therefore, we can say that motivation is a psychological phenomenon which means

needs and wants of the individuals have to be tackled by framing an incentive plan.

Motivation can be divided into two types: internal, or intrinsic motivation, and external,

or extrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic motivation

Intrinsic motivation refers to motivation that is driven by an interest or enjoyment in the

task itself, and exists within the individual rather than relying on any external pressure.

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Intrinsic motivation is based on taking pleasure in an activity rather than working towards

an external reward. Intrinsic motivation has been studied since the early 1970s. Students

who are intrinsically motivated are more likely to engage in the task willingly as well as

work to improve their skills, which will increase their capabilities. Students are likely to

be intrinsically motivated if they:

attribute their educational results to factors under their own control, also known as

autonomy,

believe they have the skill that will allow them to be effective agents in reaching

desired goals (i.e. the results are not determined by luck),

if they are interested in mastering a topic, rather than just rote-learning to achieve

good grades.

Extrinsic motivation

Extrinsic motivation refers to the performance of an activity in order to attain an

outcome, which then contradicts intrinsic motivation. It is widely believed that

motivation performs two functions. The first is often referred to as the energetic

activation component of the motivation construct. The second is directed at a specific

behavior and makes reference to the orientation directional component. Extrinsic

motivation comes from outside of the individual. Common extrinsic motivations are

rewards like money and grades, and threat of punishment. Competition is in general

extrinsic because it encourages the performer to win and beat others, not simply to enjoy

the intrinsic rewards of the activity. A crowd cheering on the individual and trophies are

also extrinsic incentives. The concept of motivation can be instilled in children at a very

young age, by promoting and evoking interest in a certain book or novel. The idea is to

have a discussion pertaining the book with young individuals, as well as to reward them.

There are a number of different views as to what motivates workers. The most commonly

held theories are Theory of Scientific Management, Cognitive Dissonance Theory,

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Alderfer’s ERG Theory, Goal Setting Theory, Theory X

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and Theory Y, Three Needs Theory, Equity Theory, Self-Determination Theory,

Achievement Motivation Theory, Expectancy Theory, Hygiene Factor Theory, and Self-

Determination Theory.

1.2 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need is a general theory of motivation. It is a theory

in psychology proposed by Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper “A Theory of Human

Motivation”. His theory focuses on describing the stages of growth in human needs.

Indeed, Maslow’s ideas surrounding the Hierarchy of Needs concerns about the

responsibility of employers to provide a workplace environment that encourages and

enables employees to fulfill their own unique potential (self-actualization). This hierarchy

suggests that people are motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to other, more

advanced needs. The Hierarchy of Needs theory remains valid today for understanding

human motivation, management training, and personal development.

Maslow has developed three assumptions to underlie this theory. They are:

Unsatisfied needs stimulate behavior, while satisfied needs are not motivators.

People’s needs range from the most basic (e.g., physiological) upward to more

complex need levels (e.g., self-esteem).

Individuals must, at least minimally, satisfy a lower level of need before moving

upward and activating a new area of need.

Maslow has classified people’s need into five categories, which act as motivators. These

needs are stated below:

(1) Physiological needs

(2) Safety and Security needs

(3) Social and Belongingness needs

(4) Ego, Status, and Self-esteem needs

(5) Self-actualization needs

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Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is often portrayed in the shape of a pyramid with the largest,

most fundamental levels of needs at the bottom and the need for self-actualization at the

top. It can be shown as:

Figure: Maslow’s Hierarchy of need;

(1) Physiological Need

These needs include the most basic needs that are vital to survival, such as the need for

water, air, food, and sleep. Maslow believed that these needs are the most basic and

instinctive needs in the hierarchy because all needs become secondary until these

physiological needs are met. If these requirements are not met, the human body cannot

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function properly, and will ultimately fail. It can be fulfilled by providing higher pay,

accommodation, etc.

(2) Safety and Security Need

With their physical needs relatively satisfied, the individual’s safety needs take

precedence and dominate behavior. In the absence of physical safety – due to war, natural

disaster, childhood abuse, etc, people may (re-)experience post-traumatic stress

disorder or transgenerational trauma. In the absence of economic safety – due to

economic crisis and lack of work opportunities – these safety needs manifest themselves

in ways such as a preference for job security, grievance procedures for protecting the

individual from unilateral authority, savings accounts, insurance policies, reasonable

disability accommodations, etc. This level is more likely to be found in children because

they generally have a greater need to feel safe.

Safety and Security needs include:

Personal security

Financial security

Health and well-being

Safety net against accidents/illness and their adverse impacts

(3) Social and Belongingness Need

After physiological and safety needs are fulfilled, the third level of human needs is

interpersonal and involves feelings of belongingness. This need is especially strong in

childhood and can override the need for safety as witnessed in children who cling to

abusive parents. Deficiencies within this level of Maslow’s hierarchy – due to

hospitalism, neglect, shunning, ostracism, etc. – can impact the individual’s ability to

form and maintain emotionally significant relationships in general, such as:

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Friendship

Intimacy

Family

According to Maslow, humans need to feel a sense of belonging and acceptance among

their social groups, regardless if these groups are large or small. For example, some large

social groups may include clubs, co-workers, religious groups, professional

organizations, sports teams, and gangs. Some examples of small social connections

include family members, intimate partners, mentors, colleagues, and confidants. Many

people become susceptible to loneliness, social anxiety, and clinical depression in the

absence of this love or belonging element. This need for belonging may overcome the

physiological and security needs, depending on the strength of the peer pressure. Hence

organizations can fulfill these needs by encouraging the employees to form formal and

informal relationship, work in a team etc.

(4) Ego, Status, and Self-esteem Need

After the first three needs have been satisfied, esteem needs becomes increasingly

important. These include the need for things that reflect on self-esteem, personal worth,

social recognition, self respect, appreciation, prestige etc. People often engage in a

profession or hobby to gain recognition. These activities give the person a sense of

contribution or value. It can be fulfilled by providing recognition, promotion, awards,

appreciation etc. Maslow noted two versions of esteem needs: a ‘lower’ version and a

‘higher’ version. The ‘lower’ version of esteem is the need for respect from others. This

may include a need for status, recognition, fame, prestige, and attention. The ‘higher’

version manifests itself as the need for self-respect. For example, the person may have a

need for strength, competence, mastery, self-confidence, independence, and freedom.

This ‘higher’ version takes precedence over the ‘lower’ version because it relies on an

inner competence established through experience. Deprivation of these needs may lead to

an inferiority complex, weakness, and helplessness.

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(5) Self-actualization Need

“What a man can be, he must be.” This quotation forms the basis of the perceived need

for self-actualization. It is a drive to become what a person is capable of becoming. This

level of need refers to what a person’s full potential is and the realization of that potential.

Maslow describes this level as the desire to accomplish everything that one can, to

become the most that one can be. It includes needs like goal achievement, highest post

etc. In an organizational setting, it can be fulfilled by providing highest post, allowing to

involve in challenging decision making etc. As previously mentioned, to understand this

level of need, the person must not only achieve the previous needs, but master them.

One must satisfy lower level basic needs before progressing on to meet higher level

growth needs. Once these needs have been reasonably satisfied, one may be able to reach

the highest level called self-actualization.

Maslow states that individual needs arise in a hierarchical order i.e. physiological need