Motivation theories OCR

• Taylor (early theorist) explain:

  • workers trained to perform ONE task which they become skilled at
  • • Workers usually paid for completed work (piece rate pay)
• Taylor’s advantages:

  • Increase efficiency= lower costs
  • Standardised procedures for work processes that everyone can follow= reduce errors and inconsistencies= save time
  • Specialisation of labour= greater efficiency and productivity 
  • clear hierarchy and lines of authority= more efficient decision making and communication 
  • Improved training and development= better performance and job satisfaction
• Taylor’s disadvantages:

  • Overemphasis on efficiency= reduces worker satisfaction and creativity 
  • Workers may disengage= if reduced to machine like system= boredom
  • Limited applicability= may not work for roles that require high levels of creativity, problem solving or interpersonal skills
  • Potential for exploitation= used to extract more work from workers without compensating them fairly e.g many sweatshop labourers get paid using this method 
• McClelland Explain: (content theory)

  • identifies 3 specific needs: 
  • Need for achievement = strong need to set and accomplish challenging goals, takes calculated risks, likes regular feedbacks, likes to work alone
  • Need for affiliation= belong to group, wants to be liked, favours collaboration not competition, doesn’t like high risk or uncertainty 
  • Need for power= wants control and influence others, likes to win arguments, enjoys completion and winning, enjoys status and recognition
• McCelland Advantages:

  • easy to understand and apply= helps managers motivate employees in various situations
  • Recognises people have varying needs and motivation= more effective motivational strategies created
  • Based on extensive research= conducted in various cultural contexts so can be applied in different settings
• McCelland disadvantages:

  • does not account for complexity of human behaviour= can be influenced by wide range of personal and environmental  factors
  • model may oversimplify workers’ motivations= people often have combination of three needs
  • Limited evidence supports specific needs identified in theory= achievement, affiliation and power are not universially agreed upon as primary drivers of behaviour 
• Maslow’s hierarchy of needs:

  • theory that outlined 5 tiers of human needs that must be met for individuals to meet full potential
  • Self actualisation= help employees achieve needs by offering opportunities for employees to pursue passions and interests
  • Esteem= recognition for employees accomplishments, psoitve work culture that values Individual contributions 
  • Love/belonging= encourage teamwork and build community 
  • Safety= job security, fair pay, benefits, safe working conditions 
  • Physiological = business provides necessities to employee= comfortable work environment
• Maslow Benefits:

  • high employee satisfaction: meeting needs of employees= more satisfying work environment = increased productivity= lower turnover rates 
  • • Increase motivation (b) offer incentives that align with specific needs
  • • Improve employee performance (b) feel valued and supported by employers= perform at higher levels 
• Maslow’s drawbacks :

  • One size does not fit all= need to tailor approach to meet needs of individual employees
  • • Expensive= meeting many needs can be costly especially when offering tailored perks like use of company car
  • • Time consuming= requires effort from management to connect individually to understand which opportunities for personal growth are desired
• Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory:

  two types of factors that affect employee motivation and job satisfaction= hygiene factors and motivators 

  • Hygiene factors= absence of them cause dissatisfaction 
  • e.g working conditions, coworker relations, policies + rules, supervisor quality, high wages/salaries
  • Motivators= lead to job satisfaction and hence motivation
  • e.g achievement, recognition, responsibilities, work, advancements, personal growth
• Vroom's expectancy theory


  Why people make choices and behave in certain ways
• Vroom's expectancy theory


  • Motivation depends on 3 factors working together
  • Expectancy: effort leads to performance = motivated to put in effort and hard work
  • Instrumentality: performance leads to outcomes= motivated to perform well as good performance will lead to outcome
  • Valence: value or desirability of outcomes = more valuable or appealing outcome, more motivated the workers are to achieve it
• vroom’s benefits:

  • takes into account personal difference and considers when explaining motivation
  • • A clear and logical framework for understanding motivation by breaking it down into three key components
  • • Emphasises importance of involving employees in the goal setting process
• Vroom’s drawbacks:

  • Based on subjective perceptions and beliefs so not always accurate in predicting behaviour 
  • • Perceptions and values can vary
  • • Provides framework for understanding motivation rather than precise predictions 
• Drucker’s goal setting theory (MBO)

  • set mutually agreed goals between managers and employees=goals will contribute to overall success
  • • Encourages regular feedback and performance evaluation to ensure progress is made
  • • MBO=management by objective: management decide on objectives and send these down hierarchy to help employees focus through goal setting= staff use goals to set personal goals=improve motivation
  • • People=most important asset to business
  • • Need to decentralise and delayer business to allow workers to respond to customers better
• Drucker’s benefits

  • helps in clarifying organisational goals and focuses efforts towards achieving them
  • • Specific goals can motivate employees to perform better as they have clear targets to work towards
  • • Enhanced communication= culture of transparency and accountability
  • • Provides structured framework for evaluating employee performance based on achievement of objectives rather than subjectives measures
  • • Ensures everyone works towards same goal
• Drucker’s drawbacks

  • May lead to focus solely on quantifiable goals, neglecting qualitative aspects of performance
  • • Rigidity (b) specific goals= hard to adapt to changing circumstances or unforeseen challenges
  • • Time consuming (b) requires efforts for goal setting, monitoring and evaluation= burdensome for employees and managers
  • • Conflict= different perspectives regarding goals and performance criteria 
  • • Neglect other organisational needs and only focus and prioritise set objectives 
• Peter’s excellence theory

  • focuses on management but considers motivation
  • • Motivation comes from acknowledging employee achievement, employee participation and job security
  • • acknowledgement= form of praise= gives sense of recognition= feel valued
• Peter’s excellende theory benefits

  • acknowledgement= boost morale= motivation= higher engagement= higher productivity= lower costs and higher output and quality= more sales volume and revenue
  • • Encourage employee participation= positive work environment= job satisfaction= loyalty= talent and employee retention
  • • Job security= reduce turnover= save time of recruitment= save costs of hiring and training
• Peter’s excellence theory drawbacks

  • Job security=employees satisfied with current situation= less motivated to improve or innovation (b) feel jobs are secure regardless of performance 
  • • Overemphasis on employee participation and acknowledgment= lack of innovation (b) reluctant to take risks and fear failure
  • • If job security not fairly distributed= resentment and demotivated (b) feel undervalued or unfairly treated
  • • Job security and recognition programs= costly 
  • • Employees feel secure= resistance to change= challenging to adapt to new tech or market conditions=reduces competitiveness