THEORIES OF MOTIVATION
Prof. Dr. Rana ÖZEN KUTANİS
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
Motivation Theories
Classical Theories of
Motivation
Contemporary Theories of
Motivation
1. Content Theories
Deals with «what» motivates
people.
1. Three Needs Theory-Mc
Clelland
2. Goal Setting Theory-Edwin
Locke
3. Reinforcement Theory
4. Equity Theory
5. Vroom’s Expectancy Theory
6. Job Characteristics of Work
Redesign
2. Process Theories
Deals with «how» motivation
process operate.
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
Classical Theories of Motivation
Content Theories
Process Theories
1.Maslow’s Need
1. Vroom’s
Hierarchy
Expectancy
2.Herzberg’s
Motivator-Hygiene
3.Alderfer’s ERG
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory
The theory suggests that
human needs have a
hierarchical order.
This five-step hierarchy
can also be analysed in 3
groups as;
• Basic needs
• Psychological needs
• Self-actualization needs
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory
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Physiological needs refer to satisfying fundamental
biological drives (e.g., the need for food, air, water, sleep).
Safety needs refer to the need for a secure environment that
is free from threats of physical or psychological harm. Free
from danger and pain (e.g: miners)
Social needs are the needs to have friends and to be loved
and accepted by other people. (e.g: promoting teamwork)
Esteem needs are a person’s need to develop self-respect,
to feel important, to be appreciated and to gain the
approval of others—examples include the desire to achieve
success, have prestige, and be recognized by others. (e.g:
high status jobs)
Self-actualization is the need to become all that one can be,
to develop one’s fullest potential. (Albert Einstein)
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory
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Lower and more basic needs must be satisfied first,
if not satisfied than higher-level needs won’t
activate.
Those who reach higher-level needs, constitutes a
very small percentage of the total population.
Maslow couldn’t get strong evidences related to
hierarchical structure of needs.
Maslow pointed out to diversity of needs.
This theory revelaed that people not only work for
money but also meet their higher level needs in
the workplace.
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
Herzberg’s Motivator-Hygiene Model
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Herzberg found that the factors causing job
satisfaction (motivators) are different from
those causing job dissatisfaction.
When hygiene factors are adequate, people will not
be dissatisfied. Neither they will be satisfied.
Investigating the relationship between job
satisfaction and productivity: challenging jobs
increase employees’ motivation level.
This theory brought a new perspective to
managers.
In case of a motivation problem, solution is not
solely wage or working conditions.
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory
*Hygiene Factors: Security, Salary,
Working Conditions, Supervision and
Relationships, Company policy
*Motivators: Advancement and
growth, Increased responsibility,
Interesting work, Recognition,
Achievement
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory
Contributions of Herzberg
*Extended the need hierachy theory,
applied it to work life.
*Suggested to provide factors
intrinsic to the work itself in order for
employees to be satisfied with their
jobs.
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
Alderfer’s ERG Theory
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Alderfer split needs into three groups; Existence,
Relatedness and Growth.
Existence: Desire for physiological and
materialistic well-being. (Physiological, safety
needs)
Relatedness: Desire to have meaningful
relationship with significant others. (Social
needs)
Growth: Desire to grow and use one’s abilities to
their fullest potential. (Esteem, self-actualization
needs)
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
Alderfer’s ERG Theory
 ERG Theory suggests that there are
not strict borders and hierarchical
order between need groups.
 More than one need group can
motivate employees at the same time.
 An already satisfied lower-level need
becomes re-activated when a higherlevel need is frustrated.
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
Alderfer’s ERG Theory
Alderfer also classified needs into 2
groups;
 Continuous Needs: Needs that motivate
people’s behavior continuously
(Achievement, love, being popular)
 Periodical Needs: Occur at specific
periods. When this type of needs are
satisfied, they don’t provide motivation.
(Eating someting when you’re hungry).
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Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
B. Contemporary Theories of
Motivation
1. Three
Needs Theory-Mc Clelland
2. Goal Setting Theory-Edwin Locke
3. Reinforcement Theory
4. Equity Theory
5. Vroom’s Expectancy Theory
6. Job Characteristics of Work Redesign
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
1. Three Needs Theory-Mc Clelland
 Mc
Clelland identified three needs
that individuals have at different
levels. These needs are;
The Need for Achievement
The Need for Power
The Need for Affiliation
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
1. Three Needs Theory-Mc Clelland
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The Need for Achievement: Desire to accomplish
something difficult.
Desire to do something better or more efficiently now
than before.
Like to stand out in community, take responsibility and
they are also boring people.
Like to get immediate results and are aware of their
progress. Like to get feedback on their performance.
Make difficult goals more clear and easy to accomplish.
Involve achievable but challenging goals.
Take calculated risks (not low and not high-intermediate).
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
1. Three Needs Theory-Mc Clelland
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The Need for Power: the desire to control
and influence other people.
Like to influence others and show their status.
 Use their prestige to influence others and to
win them.
 They succeed by the formula of impressive
performance<status.
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Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
1. Three Needs Theory-Mc Clelland
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The Need for Affiliation: desire to spend time in
social relations and activities.
They strive for friendship
Solidarity>Competition
Desire to maintain relations, being part of a
group.
Like to involve in interpersonal relationships.
Example: A good manager: high need for power
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
2. Goal Setting Theory-Edwin Locke
Properly set and well-managed task goals can be
highly motivating. (specific-non specific)
 Goals and desires are sources for job motivation.
 Private goals result in higher performance.
 More specific and ambitious goals lead to more
performance than easy or general goals.
 Better and appropriate feedbak results in
performance improvement.
 Employee should accept goals to ensure
performance improvement.
Example: Management by Objectives
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Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
3. Reinforcement Theory
Behavior is a function of its outcomes
 This theory focuses on external environment
to explain behavior.
 Reinforcement controls behavior and cause
the repetition of behavior.
 Motivation is a function of the environment.
 Analyses what controls the behavior.
 This theory omits the effects of emotions and
hopes on behavior.
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Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
4. Equity Theory
Senior employee’s salary< New employee’s
salary (There is a problem!)
 Employees compare their exchanges with
their employer to other employees.
(Compares Outcomes/Imputs ratios of his
and the other referent’s)
 As a result of this comparsion, employee can
feel equity or inequity.
 The employee is motivated to have an
equitable exhange with employer.
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Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
4. Equity Theory
Evaluate
yourself
Evaluate
others
Compare
yourself with
others
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
Feeling of
equity or
inequity
4. Equity Theory
If an employee perceives inequity;
 Reduces effort
 Tries to influence manager to increase outcome
 Tries to influence co-workers
 Withdraws emotionally or physically (engage in
absenteeism, tardiness or quit)
 Changes his/her referant (I couldn’t earn as
much as my uncle)
 Quits his/her job.
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
5. Vroom’s Expectancy Theory
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Work and task accomplishment is a function of a
behavior that is rewarded.
Includes 3 variables;
Valence: rewards (outcomes) must be desired by
the individual, must have a value for the individual.
Performance-Reward relation: Individual should
believe that s/he get a reward as a result of good
performance.
Performance-Power relation: the belief that
making more effort will improve performance.
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
Vroom’s Expectancy Theory
People will be motivated if they believe that a
strong effort will lead to good performance
and that good performance will lead to
preferred outcomes.
 Main concepts are; valence, expectancy
and instrumentality (outcomes).
Expectancy x Instrumentality x Valence
Effort
Performance
Rewards
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Will my effort lead to
performance?
Will performance lead
to outcomes?
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
Do I found the high
outcomes desirable?
6. Job Characteristics Theory
B) The Job Characteristics Model (Hackman&Oldham)
 Identifies 5 job characteristics and their relationship to personal
and work outcomes.
 Skill variety (can you use a number of different skills and talent?)
 Task identify (completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work)
 Task significance (does your job affect the lives or work of
others?)
 Autonomy (does your job provide you freedom?)
 Feedback (do you get clear information about your performance?)
To be high on motivating potential, jobs might be high on at least of
the three factors that lead to experinced meaningfulness and high on
both autonomy and feedback.
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Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis
Thank You...
Prof. Dr. Rana Özen Kutanis