Theories of Motivation: A Detailed Analysis

This essay provides a detailed analysis of the different theories of motivation and their application in organizations. It explores content theories, such as Maslow's need hierarchy theory, and process theories, such as Vroom's expectancy theory. The essay emphasizes the importance of motivation in enhancing employee performance and contributing to the achievement of organizational goals.

Individual
Essay

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY.................................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION...............................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Motivation refers to a drive or a willingness which can channelize the various types of
actions and can thus stimulate higher-level of performance (Graham, 2020). Thus, it is quite
important that the use of motivation can be made in a right manner so that the organizations are
able to ensure that the employees are able to bring an improvement in their overall performance
level. In this essay, a detailed focus will be made on Theories of Motivation.
MAIN BODY
There are different types of theories of motivation which can be applied within the
organizations. This can be quite helpful in ensuring that an overall improvement in the
performance of the employees can be brought in a proper manner (Haerazi and Irawan, 2020).
Therefore, it becomes important that the following theories of motivation can be used for this
particular purpose-
Content theories- These theories are use in order to determine the various types of needs
of the people which leads towards stimulation of their actions. These theories have been
given by Maslow, McGregor, Alderfer, McClellands and Herzberg.
Maslow’s need hierarchy theory-
This theory states that the human needs can be categorized into different types and
therefore all the desired actions are required to be taken by the management of the
organizations so that these needs can be fulfilled in a proper manner (O’Reilly, 2020).
The different types of needs as per this theory are explained as follows-
 Physiological needs- These refer to the biological requirements which the human beings
have. These are the basic needs which are required to be fulfilled. Therefore it is
important for the management of the organizations to focus on their fulfillment in a
proper manner.
 Safety needs- These are the needs of the human beings which are concerned with the
safety of the employees. Safety here means Social Safety of the employees. Thus, it
becomes very important for the workers that the fulfillment of these needs can be done in
a right manner effectively and efficiently.
 Love and belongingness needs- These are the needs which are concerned with providing
love and belongingness to the various employees. Therefore, it is quite important for the
employees that these needs can be fulfilled so that they are able to make sure that they
can contribute productively towards the organization and can help it in the fulfillment of
the goals and objectives in the future.
 Esteem needs- These needs are related with the level of respect which the employees are
required to be provided so that their motivation and morale can be boosted. Thus, it

becomes very important that the consideration to these needs can be given so that the
workers are able to make the desired progress quite effectively and efficiently in a proper
manner.
 Self-actualization needs- These needs are related with potential, self-fulfillment, seeking
personal growth and peak experiences. It is quite important that the fulfillment of these
needs can be done which will be quite helpful in ensuring that the employees can enhance
their performance in a right manner.
Process theories- These theories are used in order to explain the reason behind the
initiation of behaviors. Therefore, it can be said that the use of these particular theories is
quite essential because this can lead towards ensuring that the organizations are able to
apply the theories in a proper manner and get the best out of the different employees.
They have been given by Skinner, Vroom, Adam and Locke.
Vroom’s expectancy theory-
According to Vroom, behavior is a result of a particular choice which is made among a
lot of alternatives in which the aim is to maximize pleasure and minimize pain (Toste and
et.al., 2020). Therefore, it is quite important from the point of view of the organizations
that the use of this theory is made so that the attainment of the particular goals and
objectives in the future can be made highly effectively and efficiently in a proper manner.
There are different variables which are present in this theory. An explanation of these
variables can be made in the following manner-
 Expectancy- It refers to a particular belief that with an increase in the efforts there will
be an increase in the overall level of performance. This therefore is helpful in ensuring
that the employees are able to put in extra efforts so that their performance can be
enhanced. It is therefore quite important that the motivation and morale of the workers is
enhanced by ensuring that they are able to increase their efforts and thus can increase
their performance properly.
 Instrumentality- It refers to a belief that by performing well a valued outcome can be
attained. Thus, it can be said that this can be highly useful in ensuring that the workers
are motivated to perform well so that they are able to attain their outcomes in a proper
manner. It is thus very crucial that the employees are able to perform well and attain a
particular outcome which can be quite helpful for them to attain their goals and objectives
in the future.
 Valence- It refers to a particular level of importance which an individual tends to place
on the attainment of an expected outcome. Therefore, it can be said that it is quite
important for the organizations that they are able to ensure that the employees place the
appropriate level of importance on the outcomes so that they can make the required
efforts to attain them quite effectively and efficiently in a proper manner. It is thus quite

important for the employees to place importance on the outcomes so that the level of
efficiency and effectiveness can be enhanced and the management of the work can be
carried out in an appropriate manner.
Application of the theories-
The application of these theories can be done by ensuring that the different types of
organizations are able to enhance the overall level of motivation of the various types of
employees by ensuring that they are able to assess the importance of providing them with the
right organizational culture so that they can be positive and can manage their work in a
proper manner quite effectively and efficiently in a proper manner. In this way, the firms will
be able to make sure that the attainment of the future goals and objectives can be done in a
right manner.
Therefore, it is highly crucial from the point of view of the companies that they are able
to identify the way in which the application of these theories can be done to optimize the
performance level of the employees (Badura and et.al., 2020). It is important to ensure that
the motivation and morale of the workers is enhanced regularly which can be quite crucial to
make sure that the workers are able to work in a proper manner and can manage their work
properly. This also leads towards the development of a positive work culture within the
companies. Creation of such a positive work culture can be quite useful in ensuring that the
organizations are able to increase the motivation and morale of the employees in such a
manner so that they can contribute with the best of their skills and abilities towards the
attainment of the organizational goals and objectives.
CONCLUSION
From the above essay, it can be concluded that Motivation refers to a drive or a
willingness through which an increase in the performance of the employees can be done in a
proper manner. It is quite important for the employees that they are able to make the use of
Motivation so that they are able to attain their particular goals and objectives in a proper manner.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Badura, K. L. and et.al., 2020. Motivation to lead: A meta-analysis and distal-proximal model of
motivation and leadership. Journal of Applied Psychology. 105(4). p.331.
Graham, S., 2020. An attributional theory of motivation. Contemporary Educational
Psychology. 61. p.101861.
Haerazi, H. and Irawan, L., 2020. The effectiveness of ECOLA technique to improve reading
comprehension in relation to motivation and self-efficacy. International Journal of Emerging
Technologies in Learning (IJET). 15(1). pp.61-76.
O’Reilly, R. C., 2020. Unraveling the mysteries of motivation. Trends in cognitive
sciences. 24(6). pp.425-434.
Toste, J. R. and et.al., 2020. A Meta-analytic review of the relations between motivation and
reading achievement for K–12 students. Review of Educational Research. 90(3). pp.420-456.