Understanding and Managing People: Motivation Theory Essay Analysis

This essay delves into the process theory of motivation, examining its significance in organizational behavior and its impact on enhancing employee performance. It provides a comprehensive overview of the process theory of motivation, including the goal-setting theory, and analyzes its practical implications across various business contexts. The essay highlights the benefits of this theory in organizational practice, such as improved performance and goal achievement, while also addressing its limitations. Furthermore, it explores various techniques used by managers to motivate employees, including the SMART goal-setting method, and discusses the importance of feedback and task complexity in achieving organizational objectives. The analysis incorporates real-world examples from companies like Tesco, Dyson, and ANZ banking to illustrate the application of these concepts. The essay concludes by reflecting on the effectiveness of goal-setting and its role in fostering employee motivation and organizational success.

Running Head Managing people 0
Understanding and managing people

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Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Process theory of Motivation...........................................................................................................2
Benefits of Goal setting theory........................................................................................................4
Limitations of Goal setting theory...................................................................................................4
Techniques.......................................................................................................................................5
Reflection.........................................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................6
Reference.........................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
In organizational behavior, motivation is essential for enhancing the performance of the
employees. This report includes the motivation for improving performance. The process theory
of motivation will be explained and its implication will be analyzed in different businesses. In
organizational practice, the benefits of the process theory will be discussed. The limitations of
the theory will also be discussed for the organizational practice in different organizations. The
techniques are used by the managers to motivate employees will be discussed in the report which
includes setting the goals as well as standards for employees which helps in measuring the
performance. In an organization, it is necessary to understand and manage people.
The process theory of Motivation
In the process of motivation, it includes the intensity, direction, and persistence of the
individual’s efforts for moving towards achieving the goals. It includes the interaction of the
individual and a situation. Motivation is used at every place as universal which includes
motivating the people for achieving the goals. The process theory of motivation requires the
initiation of individuals to motivate others. Edwin A. Locke has introduces the theoretical
approach to build motivation and set goals. The goal-setting process theory of motivation is
required for implementing effective practices in an organization. In this theory, the specific and
difficult goals are required for leading to higher performance. It includes the intention of
working to achieve the goals and motivation to work as a source (Locke and Latham, 2013).
Goals are required to be communicated to employees for the work to be done and the efforts that
are required for achieving the goals. The goals are required to be given to employees for the
higher level of performance as challenging goals are required for getting the attention and it
helps in making the focus. When the employees get difficult goals, it helps in energizing them
for doing hard work. It is analyzed that when the goals are difficult people always persist to try
them for attaining the goals. Moreover, difficult goals help in discovering effective strategies that
help in achieving and performing the job with more effectiveness and effectively (McShane and
Glinow, 2017).

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Feedback is required to be given to employees as it helps in improving the performance and also
develops the progress for attaining the goals. Feedback at the workplace helps in identifying the
discrepancies in work which is done and which is to be done. Feedback helps in guiding the
behavior of employees. Factors are required to be analyzed which influence in analyzing the
relationship in the goals and performance (Lunenburg, 2011).
Goal commitment- In the theory of goal setting, the individuals are required to be committed to
achieving the goals. The goals are required to be achieved by an individual.
Task characteristics- At the workplace, the goals are required to be more substantial effects
which impact on the performance. the activities are required to be analyzed which are required to
be independent.
In response to national culture, the goal-setting theory requires the cultural bond. It is analyzed
that the employees are required to be reasonably independent which includes the managers and
employees to achieve the goals and performance. The effective performance is given by
employees when difficult, specific goals are stated to them (Ciani, et al., 2010).
People achieve the goals when they intend for achieving the objectives. It is analyzed that people
with goals are more motivated than without goals. Difficult goals help in making better
performance and performance will be better for achieving hard goals. Goal theory is required in
motivating the people and requires accepting the goal. In the organization, people are required to
commit to a goal as goal commitment includes the degree of setting the priorities. In the process
of goal-setting, people are required to allow for participating in achieving higher-goal
commitment (Ciani, et al., 2010).
The goal-setting theory includes the principles which are clarity, challenges, commitment,
feedback, task complexity, self-efficiency, and goals commitment. In Tesco, goal setting theory
is followed as it helps in achieving the goals and satisfies the needs of the customers. Goals
indication and giving direction is required for employees. The goal-setting theory includes
eventualities like self-efficiency and goal commitment (Locke and Latham, 2012).
The task can be performed in the effective manner when self-efficacy is there as it helps in
believing the confidence in the individual. If the self-efficiency is higher than the effort puts on

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facing the challenges will also he greater. If the self-efficiency will be declined than less effort
will be put by t eh individual. As per the theory, the gaols are committed to the individual whom
they should never leave.
Benefits of Goal-setting theory
The goal-setting theory includes the technique which is used for raising the incentives of
employees to work in the effective manner. It helps in improving the performance with the help
of enhancing the efforts and motivation and by taking the feedbacks. Goal-setting theory helps
an individual in providing the direction for reaching to the direction. It is analysed that clarity is
essential for decision making and it helps in making the focus on accomplishing the task on time.
In Dyson, the management took the initiative for improving the sales includes assigning goals.
They consider that a specific goal is helpful for motivating the employees to achieve the set
goals. Feedbacks are provided to them on a monthly basis by a manager which helps in
providing the opportunities to them and accomplishing the goals. For the motivation, they
consider that job retention and preservation helps in increasing the sales of the company (Krenn,
et al., 2013).
Limitations of Goal-setting theory
In goal-setting theory, sometimes administrative goals struggle with the executive goals. If target
conflicts can cause incompatible action drifts, this can adversely affect performance.
When the difficult and complex goals are given to employees, it creates conflicts in stimulating
riskier behavior. In case of lack of skills in employees and competencies leads in performing an
action which is essential for goals and goal setting are required to be effective and this leads to
undermining the performance. The limitation of this theory is that there is no sign for proving
that goal-setting helps in improving job satisfaction (Kleingeld, et al., 2011).
In an organization, goal setting is widely used for improving and sustaining work performance.
Goals include the pervasive influence on the behavior of employees and performance in
management and organization practices. Every organization includes the form of goal setting in
operation. In DHL, leaders are involved in setting goals and consider two cognitive determinants

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of behavior as intentions and values. Management believes that there is no evidence that setting
goals are not effective for improving job satisfaction.
Techniques
The different organization uses different techniques for motivating the employees for performing
the job. In goal-setting theory, the SMART technique from setting a goal is considered as
effective. It helps in deeply exploring the goals which are required to be set. It includes the
specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-framed (Aithal and Kumar, 2016).
This technique is beneficial which includes the specific goal which requires the distinct and
defines for the possible goals. Goals are required to be well defined, clear and unambiguous. In
order to measure the goals, an individual is required to set the specific criteria for measuring the
progress for achieving the goals. The set goals must be attainable which can be easy or difficult.
Realistic goals include which can be reached, realistic and relevant. In order to achieve the goals,
time is required to be clearly defined and must include the purpose of creating urgency. Goals
must be time-bound for starting and finishing the goal and it helps in motivating to achieve and
complete the task. This technique is helpful for making and setting goals in an effective manner
(Chen and Latham, 2014).
In the case of task complexity, people are required to work with complicated and demanding
roles which help in a high level of motivation. It is necessary to give sufficient time to meet the
goals for improving performance. It requires providing them enough time for practicing and
learning for the success of the organization. Goals are required to be effective which helps in
reaching and allowing them for measuring the progress. Goals are required to be difficult but
must be attainable which helps in reaching attainable goals. In a team, participants are required
to consider the process of goal-setting which tends to enhance the goal commitment. In ANZ
banking, the goal-setting process theory of motivation is used with the help of SMART goals. It
helps in motivating the employees to complete the work on time (Hollmann, et al., 2015). The
goals of the team are set by the management and team goals are managed by the manager by
allocating the work to employees for achieving success.
Relevance has become widespread, which may be because irrelevant goals will be unrealistic,
and although goals may still be relevant, whether a goal is realistic may depend on the time

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frame in which it is achieved. What can be tracked is measurable redundancy and is time-
dependent, as goals without deadlines lack direction and urgency.
Reflection
Goal-setting theory is considered as effective as I believe that setting goals helps in encouraging
achievement and staying motivated. I always set goals by considering the principles as clarity,
challenge, commitment, and feedback. It is necessary to set the goals with appropriateness and
achievable while considering the abilities (Çınar, et al., 2011). I use the SMART goal technique
for deeply exploring the goals.
I believe that SMART goals must be utilized by leaders for describing the goals in detail to the
team to make them understand more effectively. It helps in getting the successful outcomes of
the goals. The motivation of employees is a crucial task for the management of the upper level. It
is considered a powerful way of motivating people (Johnson, et al., 2015).
Setting goals for a company or individual enables one to complete tasks in a timely and
organized manner. I believed that for growth and development in life, it is necessary to
implement effective strategies and set the goals for achieving in a given time. It requires setting
the goals at every place to achieve the objectives of life and become successful (Mawoli and
Babandako, 2011).
Conclusion
In concluding the report, it is analysed that motivation is vital for educating the presentation of
employees. Goal setting process theory in the workplace is required to be implemented for
improving and sustaining the work performance. Goal-setting theory always requires the direct
attention of an individual which includes the behaviour which helps in achieving the goals.
Inspiration is required for putting the efforts which are based on achieving the difficult goals.
Effective strategies are required to be adopted for achieving the goals in different ways. In goal
achievement, feedback is an on-going requirement for creating awareness of progression or
regression. I believe that goal-setting process theory of motivation helps in achieving the goals
and objectives effectively.

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Reference
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Chen, X. and Latham, G.P., 2014. The effect of priming learning vs. performance goals on a
complex task. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 125(2), pp.88-97.
Cianci, A.M., Schaubroeck, J.M. and McGill, G.A., 2010. Achievement goals, feedback, and
task performance. Human Performance, 23(2), pp.131-154.
Çınar, O., Bektaş, Ç. and Aslan, I., 2011. A motivation study on the effectiveness of intrinsic and
extrinsic factors. Economics & Management, 16(5), pp.690-695.
Hollmann, T., Jarvis, C.B. and Bitner, M.J., 2015. Reaching the breaking point: a dynamic
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performance: A meta-analysis. Journal of applied psychology, 96(6), p.1289.
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business, and administration, 15(1), pp.1-6.

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