Motivation

Motivation

According to Koontz and O'Donnell, "Motivation is a class of drives, needs, wishes and similar "Motivation" is a Latin word, meaning "to move". Human motives are internalized goals within individuals. Motivation may be defined as those forces that cause people to behave in certain ways. Motivation encompasses all those pressures and influences that trigger, channel, and sustain human behaviour. Most successful managers have learned to understand the concept of human motivation and are able to use that understanding to achieve higher standards of subordinate work performance.forces".

Motivation Theories

Some of the motivation theories are discussed below

McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y

McGregor states that people inside the organization can be managed in two ways. The first is basically negative, which falls under the category X and the other is basically positive, which falls under the category Y. After viewing the way in which the manager dealt with employees, McGregor concluded that a manager’s view of the nature of human beings is based on a certain grouping of assumptions and that he or she tends to mould his or her behaviour towards subordinates according to these assumptions.

Under the assumptions of theory X

• Employees inherently do not like work and whenever possible, will attempt to avoid

it.

• Because employees dislike work, they have to be forced, coerced or threatened with punishment to achieve goals.

• Employees avoid responsibilities and do not work fill formal directions are issued.

•   Most workers place a greater importance on security over all other factors and

display little ambition.

In contrast under the assumptions of theory Y

• Physical and mental effort at work is as natural as rest or play.

• People do exercise self-control and self-direction and if they are committed to those

goals.

• Average human beings are willing to take responsibility and exercise imagination,

ingenuity and creativity in solving the problems of the organization.

• That the way the things are organized, the average human being’s brainpower is only partly used.

On analysis of the assumptions it can be detected that theory X assumes that lower-order needs dominate individuals and theory Y assumes that higher-order needs dominate individuals. An organization that is run on Theory X lines tends to be authoritarian in nature, the word “authoritarian” suggests such ideas as the “power to enforce obedience” and the “right to command.”