Management Commerce Point

Carrot and Stick Theory of Motivation

noreply@blogger.com (Joy Bhattacharjee) — Fri, 26 Apr 2019 13:12:00 +0000

Carrot and Stick Theory of Motivation

The Carrot and Stick theory of motivation is based on the principles of reinforcement.

The Theory was given by a philosopher Jeremy Bentham, during the time of industrial revolution.

This theory is derived from the old story of a donkey, the best way to move him is to put a carrot in front of him and jab him with a stick from behind.

In this theory, the carrot is treated as reward for moving while the stick is treated as the punishment for not moving and hence making him move forcefully.

Thus, an individual is given carrot i.e. reward when he performs efficiently and is jabbed with a stick or is given a punishment in case of poor or non-performance.

Again, in this theory, carrot refers to positive motivation; and stick refers to negative motivation.

image source: medicalinterviewsuk.co.uk

Carrots (rewards) :

As per this theory, rewards can be classified into two classes:

Monetary rewards: Such rewards are those which can be measured in terms of money like - Wages/ salaries paid in cash , Pay increment on a regular basis, Cash awards, (iv) Payment of allowances in cash

Non-monetary rewards: Such rewards are those which cannot be measured in terms of money and like – Promotion, authority, assignment of challenging work, Certificates of merit, Status etc.

Sticks (penalties or punishment):

Again punishment can be classified in the following ways:

Monetary punishment: Loss of job, imposement of fines, penalties,withholding annual salary increment etc.

Non-monetary punishment: Demotion, Transfer to an inconvenient work place etc.

Conditions for Punishment:

While giving punishments, the following points need to be taken care of:

If an individual selects a desirable alternative behavior then punishment will be effective in modifying the behavior.

The punishment is more effective when given at the time the undesirable behavior is actually performed.

The management should make sure, that punishment is properly administered and does not become a reward for the undesirable behavior.

Thus, carrot and stick approach of motivation should be applied carefully such that, both have the positive motivational effect on the people in the organization.

Also Follow:

HERZBERG'S THEORY IN MOTIVATION

Need Hierarchy Theory of Maslow in Motivation or Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory

Theory X and Theory Y of Motivation or McGregor Theory of Motivation

HERZBERG’S THEORY OF MOTIVATION OR TWO FACTOR THEORY OF MOTIVATION

noreply@blogger.com (Joy Bhattacharjee) — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 14:32:00 +0000

HERZBERG'S THEORY IN MOTIVATION

Two Factor Theory in motivation was proposed by Frederick Herzberg, a behavioral scientist in 1959. FrederickHerzberg's theory of motivation is also known as 'Two Factor Theory', 'Dual Factor Theory' and ‘Motivation-Hygiene’ Theory. This theory is based on the information collected by him and his associates (in the USA in 1959) by interviewing two hundred engineers and accountants. The information collected relates to the attitude of people towards work. This attitude towards work depends on two sets of factors namely hygiene or maintenance factors and the motivating factors.

Image Source: businessjargons.com

Hygiene Factors of Two Factor Theory:

According to Frederick Herzberg, the Hygiene Factors do little contribution to provide job satisfaction.

These factors must be maintained at a reasonable level of satisfaction in employees.

He called them "dissatisfiers' as their absence cause dissatisfaction but their presence will not motivate but only prevent dissatisfaction. In other words, any increase beyond this level will not provide any satisfaction in employees, however any cut below this level will dissatisfy them.

They are not an intrinsic part of a job, but they are related to the conditions under which a job is performed. Thus, they are not related to job content rather job context.

As per Herzberg these are of no use for motivating the employees.

Hygiene / Maintenance Factors are :-

Company's Policies and Administration,
Supervision,
Working Conditions,
Interpersonal Relations with superiors
Interpersonal Relations with subordinates.
Interpersonal Relations with peers.
Salary,
Job Security,
Status,
Personal Life.

Motivating Factors of Two Factor Theory:

Motivating Factors act as forces of job satisfaction. They provide job satisfaction to the employees.

Most of these factors are related to job contents.

If there is increase in such factors then it will lead to satisfaction to the employees but any decrease in such factors will not affect their level of satisfaction.

According to Herzberg such factors can be used as a tool for motivating the employees for higher output.

Such factors are six and are called motivators by Herzberg. The motivating factors are:

Motivating Factors are :-

Achievement
Recognition for Accomplishment
Increased Responsibility
Opportunity for Growth and Development
Creative and Challenging Work
Advancement.

Criticism of Two Factor Theory:

Herzberg’s model is method bound. Other researchers who carried out similar study with different methods got different results. Thus, the theory lacks general acceptability.

Individuals on the job may affect by any change either the job environment or in the job content. Thus his has been criticized on this ground.

This theory does not attach much importance to pay, status, or interpersonal relationships which can be taken as important contents of satisfaction.

Need Hierarchy Theory of Maslow in Motivation or Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory

noreply@blogger.com (Joy Bhattacharjee) — Sat, 20 Apr 2019 05:58:00 +0000

Need Hierarchy Theory:

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a theory in Psychology. The Theory was proposed by Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper "A Theory of Human Motivation" in Psychological Review. Maslow opined that human beings have a hierarchy of needs where he stated that all humans before moving on to satisfy higher order needs at first satisfy their lower order needs like basic needs. Maslow represented this theory as a hierarchical triangle. This shows how basic needs must be met before one can “climb” the hierarchy, to address more complex needs.

According to Maslow, individuals are motivated by unsatisfied needs, i.e, needs not yet satisfied. Once a basic need is significantly satisfied, it drives and forces the next need to emerge. Thus according to Maslow, Satisfied need can no longer be a motivator for human being and thus only the needs not yet satisfied, i.e., unsatisfied need can be a motivator.

In hierarchy of needs theory, Maslow identified five types / sets of human needs and these needs are arranged in a hierarchy of their importance and priority. He concluded that when one set of needs is satisfied, it ceases to be a motivating factor. Thereafter, the next set of needs in the hierarchy order takes its place. These needs in hierarchy can be compared to a pyramid. At the lowest level, there is Basic Needs and such needs are universal in character which means such needs are present in all human being. Once the basic needs are satisfied significantly then this will be followed by other sets of needs. Maslow grouped the five needs into two categories - Higher-order needs and Lower-order needs. The physiological and the safety needs constituted the lower-order needs. These lower-order needs are mainly satisfied externally. The social, esteem, and self-actualization needs constituted the higher-order needs. These higher-order needs are generally satisfied internally, i.e., within an individual.

Maslow's Assumptions in Hierarchy of Needs Theory are :-

Man is a wanting being, i.e. He needs more and more. He never be satisfied with what he has.
Human needs are of varied and diversified nature. They can be arranged in a hierarchy of importance i.e., from a lower to a higher order of needs. As soon as needs on a lower level is fulfilled, those on the next level will emerge and demand satisfaction.
A satisfied need can never be a motivator. Only the needs not yet satisfied can be a motivator for human being.
As one need is satisfied, another replaces it.

Various Needs Presented in Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory are discussed as below:

Source of Image: en.wikipedia.org

Physiological Needs: Physiological needs are also known as Basic or Biological Needs. These needs necessary for sustaining human life. These needs include food, shelter, clothing, rest, air, water, sleep and sexual satisfaction. These basic human needs or biological needs lie at the lowest level in the hierarchy of needs as they have priority over all other needs. These needs cannot be overdue for long. Unless and until these basic physiological needs are satisfied to the required extent, other needs cannot emerge and thus an employee cannot think for other needs to be as motivator. In this context it is well said by Maslow that 'man lives by bread alone,' when there is no bread. The management attempts to meet such physiological needs through fair wages.

Safety Needs:

Once physiological needs are satisfied to a reasonable level, one's attention turns to safety and security. This need is for free from the threat of physical and emotional harm. These are the needs connected with the psychological fear of loss of job, property, natural calamities or hazards, protection from physical danger, security of job, pension for old age, insurance cover for life, etc. An employee wants protection from such types of fear. He prefers adequate safety or security in this regard.

Social Needs:

Once a person has met the lower level physiological and safety needs, higher level needs become emerge. In the first category of higher order needs is the Social Needs. Since an employee is also a human being and thus he is a social animal and who needs to stay in group instead of being isolated. At first he wants to associated with a group either belong to one or the other group and being in a group he wants that the member of the group should accept him with love and affection. Every person desires to be affiliated to such groups. This is treated as basic social need of an individual. He also feels that he should be loved by the other members. To sustain in the group he needs friends and interaction with his friends and superiors of the group such as fellow employees or superiors. Social needs occupy third position in the hierarchy of needs. Thus, Social needs are those related to interaction with other people and may include:

Need for friends
Need for belonging
Need for love and affection

Esteem Needs:

Once a person feels a sense of "belonging", the need to feel important arises. Esteem needs may be classified as internal or external. Internal esteem needs are those related to self-esteem such as self respect and achievement. External esteem needs are those such as social status and recognition. Some esteem needs are:

Self-respect
Achievement
Attention
Recognition
Reputation

Maslow later refined his model to include a level between esteem needs and self-actualization: the need for knowledge and aesthetics.

Self-Actualization Needs:

Among all the needs in the need hierarchy given by Maslow this is the highest level Need. Self Actualisation is the desire to become what one is capable of becoming. It is the quest of reaching one's full potential as a person. Thus it can be termed as a 'growth' need. A worker must work efficiently if he is to be ultimately happy. Here, a person feels that he should accomplish something in his life. He want to utilise his potentials to the maximum extent and desires to become what one is capable of becoming. Self-actualization is the summit of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Unlike lower level needs, this need is never fully satisfied; as one grows psychologically there are always new opportunities to continue to grow. Self-actualized people tend to have needs such as:

Truth
Justice
Wisdom
Meaning

According to Maslow, only a small percentage of the population reaches the level of self-actualization.

Limitations/ Criticism of Maslow’s Theory:

All employees are not governed by same set of needs. At the same point of time different individuals may be driven by different needs. It is always the most powerful unsatisfied need that motivates an individual.
The theory is not empirically supported or not empirically tested.
The theory is not applicable for all groups of people like in case of starving artist as even if the artist’s basic needs are not satisfied, he will still strive for recognition and achievement.
Another basic limitation or criticism is that Maslow's theory is over simplified and is based on human needs only.
There is lack of direct cause and effect relationship between need and behavior.
Maslow's assumption of 'need hierarchy' does not hold good in the present age as each person has plenty of needs to be satisfied, which may not necessarily follow Maslow's need hierarchy.

Theory X and Theory Y of Motivation or McGregor Theory of Motivation

noreply@blogger.com (Joy Bhattacharjee) — Fri, 19 Apr 2019 09:09:00 +0000

Theory X and Theory Y of Motivation:

Introduction:

The eminent psychologist Douglas McGregor has given his theory of motivation called Theory X and Theory Y in 1960. This theory was first presented by him in a classic article titled 'The Human Side of Enterprise'. He treated management approach as Traditional and Professional where he presented traditional approach to management as 'Theory X' and the professional approach to management as 'Theory Y'. Thus we can say that his theory refers to two sets of employees based on the perception of human nature and those two sets are 'Theory X' and 'Theory Y'. His theory is based on human behavior at work.

Theory X:

Theory X is based on traditional assumptions about people (employees). Here, the conventional approach of management is used as a base. Under Theory X management take a pessimistic view of their people, and assumes that they are inherently lazy and dislike work. It suggests the following features of an average human being/employee (assumptions about human nature):

Assumptions of Theory X:

The average human being is inherently lazy by nature and desires to work as little as possible. He dislikes the work and will like to avoid it, if he can.
He avoids accepting responsibility and prefers to be led or directed by some other.
He is self-centered and indifferent to organizational needs.
He has little ambition, dislikes responsibility, prefers to be led but wants security.
He is not very intelligent and lacks creativity in solving organizational problems.
He by nature resists to change of any type.

In the case of such employees, self-motivation is just not possible. They will work only when there is constant supervision on them. A manager has to persuade, punish or reward such workers in order to achieve organizational goals.

Theory Y:

Theory Y is based on modern or progressive or professional approach. Here, the assumptions about people i.e. employees are quite different. This theory explains a participative style of management, that is, distributive in nature. It concludes that employees are happy to work, are self-motivated and creative, and enjoy working with greater responsibility.

Assumptions of Theory Y:

Work is as natural as play, provided the work environment is favorable. Work may act as a source of satisfaction or punishment. An average man is not really against doing work.
People can be self-directed and creative at work if they are motivated properly.
Self-control on the part of people is useful for achieving organizational goal. External control and threats of punishment alone do not bring out efforts towards organizational objectives.
People have capacity to exercise imagination and creativity.
People are not by nature passive or resistant to organizational needs.
An average human being learns under proper conditions. He is also willing to accept responsibility.
The intellectual capacity of an average human being is utilized partially under the conditions of modern industrial life.

Conclusions:

The assumptions in Theory X and Theory Y are fundamentally distinct. Theory X presents a static, rigid, conservative and pessimistic viewpoint regarding human behavior at work. On the other hand Theory Y represents an optimistic, dynamic, flexible and progressive viewpoint regarding human behavior at work.. It suggests self direction and the integration of individual needs with organizational needs. On the other hand, more importance is given to external control imposed by the superior on the subordinate under Theory X.