Part 121: Motivational Theories

  • Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
  • McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y
    • Perceptions that managers have of workers
    • Theory X = workers are lazy and will avoid work
    • Theory Y = workers are willing and eager to work, and may be self-motivated
    • McGregor’s Theories are self-fulfilling
      • If workers are treated as lazy, they will become lazy
      • If workers are treated as self-motivated, they will become self-motivated
  • Ouchi’s Theory Z
    • Employee loyalty is improved by providing a job for life, and focusing on the well-being of the employee, on and off the job
    • Management promotes stable employment, high productivity, and high employee morale
  • McClelland’s Need Theory
    • Motivational model to explain, from a managerial context, how people are affected by their needs for
      • Achievement
      • Power
      • Affiliation
  • Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory
    • Two factors motivate employees: Motivators, and Hygiene Factors
    • Motivators
      • Give positive satisfaction
      • Result from conditions of the job itself
      • Include challenging work, recognition, and responsibility
    • Hygiene Factors
      • Do not give positive satisfaction
      • Their absence causes dissatisfaction
      • Extrinsic to the work
      • Include company policies, supervisory practices, and wages
  • Fiedler’s Contingency
    • A leader’s effectiveness depends on the situation
    • There is no one best style of leadership
    • There are two leadership styles: relationship oriented and task oriented
  • Vroom’s Expectancy Theory
    • People are motivated when
      • Their effort leads to success
      • They will be rewarded
      • The reward is something that they value
  • Power Sources
    • A project manager has five types of power
      • Formal
        • Power gained because of position
        • This is the best type of power
      • Reward
        • The power to provide positive consequences
      • Penalty
        • The power to provide negative consequences
        • This is the worst type of power
      • Expert
        • Recognized for his level of knowledge
      • Referent
        • Power gained from a relationship with a group or individual
  • Leadership Styles
    • Autocratic
      • Traditional view of management
      • Manager makes decisions without receiving input
      • Good for quick decisions
    • Laissez-Faire
      • Manager involves team members in decisions, democratically
      • Good for decisions when creativity is required
      • Can be Participative or Consultative
        • Participative = decisions are made jointly
        • Consultative = manager asks for inputs but makes decisions alone