Motivational Theories: Other Theories (HL IB Business Management)

• McClelland's Acquired Needs Theory focuses on the needs that individuals develop over time
  • It explains how these needs influence their motivations and behaviour
     
• People have three acquired needs that drive their actions and choices in the workplace and in life
   

A Summary of McLelland's Acquired Needs

Type of Need	Achievement Need (nAch)	Affiliation Need (nAff)	Power Need (nPow)
Motivations	Desire to excel & achieve challenging tasks   Setting & achieving personal goals	Forming positive relationships   Being happy within the workplace	Desire to influence & control others/situations   Bring out the best in others/teams
Behaviours	Seek success and take calculated risks   Appreciate feedback on their performance   Enjoy tasks that require problem-solving   Driven by a sense of accomplishment	Seek approval, acceptance and social interaction   Avoid conflict   Prioritise harmony in their interactions   Desire for cooperation and collaboration	Seek leadership positions Enjoy being in control of their environment McClelland identified two types of power needs Personal power is the desire to control others Institutional power is the desire to influence and shape organisations/systems

 

• The relative strength of these needs varies among individuals
• They can be developed over time through life experiences, upbringing and cultural influences
• Understanding individuals' dominant need can help employers tailor their approach to employee motivation and management

Strengths of McLelland's Acquired Needs Theory

• The model is easy to understand & apply
  
  • Helps managers to motivate employees in various situations
     
• Recognises that people have varying needs & motivations
  
  • Managers can create more effective motivational strategies
    
    
• Based on extensive research
  
  • McClelland's research was conducted in various cultural contexts so it can be applied in different settings

Weaknesses of McLelland's Acquired Needs Theory

• Does not account for the complexity of human behaviour
  • Can be influenced by a wide range of personal and environmental factors
     

• The model may oversimplify workers' motivations

  • People often have a combination of the three needs
      

• Limited evidence supports the specific needs identified in the theory
  • Achievement, affiliation and power are not universally agreed upon as the primary drivers of behaviour

 

• These three needs are crucial for intrinsic motivation because they allow people to feel valued and fulfilled
  • This leads to greater well-being and sustained engagement both within and outside of the workplace
  • If employers understand these needs they can develop staff effectively
  • They may also be able to encourage staff to make positive changes for themselves 

Strengths of Deci & Ryan's Self-Determination Theory

1. Adaptability

   • Recognises that not all individuals are motivated in the same way

   • Can be adapted to account for variations in motivation across different cultures
      

2. Can be applied to different situations
   • It has been used widely in business, education management, sports coaching and healthcare
      

3. Backed by research

   • Numerous studies have demonstrated its validity and relevance

Weaknesses of Deci & Ryan's Self-Determination Theory

1. Potential cultural bias

   • Its origins are in Western psychology

   • May not fully account for cultural variations in motivation between regions
      

2. Overemphasis on intrinsic motivation
   • Downplays the significance of extrinsic motivators such as financial incentives
      

3. Lack of clear measurement tools

   • Difficult to assess what motivates individual employees as the three psychological needs are internal

• John Adams's equity theory explains how people perceive and react to fairness in their personal and working relationships
    

Diagram Which Explains Adams' Equity Theory in the Workplace

Equity is achieved when employees perceive that their inputs are equal to their outputs and are comparable with those of colleagues

  

• In the workplace Individuals strive to maintain a sense of fairness and balance
  • They do this by comparing their inputs (contributions made by the employee) to their outputs (rewards they receive)
  • Employees want this ratio to be fair
    • Contributions and rewards should be roughly equal to those of colleagues
    • Rewards should fully compensate the efforts the employee makes
       

• There are three possible scenarios in equity theory

Under-Reward	Equity	Over-Reward
Individuals feel that they are giving more than they are receiving in comparison to colleagues They may feel under-rewarded and unfairly treated This can lead to feelings of frustration or dissatisfaction	Individuals perceive a balance between their inputs and outcomes They feel that the relationship is fair and just They are satisfied and content	Individuals believe that they are receiving more than they are giving They may feel guilty or indebted This can lead to discomfort and a desire to restore fairness

 

Restoring Equity in the Workplace

• To restore equity in the workplace individuals may take various actions
  • Renegotiate terms and conditions of employment
  • Adjust their contributions by making more/less effort
  • Seek new opportunities that provide a fairer balance of inputs and outcomes
     
• Businesses may take steps to ensure workers perceive business systems as fair by
  • Communicating better in recruitment and promotion policies
  • Clarifying pay and reward systems
  • Providing training and development opportunities
    
    

Strengths of Adams's Equity Theory

1. Easy to understand
   • Most people have an inherent sense of fairness and grasp the concept of equity
     
2. Recognises individual differences 
   • What one person perceives as equitable may not be the same for another
3. Highlights the importance of social comparisons
   • People often compare their situation to others
      

Weaknesses of Adams's Equity Theory

1. It is subjective

   • What one person considers fair may differ from another's perspective

2. Ignores other influences on behaviour

   • Factors such as personal values, intrinsic motivation and organisational culture also influence behaviour

3. Over-simplification

   • Real-life working scenarios often involve variables and factors that Equity Theory does not consider

• Vroom's Expectancy theory seeks to explain why people make choices and behave in specific ways

• It suggests that motivation depends on these three factors working together

  • Expectancy is the belief that effort leads to performance

  • Instrumentality is the belief that performance leads to outcomes

  • Valence is the value or desirability of those outcomes

 

Diagram which illustrates Vrooms Expectancy Theory 

 Vroom suggests that motivation depends on the three factors of expectancy, instrumentality and valence
 

The Three Components of Vroom's Expectancy Theory

Expectancy	Instrumentality	Valence
Effort will lead to successful performance If a worker believes that hard work will result in achieving a specific goal, they are likely to be motivated to put in that effort	Successful performance will be rewarded If a worker is confident that hard work will lead to a desirable outcome or reward, they are more likely to be motivated to perform well	The potential outcome is desirable The more valuable or appealing the outcome, the more motivated workers are to achieve it

 

• Where low motivation is identified, managers may take steps to improve one or more of the components for individuals
• These steps may include 
  • Improve training and development to increase the expectancy score
  • Increase trust between management and workers by ensuring that promises are kept - this may increase the instrumentality score
  • Widen the package of rewards available for good performance to improve the valence score
     

Strengths of Expectancy Theory

• The theory takes into account personal differences and considers them when explaining motivation
• A clear and logical framework for understanding motivation by breaking it down into three key components
• It emphasises the importance of involving employees in the goal-setting process
   

Weaknesses of Expectancy Theory

• The theory is based on subjective perceptions and beliefs so it may not always accurately predict behaviour
• Individuals' perceptions and values can vary
• It provides a framework for understanding motivation rather than precise predictions