Motivational Theories: Other Theories (DP IB Business Management)
Revision Note
McClelland’s Acquired Needs Theory
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) |
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Motivations |
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Behaviours |
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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
Deci and Ryan’s Self-determination Theory
Deci and Ryan's theory describes why people do what they do
It is concerned with understanding human motivation and the factors that drive individuals to engage in activities
Humans have three basic psychological needs that allow them to achieve personal growth
Deci & Ryan's 3 Basic Psychological Needs
Autonomy | Competence | Relatedness |
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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
Adaptability
Recognises that not all individuals are motivated in the same way
Can be adapted to account for variations in motivation across different cultures
Can be applied to different situations
It has been used widely in business, education management, sports coaching and healthcare
Backed by research
Numerous studies have demonstrated its validity and relevance
Weaknesses of Deci & Ryan's self-determination theory
Potential cultural bias
Its origins are in Western psychology
May not fully account for cultural variations in motivation between regions
Overemphasis on intrinsic motivation
Downplays the significance of extrinsic motivators such as financial incentives
Lack of clear measurement tools
Difficult to assess what motivates individual employees as the three psychological needs are internal
Equity Theory
John Adams's equity theory explains how people perceive and react to fairness in their personal and working relationships
Diagram: Adams' equity theory in the workplace
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 |
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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
Easy to understand
Most people have an inherent sense of fairness and grasp the concept of equity
Recognises individual differences
What one person perceives as equitable may not be the same for another
Highlights the importance of social comparisons
People often compare their situation to others
Weaknesses of Adams's equity theory
It is subjective
What one person considers fair may differ from another's perspective
Ignores other influences on behaviour
Factors such as personal values, intrinsic motivation and organisational culture also influence behaviour
Over-simplification
Real-life working scenarios often involve variables and factors that Equity Theory does not consider
Exam Tip
Don't confuse equity with equality
Equity is fairness. Employees may be paid different rates for very good reasons such as experience, skills or qualifications
This is entirely fair
Equality would mean the same rate of pay for all staff, regardless of competence
This would not be fair at all
Expectancy Theory
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: Vrooms expectancy theory
The Three Components of Vroom's Expectancy Theory
Expectancy | Instrumentality | Valence |
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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
Exam Tip
It is important to note that motivation - especially intrinsic motivation - is very personal and can differ significantly between individuals
Assuming that all workers - even if they are in similar roles, with similar challenges and pay - are motivated by the same factors is likely to lead to the failure of reward programmes
In some cases employees may even need guidance to help them to understand what motivates or demotivates them - until they do so it will be difficult to engage them successfully with regard programmes
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