Theories of Motivation

Gholipour A. 2006. Organizational Behavior. University of Tehran.

Content vs. Process Motivation Theories

Content theoriesexplain why people have different needs at different times.

Implications of Content Theories: 1. Match rewards with employee needs 2. Offer employees a choice of rewards 3. people have different needs at different times4. Limit use of financial rewards as a source of motivation

Process theoriesdescribe the processes through which needs are translated into

behavior

Gholipour A. 2006. Organizational Behavior. University of Tehran.

Maslow’sHierarchyof Needs

Self- actualization

Esteem

Social

Safety

Physiological

Gholipour A. 2006. Organizational Behavior. University of Tehran.

Needs HierarchyTheory

Needs Hierarchy Theory

Self-Actualization

Esteem

Belongingness

Safety

Physiological

• Maslow arranged five needs in a hierarchy

• Satisfaction-progression process

• People who experience self-actualization desire more rather than less of this need

Gholipour A. 2006. Organizational Behavior. University of Tehran.

ERGTheory

Needs HierarchyTheory

ERG Theory

Self-Actualization

Esteem

Belongingness

Safety

Physiological

Growth

Relatedness

Existence

• Alderfer’s model has three sets of needs

• Adds frustration-regression process to Maslow’s model

Gholipour A. 2006. Organizational Behavior. University of Tehran.

Content Theories of Motivation

Self-Actualization

Esteem

Belongingness

Safety

Physiological

Growth

Relatedness

Existence

Motivator--HygieneTheory

Motivators

Hygienes

Need forAchievement

Need forPower

Need forAffiliation

McClelland’sLearned Needs

ERGTheory

Needs HierarchyTheory