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Introduction
Motivation theories
Motivation is a widely explored topic and numerous articles have been written and a wide array of studies have been done to determine motivation importance and implementation. Therefore, it is important to define just what theorists believe motivation is and how it is applied in the workplace.
Certo (2000) defines motivation as, “the inner state that causes an individual to behave in a way that ensures the accomplishment of some goal” (p. 354). Lewis et al. (2001) relate effort to output by defining motivation as, “the forces and expenditure of effort acting on or within a person that cause that person to behave in a specific, goal-directed manner” (p. 468). Daft (2003) adds the dimension of “enthusiasm” to the definition of motivation by referring to motivation as the forces either within or external to a person that stimulates enthusiasm and causes a person to persist in the pursuit of a particular course of action.
Many authors have also defined the concept of motivation. Motivation has been defined as: the psychological process that gives behavior purpose and direction (Kreitner, 1995); a predisposition to behave in a purposive manner to achieve specific, unmet needs (Buford et al., 1995); an internal drive to satisfy an unsatisfied need (Higgins, 1994); and the will to achieve (Bedeian, 1993). For this paper, motivation is operationally defined as the inner force that drives individuals to accomplish personal and organizational goals.
Arguably, the leading motivation theories come from the work of Herzberg (1966), Maslow (1954), Alderfer (1972), and McClelland (1985), who discuss the basic needs model of motivation, referred to as content theory of motivation, highlighting the specific factors that motivate an individual. Some are “primary needs,” such as those for food, sleep, and water – needs that deal with the physical aspects of behavior and are considered unlearned. On the other hand, needs are often psychological, which means that they are learned primarily through experience. These “secondary needs” consist of internal states, such as the desire for power, achievement, and relationships. Secondary needs are responsible for most of the behavior that a manager deals and is concerned with, and for the rewards that most motivate employees within the organization.
Pink (2009) argues that human motivation is largely...