Organisational Behaviour Essay

Accoring to Agarwal, (2007) organisation and earthagement have been analysed and theorised since man first collaboratively doinged to engageher to achieve common goals. Motivational scheme explores forces playing on or indoors a person that cause the arousal, direction, and patience of goal-directed, voluntary effect and is a frequently investigated area of organisational behaviour (Barnet & angstrom Simmering, 2006.P. 563). With no one unanimously supported surmisal, it is non surprising that to severally one possiblenesss development attracts a flock of critics, each dedicating sentence and resources to questioning validity. miner, (2007) gives a comprehensive account of hypothesis, describing a good speculation as one that presents unique insights, is interesting, purposeful, testable and well written, adding depth to the literature it is grounded in. It is from this super C stick that this essay aims to evaluate the deuce content theories un apocryphal by Freder ick Hertzberg and David McClelland.Initially, each theory go out be over cleared, to develop a superior general fel utter incuring of the terminals made regarding indigenceal strategy. An evaluation of the strengths and limitations each theory presents testament follow, puting how these valuements endure be applied to contemporary organisations. Through this it will be sh hold that regardless of the limitations theories have intercourse, their development and subsequent scrutiny, continues to uncover the enormous potential associated with understanding and respecting the internal motivational imbibe up of item-by-items. Hertzbergs Two-Factor TheoryFredrick Hertzberg developed the Two-Factor Theory after conducting a have in the 1950s, which approached 200 engineers and accountants from polar companies. Using the critical incidence technique, Hertzberg asked open questions, encouraging interviewees to identify and rank factors effecting their play fulfilment (Kondalkar, 2007). From this seek Hertzberg suggested job satisfaction be approached by identifying motivational factors with the potential to lead to satisfaction and hygiene factors that risk dissatisfaction if non maintained to an appropriate standard (Kondalkar).Motivating factors were found to be associated with job content whilst hygiene factors stemmed from the context in which the job was performed (Wood et al, 2010). plat one, lists these factors and illustrates the limitations Hertzberg discovered in linking high-level motivation with hygiene factors. That is, any improvement in hygiene factors do not motivate workers but their reduction below a certain level will dissatisfy them (Kondalkar, p. 106).Also, it target be seen that no overlapping factors relating to both satisfaction and dissatisfaction exist, as the conclusion was made that they were independent rather than opposite extremes on a maven continuum as traditional views had held (Wagner & angstrom unit Hollenbeck, 201 0, p. 130). draw one (Content taken from Kondalhar, 2007, pp. 105-106) Upon evaluation, a number of criticisms have come forward, galore(postnominal) relating to the breadth of Hertzbergs study.The research involved limited respondents all manlike white-collar workers in report and engineering firms in that respectfore the inevitably of many occupational groups were not reflected (Wagner & Hollenbeck, 2010). Also the study failed to recognize individual diversity and the varying prioritisation of ask relating to ones age, gender and culture (Wood et al, 2010). Wagner and Hollenbeck (2010), question Hertzbergs critical-incident technique claiming that it is a questionable research method acting, subject to errors in perceptionmemory andsubconscious biases (p. 31). This view is echoed by Wood et al (2010), who are concerned that Hertzbergs method whitethorn have encouraged respondents to attribute positive experiences at work to their own management of situations, and negat ive experiences to environmental conditions beyond their control. For this causation the theory has been labelled method bound indicating that similar results could not be achieved by means of with(predicate) any different approach, thus limiting its credibility and successful applications programme in other work specialisetings (Kondalkar, 2007).Finally, there is ambiguity surrounding the labelling of motivational versus hygiene factors. Many factors showed up as both satisfiers and dissatisfiers, especially those connect to salary, relationship and status (Miner 2007). So, managers wishing to apply the theory must be aware of these limitations, rather than assuming Hertzbergs motivational and hygiene factors will be relevant to all organisations. Despite its imperfections, Hertzbergs theory has been successful in developing a framework through which organisations flock approach job design and enrichment.It whitethorn provide managers with a jump point for understanding and explaining individual performance, and offer suggestions for improving employee getup (Wood et al 2010). Broadly categorising motivational factors as existence internal, and factors leading to dissatisfaction as external, has highlighted that internal human motivation comes from ones desire to improve themselves, be engaged in meaningful activities, and be recognized for their efforts, rather than purely for monetary gain.Furthermore, Miner (2007) considers employees who focus solely on hygiene factors, as an employment risk, being less driven, and more dependent on frequent external incentives to stoppage motivated. This information may be useful if these factors can be assessed within the recruitment process. In practical terms this theory encourages organisations to take a more personal approach to their staff. To assess the presence or absence of these contributing factors, organisations could work closely with their workers, developing their own unique set of hygiene and motivational factors specific to their nation in their industry.With open parley channels and improved workplace relationships, organisations have the potential to increase foil into individual motivational necessitate of employees. This would put them in a dampen position to ensure their workforce remains motivated, whilst environmental conditions are appropriately maintained to facilitate optimal performance. Motivational factors could be addressed through addressing performance feedback, development of internal or external client relationships, familiarity acquisition and individual influence over ones time and schedule (Herzberg 1976 as cited in Miner 2007).For hotel employees, an intranet website could be utilised for charting individual performance results, client/interdepartmental feedback, posting educational programs on offer and a feedback gathering to make suggestions sent direct to management. Giving employees transparency into departmental path costs, the respo nsibility to manage their own costs, and allowing employees to direct justifiable funds into areas they feel could improve unit output, could likewise em strength and motivate individuals (Miner).McClellands act Motivation Theory McClelland used an arousal based approach to canvass motives which began by linking hunger and the influence of food images on thought processes (Miner J. , 2005 pp. 47-48). This was later applied to much(prenominal) areas as achievement (nAch), affiliation (nAff), and power (nPow). The thematic Apperception Test measured needs by evaluating stories written by plenty after viewing particular images, which were categorised, according to which need they appealed to (Wood et al, 2010).Through this study McClelland found that although most people presented a combination of nAch, nAff, nPow characteristics, one normally dominated, and the identification of the predominant need could sponsor provide insight into an individuals behaviour, management style a nd therefore, job suitability (Miner, 2007). He similarly explains how all ternion groups learn through experience, which circumstances evoke the strongest wiz of personal satisfaction, and are gravitated to activities that regularly provide that experience (Miner, 2007).McClellands theory in some way helps to provide an explanation for those people who may not fit into the motivational model proposed by Hertzberg. McClelland was interested in the influence of unconscious motives on human behaviour (McClelland, 1987 ) and his acquired needs theory would categorise the 200 accountants and engineers interviewed by Hertzberg, as being nAch. That is, all their motives plug in to the intrinsic desire to improve ones abilities and reach ones goals in order to master the feedback that they are achieving something (Wood, et al 2010).Diagram two outlines the conditions need to engage nAch individuals, many of which could be applied to someone with entrepreneurial ambition (Miner, 2005). Although those seeking such(prenominal) conditions could be perceived as valuable employees, their shortcomings may surface when required to manage others if they do not possess the emotional intelligence required to understand those whose need for achievement is not as strong (Miner). Diagram Two (Content taken from Miner, 2007, pp. 36-44) McClellands theory goes on to identify two other categories of people.Those with nAff bias have a desire to be like by everyone, enjoy human interaction and working towards team goals. For this discernment nAff individuals may find management challenging when they are required to make tough decisions that are not supported by subordinates, however may still perform well in project management roles (McClelland, 1987). NPow people may be better suited to upper management as they are less likely to put the maintenance of amicable relationships forwards the needs of the organisation (Miner, 2005).As with all three categories, the nPow group als o has its negative tendencies. As outlined in plat two, according to McClelland (1987), there are four sequential stages of power, and those that reach the final stage, have the highest anticipation for managerial success. Others who may become entrenched in personal power motives may manage people poorly due to their preoccupation with their own needs, and fail to develop respect due to high inhibition and low affiliation behaviours (McClelland).According to Wood et al (2010) the main significance of McClellands research was that it proved nAch behaviour could be successfully learnt throughout life, and did not have to be acquired in early childhood as originally thought. Also McClelland clearly established a link between nAch motives and entrepreneurial activity and performance (Miner, 2007). This has important practical implications for organisations as it indicates that appropriate cookery of employees could increase the presence of nAch and nPow motives, which have been suppo rted indicators of high-level performance (Miner).McClelland has successfully developed and implemented such programs around the world (Miner, 2007) and believes this finding could be applied to developing nations and create considerable improvements in the performance and output of entire countries (McClelland, 1961). Alhtough McClellands theory recieves more support than many other early theories, its key limitation lies in the convenience of practical execution of instrument (Robbins, 2009). Whilst managers may benefit greatly from knowing and understanding the implications of needs biases of employees, such subconscious patterns re difficult to assess (Robbins), and the methods used to do so, such as psychometric/motivational testing or motivational interviews/surveys can prove time-consuming and costly.Therefore the time and financial commitments required to assess subconscioius needs of employees is a barrier for many organisations (Robbins). Another drawback of the theory re lates to the lose of relevance for female employees. The theory was formulated after analysis of male subjects alone, and when women were later studied the results were inconsistent, despite achievement motivation being epochal with women entrepreneurs (Miner 2007).Such concepts as fear of success reduced achievement motivation scores, with high inhibition and power motivated behvaiours operating in wholly different ways (Miner). Organisations should therefore be mindful that McClellands methods may entirely be relevant to the male contigent of their workforce when considering practical implementation. Managers may get the best these limitiations if equipped with the knowledge of the three core needs and practice actualisation of the behaviours which represent them (both within themselves and others).Once educated individuals may, with experience, become skilled needs assessors. Until individuals have had an opprotunity to experience a range of nAch, nPow and nAff related situ ations, they themselves may not have a clear understanding of their own needs bias. They may feel dissatsified or unmotivated or both, without really understanding why. For this reason it may be useful to give employees a chance to experience the sundry(a) factors, then assess their responses, in order to help them identify with their own subconsicous motives.Also educating employees about the various tendencies, may in itself help employees to recognize where they fit within the needs theory model. During a workshop, the various needs concepts could be explained, then each individual could map their needs on a scale such as shown in diagram two, in order to see where their tendecies lie. A questionaire could be developed with each answer having a particular rating within each of the categories to advocate employees with identifying with their needs.You are working on a team project with three others, and they are disinterested and not pulling their weight. Would you a) Be happy t hat you could gallop the project in your own way and be motivated by the challenge? b) Organise a social function and try and get everyone engaged through developing positive relationships?