Motivation

Motivation is one of the main factors that determine the work performance of employees. A person is motivated when he or she wants to do something, however the reason is not equally to stimulus, the reason could be fear of failure or desire to distinguish from others, that why motivation of a person covers all the reasons for which he chooses to act in a certain manner.

There some motivation theories

The most influent theory is Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, which classifies people need in 5 categories

1. Physiological needs

2. Needs of security and safety

3. Social needs (sense of belonging)

4. Needs of self esteem

5. Needs of self actualization

It basically explains when an inferior rank need is satisfied the next level need becomes dominant. The need of self actualization can never be satisfied because man is a perpetually wanting animal and only an unsatisfied need can motivate the behavior.

This theory was criticized especially for its rigidity because people are different and have different priorities.

Frederick Herzberg - two factors theory: He performed an investigation to identify satisfaction and dissatisfaction factors and found out that satisfaction factors were related to elements of professional activity (achievements, promotions, responsibility) and dissatisfaction factors are of their work: company policy, management, salary, work conditions.

It was criticized due to any evaluation of the relation between satisfaction and performance

Another one is theory X and theory Y by McGregor, in which he separated employees in two categories.

- Theory X: employees avoid work and responsibilities, lack ambition, and resist to change. In the workplace they must be forced and controlled

 - Theory Y: Workers make efforts at work, volunteers to different assignments and responsibilities and is motivated by the associate rewards. No being pushing because obtains motivation by the content of his work.

It was criticized because did not refer to external and internal factors.

Adair’s theory of motivation called the fifty- fifty rule: The theory says that a substantial part of motivation lies within a person while a substantial part lies outside and beyond its control, and this theory covered internal and external perspectives.

Question 

In multicultural organizational contexts what could be a good strategy to keep people motivated towards a common task?

As It was mentioned on the readings, create a constant motivation strategy is quite complicated, owing to the dualities, capacities, attitudes, desires and expectations of people, but maybe by identifying and perceiving those ones that you noticed that are really committed and those who see their activities as a priority, a manager could find a way to lead all the individuals values and put them together a consistent group which develop and achieve better results and ideas for companies in short and large terms.

1) Video source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je9H3d-egH4

2) image took from: http://multinivelemprendedores.com

3) Motivation and motivation theory. Retrieved from: http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Mar-No/Motivation-and-Motivation-Theory.html