AS Economics & Business Johirul Islam
Douglas McGregor had two theories ‘theory X’ and ‘theory Y’. McGregor’s theory X manager believes that an employee dislikes work and avoid if possible. As a result, theory X workers must be controlled, directed and threatened with punishment if necessary to make them work. McGregor’s theory Y manager believes that an employee finds work as natural as play or rest. As a result, they are able and willing to organise, control and direct themselves, and accept authority and responsibility. Control and punishment are not effective ways to get the theory Y employee to work. McGregor’s analysis shows that employers should treat their employers as individuals, finding out what exactly motivates him.
(See appendix 2)
Frederick Herzberg developed a two-factor theory of motivation based on hygiene factors and motivators. Hygiene factors consist of an employee’s salary and the level of security. By themselves, these are not motivators but if they are removed they act as things which will dissatisfy and demotivate the employee. Motivators act as things which will satisfy employees and give them ‘good feelings’ which include promotion, recognition and achievement at work. Herzberg concluded that ‘satisfiers’ motivate when present and ‘dissatisfiers’ demotivate when not present.
For my case study I have interviewed two people, one person who works full time and one person who works part time. The first person I interviewed is an 18 year old student who works part time at ‘United colours of Benetton’ as a sales assistant. He lives with his parents and two younger sisters.
He believes that when he goes to work he fall into both theories x and y categories this is because he is motivated to work to earn money and he enjoys work. He feels that he does not fall into the theory x category in all matters low this is because he takes responsibility and has ambition. This is shown in his first job how he earned £1.50 an hour, and now earns £5 an hour. The factor which helped get the collecting job was that he was motivated enough to work in snow or dreadful weather. He shows responsibility by maintaining a cheerful attitude at all time. Theory x is mainly used for people lower down in the chain i.e. shop floor workers while theory y is mainly used with managerial staff. In the Independent a banker’s union wrote, the lower down the ladder you are, the less control you have over your work environment.
At this present time he goes to work just in order to earn money to buy goods, but this will change in the future when he leaves home. This is mostly due to his mum providing food, clothing and other essential survival items. He does get job satisfaction from talking to customers and fellow employees and this leads him to continue talking to them even when he finishes work.
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AS Economics & Business
The second person I interviewed is a 25 year old university graduate who has been working full time for four years. He now works as an Analyst programmer at a well known IT company. He also lives with his parents and three younger brothers. He earns around £30-35K a year
He feels that if he was to be categorised into Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs he would put himself into the security needs since he works for money to save for the future but he also says that he hopes for promotions and recognition from the management. So he would also be categorized into esteem needs. At the moment he goes to work to earn money and buy luxuries. His parents provide food and other essential household items. He is motivated by the fact that he could get promotions or a pay rise if he works hard and if deadlines are met. Another factor which helps to motivate him is having a good understanding with his boss.
Having done both interviews I believe that the first person I interviewed would fall into theory y seeing as he enjoys his work and even works in terrible weather. I also believe he should be categorised into the security needs seeing as he works for money that he wants to save and use for luxuries. He could also be categorised into affiliation needs in view of the fact that he has social events with fellow workers after and during work. A factor which helps him become motivated to work is having a good boss, who allows flexibility. This is vitally needed because of the time it takes him to get to work after college.
In contrast to this the second person I interviewed I would categorise into both security needs and esteem needs in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. This is because he works for money to save for the future. I would also classify him in esteem needs given that he is working for promotion and managerial recognition. He is driven by the fact that he has a good understanding with his boss and also by the fact that he would receive sick pay so he would not have to worry if he had to leave work for a while due to circumstances that he cannot control i.e. being in an accident. I also feel that if he were to move out he would drop to physiological needs this is due to the fact that he will need to buy his own food and pay his own bills because his parents will not be able to provide it.
Many businesses are concerned about motivation because the right strategy will help people to be more productive. By meeting people’s needs, a business can increase commitment and therefore improve performance. In recent years attitudes to work may have changed due to businesses becoming more aware of employee needs for example a business could set up discussions with management about goals and working practices which would make employees feel their opinion counts and also that their contribution is valuable. Nowadays, as a result of studying the work of motivational theorists, most employers accept that their staff can contribute valuable ideas, make decisions, solve problems and take on extra responsibilities.
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AS Economics & Business Johirul Islam
At the end of this investigation I have learnt about what motivates people and discovered that work is not all about money but about a different range of things such as social needs. I have learnt about a variety of theories two in particular Douglas McGregor’s theory X and Y and Abraham. I have found that most people would be categorised into one or more of the bottom three rows in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. I could have improved the investigation by interviewing an employer to find out what motivation techniques would they have used with their employees. I think that there are more people who are motivated to work then there are of people not motivated so therefore I believe more people will fall into the McGregor’s theory Y.
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AS Economics & Business Johirul Islam
Appendix 1
- Level 1 Psychological needs - the basic essentials of life such as food and drink, warmth and sleep.
- Level 2 Security needs - the sense of being in a secure environment.
- Level 3 Affiliation needs – the desire for receiving and giving friendship and love: a sense of belonging.
- Level 4 Esteem needs – feeling self-respect and experiencing the respect of others.
- Level 5 Self-actualisation needs – the drive towards creative self-fulfilment.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs:
SELF-ACTUALISATION
ESTEEM NEEDS
AFFILIATION NEEDS
SECURITY NEEDS
PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS
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AS Economics & Business Johirul Islam
Appendix 2
Theory X Propositions
A manager holding to these would be inclined to believe and state that
- On average my staff really do not want to work. If they had a choice they would not want to commit themselves to work for the employer in the employer's time. They avoid it wherever possible. Basically they are self-interested and prefer leisure rather than working for someone else.
- Because of this I have to structure work and energise my staff. Tasks need to be well-specified. Even then many need pushing and more direction and control so that they apply adequate effort towards what has to be achieved. Even though I provide good rewards - many of my staff are still disinclined to apply consistently the kinds of effort the organisation needs. Many accept the rewards, complain that they need more and yet behave in ways that are less than fully committed. I have to resort to more checks, instructions and exhortations - sometimes even punishments. If I relax my gaze and I am too soft sloppiness sets in.
- Indeed most people prefer to be directed. They do not really wish to carry the burden of responsibility indeed they tend to avoid this. They have little ambition and prefer a secure, steady life.
Theory Y
A Theory Y manager tends to believe that
- Given the right conditions for employees, their application of physical and mental effort in work is as natural as rest or play. Work is play, offers satisfactions and meaning.
- There are alternatives to reliance on external controls, pushing and threats - implied or real. These are not the only means for linking individual effort with organizational objectives. If people feel committed, they will exercise self-direction and self-control in the service of the firm's objectives.
- Their objectives will complement the firm's and commitment is a function of the "intrinsic" rewards associated with their achievement i.e. not just extrinsic rewards/punishments.
- The Theory Y manager recognizes the influence of learning. He/she believes that if the right conditions are created the average person learns not to accept and seek responsibility.
- The capacity to exercise imagination, ingenuity and creativity in the solution of organizational problems is widely not narrowly distributed in the work force
- In modern organizations, the intellectual potential of the average person are only partially utilized. People are capable of handling more complex problems.