University of Gloucestershire

Semester 1

HT 101

Introduction to management

Name: Hui Gu

Student Number: 0511988

Module Tutor: Jon Travers

Words: 2000        

Why is it important for the manager to be able to understand and apply the principles of employee motivation? Give examples from theory and practice to support your answer.

From organization studies, we understand that motivation is part of human resource management, and Human resource management is one of the most important sections for organization and management. Therefore the motivation is one of the most important reasons for employees and employers to improve their work in the company. This essay will define what are Malsow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg’s Two-factor theory , then will explain how Maslow and Herzberg’s theories are influential both of in motivating employees and employers. In addition, I will analysis some cases into those two theories to support how motivation affects workers, and finally, summarize how the motivation affect the company and how to stimulate it

Motivation is a process of thought or feeling that makes someone act in a specific way. (Maitland 1995: 1) However, there is more to it than is implied by this short definition.

Generally speaking, Malsow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg’s Two-Factor theory are two most important theories of motivation, and usually those are first choice for employers to consider how to manage employees’ motivation.

Firstly, as Maslow (1943) as cited in Maitland (1995:1) et al believed that’ all individuals have a set hierarchy of needs, which they want to be satisfied.’ There include: as a physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, self-esteem and self-actualization. The “Hierarchy of Needs” is shown as following.

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From this graph, it is easy to understand how the Hierarchy of needs work. If the low-level of needs cannot be solved, it is cannot process to higher levels of needs. From the Hierarchy of needs, the managers will easily understand employees’ needs and solve the problems step by step.

Secondly, Herzberg. F as cited by Sjaus (2003:20) state that:”…the factors involved in producing job satisfaction and motivations are separate a distinct from the factors that lead to job dissatisfaction…”The’ Herzberg’s Two-Factor’ is shown as following:

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From this picture, we understand as his theory, he thought there are two important groups of factors to motivating employees. He said that Hygiene Factors (or dissatisfaction) cannot directly affect employees’ motivation, but managers still need to care about this problem. Herzberg believed that the job is the most important motivator to employees’ performance, and the other possible points are not as important as the Nature of work.

On the other hand, motivation can be divided for two parts, one is the internal motivation and other one is external motivation. The internal motivation is depends on the personality ...

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