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Michael Brokenburr
Management 490 2:00
May 4, 2005
The focus of this paper is to discuss what motivation is and ways managers can acquire the most out of our employees. Managers must ask themselves certain questions in the work place when comes to motivation. Why do some people work hard and others coast? Why do some leaders have high-producing units and others, with employees of comparable background, have low producing ones? Why are some organizations noted for a culture in which employees are highly motivated and enjoy work, whereas others are noted for high turnover rates? The remainder of the paper will identify seven theories that can help answer these and other questions. In addition, this paper will determine methods in which these theories can motivate our employees.
In order to understand how to motivate employees, one must know the true definition of motivation. Organizational Behavior defines motivation as "the processes that account for an individual's intensity, direction, and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal." Knowing this definition, it's easier to grasp the concept of motivation.
There are seven important theories of motivation. The first and most well known theory is Maslow's hierarchy of needs. There is a hierarchy of five needs: physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization. As each need is substantially satisfied, the next need becomes dominant (Organizational Behavior pg. 171).
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Maslow is based on his concept of a hierarchy of needs on two principles. First, human needs may be arranged in a hierarchy o ...