Drs. Skemp-Arlt and Toupence of the Exercise and Sport Science Department within the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse examined the role of the administrator in motivating employees. In so doing, they noted that it was important to both examine the theoretical implications of employee motivation as well as its practical application. Within this paradigm, it was decided that one needs to seriously consider the theortical work of Abraham Maslow, Frederick Herzberg and others. In considering the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, it is prudent that employees look for ways of fulfilling the higher order needs of their employees while being cognizant of the fact that it is difficult to fulfill those needs if the lower-order needs are unmet.
Furthermore, motivators for achieving those higher order needs include recognition for excellent work done, increased responsibility, advancement and other intrinsic rewards. Additionally, Skemp-Arlt & Toupence delineated fifteen (15) strategies for employee motivation which ranged from open communication and being available to speak with employees to assisting employees to align their personal goal with the mission of the organization.
Doloi, H. (2007). Twinning Motivation, Productivity and Management Strategy in Construction Projects. Engineering Management Journal, 19(3), 30-40.
Doloi (2007) conducted a survey wherein the motivational factors were related to worker’s productivity. In her study she attempted to identify the relative importance of financial, political, technical, operational, legal, social and environmental motivational factors on the overall profitability, sustainability and strategic advantage of the business. Based on the findings of her examination, a framework was developed with regards to the critical motivational attributes. In total, twenty-five (25) parameters were identified as having contributed to the employee motivation paradigm. Among those parameters, work environment and employee contracts proved to be critical contributors to motivation within the Australian construction industry.
Lord, R.L. & Farrington, P.A. (2006). Age-Related Differences in the Motivation of Knowledge Workers, Engineering Management Journal, 18(3), 20-26.
With the first of the baby-boomers reaching retirement came a problem for the nation to contemplate—how to motivate older employees. Increasingly, there are more individuals over the age of fifty-five (55) within the workforce. These employees face special challenges with regards to motivation. Lord & Farrington (2006) propose that there is a difference in the motivation level of younger and older workers and as such, there is a need to study the difference in the employment responsibilities of older and younger workers as well as to examine the age-related motivational differences and its contributors utilizing a classic theoretical approach.
The findings of this body of research indicated that there was a strong positive correlation between an individual’s commitment to an organization and his/her job satisfaction. Furthermore, organizational commitment may prove to be a better determinant of employee attitude than employment satisfaction. The implications of these findings are such that the motivation of older employees can be seen in the willingness of the management within the organization to provide older employees with the opportunity to learn new and innovative ways to apply their vast body of knowledge.
Taris, T.W., Feij, J.A. & Capel, S. (2006). Great expectations – and what comes of it: The effects of unmet expectations on work motivation and outcomes among newcomers. International Journal of Selection & Assessment, 14(3), 256-268.
This body of research focuses on individuals who have newly migrated to seven Western countries mainly European countries and assessed the effects of socialization on employee motivation and expectations. It was found that in cases where the worker expectations were unmet, employee motivation was adversely affected. In fact, individuals who attach a great importance to aspects of work such as social interaction with their co-workers exhibited an increased motivation at work. This motivation was evident in their willingness to work towards the acquisition of new skills as well as their propensity to remain on the job for a longer period of time.
Uwakweh, B.O. (2006). Motivational Climate of Construction Apprentice. Journal of Construction Engineering & Management, 132(5), 525-532.
In a survey of apprentices within the construction industry, Uwakweh (2006) discovered that there was very little done to motivate construction apprentices and as a direct result, there was a low level of motivation. Furthermore, the study was poignant in pointing out that construction apprentices were given very little assistance in learning the trade. This body of research was conducted in light of the theoretical construct of motivation as delineated by Maslow and Herzberg.
The implications of these findings are such that there is a need for the understanding of motivation in terms of both its theory and practical application. This understanding is needed on the part of the management within the construction industry. Especially since the apprentices are an integral part of the future of the construction industry and the work related attitudes and practices they develop as apprentices will transcend to their actual employment. The last thing the workforce needs is an influx of unmotivated employees.
Bedny, G. & Karwowski, W. (2006). The self-regulation concept of motivation at work. Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science, 7(4), 413-436.
Organizational behavior and motivation has been the subject of constant scrutiny and examination. Within this vein, there has been a propensity to go way beyond theory and practically apply the theoretical constructs. In this vein Bedny & Karwowski (2006) examined the systemic–structural theory of activity in order to assess activity within the workplace. In their analysis, they approached work motivation from the vantage point of motivation being a self-regulating comprising of five stages—a pre-conscious motivational stage, goal-related motivational stage, task evaluative motivational stage, executive or process-related motivational stage and result-related motivational stage. These stages may be in accord with each other or they may work against each other. The level of agreement or discord serves to determine the level of employee motivation whereby agreement yields increased motivation and discord yields decreased motivation.
Thiedke, C.C. (2004) What Motivates Staff? Family Practice Management, 11(10), 54-55.
Employee motivation was examined under the constructs of Maslow’s theory of motivation and that of Herzberg. Thiedke determined that employee motivation is a complex entity when one thinks about measuring and impacting measures to increase it. This examination, however, found that favorable work conditions, competitive wages do not contribute to increased motivation instead, their lacking does contribute to job dissatisfaction. The key to employee motivation lies in peer-recognition, increased responsibility and an intrinsic sense of accomplishment. This prompts the need for employers to examine the concept of a true motivational climate and assess whether they are providing their employees with the necessary components to foster motivation.
Ivashchenko, A. & Novikov, D. (2006). Model of the hierarchy of needs. Automation & Remote Control, 67 (9), 1512-1517.
Ivashchenko & Novikov (2006) proposed a practical application of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in the form of a formalized model. This model emphasized the notion that there is an inextricable link between the availability of resources, its allocation and motivation. They proposed a static model wherein there was a determination of a set of critical resources needed to assure that lower level needs are met and a clear and concise plan to meet those needs are devised.
A dynamic model was investigated wherein the components needed to attain a predefined level of satisfaction were assessed and resource allocation was examined. The key to the dynamic model was to reduce the difficulties posed by resource allocation in order to facilitate optimal needs management thereby positively influencing motivation. This according to Ivashchenko & Novikov necessitated organizational managers to solve the puzzle of the allocation of resources in order to facilitate optimal employee motivation.
Latham, G.P. & Pinder, C.C. (2005). Work motivation theory and research at the dawn of the twenty-first century. Annual Review of Psychology, 56(1), 485-516.
An examination of work motivation theory and research was examined. In so doing, there body of research conducted between 1993 and 2003 served as the focus. It was determined that the majority of the research conducted during that time period focused on goal-setting, organizational justice theory and social cognitive theories. Behaviorism theories proved to be less important than goal-setting, organizational justice and cognitive theories. The lion’s share of the body of literature proved to be related to various models of person-environment fit and job design. One of the most salient points of this investigation is the notion that there is an increasing need for organizations to understand employee motivation as it serves as a driving force within modern business practices. Finally, the more one undertakes the study of motivation, the more salient the notion that one needs to reexamine and redefine the variables become. There is a definite change in the study of motivation in terms of employee satisfaction to a focus on counterproduction within the workplace.