Motivational Theories Of Motivation

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According to Denhardt et al. (2013), “motivation is what causes people to behave as they do”. In a study conducted in 1981, it was found that there were over 140 different definitions of motivation (Denhardt, Denhardt, & Aristigueta, 2013). One researcher defined the study of motivation as “the analysis of the various factors that incite and direct an individual’s action” (Denhardt, Denhardt, & Aristigueta, 2013). Other researchers have suggested that motivation “represents a hypothetical construct used to describe the internal and/or external forces producing the induction, the direction, the intensity and the persistence of behavior” (Anderfuhren-Biget, Varone, Giauque, & Ritz, 2010, p. 216).
While the definitions of motivation may differ,
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Context plays an important part in influencing behavior. The context could be public sector versus private sector, or even the individual office environment and the leadership within it.
Motivation is internal to the individual and can therefore not be directly observed (Denhardt, Denhardt, & Aristigueta, 2013). As Denhardt et al. stated, “It is possible to observe the outward manifestations of motivation but not motivation itself” (Denhardt, Denhardt, & Aristigueta, 2013, p. 165). Motivation is also not the same as satisfaction. One can be satisfied but not motivated. Motivation is more future oriented with a focus on the relationship between performance and rewards, while satisfaction is about how people feel about the rewards received (Denhardt, Denhardt, & Aristigueta, 2013). Motivation is also not directly controllable. While a manager may wish that they could directly control their employees’ motivation, they cannot. A manager can only influence their employees’ motivation because it is something that occurs within the individual (Denhardt, Denhardt, & Aristigueta,
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Feedback is important because it “allows people to monitor their progress toward goal attainment” (Denhardt, Denhardt, & Aristigueta, 2013). By receiving feedback, an employee will know how well they are doing in the progression of goal attainment or if they need to take corrective action (Daley, 2012). When there are milestones or intermediate objectives as part of long term goals, then it provides employees with “small victories” that inspire them to continue towards goal achievement (Daley, 2012). Targets and feedback also lead workers to want to improve for intrinsic reasons such as self-esteem or self-satisfaction (Swiss,

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