Motivation Theories - Comparison

Motivation Theories - Comparison

Introduction

It should be understood that the skilled human resource management involves an understanding of the managers along with the well-designed organizational structure and coordination of workers and their effective work. An efficient and interesting staff is needed in achieving organizational goals and for that management needs to find the right motivations of employees to work effectively. It is always advisable to look for the motive of conduct employee. Motivation is the process of creating a system of conditions or reasons that affect a person's behavior, regulating the intensity of his work to encourage exercise integrity, perseverance, diligence in achieving goals. Furthermore it is the process itself and encouraging others to achieve personal goals and objectives of the organization, management is the foundation of man. No doubt, there are several motivational theories developed by various researchers, but out of all the theories the two main motivational theories that are still used as the basic or the ground of every other motivational theory. These two popular motivation theories are Abraham Maslow's theory of motivation popularly known as the Maslow Need hierarchy theory and Burrhus Frederic Skinner's behaviorist theory (Green, 2002).

This paper aims to compare the similarities and contrast the differences in the works of Maslow and Skinner that influence on behavior.

Discussion

Table-1 provides the comparison of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory with Skinner's Behaviorist theory.

ISSUE

MASLOW

SKINNER

Define Motivation

According to the Maslow, man always look to satisfy his basic need that comprises of Air, food, sex etc, the most basic needs without which the person cannot live. This has been termed as physiological need from Maslow perspective. After that, person look for safety need that is to protect himself, his family following the love and Belonging needs that comprises of personal and personal relationship .Esteem need where person achievement growth, respect. And lastly self actualization.

According to the Skinner, motivation is the dependence on the past experiences of people. Human behavior is caused by the consequences of their actions in a similar situation in the past

How Motivation Changes For Elementary Versus Secondary Students

The motivation changes from basic need to the advance needs

Work from simple to complex steps; performance/feedback motivation and actualization changes; amount of reward changes; kind and quality of reward changes

Similarities/Differences

Set of needs must be met, and to move to next level reward occurs; melding of layers of needs; primary human focus is establishing inner needs.

Behavior affected by ...