Definition Of Motivation By Different Authors

Definition Of Motivation By Different Authors. Motivation can be defined in terms of some outward behavior. People who are motivated exert a greater effort to perform some tasks than those who are not motivated. However, saying such is only relative and tells us little. 


Definition Of Motivation By Different Authors
Definition Of Motivation By Different Authors

A more descriptive definition of motivation would be the Willingness to do something. Where this something is conditioned by its ability to satisfy some needs of the individual. 

For instance, consider the amount of effort you put into a class you take on a pass/fail basis. Human nature tells us that you exert only enough effort to meet the minimum requirements necessary to pass. That effort is typically less than. if you attempted to get an A in the class. So an individual's level of effort should be considerably higher when the need is to “earn an A” in contrast to merely passing. Only motivation can help the individual to obtain better results.

Now the relevant question is, why the human resource is superior to other factors of production? Human resources are endowed with some unique qualities. The following are important among these qualities: 
  • People can think and imagine. They can create something. 
  • They can be motivated. When people are motivated, they work hard. 
  • They can work in a team. 
  • They have synergetic power. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Two and two can make five or more in the case of positive synergy. Synergy may also be negative.

The main function of any manager is to secure and maintain optimum performance, from their employees. 

  • Performance is a function of individual ability, knowledge, and motivation. 
  • Ability is the capability of doing a thing successfully. 
  • People who are motivated exert greater effort to perform than those who are not motivated. It will activate the potential of our employees. 

Managers must be concerned with providing a stimulus that converts employee talent into successful job performance.


The term motivation can be traced to the Latin word mover, which means to move. It is moving people to perform something. Motivation attempts to influence or cause certain behavior. It is the set of forces that cause people to behave in certain ways. 

Motivation is the way that directs a person’s behavior toward a goal. Psychologists agree that all conscious behaviors are motivated. Motivation induces people to act in a desired manner. It concerns the level of effort put forth to pursue specific goals. It is the willingness to exert high levels of effort toward organizational goals, conditioned by the effort and ability to satisfy some individual needs.

There are three elements in this definition: 

  1. The effort, 
  2. Organizational goals, and 
  3. Needs. 

When someone is motivated, he puts in more effort. Individual needs must be compatible and consistent with organizational goals.

It can reduce the monetary boredom of work among the employees. Motivation can change the attitude, behavior, and aptitude for work. It enhances the team spirit and favorable temperament of the employees.

Motivation is not a simple concept; instead, motivation pertains to various drives, desires, needs, wishes, and other forces. Managers motivate by providing an environment that encourages organization members to contribute. Motivation develops loyalty, sharpens enthusiasm, and increases initiative within the individual.


Definition Of Motivation By Different Authors

Many authors have defined motivation, which is as follows:

M. J. Gannon: 

"Motivation basically means an individual's needs, desires, and concepts that cause him or her to act in a particular manner."

Glueck: 

"Motivation is the inner state that energizes channels and sustains human behavior."

Joe Kelly: 

"Motivation is the process whereby needs instigate behavior directed towards the goals that can satisfy those needs."

Heinz Weihrich and Harold Koontz: 

"Motivation is a general term applying to the entire class of desires, needs, wishes, and similar forces."

Encyclopedia of Management: 

"It refers to the degree of readiness of an organism to pursue some designated goal and implies the determination of the nature and locus of forces inducing the degree of readiness."

Fred Luthans: 

"The key to understanding motivation lies in the meaning of and. relationship between needs, drives, and goals."

So, we can say that motivation is a process involving a few steps.

  • Motivation the process begins with needs or a deficiency. 
  • People have needs although the number of needs is limited. 
  • Needs are essential for survival. 
  • An unfulfilled or unsatisfied internal need creates tension that stimulates the individual to take initiative. 

We can say that motivated employees are in a state of tension. To relieve this tension, they exert effort. These drives generate a search behavior towards achieving goals, which will satisfy needs and finally result in the satisfaction of needs and reduction of tension. Motivation can be seen as a need-satisfying process.


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