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MOTIVATION THEORY.
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Compares principles & effectiveness of equity theory & goal theory as applied to organizational environments.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Compares principles & effectiveness of equity theory & goal theory as applied to organizational environments.
Paper Introduction:
MOTIVATION THEORY COMPARISON: EQUITY VERSUS GOAL
This research compares the equity theory of motivation with the goal theory of motivation. The thesis of this comparison is that the equity theory of motivation is more effective when applied in work environment wherein individual responsibility is paramount, while the goal theory of motivation is more effective in group work environments.
Equity theory suggests that individuals are sensitive to others receiving similar rewards for less effort, and effort may be adjusted to reflect individual perceptions of fairness. The central argument in equity theory is that employees responses to motivational programs depend on their perceptions of the programs’ fairness. According to equity theory, participants in an economic ex
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When individual effort andresponsibility characterize an organization's work, however, the equitytheory of motivation is highly relevant. Ashforth, "The Perceived Inequity of Systems," Administration& Society 24 (November 1992): 376. [4]Ibid. E. E. MOTIVATION THEORY COMPARISON: EQUITY VERSUS GOAL This research compares the equity theory of motivation with the goaltheory of motivation. "Task Complexity As A Moderator of Goal Effects: A Meta-Analysis." Journal of Applied Psychology 72 (1987): 416-425.Yearta, S. Comer, "A Model of Social Loafing in Real Work Groups," HumanRelations 48 (June 1995): 655. R. R. [1 ]Ibid., 655. Experimental studies are not able to consider the multitude ofindividual, supervisory, peer and other organizational factors that arelikely to influence the relationships shown to exist in controlledsettings."[23] Goal setting, however, is an integral part of effective task processesfor teams.[24] It is important to make sure the goals of teams arecongruent with the corporate and business unit goals. [17]R. "Gainsharing: A Critical Review and A Future Research Agenda." Journal of Management 21 (Fall 1995): 559-6 9.Wood, R. Yearta, S. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 199 .May, D. P. K., Maitlis, S., and Briner, R. [11]Ibid. [21]Yearta, Maitlis, and Briner, 237. [13]E. May and B. [15]Ibid., 81. [19]Ashforth, 388. Thus, when group processes take precedence over individualeffort and responsibility, goal setting becomes more important in themotivation of organizational members. [8]D. R. M. "The Perceived Inequity of Systems." Administration & Society 24 (November 1992): 375-4 8.Comer, D. Briner, "An Exploratory Studyof Goal Setting in Theory and Practice: A Motivational Technique ThatWorks?" Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology 68 (September1995): 237. L. The thesis of this comparison is that the equitytheory of motivation is more effective when applied in work environmentwherein individual responsibility is paramount, while the goal theory ofmotivation is more effective in group work environments. L. [9]Ibid., 654. Goal setting is a cognitive theory of motivation based on the premisethat people have needs that can be thought of as specific outcomes or goalsthey hope to obtain.[12] Goal theory makes the assumption that humanbehaviour is purposeful and that goals direct and sustain an individual'senergies towards performing a particular action.[13] Goals have two primary attributes or dimensions: content andintensity.[14] Goal content refers to the features of the goals themselves-the difficulty and specificity of the goal. While much work has been done examiningthe effects of difficulty and the level of participation on goalperformance in controlled studies, few researchers have investigated thenature of these relationships in the context of an operational goal settingprogramme. This research compared the equity theory of motivation with the goaltheory of motivation. S. A Theory of Goal Setting and Task Performance. [16]Yearta, Maitlis, and Briner, 239. In laboratory based studies,goal difficulty is typically determined by running trials of the task andsetting standardized levels of goal difficulty below or above a normestablished in trial sessions."[18] Research also has found, however, that under a goal theory ofmotivation regime, cognitive responses by underpaid employees result intendencies "to rate their work as more interesting and their workenvironment as more rewarding than do equitably paid employees.[19] Suchcognitive responses, thus, serve to minimize or legitimate inequity andthus minimize other effects. "Toward An Understanding of Inequity." Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 67 (1963): 422-436.Ashforth, B. E., Mento, A. R., and Flannery, B. Adams, "Toward An Understanding of Inequity," Journal ofAbnormal and Social Psychology 67 (1963): 423. [24]D. Goal intensity is the processby which a goal is set and accomplished. Equity theory suggests that individuals are sensitive to othersreceiving similar rewards for less effort, and effort may be adjusted toreflect individual perceptions of fairness.[1] The central argument inequity theory is that employees responses to motivational programs dependon their perceptions of the programs' fairness.[2] According to equitytheory, participants in an economic exchange are motivated to shift thebalance of gain to input so that each individual is rewarded in proportionto his or her performance and effort - a situation the participants view asfair and reasonable Perceived equity is defined as the extent to which an individualbelieves he or she is treated in a fair or just manner, in terms of thecontent of outcomes-distributive justice-and the process by which theoutcomes were determined-procedural justice.[3] Such a belief may be basedon comparison of one's inputs and outcomes with similar others-equitytheory, social comparison theory, or relative deprivation theory, fairexchange norms or going rates of exchange-exchange theory, or "one'sexpectations, given values, ability, status, needs, effort, social norms,precedent, contracts, and so forth."[4] Equity theory postulates that perceived inequities produce stress andmotivate individuals to restore equity.[5] The motivational strategiesinclude "behaviors designed to increase outcomes or decrease inputs and/orcognitions that rationalize or distort the situation to provide theappearance of equity."[6] Research has linked underpayment inequity todecreases in the quality and quantity of output and to absenteeism andturnover.[7] In a group work environment, thus, group members may "loafbecause they desire to preserve equity by not having others gain from theirefforts without expending effort themselves."[8] Within a group work situation, however, a goal theory-basedmotivational scheme may be more productive than an equity theory-basedprogram.[9] There is evidence that people may reduce effort in a groupwhen "they believe their contributions will not be evaluated, because ...there are neither social rewards for working hard nor social sanctionsagainst shirking, nor is information to be gained about one's own or one'sgroup's ability. [12]S. [14]Ibid., 8 . Mento, and E. P. A. The thesis of this comparison was that the equitytheory of motivation is more effective when applied in work environmentwherein individual responsibility is paramount, while the goal theory ofmotivation is more effective in group work environments. Welbourne and L. M., and Gomez-Mejia, L. Flannery, "Cutting Waste With EmployeeInvolvement Teams," Business Horizons 38 (September-October 1995): 35. S. [3]B. Maitlis, and R. A. Conversely, acrimony among team members limitsconsensus and acceptance of decisions. [2 ]J. Latham, A Theory of Goal Setting and TaskPerformance (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 199 ), 78. Gomez-Mejia, "Gainsharing: A CriticalReview and A Future Research Agenda," Journal of Management 21 (Fall 1995):583. J. J., and Locke, E. Greenberg and S. [18]Yearta, Maitlis, and Briner, 238. The choice of whichapproach upon which to base a motivational program for an organizationsmust be determined in part by the structure of the work effort within theorganization. [22]Ibid. R. [5]Ibid., 387. A. B. E. Each of theseapproaches to the motivation of individuals within organizationalenvironments, thus, has an important role to play. [23]Ibid., 24 . "An Exploratory Study of Goal Setting in Theory and Practice: A Motivational Technique That Works?" Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology 68 (September 1995): 237-252.----------------------- [1]J. "High Status Job Title As Compensation For Underpayment: A Test of Equity Theory." Journal of Applied Psychology 68 (1983): 285-297.Locke, E. There is also evidence that feeling dispensable may leadto 'self-marginalized' loafing by individuals who reduce their effort whenthey deem it unnecessary."[1 ] Thus, within a group work situation, socialloafing is more likely to occur "if both (a) no standard exists to compareand evaluate member or group contributions, and (b) members believe theirefforts are superfluous for goal accomplishment, than if only either (a) or(b) is present."[11] When individuals feel a sense of attachment to theirgroup, they will work more cooperatively and more diligently to ensure thatgroup goals are met. BIBLIOGRAPHYAdams, J. "A Model of Social Loafing in Real Work Groups." Human Relations 48 (June 1995): 647-667.Greenberg, J., and Ornstein, S. It is alsofrequently linked to company reward systems, and found in many training anddevelopment programmes such as time management, stress management andsupervisory skill training."[22] The wide use of goals and the extensive application of goal settingtheory in organizations "does not, however, stem from a wealth of researchevidence confirming their utility. [7]Ibid. [2]T. K. Ornstein, "High Status Job Title AsCompensation For Underpayment: A Test of Equity Theory," Journal of AppliedPsychology 68 (1983): 285-297. B. Locke and G. Wood, A. Locke, "Task Complexity As AModerator of Goal Effects: A Meta-Analysis," Journal of Applied Psychology72 (1987): 416-425. A., and Latham, G. [6]Ibid. Goal intensity relates to factorssuch as individual commitment, and the cognitive processes involved inattaining and setting goals.[15] Most of the research on goal content has focused on the relationshipbetween goal difficulty and performance, predicting that given an adequatelevel of ability and commitment, harder goals will lead to greater effortand performance than easier goals.[16] In a meta-analysis, 175 of the 192laboratory and experimental field studies found full or partial support forthe predicted linear relationship.[17] "In other words, most studies havefound that performance increases with the level of goal difficulty,providing the individual working to attain the goal is committed toachieving it and has the ability to do so. The tendency to rationalize outcomes often is"abetted by the symbolic affirmations or 'social accounts' offered bysystem administrators to legitimate inequity."[2 ] Goal setting is a motivational technique used extensively inorganizations.[21] As a method of directing individual efforts at work andproviding a standard against which performance can be assessed, goalsetting is "fundamental to many performance appraisal schemes. R. "Cutting Waste With Employee Involvement Teams." Business Horizons 38 (September-October 1995): 28-38.Welbourne, T.
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