In this chapter, an attempt hasbeen made to review selected topics in motivation. The format wasmethodological primarily to illustrate that considerable controversy exists inthe area, even though motivation has consumed much of the energy of writers in thebehavioral sciences and management.
The important point to recognizeis that the generality and pragmatic usefulness of a particular approach tomotivation is closely related to the manner in which that approach isdeveloped. Rational-deductive theories such as the Barnard-Simon model(exchangetheory) and expectancy theory are based on certain prior assumptions aboutrational human choice. Consequently, they are extremely general, in ascientific sense, because they can be applied to a wide range of situations andcircumstances. Herzberg’s two-factor theory and operant conditioning are moreinductive and empirical. Thus, they are more specific and less universallyadaptable.
Given the present sate ofmotivation theory, the best strategy for a prospective manager is to become asfamiliar as possible with all of the theories currently available. The truth isthat thee is something new and something true in all of them. The manager’sproblem is to carefully choose those new things that are true, and toskeptically decide which true things are really new. This, of course, is not aneasy dilemma for the manager to resolve. Even behavioral scientists who devotemost of their time studying motivational problems find the issue complex andfrustrating.
Once the essential foundations ofmotivation theory and practice are understood, one is able to confront the morephilosophical questions of how behavioral science knowledge should be used inthe managerial context. Issues of this nature immediately converge on suchquestions as the ethics of behavior modification. This issue cannot be avoidedby any managers because of very real pressures from society, including legalintervention into motivational practices and the protection of individualrights on and off the job.
