For this assignment, you will apply theories of motivation to a specific organization.
To prepare for this Application Assignment:
Reflect on the following scenario.
Case Study: The Harried Manager
Susan Smith is the Senior Director of Human Resources for the Happy Patient Health Care System. Running late as usual, she rushes into the office at 8:55 a.m. after a hectic morning of dealing with small and large family crises with her children and spouse.
She sighs as she looks at her calendar and sees back-to-back appointments all day; so much for trying to get to the project she has been working on for the CEO that is due at the end of the week. Thinking about the late nights she will have to put in, she sighs again.
As she rushes to her 9:00 a.m. meeting with her staff, she thinks about why some of her staff members are so resistant to the new HR information system that is being planned for implementation. They are just so old school, she thinks as she sighs again.
Next on the schedule is a meeting with the finance people about raises for the health system employees. The controller insists that there isn't enough money to give everyone a raise.
He asserts that, given the limited amount available, the best approach is to increase the starting rate to remain competitive in the marketplace and give raises to the newer employees in the hope that they won't leave. "After all, we need to keep them for the future," he says.
Susan is concerned about the impact this increase will have on morale. As the day progresses, Susan begins to dwell on a performance evaluation she has to give to her administrative assistant in the late afternoon.
Grace is a loyal, longtime employee, but she is very slow and meticulous in her work.
At times, this behavior has created delays in finishing projects and completing reports, causing Susan to work late to meet deadlines. My family is starting to rebel about the late hours I spend here, she thought. I need to find a better way.
To complete this Application Assignment, write a 2- to 3-page paper that applies each of the theories of motivation to the situation.
Include the following in your response:
What level(s) of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is the person exhibiting? Suggest two and please explain.
Which factors of dissatisfaction or satisfaction are present in the scenario (Herzberg's Theory of Motivation)?
Which type of motivation, intrinsic or extrinsic, is the person exhibiting? Please explain
Based on the scenario, provide one example of the equity theory of motivation. Please explain how your example relates to the theory.
Do you think that the goal-setting theory applies to any of the interactions in the scenario? Explain your answer.
Describe a situation in the scenario that applies to McClelland's Theory of Needs.
In your response, be sure to describe how each of the theories could have explained the motivation.
Keep in mind that you may have to do some additional research on the theories to complete this assignment.
Your written assignments must follow APA guidelines.
Be sure to support your work with specific citations from this week's Learning Resources and additional scholarly sources as appropriate.
Refer to the Essential Guide to APA Style for Walden Students to ensure your in-text citations and reference list are correct.
Resources
Robbins, S.P., & Judge, T. A. (2017). Essentials of organizational behavior (14th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Chapter 7, "Motivation Concepts"
This chapter reviews the early and contemporary theories of motivation, including Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, McGregor's Theory X and
Theory Y, cognitive evaluation theory, and goal-setting theory. It also compares the relationship between motivation theories and culture.
Chapter 8, "Motivation: From Concepts to Applications"
This practical discussion discusses how to apply motivation concepts by changing the workplace, redesigning jobs, involving the employee in decision making, and variable pay programs. In addition, the authors describe how approaches to motivation vary across cultures.