Theory of Motivation Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Theory of Motivation - Term Paper Example This paper is an attempt to understand theory of motivations. The evolution of the various theories of motivation is addressed. A specific theory is chosen and explained in detail along with explaining how a manager could use the theory in the workplace to improve the performance. Overview of Theory of Motivation Theories of motivation have evolved over the years initially only focusing on physiological needs (scientific management school of thought) to the most recent ones which focus on cognitive needs (human relations and neo human relations approach). The evolution of the theories of motivation can be best understood by analysing the thought process behind the individual theories of motivation. Scientific Management School of Thought The main idea or thought process behind the very first theories of motivation was that humans are â€Å"rational beings† motivated by physiological needs (mainly by materialistic gains). Frederick Winslow Taylor’s theory is one of the m ajor theories from this school of thought and like many other theories of its time, Taylor’s theory also assumed that employees work to satisfy economic needs, and hence money is the only motivator. This theory did not focus on emotional needs but only limited employee motivation to pay. Human Relations School of Thought Next step in the evolution of theories of motivation was the shift in focus to social needs. ... that fulfilled social needs, than money. Neo Human Relations School of Thought The neo-human relations school of thought was introduced by Abraham Maslow along with Frederick Herzberg wherein the focus now shifted to the employee’s psychological needs. Maslow in his hierarchy of needs theory proposed that employees are motivated to fulfil specific needs and these needs can be hierarchically classified into 5 groups: physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, ego and esteem needs, and self-actualization. He argued that the needs must be satisfied as per the hierarchical order. An employee will move to higher order needs only after fulfilling the lower order need. Herzberg, on the other hand, proposed a two factor theory that said that there were factors which presence would motivate the employees, and factors which absence would de-motivate the employees. This theory will be discussed in detail in the next section. Herzberg's Two Factor Theory Herzberg in his two factor t heory argued that there were two certain sets of factors that would affect the employee’s performance. He called one as the motivators which would have a direct positive impact on motivation and would result in hard work from the employees. The second one were the hygiene factors which presence would not have any impact on motivation but their absence would de-motivate the employees and result in poor performance. Some of the motivators that Herzberg listed were advancement, responsibility, recognition, achievement and work. Some of the hygiene factors that Herzberg mentioned are salary, working conditions, company policies, relationship with co-workers, etc. According to this theory, motivated and de-motivated are entirely two different concepts and not the

Representing Genocide in Rwanda Genocide Memorials Essay

Representing Genocide in Rwanda Genocide Memorials - Essay Example The minority who were the Tutsi people were to be executed whenever they were seen. This also applied to all Hutus who tried to sympathize or help the minorities in any way. Many have been blamed for these atrocities. One such body is the United Nations which has apologized to the Rwandese government for letting such horrendous acts proceed while turning a blind eye. This was in violation of the UN treaty signed shortly after the Second World War. It authoritatively stipulated that no other massacres will be allowed to occur after the world war. (BBC News, 2004) Three years after the genocide (1997), the Rwandese government decided to build a genocide museum. This is a combination of many memorials that are located throughout the country. The purpose of these memorial sites is to preserve the memory of the massacre and to allow people the chance of remembering their lost ones. The memorials come in two varieties; the first category is a site for burying all those people who lost their lives as a result of the massacre. The second category has bones placed in enclosures and also bodies put in enclosures. These memorials have solicited mixed reactions from various culturalists and experts. Some people have called them impersonal and foreign. They have claimed that the slogan adopted for these memorial sites does not fit the Rwandese experience. This is because the slogan was borrowed from the Jewish Holocaust of the early twentieth Century. Most of the critics have claimed that ides have been borrowed from foreign occurrences and do not reflect the Rwandese experience. Others have even gone as far as claiming that the genocide memorials show how Rwanda is still experiencing post colonialism and is not free to express itself. This is because they feel that the whole arrangement was designed to woo audiences from the West- these mostly include tourists. Other observers have been quite positive about the whole idea. One such tourist was Caplan, an anthropologist and a lecturer in a University in London. She praises the way the pieces were displayed and claims that she can identify with them personally. She also Feels that the work was professional and that everything was just how she had expected it to be. (Caplan, 2007) It is therefore imperative for one to examine all sides of the issue to come with a valid conclusion on the matter. It is clear that the issue is controversial as many people hold strong opinions about it; genocide is no easy matter to tackle. One must put in mind that there are people who hold the subject close to them since as they may be living under the effects of what the Genocide did to them. Literature review Raymond Williams (1999) believed that contemporary theorists had missed the mark. They tried explaining social relations against an economic and political backdrop. They make human beings seem passive and do not consider the individual perspective. He also believed in the idea of Total expression. This meant that it was possible for one explain historical traditions on the basis of this concept. Williams (1999) uses the idea to study the European culture in the nineteenth century. He explains their way of life based on traditions as their foundation. The latter mentioned theorists also