To perform well, employees must be motivated. Social scientists have developed a variety of theories on motivation that can be useful to supervisors. Content theories of motivation focus on what things motivate workers. Abraham Maslow, David McClelland, and Frederick Herzberg are researchers whose content theories are well known. Process theories of motivation focus on the actual process of motivation and not specific motivators, such as money or power. Victor Vroom's expectancy-valence theory and B.F. Skinner's reinforcement theory are two major process theories.
For this week's short essay (300-600 words), do the following:
- Choose one of the content or process theories listed above.
- Explain that theory IN YOUR OWN WORDS (you may use only the textbook and your own brain - no additional sources).
- Provide your own example of how this theory could be applied in the workplace (do not use the example from the text).