Essay Principles of Management

The majority of bosses think that their ability to assure employees' pleasure can increase their productivity. As a result, many research in organizational behavior have been conducted to identify various strategies for inspiring individuals to maximize their productivity, ultimately resulting in the attainment of the company's objectives. The key concept that helps managers understand why people choose to adopt habits that guide their activities in the workplace is motivation. Therefore, motivation is the inner drive to exert effort as well as the ability to produce performance or conduct (Freidhenm et al., 2003). Additionally, motivation theories are significant rudiments that help to know stimulating aspects that influence the behaviors of human beings. This is important because it helps managers understand what motivates employees in a particular organization. Business organizations can use the theories in planning how they will motivate employees hence helping the organizations achieve the set goals.
Theories of Motivation
These are subdivided into three classes that are process, content, and reinforcement. Content is an insight such as a need or drive that makes people behave in a particular way. Maslow's Theory of Needs falls in this category.
Abraham Maslow propped this theory in 1970, and he created a pyramid of human needs which separated them into five stages. The first stage is the physical needs such as food. These can be arrived at in the workplace by improved pay and good food. If attained, the second level which is security will become necessary. Security means that one is free from physical threat and can be achieved by secure working environment. Level three is attachment or societal needs; this is whereby a person will yearn for a meaningful liaison with the rest by involving in actions such as lure. Level four is the requirement for admiration, and promotions and positive feedback can achieve this. The fifth level is self-actualization whereby an individual's potential is maximized. This can be done through giving challenging assignments (HRMBD, 2016).
Maslow's theory has a significant effect on the psychology and in developing motivation concepts that affect individual needs. First, it is hard to ascertain the level of gratification that I require to navigate through the levels because what satisfies me may not satisfy my friends, for example, I prefer to read novels while my friends like watching movies. Even though the storyline is the same, we all have different things that satisfy us. The second limitation is that we cope with dissatisfactions differently (HRMBD, 2016).
The next classification of motivational theories is process theory. It explains how I will begin, maintain direct and finish a precise kind of behavior, for example, my addiction for novels. Expectation Theory is an excellent example in this category. The theory was proposed in 1964 by Victor Vroom. He argues that individual belief determines motivation about performance and effort. He also assumed that behavior is voluntary. Another assumption is that to get the best outcome, individuals will choose behaviors in a rational manner, and the last assumption is that this theory depends on three beliefs that are expectancy, instrumentality, and valence. If the three components are high, one will reach the highest level, but if one is low, the others will be low. It should be noted that this theory is one of the leading motivational theories (Freedheim et al., 2003; HRMBD, 2016).
The foremost shortcoming of content theory is that it concerns a person's inner impetus, which is tough to forecast hence it will lead to problems when creating teaching programs. The theory also does not consider other outward factors such as a culture that may affect the decision-making process.
The third category is reinforcement theory which focuses on human behavior, and it is achieved through recognition or promotion to reward behavior (Freedheim et al., 2003). For instance, if I have well in school, I can be appointed as the school head. The theory also works on aspects that work in the outside environment, where managers or our leaders will strive to maintain a good environmental position as compared to the other two theories that are about internal motivation to achieve the desired behavior. This theory recommends the identification of goals then measures to provide a baseline for future feedbacks and finally an analysis of effects of the behavior you want (HRMBD, 2016).
Criticism of Motivational Theories
Most of these theories are related to both the interior and outside motivation mechanisms that are determined by needs, decisions and ecological issues. On the other hand, their main disadvantage is that they only address individuals and not groups hence they do not offer solutions on how groups can be motivated to achieve the set goals. Additionally, they presume that everyone has similar wants and used the same process of making decisions. Furthermore, they do not explain individuals or organizations fail to choose their needs and goals or how they prioritize them to achieve what is desired (HRMBD, 2016).
The theories are also criticized because they do not consider other factors that may make the motivational process to be successful or not because they overlook variables such as ethos, rules and societal stimulus. Additionally, they do not debate the conflict that might arise when changes are implemented for example when the school introduces a new rule regarding dress code; some students are more likely to resist the changes (HRMBD, 2016). In some cases, motivation does not work as expected especialsly when I do not want to do something, nothing will change my mind.
Conclusively, these theories should be understood quite well because understanding them provides an insight into improving performance either in schools or organizations.

















References
Freedheim, D., Weiner, I., Vellcer, W., Schinka, J., & Lerner, R. (2003). A Handbook of Psychology. New Jersey., NJ: John Wiley and Sons.
HRMBD. (October 10th 2016). Theories of Motivation & A Critical Analysis - HRMBD. Retrieved on April 13th 2017 from https://hrdbd.wordpress.com/2016/10/10/theories-of-motivation-a-critical-analysis/