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MOTIVATION ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN AN ORGANIZATION

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Introduction

This chapter presents the background of the study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, objectives of the study, research questions, and scope of the study and significance of the study.

1.2 Background of the Study

Researchers and managers have believed that organizational objectives and goals are un achievable without enduring commitment of members and employees of the organization. The world is going through an enormous change. Globalization of businesses is increasing and information technologies are advancing (Dockel, 2003). These major changes reshaping our significantly, for better and for worse (Keritner, 2004). They lead to changes in the way business is done, the way employees behave and the way managers manager their employees. For companies to remain successful, they are required to adapt to these changes (Vercueil, 2001). The changes that are reshaping the world have altered the way organizations operate and have also led to changes in employee characteristics (Robbins, 2000).

According to Stoner et-al (2000), Motivation is a human psychological characteristic that contributes to a person degree of commitment in an individual behavior. Balunywa’s (2005), define employees’ motivation as identification   of the desires and needs of subordinates and creating an atmosphere to attain organizational goals and objectives.

The term motivation has been defined variously by different authorities in the study of Psychology, Management and allied disciplines. According to Cole (1995), motivation is essentially about what drives a person to work in a particular way and with a given amount of effort. To Buford et al (1995), motivation is a pre-disposition to behave in a purposive manner to achieve specific needs. Lindner (2004) perceives motivation as a psychological process that gives behaviour purpose and direction. Obviously, there are divergences in these definitions, though some common threads seem to exist. What is common to the foregoing definitions, among others, is that something has to trigger an employee to perform in an exceptional way.

Motivation is operationally defined as a set of indefinite factors that cause a person [an employee) to perform his or her duties in a special way. The factors are described as indefinite because they constantly change with time, as pointed out by Kovach (1987). What is implicit in this definition is that an employee will not work in that special way if he or she is not encouraged ([motivated) to do so. An understanding of this definition depends on the appreciation of some existing theories of motivation.

According to Greenberg and Baron (2003, 2000) definition of motivation could be divided into three main parts. The first part looks at arousal that deals with the drive, or energy behind individual (s) action. People turn to be guided by their interest in making a good impression on others, doing interesting work and being successful in what they do. The second part referring to the choice people make and the direction their behaviour takes. The last part deals with maintaining behaviour clearly defining how long people have to persist at attempting to meet their goals.

Motivation can be intrinsic and extrinsic. Extrinsic motivation concerns behavior influenced by obtaining external rewards (Hitt, Esser, & Marriott, 1992). Praise or positive feedback, money, and the absence of punishment are examples of extrinsic or external rewards (Deci, 1980).Intrinsic motivation is the motivation to do something simply for the pleasure of performing that particular activity (Hagedoorn and Van Yperen, 2003). Examples of intrinsic factors are interesting work, recognition, growth, and achievement. Several studies have found there to be a positive relationship between intrinsic motivation and job performance as well as intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction (Linz, 2003). This is significant to bishop Stuart university  in today's highly competitive business environment in that intrinsically motivated employees will perform better and, therefore, be more productive, and also because satisfied employees will remain loyal to their organization and feel no pressure or need to move to a different firm.

Deci and Ryan (2000) conducted and replicated an experiment that showed the negative impact of monetary rewards on intrinsic motivation and performance. A group of college staffs were asked to work on an interesting puzzle. Some were paid and some were not paid for the work. The staffs that were not being paid worked longer on the puzzle and found it more interesting than the staffs being paid. When the study was brought into a workplace setting, employees felt that their behavior was being controlled in a dehumanizing and alienating manner by the rewards. It was discovered that rewards would seriously decrease an employee's motivation to ever perform the task being rewarded, or one similar to it, any time in the future.

Motivation is the force that makes people chooses a particular job, stay with that job, and work hard in that job. The early approaches to studying motivations focused on the different needs of people. These approaches suggested that people tend to be motivated to fulfill unsatisfied needs. In other worlds, people exert efforts hoping that their needs will be satisfied. Other approaches are concerned more with long-terms goals, a sense of fairness, and the employees’ values, in other words, what the employees perceive as important. Employees are not simply need –based. They interest work based on their lives, their cultural values, their levels of success, and the levels of satisfaction that they have already achieved (Simons &Enz, 2006).

Motivation is the driving force by which we achieve our goals. Motivation is said to be intrinsic or extrinsic. The term is generally used for humans but it can also be used to describe the causes for animal behavior as well. This article refers to human motivation. According to various theories, motivation may be rooted in a basic need to minimize physical pain and maximize pleasure, or it may include specific needs such as eating and resting, or a desired object, goal, state of being, ideal, or it may be attributed to less-apparent reasons such as altruism, selfishness, morality, or avoiding mortality. Conceptually, motivation should not be confused with either volition or optimism.[1] Motivation is related to, but distinct from emotion. Weightman J. (2008).

Intrinsic motivation refers to motivation that is driven by an interest or enjoyment in the task itself, and exists within the individual rather than relying on any external pressure. Intrinsic motivation has been studied by social and educational psychologists since the early 1970s. Research has found that it is usually associated with high educational achievement and enjoyment by staffs. Explanations of intrinsic motivation have been given in the context of Fritz Heider's attribution theory, Bandura's work on self-efficacy, and Deci and Ryan's cognitive evaluation theory. Reiss Steven (2004),

Extrinsic motivation comes from outside of the individual. Common extrinsic motivations are rewards like money and grades, coercion and threat of punishment. Competition is in general extrinsic because it encourages the performer to win and beat others, not to enjoy the intrinsic rewards of the activity. A crowd cheering on the individual and trophies are also extrinsic incentives. Reiss Steven (2004).

Denise M. Rousseau who is a professor of Organizational behavior at Carnegie Mellon University wrote an article on the Academy of Management Executive about her current research on motivation. She believes that modern organizations cannot succeed if the people they employ agree to contribute to their mission and survival. This is called a psychological contract in which beliefs are based upon expressed promises. A psychological contract motivates employees to fulfill commitments made to employers when employees are certain that employers will give in return and carry out their end of the bargain. Professor Rousseau said, "Agreement between worker and employer on what each owes the other is critical to the employment relationship's success. Managers who feel poorly treated by the employer are less likely to make extensive commitments to their workers or to signal that the employer is trustworthy."

The study will show that every motivational factor is important. It will emphasize that the degree of importance of each motivational factor depends on the type of motivational theory that is adopted. The study will be established that both the employer and the employee must establish a mutual relationship by working together to agree on the best way to motivate the latter. Such a relationship will have a spiral effect because as Kreisman (2002) puts it, how long an employee works in an institution and how productive he/she is, while working in the institution, depends on his/her relationship with his/her employer. Emphasis is placed on avoidance of inequities among staff of the same rank. In as much as inequity exists, some workers would always be aggressive. The actions can damage the attitudes of other workers in the university. For example, absenteeism and tardiness on the part of aggrieved employees, and their low level of cooperation with the authorities can cause far reaching problems. Whyte, Cassandra B. (2007).  

Employee performance refers to the output in terms of quantity and quality that helps the organization to realize its set objectives. In other words performance can be measured by traits, behaviors’ and/or outcomes, (Bratton and Gold, 2003). Employee performance management is a process that organizations like Bishop Stuart University use to ensure their employees are contributing to producing a high quality product or service. Employee performance management encourages the employee to get involved in the planning for the company, and therefore anticipates by having a role in the process the employee will be motivated to perform at a high level. Kreisman, B.J. (2002).

 Bishop Stuart University (BSU) is a private, not-for-profit Educational Institution established by Ankole Diocese of the Province of the Anglican Church of Uganda to provide higher education, training and Research for the expansion of God's kingdom, human knowledge and betterment of society. The main emphasis is on quality and experience of academic and administrative staff employed.

Workers in Bishop Stuart University or any other organisation needs something to keep them working. Most times the salary of the employee is enough to keep him or her working for an organization. However, sometimes just working for salary is not enough for employees to stay at an organization. An employee must be motivated to work for a company or organization. If no motivation is present in an employee, then that employee’s quality of work or all work in general will deteriorate. Whyte, Cassandra B. (2007).

Bishop Stuart University creates an effort towards developing a motivated workforce for the purpose of improving productivity remains the single most crucial function of heads of institutions in recent times because the reason is provided by Kreisman (2002) who argues that the most valuable and volatile asset of any institution is a well-motivated and stable workforce which is competent, dedicated and productive. Interestingly, what motivates employee’s changes constantly. Explaining the dynamic nature of motivation, Kovach (1987) cites the example that as employees’ income changes, money ceases to be a motivational factor; and as employees grow older, interesting work becomes a motivational factor. Hence, the declaration by Lindner (2004) is justified to write that of all the functions a manager performs, motivating employees is the most complex, as employee motivation is a never ending challenge. Heads of institutions thus face difficult challenge of motivating and retaining employees especially in an environment of increased uncertainties like a university where groups of workers usually deliberately stop working because of disagreement about pay and conditions of service.

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