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MOTIVATIONAL SYSTEM ANALYSIS

Explaining why people do what they do at work is a question with a complex answer.
Motivation is defined as a drive to fulfill a need and may be driven by intrinsic or extrinsic
factors or both.
Intrinsic motivation is defined as the desire to exert effort on a task in the absence of
external constraints or contingencies (Deci, 1975; Deci & Ryan, 1985 cited Rich, Lepine,
Crawford, 2010) and it focuses on individuals effort and persistence dedicated to maintaining
autonomy and control. Intrinsic motivation is promoted by both work contexts and individual
differences that foster feelings of competence, autonomy, and relatedness (Gagne & Deci,
2005, cited in Rich, Lepine, Crawford, 2010), and it is argued to influence performance
because opportunities to satisfy these three intrinsic needs facilitate self-motivation and
effective regulatory functioning through internalization of organizationally valued goals
(Baard, Deci, & Ryan, 2004, cited in Rich, Lepine, Crawford, 2010).
In order to be intrinsically motivated a person has to experience interest and
enjoyment in his task. Also, in the level of intrinsic motivation of a person, confidence is
considered to play an important role.
Muller and Louw (2004, cited in Goodman at all, 2011) asserted that extrinsic factors,
such as a supportive social environment can foster intrinsic motivation. The individuals
perception of the reward and the task, however, is more important in deciding the amount of
effort put into achieving academic performance (Davis, Winsler, & Middleton, 2006, cited in
Goodman at all, 2011). Intrinsic and extrinsic variables are likely to interact to strengthen the
overall motivational profile of an individual in reaching their desired performance target
(Davis et al., 2006; Muller & Louw, 2004, cited in Goodman at all, 2011). Furthermore,
McClellands (1955, cited in Goodman at all, 2011) theory asserts that intrinsic motivators are
more important than extrinsic motivators, such as material or financial rewards.
Extrinsic motivation is based on rewards and influences of external authorities or
controls over activities (Sturman, 1999, cited in Goodman at all, 2011). Extrinsic motivation
is largely driven by socialization within the family and professional environment.
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Another key extrinsic motivator is rewards, which can either be tangible or intangible
(Gest, Rulison, Davidson, & Welsh, 2008, cited in Goodman at all, 2011). Individuals who
are extrinsically motivated by an expected reward increase their effort to complete the task
and earn an incentive.
Research suggests that achievement motivation has an impact on academic
performance. Achievement motivation can be understood as a disposition, which refers to a
continuous concern about excellence and meeting internalized performance standards
(Sturman, 1999, cited in Goodman at all, 2011). McClellands (1955, cited in Goodman at all,
2011) theory of achievement motivation postulates that intrinsically motivated people are
generally more productive and perform well. Significant relationships have also been found
between extrinsic motivators and effort (Davis et al., 2006; Piotrkowski & Katz, 1982, cited
in Goodman at all, 2011).
Employees are motivated to perform at high level when someone communicates
clearly what is expected of them and express confidence in their ability to perform. For a
higher performance providing knowledge is very important especially for new employees.
Tsai at al. (2009) shows the importance of good communication for productivity and for
organizational performance. He described three dimensions for a good relationship between
communication and high performance: supervisory communication, personal/ coworker
feedback, and communication climate. The dimension with the most important power of job
performance is personal feedback.
Other motivational factors that lead to job satisfaction, identified by Herzberg are:
achievement, recognition, possibility of growth, advancement, responsibility, the work itself.
In his book, Principled-Centered Leadership, Covey (2001) said that to motivate
people to achieve high performances is important to identify first the fields in which the
organizations goals and needs are fit with the peoples needs, capacities and goals. Than it
can be establish win/win agreements.

For this project I chose to describe the motivational analysis system, or the lack of it,
in the company I work. This company is a store who sale products for painting, objects for
handmade, logical games. The store also offers the possibilities for kids but not only, to stay
at workshops and learn how to decorate objects with different techniques, how to do
handmade products.
The management considers that the salary and some bonuses (twice a year) are enough
to keep the employees motivation. These bonuses are not fixed and we dont know which are
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the criteria for grant them. The motivational system is not based on the performance appraisal.
In fact, this organization has not communicated the job description to the employees. So, a
performance appraisal is hard to establish. Without a job description the responsibilities are
uncertain, and so the manager can have any demands for the employees. The lack of
coherence in management is also an obvious problem. If some problems arrive, because of
this situation, the employees receive an internal note with their duties.
This company has only a few hierarchical levels: the management level (formed by the
owner of the company), one supervisor (the store coordinator) and the employees.
The management strategy is to control. Surveillance cameras, phone calls, and not to
grant autonomy to employees, these are the strategies. For any situation they must to be called
by the employees.
Feedback and recognition are missing almost completely, and many times the
employees are feeling unvalued and unrewarded and they dont feel the win/win agreement.
The manager asking employees for new and fresh ideas for developing the business
but without offering feedback in return or in some case the employee discover that his idea
has not even been read it or hear it.
Regarding the store coordinator, her strategy is to keep the team together. Shes a
beginner in this position but she has experience in working with people and sales. She hasnt
a strategy for motivating the employees but she tries to do this. Many times she offers
feedback and recognition or she helps the employees to do some difficult tasks.
To keep their motivation the employees have to find the intrinsic motivation. From
this point of view what keep us motivated is that we learned new techniques about decorating
objects, sometimes we can stay and play logical games with the costumers or we can paint
with kids. For me, in special, because of my psychological knowledge, its interesting (but not
necessarily motivating) to see the relationships between kids and their parents and how the
parents can limit or expand their childrens choices. Also, what motivates me is that the
management is agree with my idea to start a new workshop for kids who will combine self-
knowledge games with expressing emotion based on drawing, workshop that will be
coordinated by me. Another motivating factor for me and my colleagues is that sometimes if
its necessary we can change our shifts or we can work double shift to have a free day.
In these conditions its important to ask ourselves what is important for us, what can
we do to improve our work condition and to adapt to the situation as long as we want to stay
in this company. It can be a personal develop process for us.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Covey, S., R., (2001). Etica liderului eficient sau conducerea bazata pe principii. Bucuresti:
Ed. Allfa;
Goodman, S., Thania, J., Keresztesi, M., Mamdani, F., Mokgatle, D., Musariri, M., Pires, J.,
Schlechter, A. (2011). An investigation of the relationship between students
motivation and academic performance as mediated by effort. South African Journal of
Psychology;
Rich, B., L., Lepine, J., A., Crawford, E., R., (2010). Job engagement: antecedents and effects
on job performance. Academy of management journal;
Tsai, M.T., Chuang, S.S. (2009). An integrated process model of communication satisfaction
and organizational outcomes. Social Behavior and Personality.