Motivation in the Workplace Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Motivation in the Workplace - Research Paper Example   The focus would be on the two categories of motivational theories; content and process. There has been no single definition of motivation universally adopted in the context of the workplace. But Teck-Hong and Waheed (2011) define it as conditions in an individual or the environment which influence persistence, direction, and strength of relevant organizational behavior, holding organizational constraints and individual abilities constant. This thus encompasses the decisions on why, how and when efforts would be allocated to an activity. While reviewing the similarity and distinction in constructs between personality and values, Parks and Guay simply adopt the definition of motivation as â€Å"an energizing force that induces action† (2009, p.679). These researchers appreciate motivation as a psychological process that involves arousal, intensity, direction, and persistence involuntary action for specific goals. A similar postulation by Lee and Tan (2012) appreciates that psychological empowerment would affect the intrinsic motivation of an employee. Of the three components that make up individual creativity (motivation, creative thinking skills and expertise), Lee and Tan (2012) singled out motivation as being the easiest and fastest to achieve. In their study to determine the factors that affect creativity and performance of an employee at the workplace, these researchers noted that intrinsic motivation would trigger stimulation of high-level creative effort and persistence at work. Extrinsic rewards complement intrinsic motivation to realize achievements of organizational goals and build efficiency among employees. In human resource management, a complex set of factors interrelated to each other have been noted to motivate humans and include the need for affiliation, money, and desire for meaningful work.