Need-Based Theories of Motivation

Revision as of 17:13, 26 February 2018

Abstract

Project teams are comprised of team members with diverse backgrounds, expectations and individual objectives. The overall success of a project depends on the project team's commitment, which is directly related to their level of motivation.^[1] This is able to affect all aspects of the result that will be achieved by a project, including a direct impact to the Triple Constraint Triangle.

Motivation encompasses the psychological forces^[2] within a person that determine:

• The direction of a person's behaviour in an organisation, which refers to the many possible behaviours a person could engage in.
• A person's level of effort, which refers to how hard people work.
• A person's level of persistence in the face of obstacles, which refers to whether people keep trying or give up.

Motivating in a project environment involves creating an environment to meet project objectives while providing maximum satisfaction related to what people attach great importance to.^[1] This may include:

• Pay
• Job security
• Autonomy
• Responsibility
• The pleasure of doing interesting and challenging work
• A feeling of accomplishment
• Achievement
• Recognition

Knowing this, it is in the project manager's interest to understand the demotivation cause in order to drive toward project success though the creation and maintenance of a motivating environment for all members of the team.^[3]

This article focuses on need-based theories which form the basis of how project managers help people to satisfy their needs at work. At last it looks at the limitations.

Big idea

A need is a requirement or necessity for survival and wellbeing. The basic premise of need theories is that people are motivated to obtain outcomes at work that satisfy their needs. Need theories suggest that to motivate a person to contribute valuable inputs to a job and perform at a high level, a project manager must determine what needs the person is trying to satisfy at work and ensure that he or she receives outcomes that help to satisfy those needs in return for performing at a high level and helping the organisation achieve its goals.^[2]

There are several need theories, of which the Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, Alderfer's ERG Theory and McClelland's Need Theory are described briefly below.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

• Physiological needs
• Safety needs
• Belongingness needs
• Esteem needs
• Self-actualisation needs

Application

Alderfer's ERG Theory

• Existence needs
• Relatedness needs
• Growth needs

McClelland's Need Theory

• Need for achievement
• Need for affiliation
• Need for power

Application

Limitations

Annotated bibliography

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Project Management Institute. (2013). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (5th ed.).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Jonas, G. R. and George, J. M. (2015). Essentials of Contemporary Management (6th ed.).
3. ↑ Peterson, T. M. (2007). Motivation: How to increase project team performance. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2007. https://www.pmi.org/learning/library/motivation-increase-project-team-performance-7234