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Introduction to Business
Chapter 9: Motivating Employees
9.1 Motivating Employees
Scientific management is based on the belief that employees are motivated by economic
incentives and that there is “one best way” to perform any job. The four basic principles of
scientific management developed by Taylor are as follows:
1. Develop a scientific approach for each element of a person’s job.
2. Scientifically select, train, teach, and develop workers.
3. Encourage cooperation between workers and managers so that each job can be
accomplished in a standard, scientifically determined way.
4. Divide work and responsibility between management and workers according to who is
better suited to each task.
9.1 Review Questions
1. What is motivation?
2. What is the difference between a want and a need?
3. How are rewards divided?
4. What is the different between an intrinsic and extrinsic reward? Provide an example of
each.
5. Who is Frederick W. Taylor, and what is his significance to the field?
6. What was Taylor’s approach, and what did his ideas lead to the development of?
7. What are the four basic principles of scientific management?
9.2 Hawthorne Studies
The pride that comes from special attention motivates workers to increase their productivity.
Supervisors who allow employees to have some control over their situation appeared to further
increase the workers’ motivation. The Hawthorne effect suggests that employees will perform
better when they feel singled out for special attention or feel that management is concerned
about employee welfare.
9.2 Review Questions
1. What era did the human relations era follow, and what did it focus on?
2. How did the Hawthorne studies change the way managers thought about motivation,
job productivity and job satisfaction? How did it begin?
3. What Harvard professor assisted with the Hawthorne studies?
For more free, peer-reviewed, openly licensed resources visit OpenStax.org.
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4. What were the Hawthorne study results, and what did the findings give rise to?
5. Describe the Hawthorne effect.
6. How did the Hawthorne study enhance our understanding of what motivates people in
the workplace?
9.3 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow believed that each individual has a hierarchy of needs, consisting of physiological,
safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization needs. Managers who accept Maslow’s ideas
attempt to increase employee motivation by modifying organizational and managerial practices
to increase the likelihood that employees will meet all levels of needs. Maslow’s theory has also
helped managers understand that it is hard to motivate people by appealing to already-satisfied
needs.
1. What era of management did Maslow play a role in?
2. What did Maslow believe?
3. How do needs drive motivation according to Maslow?
4. What are the levels in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?
5. What physiological needs drive people to find a job?
6. How does a work environment meet safety needs.
7. In Maslow’s hierarchy, what satisfies our needs in level three?
8. In Maslow’s hierarchy, what types of manager behaviors fulfill needs in level four?
9. What is the highest level in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?
10. What are some criticisms of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?
11. Did Maslow believe you could activate higher level needs without having met lower-
level needs?
12. Are satisfied needs considered motivators?
13. Does Maslow’s theory clearly address whether you can move up and down the
hierarchy?
9.4 McGregor’s Theory X and Y
Douglas McGregor influenced the study of motivation with his formulation of two contrasting
sets of assumptions about human nature—designated Theory X and Theory Y. Theory X says
people don’t like to work and will avoid it if they can. Because people don’t like to work, they
must be controlled, directed, or threatened to get them to make an effort. Theory Y says that
people want to be self-directed and will try to accomplish goals that they believe in. Workers
can be motivated with positive incentives. McGregor personally believed that Theory Y
assumptions describe most employees and that managers seeking to motivate subordinates
should develop management practices based on those assumptions.
For more free, peer-reviewed, openly licensed resources visit OpenStax.org.
Introduction to Business
Chapter 9: Motivating Employees
9.1 Motivating Employees
Scientific management is based on the belief that employees are motivated by economic
incentives and that there is “one best way” to perform any job. The four basic principles of
scientific management developed by Taylor are as follows:
1. Develop a scientific approach for each element of a person’s job.
2. Scientifically select, train, teach, and develop workers.
3. Encourage cooperation between workers and managers so that each job can be
accomplished in a standard, scientifically determined way.
4. Divide work and responsibility between management and workers according to who is
better suited to each task.
9.1 Review Questions
1. What is motivation?
2. What is the difference between a want and a need?
3. How are rewards divided?
4. What is the different between an intrinsic and extrinsic reward? Provide an example of
each.
5. Who is Frederick W. Taylor, and what is his significance to the field?
6. What was Taylor’s approach, and what did his ideas lead to the development of?
7. What are the four basic principles of scientific management?
9.2 Hawthorne Studies
The pride that comes from special attention motivates workers to increase their productivity.
Supervisors who allow employees to have some control over their situation appeared to further
increase the workers’ motivation. The Hawthorne effect suggests that employees will perform
better when they feel singled out for special attention or feel that management is concerned
about employee welfare.
9.2 Review Questions
1. What era did the human relations era follow, and what did it focus on?
2. How did the Hawthorne studies change the way managers thought about motivation,
job productivity and job satisfaction? How did it begin?
3. What Harvard professor assisted with the Hawthorne studies?
For more free, peer-reviewed, openly licensed resources visit OpenStax.org.
, 2
4. What were the Hawthorne study results, and what did the findings give rise to?
5. Describe the Hawthorne effect.
6. How did the Hawthorne study enhance our understanding of what motivates people in
the workplace?
9.3 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow believed that each individual has a hierarchy of needs, consisting of physiological,
safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization needs. Managers who accept Maslow’s ideas
attempt to increase employee motivation by modifying organizational and managerial practices
to increase the likelihood that employees will meet all levels of needs. Maslow’s theory has also
helped managers understand that it is hard to motivate people by appealing to already-satisfied
needs.
1. What era of management did Maslow play a role in?
2. What did Maslow believe?
3. How do needs drive motivation according to Maslow?
4. What are the levels in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?
5. What physiological needs drive people to find a job?
6. How does a work environment meet safety needs.
7. In Maslow’s hierarchy, what satisfies our needs in level three?
8. In Maslow’s hierarchy, what types of manager behaviors fulfill needs in level four?
9. What is the highest level in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?
10. What are some criticisms of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?
11. Did Maslow believe you could activate higher level needs without having met lower-
level needs?
12. Are satisfied needs considered motivators?
13. Does Maslow’s theory clearly address whether you can move up and down the
hierarchy?
9.4 McGregor’s Theory X and Y
Douglas McGregor influenced the study of motivation with his formulation of two contrasting
sets of assumptions about human nature—designated Theory X and Theory Y. Theory X says
people don’t like to work and will avoid it if they can. Because people don’t like to work, they
must be controlled, directed, or threatened to get them to make an effort. Theory Y says that
people want to be self-directed and will try to accomplish goals that they believe in. Workers
can be motivated with positive incentives. McGregor personally believed that Theory Y
assumptions describe most employees and that managers seeking to motivate subordinates
should develop management practices based on those assumptions.
For more free, peer-reviewed, openly licensed resources visit OpenStax.org.
