MOTIVATIONAL THEORIES - AQA A
Level Business Exam questions with
verified solutions
What is motivation? - ANSWER-The will to work.
What can motivation come from? - ANSWER-Motivation comes from the enjoyment of
the work itself and/or from the desire to achieve certain goals
Why is motivation important in the workplace? - ANSWER-Highly motivated employees
can lead to
- Better productivity (amount produced per employee). This can lead to lower unit costs
of production and so enable a firm to sell its product at a lower price
- Lower levels of absenteeism as the employees are content with their working lives
- Lower levels of staff turnover. This can lead to lower training and recruitment costs
- Improved industrial relations with trade unions
- Contented workers give the firm a good reputation as an employer so making it easier
to recruit the best workers
- Motivated employees are likely to improve product quality or the customer service
associated with a product
What are Taylor's Scientific Management Principles? - ANSWER-- That workers do not
naturally enjoy work and so need supervision and control
- Managers should break down production into a series of smaller tasks.
- Workers should then be given appropriate training and tools so they can work as
efficiently as possible on one set task.
- Workers should be paid a piece-rate pay.
, - This encourages workers to work hard and maximise their productivity.
What management style does this have close links to? - ANSWER-An autocratic
leadership style (when a leader dictates policies and procedures, decides what goals
are to be achieved, and directs and controls all activities without any meaningful
participation by the subordinates.)
What are worker's problems with Taylor's theory? - ANSWER-- Workers do not have
exact wages so cannot feel job security
- Workers have to complete boring, repetitive, monotonous tasks
- If the firm do have an increase production they may lay off workers - in some cases
this had led to an increase in strikes and other forms of industrial action by dissatisfied
workers
What did Mayo believe workers main motivations were? - ANSWER-Workers are not
just concerned with money but could be better motivated by having their social needs
met whilst at work (something that Taylor ignored).
What did Mayo encourage of managers? - ANSWER-To take more of an interest in
workers, treating them as people who have worthwhile opinions and realising that
workers enjoy interacting together.
What did Mayo conclude created the best motivated? - ANSWER-- Better
communication between managers and workers
- Greater manager involvement in employees working lives
- Working in groups or teams
What management style is this closely linked to? - ANSWER-A paternalistic
management style ( where the leader decides what is best for the employees - there is
little delegation )
Level Business Exam questions with
verified solutions
What is motivation? - ANSWER-The will to work.
What can motivation come from? - ANSWER-Motivation comes from the enjoyment of
the work itself and/or from the desire to achieve certain goals
Why is motivation important in the workplace? - ANSWER-Highly motivated employees
can lead to
- Better productivity (amount produced per employee). This can lead to lower unit costs
of production and so enable a firm to sell its product at a lower price
- Lower levels of absenteeism as the employees are content with their working lives
- Lower levels of staff turnover. This can lead to lower training and recruitment costs
- Improved industrial relations with trade unions
- Contented workers give the firm a good reputation as an employer so making it easier
to recruit the best workers
- Motivated employees are likely to improve product quality or the customer service
associated with a product
What are Taylor's Scientific Management Principles? - ANSWER-- That workers do not
naturally enjoy work and so need supervision and control
- Managers should break down production into a series of smaller tasks.
- Workers should then be given appropriate training and tools so they can work as
efficiently as possible on one set task.
- Workers should be paid a piece-rate pay.
, - This encourages workers to work hard and maximise their productivity.
What management style does this have close links to? - ANSWER-An autocratic
leadership style (when a leader dictates policies and procedures, decides what goals
are to be achieved, and directs and controls all activities without any meaningful
participation by the subordinates.)
What are worker's problems with Taylor's theory? - ANSWER-- Workers do not have
exact wages so cannot feel job security
- Workers have to complete boring, repetitive, monotonous tasks
- If the firm do have an increase production they may lay off workers - in some cases
this had led to an increase in strikes and other forms of industrial action by dissatisfied
workers
What did Mayo believe workers main motivations were? - ANSWER-Workers are not
just concerned with money but could be better motivated by having their social needs
met whilst at work (something that Taylor ignored).
What did Mayo encourage of managers? - ANSWER-To take more of an interest in
workers, treating them as people who have worthwhile opinions and realising that
workers enjoy interacting together.
What did Mayo conclude created the best motivated? - ANSWER-- Better
communication between managers and workers
- Greater manager involvement in employees working lives
- Working in groups or teams
What management style is this closely linked to? - ANSWER-A paternalistic
management style ( where the leader decides what is best for the employees - there is
little delegation )
