Compare and contrast one process theory of motivation with one content theory. Include in your answer a brief explanation why one is a process and the other a content theory.

Essay by hybryUniversity, Bachelor'sC, April 2007

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Compare and contrast one process theory of motivation with one content theory. Include in your answer a brief explanation why one is a process and the other a content theory.

Motivation is great part of today's management. However, "most organizations don't give it much thought until something starts to go wrong. Pain gets people's attention." (Sanjeev Sharma) Therefore it is important to motivate because motivation is force behind all human actions (Sanjeev Sharma). Manager must be able to realize and fulfil the most urgent needs of employees as well as other needs to keep than satisfied, free from stress, and highly motivated. Satisfied and motivated employees are value because they will be less likely to quit the job therefore reducing staff turnover and cost of employee training as they will have gained all the necessary skills and experience, so their performance will be good, therefore companies overall performance can rise as well.

This essay is focused on the exploration and comparison of Alderfer's and Adams' theories. It seeks the answers to what makes them fall in different category and yet what are the similarities between them and, furthermore, how they can be used together to achieve greater efficiency and to leave less for the chance of error or uncertainty when motivating the employee.

Many people have studied needs and ways of motivating the employees. Theories on this subject can be very different and are divided into two categories - content and process theories. Content theories stress that every one of us has same set of needs, which must be satisfied. One of the first and most influential content theories is Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (1954). This theory states that human needs are formed similar to pyramid with 5 levels, where bottom level must be completed to move...