Theories of Motivation -- Borrowing the Best

The paper briefly reviews five approaches to motivation-Maslow's Need Hierarchy Theory, Herzberg's Dual-Factor Theory, Locke's Goal-Setting Theory, Expectancy/Valence Theory, and Reinforcement Theory. On the basis of the review, some general recommendations for motivating employees are offered. In recognition of the fact that no one theory of motivation has all of the answers, an attempt has been made to borrow the best motivational bits and pieces from each of the five theories. By selectively choosing from several sources, a more complete understanding of the process and problems of motivating individuals can be achieved