Module 3 discussion
This discussion will help you build your perspective of
human motivation and equity theory (Chapter 5), and link this new understanding
to performance considerations that are introduced in Chapter 4.
1. In your current (or previous) organizational role, are
you motivated by lower or higher-order needs and motivators or hygiene factors?
Discuss and explain which specific needs and Herzberg factors seem to be most
important to you? Also use the theories presented in Figure 5.2 and Table 5.2
to explain your primary needs and motivators.
2. Reflect on the complex factors that go into job
satisfaction and performance (pages 126-130) and integrate the following
considerations into your answer
a. Has job satisfaction generally led to higher performance?
Or, has higher performance led to job satisfaction? Has this varied by
situation?
b. To the extent that job satisfaction has led to the
greater performance, what has been the most important source(s) of that
satisfaction? Have the most important areas been the Social environment, money,
health benefits, physical environment, facilities, job location, or perks?
Explain your reasoning.
3. In your organization, what inequity affects people the
most? Which textbook method seems to be used to resolve that inequity? What
ways are people finding to change inputs and outputs or do they leave the
organization? Alternatively, are the people just living with the inequity and
still meeting organizational goals? Explain.
NOTE: Remember that equity compares an individual’s specific
effort-reward ratio against other organizational members or people with
comparable skills, location, job conditions, etc. Even when there is wage (or
other) dissatisfaction, the perception of inequity is less well-founded when
the groups are not comparable in the most important ways. If you stretch the
limits of comparability far enough, you can easily find examples that will make
you feel both lucky and cheated, and many people make that choice based on
personality factors like positive vs. negative affect.
