MOTIVATION ACROSS

CULTURES PART 1
Work Motivation and Rewards

The meaning of motivation

The driving force within individuals by which
they attempt to achieve some goal in order to
fulfil some need or expectation
The degree to which an individual wants and
chooses to engage in certain behaviour

Figure 12.1

A basic motivational model

 Many MNC managers assume they can

motivate their overseas personnel with the
same approaches that are used in the
home country
DO YOU THINK THIS IS TRUE? OR ARE
COUNTRY-BY-COUNTRY MOTIVATION
PROGRAMS REQUIRED?

Assumptions about Work Motivation in

the International Arena
The Universalist Assumption
- motivation process is universal, that all people
are motivated to pursue goals they value
- process is universal; however, culture influences
the specific content and goals that are pursued
- e.g. US workers motivated by money, key
incentive for Japanese workers is respect and
power
See Adlers statement, p 369
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The Assumption of Content and

Process
Second assumption is that workmotivation theories can be broken down
into two general categories: content and
process

Figure 12.4

Main theories of work motivation

Figure 12.5

Maslows hierarchy of needs

Relating Maslows model to work

situations
There are a few problems doing this
People do not necessarily satisfy their needs,
especially higher-level needs, just through work
There is doubt about the time that elapses between
satisfying lower-level and emergence of higher-level
needs
Some rewards or outcomes may satisfy more than
one need
The motivating factors may not be the same for each
person
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International Findings on Maslows

Theory
Research shows that people throughout
the world have needs that are similar to
those described in Maslows need
hierarchy

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Figure 12.6

Herzberg two factor theory of motivation

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Herzberg: Motivation-hygiene Theory

Motivators
-Intrinsic (instinctive) factors
related to job satisfaction &
motivation
Achievement
Recognition
Work itself
Responsibility
Advancement
Growth

Extremely
Extremelysatisfied
satisfied

External( extrinsic ) factors

which affect the level of job
dissatisfaction
Supervision
Company policy
Supervisor relations
Working conditions
Salary
Peer relations
Personal life
Subordinate relations
Status
Security

Neutral
Neutral

Extremely
Extremelydissatisfied
dissatisfied
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International Findings on
Herzbergs Theory
Research efforts have been undertaken to
replicate the two-factor theory, and in the
main, they support Herzbergs findings.
See p 377 for research details.

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Select Process theories of

motivation

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Goal Setting Theory

The acceptance of specific and challenging goals acts as

a motivating force, especially if the goals are set with the
participation of staff, as they feel they have ownership of
the goals and will strive to achieve them. Staff do better if
they receive feedback on how well they are progressing
towards goals

Specific and
Challenging goals

Acceptance

Goal setting
motivators

Participation

Feedback

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Goal Setting Theory

Very little research conducted on this theory
outside the USA
One research outside US, looked at Norwegian
employee participation in goal setting
Researchers found that the Norwegian
employees shunned participation and preferred
to have their union representatives work with
management in determining work goals
Accordingly, participation had no value for the
Norwegian employees
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Equity Theory
The premise of Equity Theory:
Employees compare their individual inputs (efforts) with
outcomes (rewards) to significant/relevant others and then
makes a decision based on those results
Fatigue,
Can be eitherPay,
positive
or negative
security,
companionship,
trust, benefits, a
chance to use
talents or skills

boredom,
anxiety, harsh
supervision,
threat of
dismissal

Inputs the employees contribution to the organisation

Outcomes what the employees receive financial rewards, recognition,
status, power
Referents those people that the employee uses for comparison, to see
if they are being treated fairly, that they receive similar rewards to others
for similar achievements
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Equity Theory
Theory appears to be culture bound
Equity theory states that when people are not
treated fairly, they will take steps to reduce the
inequity by doing less work, filing a grievance
In Asia and the Middle East, however,
employees often readily accept inequitable
treatment in order to preserve group harmony
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Equity Theory
In Japan and Korea, men and women
receive different pay for doing the same
work, yet because of years of cultural
conditioning women may not feel they are
being treated inequitably

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MOTIVATION ACROSS
CULTURES PART 2

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TEAM ACTIVITY

ANSWER QUESTIONS 1 AND 2 ONLY

RELATING TO MOTIVATION IS THE
KEY, P 395

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Although the motivation process may be the

same across cultures, what motivates people
often is culturally based

Do you agree with this

statement? Give examples
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Cross-Cultural Job-Satisfaction
Studies
Studies in cross-cultural studies related to job
satisfaction have also been conducted in recent
years
Studies show Herzberg-type motivators tend to be of
more importance to job satisfaction than are hygiene
factors.
Research has shown that job content (factors
internally controlled) is more important than job
context (factors controlled by the organization). See
p 379
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Achievement Motivation Theory

A theory which holds that individuals can have a
need to get ahead, to attain success, and to reach
objectives
In the USA, where entrepreneurial effort is encouraged
and individual success promoted, the probability is
higher that there would be a greater percentage of
people with high needs for achievement
In China, Russia, or Eastern European countries, cultural
values have not traditionally supported individual,
entrepreneurial efforts.
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David McClelland: Three-Needs

Theory

The needs for Achievement (nAch), power

(nPow) and Affiliation (nAff) are the major
motives in work.
Achievement to excel, to succeed, the need
for personal responsibility, rapid and
concrete feedback on performance and the
ability to set moderate risk- takers
Power to make others behave as you wish, to
have an impact and be influential
Affiliation the desire for friendly and close
interpersonal relationships
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International Findings on
Achievement Motivation Theory
Early research (1960s) among Polish
industrialists found that many of them
were high achievers.
In later studies, researchers did not find a
high need for achievement in central
European countries
Hofstedes uncertainty avoidance and
masculinity-best describe high-achieving
societies (see Fig 12-5, p 381)
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Motivation Applied: Work Centrality

The importance of work in an individuals life

relative to other areas of interest (family,
church, leisure) provides important
insights into how to motivate human
resources in different cultures

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Motivation Applied: Work Centrality

Research has shown that Japan has the
highest level of work centrality, followed by
moderately high levels for Israel, average
levels for the USA, moderately low levels
for Germany and low levels for Britain.

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Team Activity
Q3 Motivation is the Key

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