UNIT – I Lesson 1 HRM – AN OVERVIEW Lesson Outline Nature of ...

This theory proposes that an individual’s purpose directs his actions. In other words,
intention to work toward a goal is a major source of motivation. According to the
advocates of this theory, specific goals would be increasing performance and difficult
goals, when accepted, would be resulting in higher performance than easy goals.
Reinforcement theory on the other hand, states that behavior is a function of its
consequences and explains as follows: Any consequence immediately following an action
increases the probability that the action would be repeated by the individual. Thus, this
theory might be described as a counterpoint to goal setting theory.
4.11.8. Motivation Potential of a Job – A model
Oldham and Hackman (1975) devised a formula for identifying five factors collectively
referred to as the Core Job Dimensions or characteristics. They developed a mathematical
index describing the degree to which a job is designed so as to motivate people, as
suggested by the jobs characteristics model. It is computed based on employees’ responses
to a questionnaire called by the two social scientists as the Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS).
The dimensions are as follows:
• Skill Variety: This dimension of job denotes the extent to which any particular job
permits and utilizes a range of skills, abilities and talents of the employees. If a job
does not permit the use of variety of skills, then this aspect of motivation could be
compensated at the personal or social lives of the employees or in any other part
time employment undertaken by a person.
• Task Significance: This refers to the importance of the impact that a job has on
the lives and prosperity of others, both inside and outside the organization. For
example, a typist habituated to making typing errors, gave an error-free output on
the day when he was told the importance of the document he was going to type.
• Task Identity: It indicates the extent to which the job involves a “whole” and
identifiable piece of work. According to this aspect, an employee needs to know
the whole picture of which he is an inherent component part.
• Autonomy: This reflects the extent to which the job provides an employee the
freedom, independence and discretion to schedule work and make decisions and
formulate procedures to get the job done without interference from others.
• Feedback (Knowledge of Results): The extent to which a person gets pointers to
success through opinions secured from others as reaction to one’s performance. It
might also indicate the extent to which the persons who are working on the job can
assess on their own, whether they are doing things right or wrong even as they are
performing.