University of California Motivational Theories Paper

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Motivation Theories Assignment

Using the motivation theories, explain either your best, or your worst workplace experience in terms of motivation. Go in detail and provide information on your boss, work, context, environment etc. that affected your motivation. How and why did the situation lead you to perform at your best? Alternatively, how and why did you chose to not be performing according to expectations?

If you have little or no prior work experience, or aren’t comfortable sharing it, please watch the movie “Office Space” (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0151804/ (Links to an external site.)) and analyze the situation Peter Gibbons and his colleagues are experiencing (you may chose either character, however, I recommend you address Peter Gibbon’s situation). If you chose to analyze the movie, your analysis has to go beyond the two short videos posted on the course website. Using the theories discussed, explain why he is motivated, or not so motivated, to perform highly.

Theory 1:

Theory 2:

Theory 3:

As a reminder, the eight motivation theories discussed in the book and in class were:

  1. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
  2. Alderfer’s ERG Theory
  3. Herzberg’s Two-factor Theory
  4. McClelland’s Motive Dispositions Theory
  5. Equity Theory
  6. Expectancy Theory
  7. Reinforcement Theory
  8. Goal Setting Theory

Your assignment should not exceed about three (3) pages in length (Times New Roman font size 12, single or double spaced) that is, about one (1) page for each theory.

This assignment will be graded 70% on your ability to correctly apply motivation theories and 30 % on grammar and spelling. It is therefore important that you carefully edit your answers before turning them in. Please make sure you reference three different theories. Please upload your assignment in the form of a WORD document on the separate link provided in this module right underneath the project instruction.

Students asked questions regarding the essay assignment. Here are some quick responses/ reminders of what was discussed in class…

Scenes to analyze:

  • Yes, you can choose between the movie and your own experience. It is one OR the other. You are able to use EITHER the movie (Office Space) OR your own life; that is one or more of your own (or relatives, friends, acquaintances etc.) work experiences, OR one or more/ several scenes from the movie.
  • What you do not want to do is to switch in between the movie and your personal (or, friends, acquaintances, colleagues etc.) experiences.

Page count:

  • As stated in class, three pages is an approximate and a recommendation. That means, I will not reject submissions that is a half-page, or page, longer or shorter than these three pages. If you are getting below 2 or above 4, it is likely that you are either missing a points, or not being up to the point enough.
  • Cover pages, should you choose to add any, do not count towards the page count.
  • References, should you choose to add any, do not count towards the page count.