Abstract

Industrial psychologists and management practitioners have long been interested in searching for factors which influence motivation and productivity. This article presents a theory to systematize the complex nature of motivational phenomena in connection with performance. Partial theories of motivation are integrated into a general model of motivation, and this general model along with ability is incorporated into a model of performance. The general theory provides a comprehensive scheme for explaining the relationships between various determinants of human motivation and performance and can also serve as a predictive device. In an effort to find the determinants of motivation and performance in industry, industrial psychologists and managerial practitioners have developed a variety of theories of human motivation. Many psychologists have developed motivational theories in terms of human needs or motives, while most management scholars have developed managerial theories in terms of incentives or inducements. Another group of scholars, has developed perceptional theories of motivation which stress that perception is the only basic determinant of behavior because it ultimately determines the way people respond to their needs and incentives.