NCJ Number
56518
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THE USE OF MOTIVATION THEORY AS A PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT TOOL IN COMMUNITY RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CENTERS IS DISCUSSED, AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT AND PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT IS EMPHASIZED.
Abstract
TWO BASIC PERSONNEL THEORIES HAVE BEEN STUDIED BY MCGREGOR, KNOWN AS THEORY X AND THEORY Y. THEORY X IS VIEWED AS THE CONVENTIONAL PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT THEORY AND ASSUMES THAT MAN HAS AN INHERENT DISLIKE FOR WORK AND WILL AVOID IT WHEN POSSIBLE, THAT MAN MUST BE COERCED OR THREATENED WITH PUNISHMENT TO GET HIM TO PERFORM ADEQUATELY FOR AN ORGANIZATION, AND THAT MAN PREFERS TO BE DIRECTED AND AVOIDS RESPONSIBILITY WHEN POSSIBLE. THEORY Y IS BASED ON BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH AND MOTIVATION THEORY AND ASSUMES THAT THE EXPENDITURE OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EFFORT IN WORK IS AS NATURAL AS DOING SO IN PLAY OR REST, THAT MAN WILL EXERCISE SELF-DIRECTION AND SELF-CONTROL TOWARD ACHIEVING OBJECTIVES, THAT COMMITMENT TO OBJECTIVES IS A FUNCITON OF REWARDS ASSOCIATED WITH ACHIEVEMENT, THAT THE AVERAGE PERSON SEEKS OUT RESPONSIBILITY UNDER PROPER CONDITIONS, AND THAT MOST PERSONS ARE CAPABLE OF A RELATIVELY HIGH DEGREE OF IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY IN SOLVING ORGANIZATIONAL PROBLEMS. IN THE FIELD OF MOTIVATION THEORY, MASLOW'S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS IS WELL-KNOWN. THE HIREARCHY INCLUDES PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS, SAFETY NEEDS, BELONGINGNESS AND LOVE NEEDS, ESTEEM NEEDS, AND SELF-ACTUALIZATION. PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS ARE RANKED THE LOWEST, WITH SELF-ACTUALIZATION BEING THE HIGHEST LEVEL IN THE HIERARCHY. MEETING LOWER-LEVEL NEEDS MUST BE CONSIDERED IN RELATION TO JOB CONTEXT FACTORS (COMPANY POLICE AND ADMINISTRATION, SUPERVISION, WORKING CONDITIONS, INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS, SALARY, STATUS, JOB SECURITY, AND PERSONAL LIFE) AND JOB CONTENT FACTORS (ACHIEVEMENT, RECOGNITION, WORK ITSELF, RESPONSIBILITY, ADVANCEMENT, AND GROWTH). RESPONSIBILITY FOR PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF MOTIVATION THEORY, LIES IN IDENTIFYING MOTIVATIONAL TRAITS POSSESSED BY INDIVIDUALS AND UTILIZING THAT INFORMATION IN STAFF SELECTION. BY MATCHING MOTIVATIONAL TRAITS WITH JOB DESCRIPTIONS, IT IS POSSIBLE TO OBTAIN OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE FROM INDIVIDUALS. STAFFING PATTERNS ARE DEPENDENT UPON PROGRAM TYPE, AND NUMEROUS VARIABLES AFFECT THE USE OF RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES. MASLOW'S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS IS ILLUSTRATED, AND REFERENCES ARE CITED. (DEP)