Organizational Behavior (Stephen Robbins)

a “Radical fun guru” whose job is to make the workplace so much fun that no one wants

to leave. The company provides free food all day, including catered lunches a few times a

week, and there is a log cabin on-site, fitted out with big screens, DVDs, and gaming equip-

ment, where employees can take time out to recharge during their long workdays. Radical

Entertainment offers these benefits to meet the needs of its young employees, who find

greater motivation from being part of a cool workplace than having a bigger pension plan.

Expectancy Theory in the Workplace

Does expectancy theory work? Although it has its critics,^27 most of the research evi-

dence supports the theory.^28 Research in cross-cultural settings has also indicated sup-

port for expectancy theory.^29

Exhibit 4-6 shows how managers can increase the motivation of employees, using insights

from expectancy theory. Managers can take steps to improve expectancy, instrumentality, and

valence. To further appreciate how expectancy theory might apply in the workplace, see

this chapter’s Case Incident—Wage Reduction Proposalon the CD-ROM that accompanies

this textbook for an example of what happens when expected rewards are withdrawn.

Goal-Setting Theory

You have heard the phrase a number of times: “Just do your best. That’s all anyone can

ask.” But what does “do your best” mean? Do we ever know if we have achieved that

vague goal? Might you have done better in your high school English class if your parents

had said, “You should strive for 75 percent or higher on all your work in English”

instead of “do your best”?

The research on goal setting by Edwin Locke and his colleague Professor Gary Latham

at the University of Toronto shows that intentions to work toward a goal are a major

source of work motivation.^30 A goalis “what an individual is trying to accomplish; it is

the object or aim of an action.”^31 Goals tell an employee what needs to be done and how

much effort will need to be expended.^32

How Does Goal Setting Motivate?

According to Locke, goal setting motivates in four ways (see Exhibit 4-7 on page 117):^33

• Goals direct attention.Goals indicate where individuals should direct their
  efforts when they are choosing among things to do. For instance, recognizing
  that an important assignment is due in a few days, goal setting may encourage
  you to say no when friends invite you to a movie this evening.


• Goals regulate effort.Goals suggest how much effort an individual should put
  into a given task. For instance, if earning a high mark in accounting is more
  important to you than earning a high mark in organizational behaviour (OB),
  you will likely put more effort into studying accounting.

116 Part 2Striving for Performance

goal What an individual is trying
to accomplish.

Improving Expectancy

Improve the ability of the

individual to perform.

• Make sure employees have skills
  for the task.


• Provide training.


• Assign reasonable tasks and goals.

Improving Instrumentality Improving Valence

Increase the individual’s belief that

performance will lead to reward.

• Observe and recognize performance.


• Deliver rewards as promised.


• Indicate to employees how previous
  good performance led to greater
  rewards.

Make sure that the reward is

meaningful to the individual.

• Ask employees what rewards they
  value.


• Give rewards that are valued.

EXHIBIT 4-6 Steps to Increasing Motivation, Using Expectancy Theory