Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
employee asks, “What are the chances that, given my knowledge, skills, and the
resources available to me, I am able to complete the assigned task?”
2.
I = Instrumentality.
The perception of employees—expressed as a probability—that
there will actually be a reward associated with completing the assigned task. Management
must ensure that promises of rewards are fulfi lled and that employees are aware of
that.
3.
V = Valence
. Valence refers to the emotional orientations people hold with respect to
rewards, i.e., the depth of the want of an employee for extrinsic (money, praise, promo-
tion, time-off, benefi ts) or intrinsic satisfaction (rewards). Not all outcomes possess a
positive valence; getting a promotion, coupled with a transfer to an undesirable location,
may well result in a negative valence. Effective managers thus seek to discover what
employees value.
Vroom suggests that an employee's beliefs about expectancy, instrumentality, and valence
interact psychologically to create a motivational force such that employees act in ways that
bring pleasure and avoid pain. This force can be “calculated” via the following formula:
Motivation = Expectancy × (Instrumentality × Valence). In the example in
Figure 16.7,
both
employee A and B's task is to achieve some target (sales goal or piecework productivity)
and the desired outcome of achieving their target is a pay raise. In this example, Employee
B would have the greater motivation.
Employee recognition and motivation
Everyone needs to be noticed. Agribusiness managers will fi nd that effective communica-
tion with employees regarding their particular situation, a current project, or their state of
being can be a powerful management tool. In fact, some experts argue that a manager cannot
communicate “too much,” due to the fact that most managers do not communicate enough.
Effectively addressing individuals as individuals can greatly enhance motivation and
performance.
Valence (V)
Expectancy (E)
Instrumentality (I)
M = E (I x V)
M
i.e. Desired
outcome
i.e. Employee's
assessment of how
likely it is that the
task will be achieved
i.e. Employee's
perception that there
will actually be a
reward
i.e. Expectancy
multiplied by
product of
instrumentality
and valence
M = 0.2 (1 x 0.8)
i.e.
Employees's
motivation
Employee A
The employee
believes that
the outcome is
very attractive.
= 0.8
The employee
believes that
the outcome is
relatively
attractive.
=0.6
As past performance
is poor, employee
assessed the task as
difficult to achieve
= 0.2
As past performance
is reasonable,
employee assessed
the task as reasonably
achievable
= 0.6
Employee definitely
believes that there
will be a reward
= 1.0
M = 0.16
Employee B
Employee definitely
believes that there
will be a reward
= 1.0
M = 0.6 (1 x 0.6)
M = 0.36
Figure 16.7
Example of Vroom's expectancy theory
Note: each variable is assigned a perceived value, and then the calculation is performed.
