Motivation, Job Satisfaction, and Job Involvement

The theory of motivation that emphasizes the need to accomplish something, to do a good job, and to be the best. Psychologists have studied motivation, job satisfaction, job involvement, and organizational commitment. They have proposed various theories to explain employee motivation—why people behave as they do on the job. Content theories of motivation focus on the importance of the work itself and the challenges, growth opportunities, and responsibilities work provides for employees. The need for achievement, or achievement motivation, is a characteristic of successful executives. Since the early 1950s, achievement motivation has been studied intensively by David McClelland and his colleagues. In general, achievement motivation theory provides a plausible explanation for the motivation of some employees and is considered to have widespread application in the workplace.