Question

Laura Bryant joined Kellogg's straight after university in 2002. She joined the Field Sales team initially. This involved visiting five to ten supermarkets a day to develop relationships at a local level. After two years her hard work was rewarded and she was promoted to Customer Marketing Manager at Head Office. This helped to raise her profile as she wanted to move into marketing. With support from her manager, Laura made the transition from Sales to Marketing as Assistant Brand Manager on Rice Krispies and Frosties. In 2009 she was promoted again to manage the marketing plan for Special K and she is now Brand Manager for Kellogg's Cornflakes. The company has helped motivate her to climb the hierarchy of needs and achieve her career ambitions. Identify and explain the theory of motivation applied by the manager at Kellog’s company. Identify each level and support your answer from examples from the case. Herzberg's motivational factors and Maslow's esteem and self-actualization needs are similar. Explain how organizations can meet these needs.

Answer 1

Answer: The answer is provided below

Explanation:

The theory of motivation that is applied by the manager at Kellog’s company is Hertzberg's two factor theory.

Hertzberg divided needs into two categories which are the hygiene factors and motivating factors. The hygiene factors are factors that are essential to work, hygiene factors do not work as motivating factor but absence will lead to dissatisfaction. Hygiene factors include salary, safe working environment, break time, etc.

Motivating factors are factors that motivates the employees to work harder. Motivating factors lead to satisfaction among the employees and they include responsibility, growth, status, recognition, achievement, etc.

In this scenario, Hertzberg motivating factor theory was used. The manager helped Laura Bryant climb the corporate hierarchy. At first, she was a sales field worker, she was then promoted after 2 years to customer marketing manager post. This helped Laura enter the marketing field after which she was promoted again to help manage marketing plan of special K.

Recognition, responsibility, social status, and growth are all motivating factors that were applied by the manager in this scenario. Laura is satisfied and motivated and the manager here helped her to reach her goals and grow over the years.

Herzberg's motivational factors and Maslow's esteem and self-actualization needs are similar and can be met by organizations in the following ways:

• Management should give employees challenging and complex tasks as this tends to motivate workers.

• Recognition and appreciation: Employees are motivated when they are recognised and appreciated for their work. When employees are recognised, they tend to put in more effort at their workplace and work harder.

•Decision making: Employers should allow their employees participate in the decision making process of the organization.

• Growth opportunities: Employees must be provided with opportunities that allow them grow. This can help in taking their career up and be more productive for the company.

Hertzberg motivational factors theory and Maslow self esteem and self actualisation needs are identical because both needs are satisfied by growth, power, recognition, appreciation, responsibility, and social status.