medium · GMAT Verbal
Passage: Within the field of organizational behavior, 'Expectancy Theory' posits that employees are motivated to exert effort only when they believe that such effort will lead to successful performance (expectancy), that successful performance will be rewarded (instrumentality), and that the rewards offered are personally valuable (valence). For management, the implication is clear: motivation is a multiplicative function. If any one of these three perceptions is near zero, the employee's motivation to perform will be negligible, regardless of the strength of the other two factors. Consider a scenario where a firm introduces a performance bonus but fails to provide the necessary training for employees to master the new workflow. Even if the employees highly value the bonus (high valence) and believe the company will pay it (high instrumentality), their motivation will remain low because they do not believe their efforts can actually result in the required performance level (low expectancy). Conversely, if an employee is capable and trusts the system but finds the reward, such as a public commendation instead of a salary increase, unappealing, the lack of valence will similarly stifle productivity.
Based on the passage's description of 'Expectancy Theory,' which of the following best describes the logical structure of the motivation process?
- Motivation is an inherently unpredictable phenomenon that fluctuates widely according to each individual's distinct personality traits and moods.
- Motivation depends on a sequence of independent external events that must unfold in one specific, fixed chronological order to take effect.
- Motivation is an additive process in which a high level of valence can fully compensate for either low expectancy or weak instrumentality among employees.
- Motivation is contingent upon the presence of three distinct cognitive perceptions, all of which must exceed a minimum threshold to produce effort.
- Motivation is driven primarily by external rewards offered to staff, with the workers' internal capabilities playing only a secondary supporting role overall.
Sign up free to see the explanation and track your rank →
More GMAT Verbal practice
- A gardener says: 'All roses in this garden require daily wat… — What is the role of the st
- What is the conclusion?
- Which of the following is the conclusion?
- What logical role do the first two statements play?
- What is the conclusion?
- What logical role does the first sentence play in the researcher's argument?
- Which statement is the conclusion?
- Which of the following, if true, most undermines the agency's claim?