Introduction
Broadly, organizational management is among the functions that align the efforts and contributions of the various factions to accomplish the set goals. To hit the said targets, a plethora or resources have to be marshaled and efficiently put to use. Management microcosm consists of organizing, leading, planning and staffing. But the basics of management have much more to do with controlling the corporation than any other aspect. Put simply, each effort aimed at control should be strictly focused to steer the organization and ameliorate the performance. Some of those efforts include motivation, active leadership, and even the knowledge process. While there are several other efforts with matching contributions, these three elements of management have a greater influence (Luis & David 2010). Notably, each of the three constructs is independent and affect a separate part of the integrated management. Even then, the knowledge-process, leadership, and motivation are applicable at all levels of management. So, for instance, motivation would affect a middle-level manager in a like manner as it would a top-level manager. But that is not even the most interesting part of these elements in organizational management. All the three aspects, albeit sometimes unsubstantially, feature everywhere in the concept of management.
On that note, the prevailing essay seeks to discuss how motivation, leadership, and the knowledge-process advance management of firms. A profound deconstruction of each of the concepts will characterize such an analysis. In other words, the discussion will not only focus on the benefits but also on the aspects of the particular subject that elicit the benefits.
Motivation
In psychology, motivation is simply the desire to act. In some quarters, motivation is a definition of behavior. Elsewhere, motivation is a factor that elicits the need for the attainment of the set objectives (Richard 2013). Despite the variant definitions, one thing is common. Motivation plays a significant role in setting and attaining the goals. The same postulation is similar in every situation and field where this aspect is applied. Previous expeditions have proved beyond doubt that one can influence their levels of self-control and motivation. That is the fundamental principle of the need to make motivation part of management in an organization. And the three-step to integrating motivation in management is even simpler. The first part is figuring out the goal, identifying the resources required to attain the goal, and acquiring the determination to fulfill the aims.
Sources of Motivation
Goal setting and attainment are, however, just a blanket generalization of sources of motivation. As such, it is worth noting that a blizzard of sources of motivation is in existence, and each has either positive or negative outcomes for a person and the entire organization. Weightman (2012) asserts that while internal motivation is suitable for making one work towards a goal, external motivation is still as necessary. On that note, there are two chief sources worth looking at when it comes to an organization.
Intrinsic Motivation. Aguinis and Gottfredson (2013) defines this type of motivation as the pleasure an individual derives from the task they perform or the sense of its successful completion. However, it is wrong to assume that the employee may not seek rewards in this case. Evidently, even if the rewards were present, they would not be enough to motivate sufficiently such an individual. In simpler terms, this kind of motivation depends entirely on the activity. Human beings are internally wired to take on challenging tasks just to prove their worth. So, to some extent, intrinsic motivation can be safely pegged on this according to Coffer and Appley (2011). Agreeably, such a person finds each challenging and simple tasks enjoyable. Now, in most cases, managers have always used the excuse for the existence of this kind of motivation to hold back on physical rewards for their employees (Aguinis and Gottfredson 2013). However, in as much as intrinsic motivation does not necessitate any material rewards, some of its aspects would. For instance, recognition, which is a source intrinsic motivation, may sometimes call for rewards.
Extrinsic motivation. Conversely, extrinsic motivation is solely dependent on the physical rewards discouraged by intrinsic motivation. Fringe benefits, promotion, and salary increments are some of the sources of external motivation. Richard (2013) assumes that the sources are extrinsic since they are external to the activity, and some other people would determine whether they are issued. In unfavorable working environments, like in the earlier eras, extrinsic motivation ensured that employees accomplished their tasks and successfully fulfilled their goals. In all dimensions, extrinsic motivation is critical, for instance, the amount of pay determines whether an employee would accept or deny the job. It is also a determinant of the quality of the outcome.
Approaches to motivation