Definition of Motivation

The term motivation derives from the Latin word movere, meaning "to move". In the present context, motivation represents "those psychological processes that cause the arousal, direction and persistence of voluntary actions that are goal directed. Managers need to understand these psychological processes if they are to successfully guide employees toward accomplishing organizational objectives” (Kreitner, Kinicki and Buelens, 1999:181).

There is a difference between motivation, which is the carrying out of a behaviour willingly and due to enjoyment and movement, where a person behaves just so as to get something like a salary (Gerber, Nel and Van Wyk, 1994)

In the context of work, motivation is "...the willingness to exert high levels of effort toward organizational goals, conditioned by the effort's ability to satisfy some individual need." (Robbins, 1991:192).

Although motivation is therefore an investment of effort or energy to satisfy organisational goals, it is also related to the fulfillment of individual needs. Employees will therefore be motivated to satisfy organisational goals only if they perceive that there is also something in the achievements for themselves (Nellmapius, 1996:56).