Motivating Workers in Educational Institutions: Adams’ Equity and Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theoretical Implications

Seminar paper from the year 2010 in the subject Pedagogy - Job Education, Occupational Training, Further Education, grade: none, University of Dodoma (College of Education), course: Management and Administration of Educational Institutions, language: English, abstract: Motivation is the result of processes, internal or external to the individual that arouses enthusiasm and persistence to pursue a certain course of action. Motivation represents an unsatisfied need which creates a state of tension or disequilibrium, causing the individual to make a goal oriented pattern towards restoring a state of equilibrium by satisfying the need. Motivating workers is a major concern of the manager in work place so as to ensure maximum production in the organization and hence meeting organizational goal. Considering the significant role and contributions of educational institutions to meaningful individual and national development, proper management and motivation skills remain vital for the better performance of the school. There are several theories that explain how to motivate workers in the work place including teachers in schools. This paper intends to examine the applicability of the equity and need hierarchy theories into management and administration of educational institutions. This paper begins with an introduction followed with the analysis of Adams’ Equity Theory and latter the Maslow’s Need hierarchy Theory is analyzed. In the analysis of both theories the main focus is the applicability of the theory in the motivation of teachers in schools so as to maximize their efficiency and effectiveness in teaching.