Senin, 06 Juni 2016

ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION THEORY “McClelland” : LITERATURE REVIEW By : Nidya Dudija

Motivation is an impulse that underlies an individual behaving in order to achieve desired objectives. Achievement motivation showed a boost individual to produce achievements that result in accordance with the expectations of the individual. The theory of achievement motivation will explain the things that cause an individual is able to produce the interpretation of high and low achievement.
Behavior is basically oriented goals (goal-oriented). In other words, our behavior motivated by a desire to achieve certain goals. The specific objectives are not always known consciously by the individual. Individual behavior is not always obvious to our thinking consciously. Drives that motivate individual behavioral patterns of special (personality) to a certain level take place in our subconscious because they are not easily tested and evaluated. Freud was one of the first to detect the importance of motivation in the unconscious (subconscious motivation).
Motivation cannot be seen (intangible), which can be seen is behavior. Motivation is a hypothetical construct that is used to explain the behavior and should not be confused with the behavior. Much current organizational behavior theory that recognizes "the central role of motivation", it is important to re-emphasize the behavior (behavior reemphasize) (Luthans, 1995).
The theory states that the motivation of achievement needs variety according to the strength of one's needs for achievement. Henry Murray, a psychologist presents a list (taxonomy) of the needs (Human). It was he the first to draw attention to the need to achieve the feat. Murray formulates the need for achievement as a desire to : "... Carry out a task or a difficult job. Master, manipulate or organize physical objects, people or ideas to implement these things as quickly as possible and as independently as possible according to the conditions prevailing. Overcome obstacles, achieve high standards. Peak performance for themselves. Able to win in competition with others. Improve them through the application of talent successfully. (Murray, 1938 and Winardi, 2011). The need of achievement motivation of every individual who wants to make its presence. Many research has been conducted to determine the motive of achievement contained in the individual. McClelland (1961) is an early pioneer in which he pointed out that the need to explore the information contained within the individual can be measured by means of revealing what they feel under controlled circumstances, by using a measuring instrument personalities Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). The impetus of the need for achievement is one of the most important needs that must be owned by an individual in order to compete with other individuals or to survive in a difficult situation. Mc Clelland with three major needs in motivation among others :
1.         Need for Achievement ,
Mc Clelland found that there is the positive correlation between achievement, motivation, and success (Schultz 1979). According to McClelland (1961) achievement motive explains that the individual will do something with persistent and risk his job is moderate, then he will work more accountable and obtain feedback on performance. This leads to the interests of the future than the past or the present and the individual will be stronger in the face of failure because he is able to estimate the situation that would come to get a better performance at work .
2.         Need for Power ,
McClelland (1961), in the context of the organization of motive power is divided into two forms : positive and negative. The negative form of motive power may be reflected from the desire of individuals to influence and dominate others for the sake of their personal interests. Such circumstances can cause a variety of problems in the organization, especially the problems associated with the relationship between individual affiliates or individual with the group (Schein, 1988). In contrast to the more positive form of motive power plays an important role in improving an organization. McClelland (1961) says that a manager who holds the responsibility of administrating an organization should use its power against an employee for his achievement is not good. In such circumstances, the manager must motivate and direct the employees to show better performance so as to achieve organizational goals.
3.         Need for Affiliation
According to Boyatzis (1972), the affiliation motive has two forms, namely the guarantee affiliation (affiliative assurance) and interest affiliative (affiliative interest). Individuals who have a high affiliative motive guarantee will always anticipate the feelings and views of those who lay beneath both to themselves and their duties. He will try to gain acceptance and approval from existing employees. Therefore, the manager will put the excitement so subordinate as the most important thing. He will also feel happy to give negative feedback to subordinates respectively. This attitude raises hopes that manager does not want to create conflict situations among superiors and subordinates.

McClelland pays attention to economic growth in developing countries. He has drafted a training program that is expected to increase the achievement motivation and managers of entrepreneurial activity. McClelland also advises that effective managers should have high power needs (high need for power) who score high hurdles. More power is directed to the organization and to give attention to the goals of the group and used for the benefit of others.


Reference :
Luthans, Fred. 1995. Organization Behavior. Mc Graw Hill Book Company, New-York.

McClelland, D.C., &Liberman, A. M. 1961. The Effect of Need For Achievement on Recognition of Need Related Works. J. Pers, 18, 236 -251.

Murray, Henry D. 1938. Exploration in Personality. Jhon Wiley & Sons, New York. Dalam, Winardi.J. 2011. MotivasidanPemotivasian. PT.RajaGrafindo: Jakarta

Schein, Edgar H. (1988). Organizational Psychology (Foundations of Modern Psychology). Pearson: United Kingdom


Schultz, D.P. 1979. Psychology in Use: An Introduction to Applied Psychology. New-York: MacMillan Press.

Tidak ada komentar:

Posting Komentar