Robbins et al. s (2000: 549) definition of motivation includes key factors about which there is a general consensus: [A] willingness to exert high levels of effort to reach organizational goals, conditioned by the effort s ability to satisfy some individual need .

It is also important to note that workers possess a variety of needs, in varying proportions, which change depending on the situation. Thus, if an individual s requirement for something is urgent or overwhelming, they will be highly motivated to direct their behaviour to satisfy the need. Managers must therefore be able to align an individual s needs with the objectives of the organization for the benefit of both employer and employee.

In an attempt to understand and predict organizationally based attitudes and behaviour, motivation has commanded substantial attention and a number of ideas have emerged. Overall, theories can be separated into two groups depending on whether they focus on the content of an individual s needs or the cognitive processes involved when individuals prioritize their motivational needs.

The former type or content theories seek to explain motivation by considering an individual s requirements and what must be present in the workplace in order to satisfy them. The other perspective contends that it is essential to understand the process of motivation in addition to knowing why people have different (content) needs at different times. The following subsection reviews a number of popular content and process theories of motivation.