TABLE OF CONTENTS Motivation is difficult to describe, but it is a term that is used often in organizational theory and project human resource management and has been defined and described in many different forms. One definition is that it is "a process, action, or intervention that serves as an incentive for a project team member to take the necessary action to complete a task within the appropriate confines and scope of performance, time, and cost" (Flannes and Levin, 2001). Motivation is a critical element for a high-performing project team, regardless of whether the team is collocated or is operating in a virtual environment. However, while the presence of motivation does not guarantee stellar performance, its absence certainly will result in long-term problems. Furthermore, individuals vary as to what motivates them, and the sources of motivation for an individual might not be constant throughout the project.
Different theories of motivation can be grouped and classified into drive theories, incentive theories, evolutionary and biologic theories, achievement need theories, and fear of failure theories. In general, all motivation theories note that individuals display a wide array of different motives at different times of their careers and at different points in their lives (Flannes and Levin, 2001). Among all motivation theories, one of the more relevant to the project management environment categorizes team member behavior into three separate and identifiable categories that address the need for achievement, affiliation, and power (McClelland, 1961). The need for achievement is characterized by a...
