Core Questions

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Essential Questions (must be answered during the assignment)

  1. What is the definition (within the context of the portfolio) of "motivation", "engagement", "performance" and "outputs"?
  2. How is motivation measured - is the only way through performance and outputs (does any other metrics matter to an organisation)?
  3. What factors/theories/methods have been used to increase/analyse motivation and engagement by various thinkers/studies? (Exploring/discussing/analysing this will be the bulk of the first part of our portfolio)
  4. How do various thinkers, schools of management theory and studies view the importance of motivation and engagement?
  5. How do motivation and engagement relate to performance and outcomes?
  6. How are performance and output measured?
  7. What factors/theories/methods have been used to increase/analyse performance and output by various thinkers/studies? 
  8. How do real-life organisations motivate and engage (and measure performance and output of) their employees? - What examples/evidence can we find?

Interesting Questions (non -essential possible directions to take the assignment)

  1. Is motivation biological or environmental - are some people naturally more motivated than others? Are some people unable to be motivated - Does this link to the big 5 personality trait conscientiousness?
  2. Can people be profiled (using things such as the "big 5 personality test" or "Myer-Briggs test", or similar (has a test specifically designed to assess "motivation drivers" been created?)) to determine what motivates the individual most? eg money, status, the opportunity for progression, fear of disappointing)
  3. How much can a manager control motivation and engagement? - Is home/family life a more influential factor?
  4. How will we apply what we have found when we are managers?
  5. Do we have any personal experiences we can relate to the assignment? - eg. moments when we feel motivated and unmotivated as an employee?

Tangents (random ideas/thoughts)

  1. What is the link between "conscientiousness" (the big 5 personality trait) and motivation and engagement?
  2. Is over motivation ever a bad thing? (Is over motivation/keenness seen as a very amaturish/junior quality)?
  3. Personally, I feel my motivation fluctuates, I am most motivated/driven when leading up to a deadline, have their been studies on how motivation fluctuates? - does a constant atmosphere of pressure/high stakes lead to greater motivation?
  4. Could you give employees drugs to increase motivation- is there a motivation boosting drug?
  5. Engagement from workers is likely to lead to innovative/disruptive ideas - are innovative ideas always welcome coming from non-management (workers). Are managers typically high in openness and creativity?
  6. How can management fully utilise excess motivation? Can the over-motivated, for example, be persuaded to work overtime unpaid?
  7. Do motivation and engagement have any parrels with cults/religion? - a sort of fulfilment through suffering philosophy? or enthusiastic unquestioning obedience to authority?

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