EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Approved: Paper Advisor

Date: 7 May 2009

Motivation in Project Management

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EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT

__________________ A Seminar Research Paper Presented to the Graduate Faculty University of Wisconsin-Platteville __________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree Master of Science in Project Management __________________ by FangMin Yang 2009

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper was to discuss motivation theory and explore the application of motivation theory in project management. There are numerous differences between project management and traditional management, but, when it comes to motivating employees, the same motivation theories that are used in traditional management can be used to motivate employees working on projects. Nowadays, motivation theory has become a central tenet of management theory, such that the effective use of motivation theory has a significant impact on the dedication and performance of employees and, as a result, the overall success of a company. This seminar paper presents a summary of some of the most popular motivation theories, and a review of their application to management of employees, in general, and to project management teams, specifically. Each motivation theory has advantages and disadvantages. The motivation theories discussed in this paper are Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory of Motivation, and McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y. When these theories are applied in organizations, managers must take into account the situation and make the decision of which motivation theory will work best given the situation. My research findings suggest that there is a difference between motivating employees in project management and traditional management. In addition, this paper describes how to motivate