Publication Details

Publication overview

Employees’ motivation depends on whether they believe their effort can produce results, those results will lead to promised outcomes, and those outcomes are worth pursuing. This entry explains expectancy, instrumentality, and valence, connecting them with employee capabilities, resources, trust, and reward preferences. It also considers the theory’s limitations and applications to performance management, incentives, career choices, and job design. For HR professionals and organizational leaders, the entry provides a practical lens for identifying where motivation breaks down and aligning achievable expectations with credible commitments and meaningful rewards.