Douglas Mcgregor'S Theory X And Theory Y

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The second part of Douglas’ concept is theory Y. Theory Y differs greatly to theory X. Theory Y suggests that workers can be fulfilled by their work. It suggests that if employees see pleasant consequences (raises), they will be motivated to work hard. The Y theory is more in line with Maslow’s Hierarchy. The Y Theory says that if under the correct circumstances, workers seek opportunities that yield satisfaction and fulfillment. The Y theory is much more positive than X and suggests that people are generally hard workers who need motivation. It also focuses more on less control and supervision and allowing employees to feel valued as opposed to being under a close critical watchful eye. An example of the X theory would be a company that treats its employees without much respect or trust. A company operating under theory X would assume that its employees are not interested in working hard but instead on making money and doing the least amount of work possible. An example of Theory Y would be a company that values its employee’s opinions and asks for their input on issues. It would also be a company which offers incentives and positive reward for its employees. Those who work under management of theory Y most likely feel appreciated and fulfilled. The weakness of theory X seems obvious in that employees operate more out of fear than out of satisfaction. If people only feel threatened enough to work and perform at a minimal level of output, there is little room for them to feel motivated to go above and beyond and put forth maximum effort. Theory Y seems to be more accepted and have fewer weaknesses. The weakness most often attributed to theory Y is that once a need or satisfaction is fulfilled, people move onto the next need. In theory Y these needs are more respected yet room to grow is still somewhat limited. The strengths of the theories are

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