Date of Award

1983

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Business

First Advisor

Katherine Kelly

Second Advisor

William E. Holloway

Abstract

This Culminating Project represents an inquiry into the existence, applications, and parameters of human motivation and its impact on perceived management attitudes, values, and motivation to manage.

The topic is examined from three vantage points. Part I embodies a selective indoctrination in human motivation concepts and suggests relevant organizational applications and examples in illustration. The term "motivation" has evolved into a popular but often misapplied catch phrase. Therefore, a foundation in prominent human motivation theory is provided as precedent to issues subsequently discussed in the Project, to offer the reader an accurate base of subject knowledge.

Part II addresses the prevalent attitudes and values of college students and managers in terms of past and present career expectations and egocentricity levels. Demographic trends, an increased interest in preserving identity and individuality, and decreased advancement opportunity are among possible explanations cited for declining career commitment.

Part III introduces the Miner Sentence Completion Scale as a means of measuring college students' motivation to manage and of forecasting future managerial quality and quantity. In four MSCS administrations from 1960-1980 Miner found a sharp decline in management motivation from 1960 to the early 70's but a general stabilization from the early 70's to 1980. My linear regression correlation factor validity coefficient calculations generally substantiate Miner ' s claim of current stabilization in the decline of motivation to manage in University of Oregon business students over the past two decades.

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