James is a cook in a restaurant. He has recently discovered that one of the other cooks, who doesn't have as much work experience as James, is making more money and seems to be the favorite of the executive chef and gets which days off he wants. James is wondering whether he should look for another job. This is an example of which theory?

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The scenario involves James comparing his own work situation to that of a less experienced cook who earns more money and appears to receive favorable treatment from the executive chef. This centers on perceived fairness and the balance of inputs and outputs in the workplace.
Option 1: 'Three-needs theory' refers to a theory that emphasizes three innate needs (often achievement, affiliation, and power) that drive motivation. While it addresses what motivates people, it does not specifically center on fairness or equity between employees’ rewards relative to their contributions. Therefore, this option does not fit the described situation.
Option 2: 'Equity theory' specifically deals with fairness in social exchanges at work. It posits that employees compare their own input-output ratios (e.g., effort, experience, time, and education versus pay, benefits, perks) to those of others. When James perceives an imbalance (he contributes more but earns less and has less favorable treatment), it leads to feelings of inequity and motivates him to restore balance, such as by seeking another job. This aligns directly with the scenario.
Option 3: 'Reinforcement theory' (often associated with operant conditioning) explains motivation through the consequences of behavior (rewards or punishments) shaping future actions. While rewards are involved in reinforcement, the theory does not address the comparative fairness aspect across employees, which is central to the scenario.
Option 4: 'Expectancy theory' posits that motivation is a function of expectancy (belief that effort leads to performance), instrumentality (belief that performance leads to rewards), and valence (value of the rewards). Although rewards and outcomes matter, the specific issue of perceived equity between coworkers is not the core focus of expectancy theory.
In summary, the key element here is the comparison of one's own inputs and outputs with those of another employee, i.e., fairness and equity in the workplace, which is the essence of equity theory.

11:709:448:01 FOOD PROD MGMT Quiz 7B- Textbook Chapter 11- Communication - Decision Making-Motivation

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