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Public Adminstration QUESTION #9568
Question 1
McClelland's research on achievement motivation identified a correlation between high achievement needs and occupational success. A public manager with high nCh (need for achievement) is assigned to a highly routine regulatory role with fixed procedures and no discretion. According to McClelland's framework, what is the likely organizational outcome?
  • The manager will apply their achievement drive to improve the efficiency of procedures within existing constraints
  • The manager will be demotivated because high achievers require challenging work, autonomy and frequent feedback — a misalignment between individual needs and job design✔️
  • The manager will transition toward high nPow (need for power) as an alternative outlet for their motivational drive
  • The manager will exhibit Theory Y behavior regardless of job design, as intrinsic motivation overrides situational constraints
Correct Answer Explanation
McClelland found that employees with high achievement needs are most motivated by challenging, autonomy-rich work with clear feedback on performance. A routine regulatory role with fixed procedures satisfies none of these conditions. The misalignment between the individual's dominant need and job characteristics produces demotivation, reduced performance and likely turnover — demonstrating why person-job matching is a critical HRM function.