Motivation is the force that drives us to do things, whether by achieving personal goals or completing tasks at work. Most people are motivated by having their individual needs met, which gives them inspiration to perform specific behaviors for which they receive rewards (Kinicki & Williams, 2011). These needs vary from person to person, as everyone has specific needs to satisfy. When we consider the factors that determine employee motivation, many of us think of a high salary. This answer is correct because some employees will be motivated by money, but mostly wrong because it does not satisfy other needs in a lasting way (Bizhelp24, 2010). This supports the idea that human motivation is a personal characteristic and not a one-size-fits-all option. Managers will achieve a better motivation rate in their employees by identifying the key factors that determine the motivation rate. These factors are directly linked to the individual needs, behavior and attitudes of employees. There are numerous motivational theories that attempt to explain how motivation works, but the challenge is to apply these theories to real situations or individuals. Many experts believe that using a combination of different motivational theories is more effective than selecting a single theory and applying it in an all-encompassing way. To further explore the practical application of motivational theories, we will attempt to apply different theories to an organization that includes different types of employees, including salespeople, production workers, and administrative staff. Salespeople Traditionally, sales commissions have been the primary method of motivating salespeople. However, the compensation is based so... middle of paper......ople.htmlCichelli, DJ (2010). Do the sales people work for coins? Retrieved May 31, 2011, from http://www.salesgrowthimperative.com/articles/Are%20Sales%20People%20Coin-Operated%20022210.pdfCompensation Today (2009, July 8). Different types of motivation theories [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://blogs.payscale.com/compensation/2009/07/different-types-of-motivation-theories.htmlKinicki, A., & Williams, B. K. (2011). Management: A practical introduction (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Kjeralf, A. (2007, January 8). Motivation for Production Workers [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://positivesharing.com/2007/01/ask-the-cho-motivation-for-production-workers/Struyk, R.J. (n.d.). Motivate staff for greater productivity and greater retention. Retrieved May 31, 2011, from http://www.urban.org/uploadedPDF/410454_managing_think_tanks_CH02.pdf