Motivational theories are concepts from psychology which identify and explain behavioural and attitudinal trends in an organization; these are often used to design training materials, benefits schemes and other work incentives. Some of the motivational theories include the following: 

• The Incentive Theory, which suggests that an individual feels motivated by rewards, incentives, recognition and reinforcement. According to this theory, an  individual can portray a certain behaviour in order to achieve a certain result or receive a reward; examples of incentives include bonuses, an increase in salary, promotion and praise.
• The Competence Theory , which believes that an individual might want to engage in activities that will make them showcase their skills and competence.

Motivational theories help management within an organization to decide on the best way to achieve targets and work towards ways to increase the organization’s income stream; by successfully applying these motivational theories, employers will be able to support their team efficiently.