HDM Modeling as a Tool to Assist Management With Employee Motivation: The Case of Silicon Forest

This article gives a brief introduction into the history of human motivation research and discusses a variety of motivational theories. From the numerous theories reviewed, the main motivational elements are assembled into a Hierarchical Decision Model (HDM). A pairwise comparison survey was developed as a tool for managers to use when trying to develop a motivational strategy, i.e., which motivational theory or theories works best for their employees. Finally, as a proof of concept, the questionnaire was tested with 50 professionals in the high tech industry in the Portland area also known as the Silicon Forest.