Editing Theory X and Theory Y (section)

{{Short description|Theories of human motivation}}
[[File:McgregorXY-languages (cropped).svg|thumb|[[Mnemonic]] device for the two theories: a person refusing to work ("X") and a person cheering the opportunity to work ("Y")]]
'''Theory X and Theory Y''' are theories of human [[work motivation]] and management. They were created by [[Douglas McGregor]] while he was working at the [[MIT Sloan School of Management]] in the 1950s, and developed further in the 1960s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://iwer.mit.edu/about/iwer-pioneers/douglas-m-mcgregor/|title=Douglas M. McGregor {{!}}|website=iwer.mit.edu|language=en-US|access-date=2018-04-11}}</ref> McGregor's work was rooted in motivation theory alongside the works of [[Abraham Maslow]], who created the [[hierarchy of needs]]. The two theories proposed by McGregor describe contrasting models of workforce [[motivation]] applied by managers in [[human resource management]], [[organizational behavior]], [[organizational communication]] and [[organizational development]]. Theory X explains the importance of heightened supervision, external rewards, and penalties, while Theory Y highlights the motivating role of [[job satisfaction]] and encourages workers to approach tasks without direct [[supervision]]. Management use of Theory X and Theory Y can affect employee motivation and productivity in different ways, and managers may choose to implement strategies from both theories into their practices.<ref name=":52">{{Cite news|url=https://hbr.org/1970/05/beyond-theory-y|title=Beyond Theory Y|date=1970-05-01|work=Harvard Business Review|access-date=2018-04-12}}</ref>