The correct answer is C. Shartle.
Sharton defined motivation as “a process of stimulating people to action to accomplish desired goals.” This definition is consistent with the way that motivation is typically understood in the field of psychology. Motivation is seen as a driving force that energizes and directs behavior. It can be internal, such as when someone is motivated to achieve a personal goal, or it can be external, such as when someone is motivated to earn a promotion at work.
Owen, Scott, and Flippo are all well-known management theorists, but they did not define motivation in the same way as Shartle. Owen defined motivation as “the process of arousing and sustaining goal-directed behavior.” Scott defined motivation as “the process of initiating, directing, and sustaining goal-directed behavior.” Flippo defined motivation as “the process of stimulating people to action to accomplish organizational goals.”
While these definitions are similar to Shartle’s, they do not emphasize the role of goals in motivation. Shartle’s definition is more specific in that it identifies goals as the desired outcomes that motivate behavior. This is an important distinction, as it helps to clarify the nature of motivation and its role in human behavior.