Process theories have also contributed to the understanding of motivation in the international arena. Equity theory focuses on how motivation is affected by people’s perception of how fairly they are...

Process theories have also contributed to the understanding of motivation in the international arena. Equity theory focuses on how motivation is affected by people’s perception of how fairly they are being treated, and there is considerable research to support the fundamental equity principle in Western work groups. However, when the theory is examined on an international basis, the results are mixed. Perhaps the biggest shortcoming of the theory is that it appears to be culture bound. For example, in Japan and Korea, men and women typically receive different pay for doing precisely the same work, and this is at least traditionally not perceived as inequitable to women.