What that means is, when a certain motivator is offered in a particular corporation, it may not have the same value it has when it is offered in another place. To be demotivated means that neither the energy nor the commitment are there to move the performer in a particular direction. Negative reinforcement often proves to be highly demotivating. In one form or another, these have been used in business settings for a long time. Demotivation is worse than no motivation at all.
Positive reinforcement works better.
Positive reinforcers include such things as recognition, respect, praise, better working conditions, money, paid vacations, fringe benefits, prizes, etc. The word motivation often brings to mind more money, or special privileges like the key to the executive washroom. These are extrinsic, meaning external. Someone else is dangling this particular item in front of you as a way of getting you to do something. Intrinsic motivators are internal.