Organization behavior Essay Example for Free

Organization behavior Essay 1.) Critically review learning theory. Learning theory is a routine that is carried out on a daily basis in order to have an experience in various fields of work. There are several theories that explain learning theory. One of the theories is Maslow’ Hierarchy of needs which explains that, when the need level is satisfied, it ceased to become a motivator and fulfillment of higher level is the next goal. (Francesco and Gold, 2005).The second theory is Hertzberg’s motivation hygiene theory which states that, employees’ growth and esteem needs are driven by the motivation factors, responsibility and achievement. This wills results into a job satisfaction at work place. (Francesco and Gold, 2005). The third theory is McClelland’s learned needs theory which explains that needs is learned through Childhood environment, social norms and assists in the understanding of individual motivation (Francesco and Gold, 2005). The last theory is ERG theory which contributes on Maslow theory. It has three categories of needs. Existence which is the physical and psychological need, relatedness which is the need to share ideas with others and feel secure and growth is the need to achieve to fulfill of self esteemed needs. The learning theories have assisted very many people at work place especially the people who are working in the organizations. (Francesco and Gold, 2005). There have been several philosophers who have tried to explain what is learning. Various theories of learning have been therefore have been discussed. Learning theories are the ideas about why or how changes occur. There has been a theory on the behaviorist orientation to learning .This theory is from theorist such as Thorndike, Pavlov and skinner. (Smith, 1999).This theory argues that people change their behavior from the kind of learning they get. People according to the theory are stimulated by the environment they live in. When people live in a good environment they learn to be good and vise versa. Behaviorists argue that people can be taught to produce behavior change in the desired direction. An educator trying to teach people to change should arrange environment of the person to get the desired response. People can learn through skill development and training as well as behavior according to behaviorists. (Smith, 1999). There is another theory on cognitive orientation to learning. Cognitivist such as Piaget, Bruner and Gagne believe that learning process is an internal mental process. Internal mental process includes receiving insight about information, processing the information, memorizing it and finally making a perception. (Smith, 1999).That is how the learning process is according to Cognitivist. People according to the cognitivist learn through the internal cognitive structuring. This structure helps people develop skills and capacity to learn better. Cognitive structure if followed can help a person develop intelligence learning and memory as function of age as well as learning how to learn. Whichever the theory that is followed learning is an important aspect of human being and people should strive to learn more to improve themselves. (Saljo,1979) 2. Positive and negative reinforcements, punishment and extinction in shaping behavior There are many types of positive reinforcements that Godot can use. First Godot can reward excellent behavior. This is normally a very effective method of reinforcing good behavior. (Verddelho, 1999)The implication here is that when an employee is rewarded for good performance, the employee feels motivated to do even better the next time. In the end this will lead to an improved performance which is good not just for the individual but also for the organization. The second positive reinforcement is recognition. Recognition here implies acknowledging excellent behavior of good work. In this case the meaning for this is that supervisors like Godot can simply acknowledge and commend a well performing employee like Diane. Recognition of good work has the implication of having positive congratulatory words for a job that has been well accomplished. This can simply be achieved by a simple word of mouth like ‘well done.’ Unknown to many supervisors, this simple act of recognition normally has a very positive effects on the motivation of an employee of an individual and can result in positive work behavior. (Francesca Gold, 2008) The use of incentives is another positive reinforcement that can result in improved positive behavior. In this case incentives can be in form of extra or bonus pay for exemplary performance. Incentives can go along way in improving an individual’s performance on the job. (Francesca Gold, 2008)This is more so if an individual is capable of making more money by displaying good performance method. In this case the issue of a tip was a good gesture to the employees since those with exemplary performance would feel encouraged to do more. One negative way of reinforcing behavior is through harshness. In this case, the employees will only perform well because of fear of reprimand by Godot and not because they feel a compelling need to work hard. This is a negative reinforcement because positive organization behavior should be forced but should come spontaneously. The implication here is that employees should not be coerced into behaving well but rather positive behavior should just come naturally. This therefore means that these employees should not work hard because of fear of being reprimanded by the supervisor but instead should do so because of a need to do so. (Dwyer, 2005) 3. Discuss the impact of these reinforcements and punishment has on behavior and on Diane’s behavior specifically Reinforcement theory suggests that a reinforcement/reward and punishment of certain behavior will most likely result in a repeat of that particular behavior. That is to say that if behavior is not recognized or appreciated chances of it being repeated will be low. . (Francesco Gold, 2005)   However, the consequence of reinforcement is determined by whether it is negative or positive. Positive reinforcement will motivate employees and result in behavior that will increase an organization’s output and the opposite is true. . (Francesco Gold, 2005) Diane works hard and her output is great. However, when she breaks a plate one day, Godot yells at her and even makes her pay for the broken plate and the cost of cleaning up the messed caused. Diane has been waiting all along for recognition but she only gets a negative reinforcement for her good output. As it is, it is better to motivate people for the right reasons rather than to punish them for the wrong reasons. (Skinner, 1957). Diane is punished for the wrong reason and fails to get reinforced for the right reasons. Negative reinforcement is not likely to motivate individuals and therefore this will in turn lead to them slacking in their work and thus the overall out put will be low. (Skinner, 1957).   It is because of this that she relaxes when carrying out her duties. Reinforcement suggests that behavior determines outcome and a person will be motivated to seek reinforcement and avoid punishment. When she got a chance to work at a fancy French restaurant at Sydney known La Maison, Diana a University Student could not spend her vacation at her parents home Queabeyan, since she needed money to change on her diet during her next semester . (Skinner, 1957). Ready to prove how good she was, she would balance several plates on her arm and the customers would compliment her on her efficient service, but one day she dropped a bowl of bouillabaisse appetizer on the carpet and hurriedly went for sponge while apologizing but   Godot shouted at her that he would deduct $24.95, $20 from her pay to compensate for appetizer and cost of cleaning rugs respectively, out of anger and confusion, next day Diana slowed down to avoid recurrence of same incident thus she carried   no more than two dishes at a time thus slugging her tips down (Skinner, 1957). Q4 .Effectiveness of hourly pay rates and tips as a method for reinforcing desired behaviors. Tips and hourly rates have been used as a mode of payment against other methods of payment like piece rate and monthly payments. There is a big variation in the effectiveness of the methods. When hourly rate is used as the mode of payment, it has been found to have an effect on quality and speed. These two factors are the one that determine the output of any activity (Encina, 2000). Payment in work acts as an incentive to the worker. Whenever the worker is paid well he will work well and poor pay means poor jobs. It is noted that the worker will always optimize what he has at hand. When he is paid hourly he will do he/her work according to the hour he is being paid. This will spoil the consistency (Encina , 2000). When tips are added to the hourly rate, the worker will optimize on the tips and he/she will improve on his hourly work to get more tips. Things are different when hourly pay is made without the tips as there will be no motivation. Paying on an hourly rate together with the tips may improve on speed but destroy the quality. The use of tips and hourly rate need a balance as what motivate the worker are the conditions of work. Diane on his part was being motivated tips (Encina , 2000). Apart from the pay, there are other factors that motivate worker during their work. Recognition during work is another factor that lender the effectiveness of work. A worker may improve his effectiveness due to tips. This will improve his/her efficiency. When a worker feels that his efficiency has improved, he will look for recognition.   Payment on hourly rates can improve the behaviors of the worker but additional inputs like recognition should be added. Diane opted to work in the right he will perfect the work and in return he will be recognized to get a better pay. For the behavior of an hourly paid worker to improve, incentives have to be added. This will help in improving the efficiency of work and altitude towards work will improve (Schildkraut 2003). The behavior of workers depends very much on the pay and recognition. As much as workers are paid hourly tends to improve the output, their behavior depends much on the supervision. Workers will always maximize on their man hours instead of employers manpower (Schildkraut 2003). Therefore to ensure that the behavior of the worker is good requires supervision. The supervision should not oppress the worker but instead it will help improve his behavior. The role of the supervisor for hourly paid worker is to help the worker to improve in his productivity. Though the supervisor will optimize on production, it should not destroy the quality of the work (Schildkraut 2003). In conclusion hourly rates can improve on the worker behavior but proper measures should be put in place to ensure that the objectives of the company or organization are met. The measure can include recognition after improvement, controlled supervision, and improvement after achievement. There should be no mistake of paying hourly for organization benefit but it should be to the worker (Schildkraut 2003).

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Gay men, lesbians and bisexuals would be granted many of the same rights as married couples under UK Government plans for legally-recognised civil partnerships. Barbara Roche, the Minister for Social Exclusion and Equalities, says there is a strong case for allowing same-sex couples to register their relationships. This seems to be equating gay relationships with marriage and I think that is very wrong Colin Hart Christian Alliance Co-habiting couples do not receive the same tax breaks or entitlements that married couples enjoy, including access to a partner's pension. Civil partnerships could give homosexual couples property and inheritance rights for the first time. Under the plans, those who register their partnership will also receive next-of-kin status, without which partners cannot be consulted about hospital treatment. The government is set to unveil detailed proposals for change next summer and consult on the issue before bringing in legislation. Any bill would be likely to run into opposition in the House of Lords. Britons support unmarried couples Click here to read Panorama report There is already a register for gay couples in London - but it does not confer legal rights. Mrs Roche says the idea is not about being politically correct but about recognising how society has changed. She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "There are a number of people in gay relationships, in lesbian relationships, who are in loving relationships but their partnerships have no recognition in law. Roche: Change would send a strong message against homophobia "What I am seeking to do is to say I think there is a strong case for considering a civil partnership registration scheme." Earlier, she told the Independent newspaper the change would also send a powerful message that homophobia was unacceptable and still far too widespread. Mrs Roche said that many gay people had been refused hospital visits or excluded from funerals, while others had had to sell their homes to pay inheritance tax. Eight European Union countries, Canada and several American states already gave legal status to civil partnerships, said Mrs Roche. A new survey of British social attitudes this week suggested a "dramatic" shift in the way the public view homosexuality. We certainly welcome it and would hope that the government will go on and recognise these relationships in full David Allison, spokesman for OutRage! In 1985, 70% of people thought homosexuality was "always" or "mostly" wrong. Now that view is shared by under half (47%) of people, while a third of people says it is "not wrong at all", suggested the National Centre for Social Research survey.

Great State Wheat Flakes Can’t Be Beat

Betty, who has been employed for three years as a copywriter for HK&M, a mid-size advertising agency specializing in consumer packaged goods, has been feverishly working for the past week on a new ad campaign for Great State's wheat flakes, a regional breakfast cereal. The account has been with the agency for several years. Although Charlie, the brand manager on this cereal, has been pleased with the agency's work over the years, the old positioning, which stressed taste attributes and fun-filled family breakfasts, has become tired and dated.Marketing research shows a high degree of consumer wearout—people are tired of the campaign, even annoyed with it, and are ready for something fresh. Betty's task was to rejuvenate the brand via repositioning it to take advantage of and tie into the health and well being trends, specifically the interest in eating â€Å"good-for-you† food as well as in physical fitness. The brand was to be pitched as an important part of an active, healthy lifestyle.Betty thought she had come up with the perfect theme line: â€Å"Great State's wheat flakes will give a great start to your active day,† and she had developed what she believed were some clever scenarios for TV and print ads featuring the product being consumed after workouts in health clubs, following a morning jog, after a snowboarding expedition, to power up before rollerblading, and even while zipping along on a scooter (â€Å"Look Ma, no hands! †). However, upon reviewing her proposals, Charlie said that while the vignettes were on target because health-conscious customers would relate well to them, the slogan was off base.He wanted something more specific and hard hitting, and so Charlie developed the theme line, â€Å"Great State Wheat flakes can't be beat. No other wheat flake offers you more vitamins and minerals and fewer calories. † Betty tried to kindly tell Charlie that this was misleading because it implies that Great State's bran d is healthier than most, if not all, of the others, whereas actually all wheat flake cereals are parity products– they are virtual photocopies of each other in terms of taste, texture, and, most important here, composition and therefore nutritional value.In fact, blind taste tests have shown that between 70 and 80 per cent of consumers cannot identify their favorite brand of wheat flakes and that loyalty levels are low — with price incentives consumers will readily switch brands. Charlie, obviously irritated, explained that his tag linewas an honest exaggeration, what the advertising trade termed â€Å"puffing,† and that consumers are expected to see through it. He felt that it offered the point of difference needed to increase brand loyalty. Betty, feeling uneasy, later that day approached her boss Steve, the copy chief at HK&M, asking his counsel.Steve explained that Charlie's suggested slogan is what is called an â€Å"implied superiority† claim. Stev e explained that such claims are commonly made for commodity brands. They stake out a parity position, which does not claim to be superior to, but only as good as, other brands, while using copy that suggests or implies superiority for the named brand. He cited several current and classical examples, such as â€Å"Nothing else cleans better,† â€Å"The maximum fluoride protection in any toothpaste,† â€Å"You can't beat the savings,† â€Å"You can't buy a more effective pain reliever,† and â€Å"Nothing is proven to work better or last longer. In effect, these brands are claiming that they are unsurpassed. However, none claims to be truly better than their competitors. Betty, recalling several other such implied superiority claims she had recently seen, realized that it was, indeed, a popular technique. Steve reminded Betty that there is a distinction between deceptive advertising, which creates false impressions and misleads a consumer acting reasonably , and â€Å"trade puffing,† which is exaggerated praise of the product (e. g. , Almost Home cookies are the â€Å"moistest, chewiest, most perfectly baked cookies† ever; â€Å"Nestle makes the very best chocolate†).Puffery is viewed as acceptable in a society of the superlative. Consumers are assumed to see through the exaggeration or at least engage in a â€Å"willing suspension of disbelief. † He explained to her that whereas deceptive advertising is illegal, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which monitors national advertising for accuracy and fairness in claims, views puffery as legitimate. â€Å"What's more,† Steve concluded somewhat sarcastically, â€Å"using your line of reasoning, Betty, we shouldn't at all advertise any parity products, since all brand advertising is designed to create a brand distinction in the buyer's mind.Advertising is necessary to differentiate yourself from the pack of imitators. And, it helps a small, underdog br and like Great State get a leg up on the big, deep-pocketed companies like our rivals. † Betty thought that, in fact, Steve's taunting comment might, indeed, have some merit. In fact, she feared that it might force Great State’s competitors to improve and differentiate their cereals, thereby benefiting consumers (but harming Great State). Nonetheless, she still felt uneasy.It seemed to her that the â€Å"implied superiority’ claim crossed the boundary from puffery over to deception. QUESTIONS/EXERCISES 1. Identify the ethical issues facing Betty regarding the nature of the proposed â€Å"Implied superiority advertising claim. 2. What are the ethical issues Betty encounters with respect to organizational relationships and conflicts? 3. What are the possible decision alternatives Betty could devise, and what are the ethics of each alternative? 4. Which alternative would you recommend to Betty and why?

The main purpose of a prison sentence is to reform the offender Free Essay Example, 1250 words

In a summary report released a year prior to the publication of the research study, Martinson was categorical with a direct satirical attack on the reform process of prison offenders. Though Martinson’s analysis fell short of the explicit technical phrasing of â€Å"nothing works† assumed by the would-be followers, there was no doubt whatsoever that his inference would be any different. Contrary to the exceedingly exaggerated assumptions, Martinson was careful enough to point out inadequacies of accurate assessment and therapeutic integrity of the programs studied in their research: â€Å"It may be that there is a more radical flaw in our present strategies—that education at its best, or that psychotherapy at its best, cannot overcome, or even appreciably reduce, the powerful tendency for offenders to continue in criminal behavior† (Martinson 49). To be sure, Martinson went to great lengths to distance their research from the claims of â€Å"rehabilitation is a ‘myth’ † often peddled by the seemingly fanatical criminologists and academics (4). Clearly, the firm faith that correctional programs commands from the modern policy makers and their popularity with the American public more than confirms its relevance (Applegate, Cullen, and Fisher 724). We will write a custom essay sample on The main purpose of a prison sentence is to reform the offender or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page As noted by the leading thinkers in reformatory discipline, the society had moved from the past into an era where the infliction of vindictive suffering was no longer a plausible answer (Wines 541). Zebulon Brockway, a pioneer reform advocate, had his thoughts on the same in a strongly worded statement that: â€Å"If punishment, suffering, and degradation are deemed deterrent, if they are the best means to reform the criminal and prevent crime, then let prison reform go backward to the pillory, the whipping-post, the gallows, the stake; to corporal violence and extermination! But if the dawn of Christianity has reached us, if we have learned the lesson that evil is to be overcome with good, then let prisons and prison systems be lighted by this law of love.