Development and Appliance of New Methodologies of Management - Assignment Example

Action Learning Report. Abstract: In the following report ,there has been developed a detailed and analyzed report on the best methods that one can follow in group work, what helps in the development of these methods, through the conduction of various surveys and then analysing the data that is thus collected. Introduction: By the term Motivation as given in Business Dictionary BNET people would be willing to perform to their full ability for the success of the organization and that would include creating a favourable working environments and stimuli and incentives. Motivation could be considered as the main force that would be enabling the managers to get the best from their team. There has been shift from the motivation that has been shown by the Frederick Winslow Taylor's scientific management and that had included an appropriate climate in the company to be created and meeting the need of the employees. There has been wide spread acceptance of the fact that only conditions for motivation could be created rather than personally motivating others. The motivation factor would be depending on the individual needs of the person and these factors may not be similar for every person.There would be some persons who would be motivated to work for the thought of getting paid at the end of the day. The research study has shown that the unskilled workers would be motivated by the factor of the getting paid and that could be used for feeding the family.The skilled workers would be having the necessary qualification and they would be motivated by other factors.The normal factor that motivates a skilled worker would be the job satisfaction and the workers who would be enjoying the work would be motivated to deliver the highest quality possible. The following is a report on the development and appliance of new methodologies of management in ensuring that there is greater motivation and cooperation in the work place. This has been carried out through the conduction of various questionnaires, and surveys and then there has been reached various conclusions on the basis of these various surveys as to how can there be increase in the productivity of various personnel through adoption of various methodologies and by changing strategies in the management process. Management has always played an important role in the administration of various organisation, and human management has over the years gained a lot of importance and it has been realised that that the management plays an important, but in some cases subtle, role in influencing how workers approached their team work, and how they felt about its assessment, guidance and supervision. The purpose of this is to ensure that this is carried out in a more economic manner. Purpose or Aim: The main agenda that is this report is trying to achieve is to discover the various factors or issues that help in the motivating the employees that are employed by an organization to grow and develop so that there is a more efficient and economic means of development of this resource and this would include a personally me. There are various methods that were adopted in the collection of the data that is to be used in the development of these managerial methodologies. The information that was gathered was from, questionnaires that was given to my firends. These various questionnaires and surveys that were conducted looked into the different factors that influence the human resources, such as the psychological factors, the behavioral factors, leadership qualities that are employed and other such issues. Personally I had looked into my diary and had chat with my friends. Methodologies adopted during the survey: The friends were asked individual questions and the intention of the questionnaire and study was described in detail as prescribed by Gatfield ,1999. The questions had covered the basic thing that would be motivating them to do the job. Gebauer, Fleisch ,2005 had mentioned about maintaining the essence of the question that should be remained the same for each individual and it was kept so. The questions that were asked looked in to the various behavioral and personality patterns. Various interviews were carried out with the intention of ensuring that there was a in depth collection of data for the analysis. The questionnaire made inquires pertaining to the expectations that various individuals had to their jobs. These also looked into the various changes that were experienced in the working with the changes in the managerial policies that were adopted by organizations, firms, companies, etc. Psychological Patterns: The first factor that is considered in the study is the psychological factors that influence the various forms of working in the field. Through the various questionnaires that were developed it was realized that these play an important role in the motivation of the individual, and that these have to be satisfied for achievement of better productivity. These psychological patterns were found to differ from person to person on the basis of personality, background, age, experience etc. Thus, all these factors have to be taken into account while developing the managerial procedure. Behavioral Patterns: Another important factor that was found to be having influence of the motivational process was that of the behavioral patterns of both the employees as well as the managers (Behaviour Intervention Plans (BIP)). It was observed that with the adoption of various changes and intervention in the process there is experienced changes in the behavior of the employees. Observations Made: There shall now be enlisted the data collected and the observations that were made on the basis of this and the conclusions that were arrived at. These shall be divided into two parts on the basis of which there shall later on be developed methodologies of better motivational procedures for management processes. Psychological Factors: The first important factor that was observed is that the ambitions of various people have a direct impact on the motivational capacity of the person. It has been observed through these various surveys that it is important that a person is ambitious for him or her to be motivated into working or performing better. This is one of the most important factors as it has been observed that those who are ambitious can be easily motivated and there is observed a marked increase in their working output and productivity through motivational procedures but for those who are not ambitious, it is difficult to motivate such individuals into performing better. On personal front 1. I am motivated to get a job done on time 2. I am motivated to get the recognition of co-workers and top management. 3. I am motivated to the getting the recognition of clients. 4. I am motivated to the get new ideas on board. 5. I am motivated by the cash factor to a certain extent. The motivational theories that has been followed from my perspective I am more of a personality that would get motivated by the getting the job done ad getting the recognition that has to be needed. That means I have been following the acquired needs theory. The reason why I have believed that I had been following this theory has been is that I have been seeking to excel in jobs that does not have low risks as it is not gaining me and I would be avoiding more of high risk jobs for fear of failure. I have been looking for harmonious relationship with people but I am also seeking recognition .That has meant that I could be placed under the category of Achievers. Another important factor that influences the process is the life style that is adopted by employees and the various life style choices that are made by employees. It has been observed through the study that was conducted that life style is another important factor that indirectly affects the motivational adaptability of a person. It has been observed that those who are leading highly stressed life styles are less likely to respond to such procedures as compared to those who are leading relaxed life styles and do not face a lot of anxiety. On personal front I am more averse to stress I am more calm and relaxed in all situations. I am more error prone to stress. Cognitive styles are another aspect of knowledge creation with an influence on information behavior. Ford, 2000; Ford et al., 2001; Ford et al., 2002;Kim, 2001 had said about the individual differences related to cognitive styles and study approaches come into play in database searches, on the Internet and in virtual environments The next factor that needs to be taken into account is that it has to be ensured that the personality of a person is taken into account. There are various traits are important. There has been observed that those who are competitive in nature are more likely to respond to such programs that are adopted, and there is most likely going to be seen or observed changes drastically if there is intervention in such individuals. As opposed to these it has been observed that those individuals who are not as ambitious or competitive are less likely to change their productivity scale. On personal front I am more of a team player, I am more interested in taking orders rather than taking initiative and I am more ambitious in the sense that I would be seeking learning in every opportunity I can. Behavioral Factors: The behavioral factors should be taken care of and that should ensure that there would be developing motivational procedures. These look at the changes bout about in the behavior of individuals with changes in policies. The first factor that has to be considered is that it has been observed that there is better functioning and working carried out when there is a fear of demotion, relegation or there is a fear of repercussions if the work is found lacking. It has been observed that there is greater efficiency that is experienced if there is a fear of negative feedback. There is also observed that if there is present a possibility of betterment of the careers and other such rewards then also there is observed a growth in the productivity. It is seen thus that if there is a clear understanding among the work force that there will be either positive or negative impacts of the nature, amount and quality of work done then there is an observed increase in the productivity level of the employees. On personal front I would feel stressed on the prospect of the losing the job and I would feel stressed about not feeding my family and I would feel stressed about not meeting the expectations of my children. Theory of Motivation The theory of motivation has been that a little bit of stress would have helped me in focusing more on my job but the stress of losing my job would be affecting me more and it will affect my career. Another factor is that the financial gains. Most of those who are working are doing so, so that they are able to support themselves and gain financial resources. Thus, if there is the possibility of growth of income due to growth in the productivity then it has been observed that there is a studied change in the productivity level of a person. There has also been mentioned by many that there is a desire in them to growth not only in the financial sphere but also in the experience and working sphere. Thus, there has to be ensured that there are opportunities provided to the employees and the students to grow as employees and to gain knowledge from various sources. There has to be ensured that there is no stagnation of the work force and that the new technologies and strategies that are being developed be communicated to them so that they can grow and develop and advance which will lead to growth of the organization also. Another important factor that influences the employees as well as the students was that of specific goal clarity. Distance Consulting has said about there has to be set up certain standards or yard sticks on the basis of which the various personnel would be judged and evaluated . It has been observed that most are of the belief that they would be able to perform better and work in a more efficient and economic manner if there was goal specification and clarity. The establishment of this would lead to better motivation for the employees. Feedback is also another strong and important motivator according to most. It has been observed that most of those who were interviewed were of the belief that there has to be feed back from the various employers and managers as to the requirements of the projects and there has to be specification of what is demanded of the employees for each project. It has been seen that feedback would be leading to greater growth in the performance. It has been noticed that no one would be able to perform to standard without getting any information about actual conditions when compared with intended goals. Such information is known as “feedback.” The feedback would be informing the progress, enabling the corrections and making sure that the objective has been met. There has been tasks that would be involving the products that would be tangible and there has to be measured effect on the actions and the feedback would be available without any special effort. Every person would be normally aware of the actions and effects and the feedback would be normally open for the soft tasks that can be termed as the tasks that are not tangible.It would be true in situations where the reactions of the other people would be triggering the effect of a persons actions. There are outside these factors also certain other factors that need to be taken into account as these also have an important influence on the human resource employed and the personnel working with any organization or company. These are many such as there has to be ensured that the working environment that is maintained in a place is strong and this is especially important in the cases where there is the use of group working and there has to be in such cases employment of group heads to coordinate and manage between the various components of the group. There also has to be ensured that there is job satisfaction and that there is contentment among the various people that are working in the organization. There also has to be ensured that there is provision of the basic infrastructure that is required for the establishment of the work force. There has also been observed that with the development of better personal facilities that are provided by an organization there can be experienced a growth in the work of the various components of the companies. These personal facilities that can be provided for the better functioning of the individuals include factors such as like health care provided, the residential facilities, the transportation facilities, and other such facilities. These help in ensuring that the satisfaction levels remain high and promotes better functioning. Methodologies that can be adopted: Thus, on the basis of these various studies that were conducted there can be developed a number of methodologies which would help ensure that there is greater motivation provided for personnel to function better and in a more efficient and economic manner. There can be adopted measures for the development of the skills of the various personnel and other employees. This can be done through various factors, such as bringing in lecturers who have experience, holding work shops and training sessions for the employees. There can be also provided for the trainees special sessions to ensure that they are able to understand the structure and functioning. There can also be motivational procedures adopted. There can be rewards that can be given out on the basis of the work performed by an employee and there can be held and declared annual prize distribution. There should also be encouraged positive competition among the employees as this would allow for greater scope of development among them, but I has to be ensured that there is maintaince of good and positive interaction among the employees and that the competition that is encouraged should be positive and should not have a negative impact on the work relations that exist among the employees as this would in the long run have severe negative impact on the functioning and working of the organization as a whole. Robert Owen believed that humans were like machines, if taken acre off and maintained then it will work efficiently or else will fail to perform. Then there is also ‘the carrot and the stick theory’ of Jeremy Bentham. He believed that if promised a reward and given a push in the direction of work, then one would perform. But which reward would be suitable is a question as money may not induce the same response from everyone. Also the ‘stick’ or punishment like reduction of salary or demotion may induce defensive reactions like formations of unions etc. Maslow believed that all human require hierarchy and as long as they feel secure- socially physically then they will follow their need for self actualization. McGregor had two theories, X and Y. in X he said that humans are basically lazy and one needs to push them for them to work while in Y he said that work is required by humans as much as play, and they would like to use their imagination and be creative but the present set up only utilizes the available brainpower partly. Mayo formulated his theory by conducting tests. He believed that only pay and conditions are not motivation enough and one requires having a sense of belonging and one is always influenced by others.(Shah, Shah)  McClelland believed that one was motivated by different needs such as power, affiliation, association and accomplishment.      The theories propounded by these men and others have proved that by providing the right incentives for the employees one can increase their productivity and creativity, and the vive-versa also holds true. There is also the moral obligation to treat ones employees with respect and to assure to them their human rights. An employee’s performance is based on his or her ability and motivation. Their ability is based on various factors like education, experience, training, knowledge, etc. It has been found out that there would normally a difference between the capacity and performance of an employee. Motivation helps the employee to travel the distance and realize his or her full capacity and capability and improve their abilities Discuss and critically evaluate the extent to which your organization currently addresses your motivational needs and style through its performance, compensation, incentive and reward systems Every organization has got its own strength and weakness. The organization that I am working has got its own strength and weakness. When it comes to employee management I think this has been the best place to work on. Every week there would be an employee interaction with the team leader on an one to one front where by which the team leader would be understanding the strengths and weakness of the employee more and that would mean that the team leader would be listening even to personal problems and chalking out solutions that would help me refocus me on my job. There has been a sense of oneness that has been attributed in every team and everyone is respected for their views and opinions and there have been no egos that would be involved when an opinion is respected. The other key motivating factors has been the assignment of the job in the best possible manner and that was assigning the job keeping in mind the strength and weakness of the person. Work in this organization has been considered as a learning process and it has been approached in a manner that would be encouraged to give the best shot possible. The rewarding system has been the best manner with every team member getting the recognition that is needed and the compensation has been given o the efforts that has been put by the team. That mean the good job gets an extra bonus making us to get more interested in working more on our efforts to put in more work. There would be a basic compensation and once a job is committed ,the team is encouraged to put that extra effort without complaining to get the job on time and the pat on the back has been in open environment and though at certain times there was certain bleep in the work that was done, the critics and brick bats was done in closed environment keeping our confidence higher and self esteem higher and self morale higher. There has been suitable environment for spending time with family and every member of the team would be indulging in a leisure travel after the work has been done and that would be done both on one basis and on a team basis. That had given the environment for individualism and collectivism .There has been a sense of matured oneness that had prompted the reduced employee turnover as the aspirations and dreams has been fuelled by the organization very well. Reference: Behavioral Intervention Plans, 2001,accessed on Friday, September 04, 2009 at http://www.concordspedpac.org/BMP.htm. BNET ,2007, “Definition”, accessed on Friday, September 4 2009 at http://dictionary.bnet.com/definition/Motivation.html. Fred,2003,”Distance Consulting: Factors affecting Performance”, accessed on Friday, September 4 2009 at http://home.att.net/~nickols/factors_affecting_performance.htm. Gebaur, Fleisch 2005: An investigation of the relationship between behavioral processes, motivation, investments in the service business and service revenue. Gatfield T ,1999, ‘Examining Student Satisfaction with Group Projects and Peer Assessment’, Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, Vol. 24, No. 4. Halogen software,2009, Resources: reference article. Employee Motivation: How to Make Workplace Rewards More Productive accessed on Friday, September 04, 2009 at http://www.halogensoftware.com/resources/reference-library/employee-motivation.php   Herzberg.F, 1966, “Work and the nature of man” published in 1966 pp. 104-109.  Lyman, Harold, Allen: Organizational influence processes. Motivational techniques at Microsoft,2005, Motivation Techniques at Microsoft      Uploaded by impulsive on Aug 1, 2005, accessed on Friday, September 4, 2009 at http://www.echeat.com/essay.php?t=27506 Shah, Shah Theories of Motivation, (Part - 3 of Motivation) - Ken Shah & Prof. Param J. Shah accessed on Friday, September 04, 2009 at http://www.laynetworks.com/Theories-of-Motivation.html   Read More