Learning Objectives Covered:

Explain 3 ways the statement of goals, application of rewards, and institution of discipline affect and motivate ethical behavior in individuals

Demonstrate how roles and authority affect the behavior of individuals in an organization

Background

Organizations are constantly trying to make sure that their members are ethical and productive. Several different kinds of reward and punishment systems have been developed with this goal in mind.

Members are evaluated, rewarded, put on performance improvement plans, punished, etc. A system of punishments and rewards can also help foster the type of values the company wants to see in its employees, essentially filtering behavior through conditioning.

If people see that certain behaviors are rewarded, then they may decide to alter their behavior and in turn alter their values. In addition, a gap sometimes exists between a person's values and behavior. This gap can stem from a conscious decision not to follow a specific value. Either way, employers use motivational tools to help shape the ethical culture of their organization.

Let's consider that an employee has been accused of sending inappropriate emails (personal and sexual in context) to another employee within an organization. While the individual may believe that this is "morally" ok by their standards, the behavior does not align with the company's ethical principles. Leadership needs to determine the best way to handle the situation and modify the employee's values so they align with the organization's ethical standards.

One way to do so, may be to "write up" the employee and let them know their behavior is unacceptable according to company policy. Another way may be to have another employee mentor the employee in question as a means to model appropriate behavior.

The bottom line is leadership has a responsibility to use various motivational tools in order to help ensure their employee's values and morals align with their company's ethical policies.

Prompt

The point of this assignment is to evaluate the systems of evaluation and motivation, especially in their role in organizational ethics.
In a properly formatted APA essay of at least 600 words using at least one APA reference (your text is fine), pick the method that you think is best at genuinely motivating members of an organization to improve their behavior and be productive. Pick the method that you think is least effective at motivating behavioral improvement. Finally, discuss, in your opinion, whether or not different people require different kinds of motivation.

Be sure to address each of the following steps in your 600 word essay:

1. Describe a specific method of reward or discipline that you believe to be best in motivating ethical and productive behavior in the workplace. How is such applied or communicated throughout an organization?

2. Discuss a specific method of reward or discipline that you believe is least effective in motivating ethical and productive behavior in the workplace. How is such applied or communicated throughout an organization?

3. Discuss whether you think different people require different kinds of motivation or if one system can be applied to all. How is it possible to know which to apply to whom?