ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR & LEADERSHIP

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR & LEADERSHIP
 
Competency 317 1 1 Behavioral Influences The graduate can describe the effects of specified influences on individual behavior.
 
Objective 317.1.1-06: Apply the concepts of the expectancy theory of motivation as an approach to improving performance in a given workplace situation.
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Introduction:
 
This task presents a management situation in which you are to apply a prominent motivation theory to improve performance.
 
Given:
 
A company produces a line of branded professional audio products and strives to provide the highest quality audio products in the industry. The company prides itself on its high production standards and goals. It has recently instituted a new production process in an effort to help employees meet its high production standards and goals.
 
None of Supervisor A- employees are doing well with this new production process. Some of them do not seem to put forth any effort to master the process. Those who have mastered the process to the point that they can readily make it work are not putting forth enough effort to reach the production goals the company has given. Even those who can readily make the process work and who are often top producers are not concerned about achieving the goals.
 
Supervisor B has spoken informally to some of Supervisor A- employees about the new production process and company goals. Some have said they cannot be successful with that process because it requires more hand dexterity than they believe they are capable of. Some who do not have difficulty with the process feel that it is not worth putting in extra effort to reach the production goals. There is usually no difference in salary increases among those who meet department goals and those who fall short of the goals. They believe that workers at the company have to be very slow before performance affects salary. They also say that, when a bonus is given for reaching production goals, the amount that in paychecks after all withholdings is so small that it is not worth the effort; overtime pay for a few extra hours more than offsets the benefit of a bonus.
 
Task:
 
Write an essay (suggested length of 2-3 pages) in which you:
 
A.  Explain the three key components and relationships in the expectancy theory of motivation.
 
B.  Explain how the company in the given scenario could apply the expectancy theory of motivation to enhance the motivation of its employees.
 
C.  If you choose to use outside sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format.
 
Note: Please save word-processing documents as *.rtf (Rich Text Format) files.

Note: For definitions of terms commonly used in the rubric, see the attached Rubric Terms.

Note: When using outside sources to support ideas and elements in a paper or project, the submission MUST include APA formatted in-text citations with a corresponding reference list for any direct quotes or paraphrasing. It is not necessary to list sources that were consulted if they have not been quoted or paraphrased in the text of the paper or project.
 
Note: No more than a combined total of 30% of a submission can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from outside sources, even if cited correctly.