MNGT 5590 Week 3 Assignment 2 | Webster University

Read Case 6.1, "Hovey and Beard Company Case," and answer the following questions. 

1. Discuss how the principles of job design and reinforcement theory apply to the performance problems at the Hovey and Beard Company.

There is a saying by unknown author, “Keep what’s good, fix what is wrong, and unlock great performance.”

A major cause of effective job performance is job design, which refers to the process by which managers decide what job tasks and how much authority each employee will have (Konopaske, Ivancevich, & Matteson, 2018). Initially,the painting had been done by hand, with each employee working with a given toy until its painting was complete (Ivancevich, Konopaske, & Matteson, 2018, page 155). Because of the high demand for the toys, Management did what is known as job redesign. Job redesign means that management has decide its worthwhile to reconsider what employees are expected to do on the job. I am wondering was this new method tested, prior to assigning the painters to the new way of painting the toys.A well-defined job will make the job interesting and satisfying for the employee. The result is increased performance and productivity. If a job fails to appear compelling or interesting and leads to employee dissatisfaction, it means the job must be redesigned based upon the feedback from the employees ("MSG Management Study Guide").Did management test to see if the painter could produce more toys with the old way, since it was working for them?

I can only assume that performance expectations were being met prior to introducing the painter to sit in a line and painting the toys in a time frame set by an engineer that has never done the job. The painters did not meet the anticipated goal of the organization when they redesigned the job. The second month in the new method of painting the toys, management realized the painter learned more slowly than had been anticipated and their production would stabilize far below what was planned.Let look at the Job Design process:

• Revising the Job Content: Job redesigning process involves recollecting and revising job-related information to determine the inconsistency between person and the job("MSG Management  Study  Guide"). When management saw that plan for the painter did not go as planned, they hired a third-party consultant. Employees complained about working conditions
• Analyzing Job-related Information: Once the job analyst is through with recollecting and revising the job content, analyzing the discrepancies is the next step("MSG Management Study Guide"). It is done to determine the hindrances in performing job-related tasks and duties and investigate why an employee is not able to deliver the expected output. The hindrancethat the employees are complaining about is:
• Job being messy
• Hooks moving too fast
• Incentive pay was not correctly calculated
• The room was too hot
• Altering the Job Elements: The next step is to amend the job elements. It may include cut back on extra responsibilities or addition of more functions and a higher degree of accountability. The basic aim of altering the job content is to design a job in such a manner that encourages employees to work harder and perform better("MSG Management Study Guide"). Although management felt that this was a trumped-up complaint that would cost the company money, there was a compromise between the painters and the management team. The painter proposed that the company purchase fans to circulate the air. The second issue was that the hooks moved to fast. The painter proposed that the painter adjust the speed of the belt faster or slower depending on how they felt. The supervisor agreed.
• Reformation of Job Description and Specification: After altering the job elements, a job analyst needs to reform the job description and specification to make sure that the worker placed at a placecandeliver what is expected of him("MSG Management Study Guide").Even with the Engineers’ resistance to the change, production increase, painter was operating at 30 to 50 percent above the level that had been expected under the original arrangement.
• Reshuffling the Job-related Tasks and Duties: Next is to reallocation of new or altered tasks and functions to employees. It may be done by rotating, enriching, enlarging and engineering the job. The idea is to motivate the performers while increasing their satisfaction level("MSG Management Study Guide").

Reinforcement theory is the process of manipulating behavior by managing the consequences of the behavior(Konopaske, Ivancevich, & Matteson, 2018). Originally, changes that were made in the beginning resulted in failed reinforcement. The operant condition was the group bonus plan.  If the paintermet and exceeded standard they received a bonus.  If standard were not met, they did not receive a bonus. In month two the production of the painters was far below the projection. Painter complained that reasons affecting production was Job being messy, hooks moving too fast, incentive pay was not correctly calculated, and the room was too hot. After modifying changes for the employee to work in better condition resulted in higher production of toys. This is an example of reinforcing a desired behavior.  

2. Analyze the performance problems using the "Performance Diagnosis Model" in Exhibit 7.5.

Expectation problems with symptom of Incentive problems is my diagnosis within the Hovey and Beard Company case. I think that the painter should have been a part of the planning process on the transition from the way they painted the toys. 

REFERENCE 

Ivancevich, J., Konopaske, R., & Matteson, M. (2018). Organizational Behavior and Management (11th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. 

MSG Management Study Guide. (n.d.). Retrieved April 4, 2019, from https://www.managementstudyguide.com/factors-affecting-job-design.htm

3.1 - Week 3 Case Assignment 

Read Case 6.1, "Hovey and Beard Company Case," and answer the following questions.

1.    Discuss how the principles of job design and reinforcement theory apply to the performance problems at the Hovey and Beard Company.

2.    Analyze the performance problems using the "Performance Diagnosis Model" in Exhibit 7.5.

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 Marckens Alfred