Motivation Role in Organizational Management

Motivation Role in Organizational Management Abstract Employee motivation is a critical component that propels organizations into business successes that human resource managers need to factor when recruiting organizational employees and in running organizations. Motivated employees have been identified to be a strong force in improving organizational performance and individual productivity.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Motivation Role in Organizational Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Motivation, being a key element in organizational management is the basis upon which this report was written. Companies included in the research were Volkswagen, British Airways, and Audi. A common affront in tackling human resource problems at the technical departments of these companies was identified to be a critical component towards success. Among the theoretical approaches for analyzing the situations included Abraham Maslow’s theory of motivation and Fredrick Hertzberg. Common problems identified in these problems included a lack of individual autonomy in decision making, managerial supervisory roles and their adverse effects on employee productivity, lack of incentive programs, transient attention to cross cultural management, a view of the employee as a commodity solely for profiteering their parent companies, and failure to inspire employees to view organizational success as their success. It has been demonstrated as a feasible to inspire employees with a sense of passion to pursue organizational strategic goals in improving organizational efficiency and productivity. Introduction Current trends in employee productivity relies on a keen commitment by organizational managers in devising better ways of motivating employees to help maintain them, increase their productivity, and their general contribution to organizational efficiency and productivity. It has been demonstrated that employee productivity has a strong correlati on to the motivational approaches manager employ in motivating them. In addition to that, various theories of motivation, spanning Hertzberg to Abraham Maslow and newer approaches play a significant role in motivating employees to higher levels of productivity with direct influences organizational performance. Several examples of organizations that have adopted different approaches in motivating their employees abound.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Among them include the Volkswagen, British airways, and Audi. Specific to these companies are common problems at their technical departments that require a common affront to solve them. Appropriate approaches to motivating employees incorporates the broader sense of viewing people in a realistic sense, a complete understanding of human behavior and individual aspirations, a good and strong relationships with emplo yees, and acknowledgement of individual performance at work. In addition to that, these companies are of a global nature and the need to incorporate elements of cross culture management cannot be disputed. Situation Analysis Motivation Though motivation has no rigorous scientific definition or quantitative measure, yet it is a powerful tool that determines employee productivity and organizational efficiency. It is an internal force that stimulates behavior in response to applied stimuli. It takes into account internal and external needs of an individual and catalytically drives the intensity, persistence, and direction taken by an individual in a working environment. That is the case with the current work environment in a number of companies analyzed below. Institutionalized definition of motivation clearly shows a strong correlation between motivation and job performance issues. Situation Analysis One specific example of motivation is the Volkswagen Company, one of the largest moto r vehicle manufacturers in Germany. In the recent past, Volkswagen experienced a series of problems in delivering on time spare parts for its subsidiary plants in china. These late deliveries had a strong correlation with customer buying behavior, company profitability, and customer loyalty. Volkswagen, one of the most popular models in the Chinese market was being frowned upon and loosing customer loyalty due to late deliveries of spare parts. Specific to this was the time spent in waiting for the top management to decide on the specific procedure for manufacturing the spare parts based on the concept of lean manufacturing.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Motivation Role in Organizational Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A research into the problems plaguing the company revealed a lack of a motivational component with the technical staff. Statistical realities revealed that employee bonding and rela tionship with the Volkswagen Company had weakened and the component of motivation had reduced to a mere minimum. Motivation as a function of various performance variables in the work place had seriously impeded on the growth and performance of the company. The pitfalls were identified at various stages of motivational process. Among these was evaluation expectations and feedback on the performance of the technical staff. At Volkswagen, performance expectations and feedback on employees was a critical component lacking in the motivational and employee appraisal process. The company lacked specific appraisal methods and standards and the technical staff had little or no autonomy in decision making. Another problem at the industry level was linked to lack of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors at the work place. The technical staff had no autonomy in decision making. A critical analysis of the situation revealed that if the technical staff had autonomy in decision making, they could decide on the specific methods of manufacturing the spare parts which could be delivered to the destination market on time. Several researchers into motivational theories affirm the fact that specialized personnel required a degree of autonomy in the use of specialized skills at the workplace to confront environments that require real time decisions. An incredible researcher in the field of motivation, Fredrick Herzberg studied the theory of motivation in relation to hygiene factors. In his study, Herzberg concluded that hygiene factors such as salary did not increase motivation but found out that other factors led to self satisfaction were central in determining the motivation of individuals at the work place.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Self satisfaction, according to Hertzberg had a strong relationship with work productivity and overall organizational performance. Therefore, a critical analysis of Volkswagen’s product delivery problems had a strong relationship with the lack of motivation specific to autonomy in decision making. Hertzberg’s view of motivation factored job enlargement and job enrichment coupled with autonomy in decision making to impact positively on organizational performance, a situation lacking with Volkswagen Company. Other factors that were identified to relate strongly with self satisfaction and performance at the technical department included increase in skill task identity. Task identity entailed an individual’s understanding of the extent to which one’s skills contributed to the success in the efficiency and quality of spare parts manufactured at the technical department of the company. It was worth realizing that specialized skills required for one to work in t his department demanded to be emphased on. Autonomy and independence at the place of work was identified to be a lacking element in the technical department. Specialized personnel need not be under supervision in executing their duties. Rather, a degree of autonomy at the workplace coupled with independence inspires confidence and propels individuals to self determination and satisfaction. When individuals perform specialized tasks that require specialized skills without any sense of an obligation to a supervisor, it has been demonstrated that they perform better than when under supervision. This was a critical factor with Volkswagen motor company. Serious concerns related to motivation at Volkswagen’s technical division revealed critical incidents lacking in the motivation of the workforce. Among these included failure by the management to incorporate training programs for technical personnel in integrating a variety of skills in running the department. Managers who value th e well being of their employees incorporate training programs as an incentive to diversify their skills and knowledge, a critical component lacking with the Volkswagen Company. A further analysis of the situation revealed that the company’s motivational approaches lacked the essential component of task identity. Task identity for the technical staff demented their identity to task performance. No technical person could claim specialization on a specific production line. In addition to that, the significance of task performance was lacking, a critical element in motivating employees (Coillie Mechelen, 1). Volkswagen’s approach on motivating employees received a further pitfall on further analysis of their motivational approaches. There was not a framework for communicating feedback to the employees on its appraisal schemes and approaches. Feedback elicits decision making based on information received from the management and customers (Coillie Mechelen, 1). Another com pany of interest is the British airways. While the company has a motivational scheme for its employees, a critical analysis of their motivation methods fails to factor critical motivational components into the company’s approach in motivating employees. This is further illustrated by a spate of strikes that have engulfed the company’s technical staff in the recent past (Berecz, 12). The British airways embedded in the culture of continuous improvements and quality in addition to reliability and safety employs soft and hard human resource management models across the various levels of management in the company. In Berecz argument, besides that, the company’s training approaches do not reflect the component of human capital but is rather geared towards reflecting it as a luxury investment (24). The hard model reflects the strategic aspects of human resource management approach of headcount as an economic factor where technical employees are viewed as a commodity. Thus management integrates the aspect of human resource development and performance evaluations as strategic tools in improving on employee productivity and service quality. This approach is centered on rewards as a tool for employees and organizational efficiency. In addition to that, individual performance appraisals coupled with performance pay are integrated in the motivation criteria (Berecz, 50). On the other hand, the soft models approach view organizational employees as valuable assets that need to be evaluated and developed through learning processes that position the British airways at a strategic advantage over its competitors. The soft model is a transition from technical issues to technical approaches that emphasize on human needs in relation to their activities (Berecz, 67). An analysis of the hard model does not reflect an entire integration of various theories of motivation. Management need to integrate different theories of motivation and approaches to different sit uations. Human motivation, according to a well known theorist and researcher on motivation, Abraham Maslow views motivation from the aspect of psychological needs of individuals (Berecz, 100). According to Maslow, once an individual’s psychological needs have been met, one aspires to have safety needs satisfied in the hierarchy of needs. However, a critical evaluation of British airways reveals a lack of the important elements particularly social, esteem, and self-actualization needs factored into the hard model concept. Rather, human capital is viewed as a variable which responds to changes  of financial rewards. Source: https://www.tutor2u.net/business/reference/theories-of-motivation-gcse A further analysis of the motivational approaches in this company revealed that the models used by this company did not allow employees to develop strong bonding with their company. Berecz argues that when employees develop a strong bond with the organization they work for, there is b ound to be a significant inclination to better performance and improved productivity (100). This approach creates employee royalty and productivity. A successful organization reflects successful and satisfied employees. Another case reflective of motivation problems with technical department and is illustrated at the AUDI motor company. Though the company has various incentives and attractive conditions and working environment, when Dr. Werner joined the company in the capacity of a human resource manager, he set about setting goals and objectives that could see the company resolve issues at the technical department related to its employee motivational approaches (Berecz, 107). The technical department at AUDI indicated a drop in employee productivity and performance and it was increasingly becoming clear that the technical staff had a problem. A critical analysis of the situation revealed that they were not getting the right motivation. Konig Steel argue that to achieve the objec tives that were newly spelt by the new manager, there was need for an overhaul in the company’s approach in motivating the technical staff (891). Success of a company has a strong relationship with individual successes of its employees. Employee productivity, the quality of work, and efficiency are variables that depend on the quality of management. A better managed organization finds these factors core in encouraging employee readiness to better quality performances. Thus, performance is a critical element in employee productivity. This is based on the argument that people have an intrinsic nature to want to perform for personal development. Better performance translates directly to success. Thus well motivated employees have the passion to see their company succeed. In addition to that, Audi is a company of international repute. An analysis of the situation of the organization reveals that the company does not have a strong framework for cross-cultural management (Konig St eel, 890). Dickson, Hartog, Mitchelson define cross culture as an approach to managing and running business organizations in a multicultural environment (1). The concept adds value to a company’s workforce in reflecting multiculturalism. The company is therefore less likely to be dominated by a single organizational culture in the face of a diversity of cultures. In addition to that, management is bound to come up with approaches and strategies of integrating different cultures in the working environment with innovative intelligence to achieve team cohesiveness and oneness of purpose in pursuing organizational goals (Dickson,Hartog, Mitchelson, 3). When managers are unaware of cross cultural issues, a range of problems are bound to arise in their leadership. These managers lead a workforce and customers from multicultural backgrounds. One of these adverse effects is the likelihood of team cohesiveness disintegrating and the unlikelihood of managers estimating the actual imp act of their lack of cross cultural knowledge. Therefore, a learning manager should identify cross cultural implications between different cultures on the contractual relationships between individuals, self assertions and coordination, individual conscience versus obedience and values, learn group attributes of different cultures, and effective strategies of controlling individual and group behaviors. The manager should learn the foundational structure of society and hierarchy involved. Add to that, managers and employees should incorporate the process of integrating different cultures into one culture by making observations and create positive impact on the hosting culture before entering the collision phases where individuals cultivate confidence in the hosting environment by experiencing cultural shock and an evaluation of one’s cultural departure. Results An analysis of the case studies identified above revealed various pitfalls and problems in the technical departments o f the companies covered in the discussion and the approaches of motivating employees in the three companies. Each of the models used to a given extent proved successful, but had no clear cut motivational approaches of solving various issues associated with employee motivation at the technical departments of the cases discussed above. In addition to that, employees had no autonomy in decision making besides cross culture management issues (Bryant karseten, 1). Identified problems included management approach in using a single approach in motivating employees. This included the application of incentives without due regard to employee physiological needs and other motivational factors. Other issues raised in the research included a lack of cross cultural management in the management approaches of these organizations. Other aspects sharing a commonality across the organizations with regard to employee motivation at the technical departments of these organizations was a critical failure of management to merge motivational theories, organizational behavioral concepts, and distinctly tailored programs for employee motivation. There were no clear cut employee satisfaction schemes, lack of listening techniques, employee work ownerships, and the opportunity for the specialized personnel to exercise their skills. Recommendations To successfully drive and maintain these companies as global business leaders, motivation has been identified as a key element in driving employee performance to higher levels of productivity. To that end, each organization should remove some controls and empower employees in decision making. That could impart the culture of accountability and individual responsibility in decision making in their workplace. In addition to that, skilled employees may be required to work on whole units of work to allow them greater autonomy in the manufacturing process. These, coupled with freedom of movement and better communication channels could help management cooperate with them while they are made to own the company developing a strong bond in the process. Further recommendations span reporting and feedbacks. Employees need to be informed directly on the quality of their work removing the hierarchical reporting relationships between employees and the management through supervisors. This approach inculcates a sense of personal responsibility at the work place. In addition to that, these organizations need to provide feedback on employee performance. Each organization should encourage the element of thinking smart while incorporating incentives at team and individual levels. Each of the tangible incentive programs should be evaluated by every organization and incentives offered based on the best model organization adapts to. These models include fixed rate, quota based, tournament, and piece rate incentives. Conclusion An analysis of the problems encountered at the technical departments of Volkswagen, British airways and the Audi motor c ompanies bear a close similarity and are significantly driven by the most critical element, motivation with its variables. Different theorists, industrial practitioners and researchers into motivational theories at industrial and individual levels argue that motivation is a key element in driving organizations to higher levels of performance and individual productivity. Each company should develop its own model tailored towards employee motivation in enhancing employee productivity and organizational performance. Berecz, John, M. Theories of Personality. A Zonal Perspective 1 st ed. Boston. Allyn Bacon, 2008. Bryant, Ben Josen, Karseten. Cross Cultural Leadership. Aug. 2008. Web. Coillie, Van, H. Iven Van Mechelen. Expected consequences of anger-related  behaviours. European Journal of Personality, 20.2 (2006)137-15. Dickson, Marcus. W., Hartog, Deanne. N.D., Mitchelson, Jacqueline. K., 2003. Research on leadership in a cross-cultural context: Making progress, and raising new questions. 23 Sept. 2003. Web. Konig, Cornelius, J. Steel Piers. Integrating Theories of Motivation. Academy of Management Review. 3.4, (2006) 888-893.