Organisation Behaviour Interview with a worker (police, clerk in store, food service worker, cleaning staff, gardener) on the BNU campus

Working condition

This part is intended to assist a better understand of Pin, the forces that shape motivation, attitude and behavior. It is based on the familiar model devised by Abraham Maslow known as his 'Hierarchy of Needs'.

According to Maslow’s theory, there are general types of needs that must be satisfied before a person can act unselfishly. As long as we are motivated to satisfy these cravings, we are moving towards growth, toward self-actualization. As a result, the following adjustments are based on that theory:

1. Physiological

Maslow’s theory seems to be a hierarchy into which human needs arrange themselves, as illustrated in Figure 1.

The physiological needs are shown at the top of the hierarchy because they tend to have the highest strength until they are somewhat satisfied. These are the basic human needs to sustain life itself-food, clothing, and shelter. Until these basic needs are satisfied to the degree needed for the sufficient operation of the body, the majority of a person’s activity will probably be at this level, and the others will provide little motivation. Base on Pin’s condition, the fundamental needs is satisfied due to she has an enough payment to live by.

To Pin’s consequence, rather than physiological needs, other levels of needs become important, and these motivate and dominate the behavior of the individual. And when these needs are somewhat satiated, other needs emerge, and so on down the hierarchy.

2. Safety

Once physiological needs become gratified, the safety, or security, needs become predominant. These needs are essentially the need to be free of the fear of physical danger and deprivation of the basic physiological needs. In other words, this is a need for self-preservation. In addition to the here and now, there is a concern for the future. So Pin will be going to worry about her interpersonal events or her stability as her physiological needs is satisfied.

Will people be able to maintain their property or job so they can provide food and shelter tomorrow and the next day? If an individual's safety or security is in danger, other things seem unimportant. It is the same to Pin, if the company fires her, she will be willing to keep her job instead of other luxury requirements.

3. Social

Once physiological and safety needs are fairly well satisfied, social or affiliation will emerge as dominant in the need structure, since people are social beings, they have a need to belong and to be accepted by various groups. When social needs become dominant, a person will strive for meaningful relations with others.

This configure is applying to Pin, too. Without confused of low-paid and unsteady of job environment, Pin is going to make new friends in her company or her job environment. Except the daily “customers”, Pin also has some well-relationship co-workers. For instance, Pin will call on a staff whenever she faces any difficulty, vice versa. So Pin is not only working for life, she is also enjoying the relationship in the company.

4. Esteem

After individuals begin to satisfy their need to belong, they generally want to be more than just a member of their group. They then feel the need for esteem- both self-esteem and recognition from others.

In fact, some of the social problems we have today may have their roots in the frustration of esteem needs. According to Ping, whose idea is closing to traditional way, refers to finish what she has to do. It is true for women in China who are still frustrating in traditional thoughts, especially the generation of aged around 40. They won’t do slightly outgoing of her jobs even they can do that. So consequences are completely different among different cultures.

5. Self-Actualization

Once esteem needs begin to be adequately satisfied, the self-actualization needs become more pre potent. Self-actualization is the need to maximize one's potential, whatever it may be.

In addition, the hierarchy does not necessarily follow the pattern described by Maslow. It was not his intent to say that this hierarchy applies universally. Maslow felt this was a typical pattern that operates most of the time. He realized, however, that there were numerous exceptions to this general tendency.

As Pin’s case mentioned above, she would love to stay the basic level, which her job requires. So although the first three needs are satisfied, Pin’s needs levels don’t move up to the top due to the Chinese traditional culture.

Among the research on Pin, it can be concluded that individuals are influenced by all five factors, though in varying degrees that can change in specific situations.

Reward

Addition to Maslow’s theory, there is another better-known content theory of motivation, which has been proposed by Douglas McGregor, called Theory X and Theory Y.

Theory X assumes that average human being has an inherent dislike of work and will avoid it if he can. It is sensible for:

● Because of their dislike for work, most people must be controlled and threatened before they will work hard enough.

●The average human prefers to be directed, dislikes responsibility, is unambiguous, and desires security above everything.

●These assumptions lie behind most organizational principles today, and give rise both to "tough" management with punishments and tight controls, and "soft" management, which aims at harmony at work.

However, Theory Y assumes that the expenditure of physical and mental effort in work is as natural as play or rest. It is due to:

● Control and punishment are not the only ways to make people work, man will direct himself if he is committed to the aims of the organization.

●If a job is satisfying, and then the result will be commitment to the organization.

●The average man learns, under proper conditions, not only to accept but also to seek responsibility.

● Imagination, creativity, and ingenuity can be used to solve work problems by a large number of employees.

●Under the conditions of modern industrial life, the intellectual potentialities of the average man are only partially utilized

Based on Pin’s descriptions, the leaders in their company are more likely to reflect Theory X to employees. It is said that everything must be done by some regulations; everyone must do exactly with what the bosses told. There are many different views among experts; it is difficult to say whether one is accurately. According to Pin’s company, it maybe acceptable to perform such theory because no extra costs during working properly. What’s more, another important reason for supporting such theory—culture. It is discussed above why Pin’s needs is staying at the same, it is affected by traditional Chinese thoughts, needs level.

Although Pin’s company is not the type of Theory Y, it is not a soft option.  In fact it can take as much management effort as Theory X, but the effects of a Theory Y approach will last longer. Especially nowadays the terminology is used as a polite way of referring to the old command-and-control approach to management: the trouble is the diehard Theory X manager won't pick up the subtle criticism.

Motivation factors

Most motivation theorists assume that motivation is involved in the performance of all learned responses; that is, a learned behavior will not occur unless it is energized. The major question among psychologists, in general, is whether motivation is a primary or secondary influence on behavior. That is, are changes in behavior better explained by principles of environmental/ecological influences, perception, memory, cognitive development, emotion, explanatory style, or personality or are concepts unique to motivation more pertinent.

Appreciated pay maybe one of the most direct ways of motivations. However, it is surprised that it is not the most important part for Pin. As the descriptions in the table above, the honored employees can get a special diploma along with bonus. In Pin’s opinion, it is more important to get the diploma rather than the bonus. In Chinese culture, reputation can be an invisible wealth for a person. So it is important to use scientific theories in a right way, which means one of such way is to learn different cultures.  

Communication

Good communications are basic to successful management. Communications are vital in management; in fact, they are the essence of management.

1. Supervisor Vs Worker

A manager conveys information and instructions through communication, either written or verbal. It is therefore a vital link between the manager and his or her team and effective communication is the key to good management.

Yet, in Pin’s case, it is a very poor link. It doesn’t seem that a worker will be able to have the chance to face or communicate with him.

2. Manager Vs Worker

However, Pin will often meet their team leader or manager due to the regular meetings, which take place at least once a month, in the company. What’s more, words can indeed mean different things to different people.

If the manager talks in plain words to the team - "anyone who cannot use words understood by a high school student would be kicked off the team". This is bound to have immediate effect and everyone will start talking in plain language. Pin’s manager is one kind of such manger talking in pliant words to subordinates.

3. Worker Vs Worker

This concept, which has been talked above in terms of Maslow’s theory, the relationship in the company is nice and full of joy. That’s another reason for preventing turnovers from their company.

It is concluded that the content theories, which are simple and directly link with needs to behavior. As same time, they fail to consider cultural differences. Based on Pin’s survey above, managers should distinguish exiting condition, which can avoid inappropriately assumptions, with the content in OB theories.