Question & Answer

List three types of internal reports and explain how each is used. List three types of external reports and explain how each is used.

Why do managers need to measure, monitor, and motivate performance?

          Explain the value chain and list ways that value chain analysis benefits organisations.

Identify sources of leader power and the tactics that leaders use to influence others.

1.      : Have the successes of sales associates such as Katherine or Damien created a situation in which customers’ loyalty to particular salespeople is stronger than their loyalty to the store? For example, if a successful associate leaves Morgan’s, might the customer leave also?

1.      : Do you think the complaints of lower-paid sales associates are legitimate? Why or why not? How do you suggest that Lauren respond to these complaints, such as the gripe that the system offers few opportunities for large commissions in some departments?

1.      What do you see as the advantages and disadvantages of the incentive system that Morgan’s is using for sales associates? What impact do you think it is having on the Morgan’s culture? Explain.

1.      : Recommend strongly to the president that Tacoma pay the bonuses as promised. The legal contracts and financial situation don’t matter. Be prepared to resign if the bonuses are not paid as you promised. Your word and a motivated sales team mean everything to you.

1.      : Recommend a meeting with the sales representatives entitled to a bonus and tell them that the company’s deteriorating financial situation triggers one of the contingency clauses in their contract so the company won’t be issuing their bonus checks. Tacoma will just have to deal with the negative impact on sales rep motivation.

1.      : Recommend to the president that a meeting be arranged with the sales representatives entitled to a bonus and tell them that their checks were going to be delayed until Tacoma’s financial picture clarified. The sales reps would be told that the company had a legal right to delay payment and that it may not be able to pay the bonuses if its financial situation continues to deteriorate.

What Motivates You?

1.       : A Gallup survey showed that highly educated workers are significantly less likely to be engaged than are those with a high school diploma or less. What might be some reasons for this lower level of engagement among more-educated employees?

1.       : Why do you think empowerment increases motivation? Do you see any ways in which a manager’s empowerment efforts might contribute to demotivation among employees? Discuss.

1.       : Use Herzberg’s two-factor theory to explain why motivation seems to be high and turnover low at Publix, based on the information provided in the chapter opening example.

1.       : A survey of teachers found that two of the most important rewards were the belief that their work was important and a feeling of accomplishment. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, what needs do these rewards meet?

1.       : If an experienced executive assistant discovered that she made the same amount of money as a newly hired janitor, how do you think she would react? What inputs and outcomes might she evaluate to make this comparison?

1.       : Using Hackman and Oldham’s core job dimensions, compare and contrast the jobs of these two state employees: (1) Jared, who spends much of his time researching and debating energy policy to make recommendations that will eventually be presented to the state legislature, and (2) Anise, who spends her days planting and caring for the flower gardens and grounds surrounding the state capitol building.

1.       : In response to security threats in today’s world, the U.S. government has federalized airport security workers. Many argued that simply making screeners federal workers would not solve the root problem: Bored, low-paid, and poorly trained security workers have little motivation to be vigilant. How might these employees be motivated to provide the security that travel threats now demand?

1.       : Assume that you are a frontline manager at a call center. Try to come up with a specific motivational idea that fits into each of the four quadrants in Exhibit 16.2: Positive Extrinsic; Positive Intrinsic; Negative Extrinsic; Negative Intrinsic.

1.       Consider the example of drug arrests made by patrol officers described in Section 16-4C, “Expectancy Theory.” How did the “effort leads to performance” expectancy and the “performance leads to outcomes” expectancy lead to high performance? Be specific. How do you think “valence” was involved? Explain.

: Explain how empowerment and engagement approaches can be used to heighten employee motivation.

: Discuss how job design influences motivation.

: Explain how the reinforcement perspective can be used to motivate employees.

: Describe process theories of motivation.