Module 2 – Case

WORKPLACE MOTIVATION

Assignment Overview

In the background materials you read about some very traditional theories of motivation such as Theory X and Theory Y, and the hierarchy of needs.  But one trend that has received a lot of attention in the media is that of weird or offbeat methods to motivate employees.  The recent movie The Internship is set in the odd (or “googly”) workplace culture of Google.  Zappos Shoes even mentions “weirdness” in the list of corporate values. 

CashLinq, a financial services firm, is famous for their Nerf gun battles in the office.  Eric Ryan, founder of the highly successful soap company Method, was known to go to extremes to motivate employees such as dressing up as a chipmunk or holding impromptu office dance parties.  Other examples of unorthodox motivation techniques may include unusual perks such as health insurance for your pets, or allowing employees to ride scooters in the office.

But is this just a passing fad for trendy new companies, or is there actually a method to their madness?  For this assignment, you will be doing some research on these offbeat new motivation techniques and investigating whether or not these techniques actually fit in with standard textbook theories of motivation.  Review the background materials, and then read the following articles and also see if you can find any other examples of bizarre or unusual workplace motivation techniques:

Alsop, R. J. (2010). The last word. Workforce Management, 89(10), 50. [Proquest]

Petrecca, L. (Dec. 30, 2011). Quirky perks for workers: Pet insurance, massages. USA Today[Proquest]

Quirky offices may inspire employees. (Dec. 17, 2010, Dec 27). McClatchy – Tribune Business News [Proquest]

Habib, M. (Oct. 7, 2011). Foosball? bah. employers dangle offbeat incentives. The Globe and Mail[Proquest]

Case Assignment

When you are done with your research, write a four- to five-page paper addressing the following issues:

1. Are these unusual motivation techniques more closely matched to McGregor’s Theory X, or his Theory Y? Cite at least one of the textbook chapters from the required background readings to support your answer.
2. Which of Maslow’s needs do you think these techniques address or do not address – physiological, safety, belonging, esteem, and/or self-actualization? Cite at least one of the textbook chapters from the required background readings to support your answer.
3. Overall, what do you think the main advantages and disadvantages are of these new and unusual motivation techniques as compared to more traditional techniques?

Assignment Expectations

• Answer the assignment questions directly
• Stay focused on the precise assignment questions, don’t go off on tangents or devote a lot of space to summarizing general background materials
• Make sure to use reliable and credible sources as your references. Articles published in established newspapers or business journals/magazines are preferred.  If you find articles on the internet, make sure it is from a credible source.
• Reference your sources of information with both a bibliography and in-text citations. See the Student Guide to Writing a High-Quality Academic Paper, including pages 13-14 on in-text citations. Another resource is the “Writing Style Guide”, which is found under “My Resources” in the TLC portal.

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Module 2 – Case

ONE SIZE DOESN’T FIT ALL: SITUATIONAL APPROACHES TO LEADERSHIP

Case Assignment

For this assignment, first review the background materials with a focus on Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership model. Make sure you are familiar with the four leadership styles covered in the situational approach including Directing, Coaching, Supporting, and Delegating, and situations where you are supposed to use these four styles. 

Also, familiarize yourself with the more complex Path Goal model and Fiedler’s Contingency model. You don’t need to know these two models in as much detail as the Situational model to complete this assignment, but make sure you understand the main idea of these models as well as some of their main advantages and disadvantages.

Once you have finished your reading and research, write a four- to five-page paper answering the following questions below. Make sure to cite at least one of the required background readings in each answer, and to cite at least three of the required readings total in your paper:

1. For each of the following scenarios, explain which of the four leadership styles covered in the Situational model best applies to the situation.  Explain your reasoning for your choice.
1. You are in charge of a team of architects. They are highly skilled but have strong opinions and do not necessarily follow instructions. These architects are independent thinkers who are used to doing things their own way.
2. You are in charge of a fast food restaurant. The employees are all teenagers who have not yet graduated from high school, and for most of them this is their first job.
3. You are the supervisor for a team of software engineers. They are all highly skilled and highly motivated, and are used to working independently. All of them believe in the mission of the company.
2. For the above situations, how hard would it be to apply the Fiedler Contingency model or the Path Goal model to choose a leadership style? Would it be easy, or would you require a lot more information about each of the situations? You don’t need to actually apply these two models, just discuss how difficult it might be to apply these models.
3. Of the three models (Situational, Fiedler Contingency, Path Goal), which one do you think is the most useful for the real world? Explain your reasoning.

Assignment Expectations

• Follow the assignment instructions closely and follow all steps listed in the instructions
• Stay focused on the precise assignment questions, don’t go off on tangents or devote a lot of space to summarizing general background materials
• List supporting references and cite sources in proper format
• Use appropriate writing style in essay form (organization, grammar, and spelling).
• Include both a bibliography and in-text citations. See the Student Guide to Writing a High-Quality Academic Paper, including pages 13-14 on in-text citations. Another resource is the “Writing Style Guide”, which is found under “My Resources” in the TLC portal.

 

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