Behavior Organizational Behavior Case: What Do They Want?
Pat Riverer is vice president of manufacturing and operations of a medium-size pharmaceutical firm in the Midwest. Pat has a Ph.D. in chemistry but has not been directly involved in research and new-product development for 20 years. From the “school of hard knocks” when it comes to managing operations, Pat runs a “tight ship.” The company does not have a turnover problem, but it is obvious to Pat and other key management personnel that the hourly people are putting in only their eight hours a day. They are not working anywhere near their full potential. Pat is very upset with the situation because, with rising costs, the only way that the company can continue to prosper is to increase the productivity of its hourly people. Pat called the human resources manager, Carmen Lopez, and laid it on the line: “What is it with our people, anyway? Your wage surveys show that we pay near the top in this region, our conditions are tremendous, and our fringes choke a horse. Yet these people still are not motivated. What in the world do they want?” Carmen replied: “I have told you and the president time after time that money, conditions, and benefits are not enough. Employees also need other things to motivate them. Also, I have been conducting some random confidential interviews with some of our hourly people, and they tell me that they are very discouraged because, no matter how hard they work, they get the same pay and opportunities for advancement as their coworkers who are just scraping by.” Pat then replied: “Okay, you are the motivation expert; what do we do about it? We have to increase their performance.”
1. Explain the “motivation problem” in this organization in terms of the content models of Maslow and Herzberg. What are the “other things” that the human resources manager is referring to in speaking of things besides money, conditions, and fringe benefits that are needed to motivate employees?
2. Explain the motivation of the employees in this company in terms of one or more of the process models. On the basis of the responses during the confidential interviews, what would you guess are some of the expectancies, valences, and inequities of the employees in this company? How about Pat?
3. How would you respond to Pat’s last question and statement if you were the human resources manager in this company?
