Organisational Behavior

Chapter 6

Discussion Questions

1. The similarities lies in the fact that both propose motivating employees through better assignment of work and job responsibilities. They emphasized the role of job design in the motivation and performance of the employees.

The main differences: Job enrichment is based on dual structure theory of motivation. This theory contends that, employees can be motivated by positive job related experience such as accountability, achievement, and appreciation.

Job characteristics theory is an important contemporary model which describes how to design jobs. It is done by using five job characteristics and three psychological states.

1. The basic purpose of increasing employee involvement is to enhance employment performance through work. Employee’s involvement on their work plays an important role in motivation. Involvement can be enhanced through participative management and employee empowerment.
2. The main motivational problems that can result from an organization decision to set work team are:

• Conflict: the organization must be aware of possible conflict of interest that can occur between teams.
• Decision process: the organization implements teams to decentralize the decision making process.

1. I might prefer Alternative work schedule. I would like telecommuting because it allows me to spend part of my time working off-site, usually at home.
2. Goal difficulty: the extent to which this class is challenging and requires effort to teach it.

Goal specificity: the clarity and precision of teaching this class.

Goal acceptance: the extent to which the instructor accepts teaching this class as his own job.