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Security Management
home page > Unit 12: summing up / study guide
How does the shift to a learning organization play out in terms of the management functions we have studied?
- Problems:
- "A private security firm is obligated to accrue a monetary profit for its goods and services. This is the natural and healthy interest of any private-sector firm functioning in a competitive market. Moreover, to maximize profits in a competitive industry for the long term, it is imperative to get employees to maximize their performance. However, a common approach to maximizing profits, at least in the short run, is to provide low-cost service by using substandard equipment an/or paying employees lower wages than the industry norm."
- "Firms that offer basic
and unsophisticated security services and are functioning in
a highly competitive market will often be tempted to minimize
on hygienic factors. Firms may opt to pay employees low wages,
not provide fringe benefits, and have old offices, equipment,
and second-rate uniforms. Under these conditions, it is not likely
that employees will be readily subject to motivational efforts
on the part of management. It is easy to understand how employees
who are dissatisfied with their jobs and the workplace will reject
as insincere any rewards or indicators of recognition from management.
"Firms that operate at this level are functioning in a 'cash-flow trap' from which there may be no escape. Employees may give less than minimum effort in return for minimum wages, eventually forcing the company out of business. The best motivational strategy for security firms that need to keep wages low and other hygienic factors at a minimum to obtain contracts is to commit to improving hygienic factors as future revenues increase. Such a commitment made to employees may make them feel as though they are part of the initial struggle -=- creating a sense of belonging and responsibility on the employees' part -- and allow them to help work their way out of the existing conditions." (my emphasis)
- New Realities:
- to attract and hold talented workers in a competitive environment, the workplace must be enjoyable, diversity must be encouraged, and they must be given room to grow.
- if you are asking workers to
accxept new responsbilities, you must make them want to do so.
- New Practices:
- Switch from theory X to theory
Y views of motivation:
- Theory X and Theory Y
managers' assumptions about people, especially employees influence how work is structured and the employee-management relationship.- Theory X:
average person dislikes work, will avoid it if possible, so they must be coerced, controlled,, threatened, and punished to get them to perform -- not even promises of rewards will work. Average person wants to be directed, avoid responsibility, and has little ambition -- security is most important - Theory Y:
working hard is as nature as playing, so work may be source of satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Individuals don't have to be controlled or threatened: they'll show self-direction and self-control to meeting objectives to which they are committed. people will normally seek responsibility. and most have the capacity to exercise imagination, ingenuity and creativity. - "firms or managers will invariably think about their customers, clients and suppliers with the same assumptions they apply to their employees. ... individuals who accept Theory X as a premise for human behavior tend to hold negative and cynical views toward almost everyone. Theory X managers, for example, consider native feedback from customers as disengenuous or habitual and ignore important information. Theory X firm owners and managers may not see the value of pursuing excellence in service and generally may not find value in intrinsic rewards for delivering a quality product or service."
- Theory X:
- Scanlan says that managers motivate
in fundamentally different ways depending on which theory they
embrace:
- X: blame employees for shortcomings in earnings, try to learn "tricks" to motivate workers, emphasize catching errors, mistakes, and threaten or punish, keep very tight control over them, with narrowly defined tasks.
- Y: accept responsibility when they don't meet goals, try to motivate by seeking better ways to organize tasks, give recognition and rewards ,and try to upgrade skills. Give workers responsibility, some latitude, and try to capitalize on their distinctive skills and backgrounds. "In effect, Theory Y managers motivate individuals by meeting their basic psychological job-related needs" such as variety, respect from coworkers, latitude, desirable future.
- Theory X and Theory Y
- Equity Theory of Motivation:
J. Stacey Adams argued that we expect equitable treatment from employers, so we tend to compare our wages and working conditions to those of others, and are quick to notice disparities -- which in turn affects our performance. - Theory of Expectancy & Path/Goal
Relationships:
Victor Vroom's "Expectancy Theory" argues that promise of an incentive or reward will motivate workers. Premise is that people believe they have the competence of skills needed to earn it.
- Switch from theory X to theory
Y views of motivation:
- Benefits:
- motivated workers will be more likely to assume responsibility
- (hidden benefits):
- during difficult transition from company with poor employees offering generic services to one offering quality services, may be able to pay good workers less if they believe that they will be treated equitably when the company does begin to profit.
- companies that treat their employees under the Theory Y approach will also probably be better toward their clients and suppliers.