Chapter 5 - HR In-depth

Question 1

What does Ryan & Deci’s self-determination theory say about basic motivation?

Answer 1

Humans have an inherent basic need to be active, curious and playful, regardless of external rewards. According to cognitive evaluation theory, some extrinsic rewards reduce intrinsic motivation, some increase it, and some have no effect.

Question 2

How does the SDT model see extrinsic and intrinsic motivation?

Answer 2

Two dimensions that are always more or less present in the driving forces of individuals. They give different degrees of perceived autonomy. Intrinsic motivation is when the task itself in interesting and gives joy to the performer, regardless of other consequences, but is hard to find in its pure form. Externally regulated actions can also bring feelings of autonomy.

Question 3

Describe “external regulation and controlled motivation” from the SDT model.

Answer 3

Uninteresting tasks require some kind of extrinsic motivation for an individual to perform them. The externally controlled motivation means that the individual needs to be able to see a causal relationship between execution of a task and a demanded consistency (penalty/reward)

Question 4

Describe “Introjected regulation and partially controlled motivation” from the SDT model.

Answer 4

The individual internalises the values behind external regulation, transforming underlying values, attitudes and regulatory structures into intrinsic perceptions. No clear external control is required.

Question 5

Describe “regulation through identification and partly autonomous motivation” in the SDT model.

Answer 5

Values and motives behind external regulations have been identified and there is an understanding of why there is an external regulation at all. The underlying values can be perceived as important even of they are not fully shared, requires less concrete control. Perceived as more voluntary execution of tasks.

Question 6

Describe “integrated regulation and autonomous motivation” from the SDT model.

Answer 6

Causes the greatest sense of autonomy for the individual, external regulation is completely internalised. More about the consequences of the action rather than the action itself. External regulation integrated with actor’s own values.

Question 7

What degrees of extrinsic motivation are there in the SDT model?

Answer 7

• External regulation/controlled motivation
• Introjected regulation/partially controlled motivation
• Regulation through identification/partly autonomous motivation
• Integrated regulation/autonomous motivation

Question 8

What three factors (adhering to the HR framework’s basic assumptions) are the internalisation process facilitated by in the SDT model? What are the implications for leadership and organization?

Answer 8

• competence
• autonomy
• relatedness
  Internalization can’t occur if these are not fulfilled.
  Leadership that expresses confidence in employees’ ability/actions is preferable. Performance-based rewards should only be rare and special occurrences. Having it on group level increases relatedness to the team.

Question 9

What are the basic characteristics of Nonaka and Takeuchi’s model for creation of organisational knowledge?

Answer 9

Whether and how learning takes place in organization. Knowledge should be spread horizontally and shared. How individuals develop knowledge and how it then spreads within the organization, important for competence intensive services.

Question 10

What two dimensions does Nonaka and Takeuchi’s model have?

Answer 10

• The ontological dimension (reality)
• The epistemological dimension (knowledge of reality). Explicit knowledge = can be formulated and written down. Tacit knowledge = individual gains experience without necessarily knowing what they are learning.

Question 11

What are the four stages of knowledge transfer in Nonaka & Takeuchi’s model?

Answer 11

• Socialization
• Externalization
• Combining
• Internalization

Question 12

What characterises the Socialization phase in Nonaka/Takeuchi?

Answer 12

From tacit to tacit. Share experiences during actual work. Learning is informal/implicit, highly linked to the specific situation. Remains tacit among those who created it + by including less experiences employees, they can try to imitate and learn, but is time-consuming.

Question 13

What characterises the Externalization stage in Nonaka/Takeuchi?

Answer 13

From tacit to explicit. Individuals/teams experiences are translated into more general manuals and descriptions. Knowledge becomes available to a larger number of employees who have not socialised with the original group

Question 14

What characterises the Combining stage in Nonaka/Takeuchi?

Answer 14

From explicit to explicit. Combining explicit knowledge from different contexts/situations to identify patterns. Creates a best practice of how successful projects should be implemented.

Question 15

What characterises the Internalisation stage in Nonaka/Takeuchi?

Answer 15

From explicit to tacit. When explicit knowledge is created, some tacit knowledge is lost because focus is on what is best for users. When employees later use this explicit knowledge, gaps require internalisation of tacit knowledge. The individual need to both interpret the explicit instructions and the specific situation, and fill in with new tacit knowledge where necessary.

Question 16

In what way can we use Nonaka/Takeuchi to see if an organization is appropriately structured?

Answer 16

Do they support or hinder learning and creation of organisational knowledge?

Question 17

What are the four basic questions to ask at the beginning of a group project, to shorten the time before becoming a high-performance team?

Answer 17

• Am I willing to listen and can I adapt to others?
• Do I dare to talk and take a more prominent role than I usually do?
• What competences does each group member have?
• What are our common goals?

Question 18

What are the four phases of high-performance teams in Wheelan/Tuckman?

Answer 18

• Forming (dependency phase)
• Storming (conflict phase)
• Norming (confidence phase)
• Performing (productivity phase)

Question 19

What characterises the Forming (dependency phase) in Wheelan/Tuckman?

Answer 19

The initial phase, lack of guidance and direction. Low agreement on goals and work processes, many unanswered questions about purpose. Group members try to predict each others behaviour, there is low identification with the group. Many suggestions but few decisions/implementations, lacks leadership, discuss topics not related to task.

Question 20

What characterises the Storming (conflict phase) in Wheelan/Tuckman?

Answer 20

Decision-making is time-consuming/cumbersome. Try to establish relationships and look for a possible leader. Purpose and task becomes somewhat clearer. Alliances are created and members try to convince each other with own motives rather than cooperating. Risk and variety is higher, and there is stress from issues not related to tasks, potential power struggle.

Question 21

What characterises the Norming stage (confidence phase) in Wheelan/Tuckman?

Answer 21

Group members become closer and consensus increases when conflict and positioning is managed. Make decisions together and a higher motivation to implement. Engagement in social activities, makes them quite ineffective. Risk of groupthink with higher risk-taking and identification to the group.

Question 22

What characterises the Performing (productivity) phase in Wheelan/Tuckman?

Answer 22

The ideal phase, performance on high level. Confident, do not need to discuss how to work. There is a common vision, but dare to share different views because conflict can be solved positively. Achieve goals while developing process if necessary. No need for leadership/control; work independently but take joint decisions, care for each other. 75% focus on task (only 38% in norming).

Question 23

What does Losada and Heapy’s model entail about communication in high- and low-performance teams?

Answer 23

In high performance teams there is a balance between investigative/curious and advocative/argumentative communication. They both inquire (examine own and others perspectives) and advocate (share own perspectives). In low performance teams, members share own solutions, with arguments from their own perspective.

Question 24

What are the key dimensions in Losada/Heapy’s communication in teams?

Answer 24

• Other vs Self focus

- Inquire vs Advocate

Question 25

What does agile projects mean?

Answer 25

Less costly if operational core manage projects themselves. Collaboration with end-users (customer-driven) and minimal planning in advance. Face-to-face communication is most efficient, projects should be built on motivated individuals that are given what they need. Teams are self-organising. Suitable in businesses that need to constantly improve systems to remain competitive.

Question 26

What are three ways to distinguish management from leadership?

Answer 26

• managers control employees while leaders are followed by employees
• managers administer systems and formal processes (Theory X) while leaders achieve change (Theory Y)
• management is what leaders do based on the structural framework, while leadership is what leaders do based on the HR framework

Question 27

What does Blake and Mouton’s managerial grid model concern?

Answer 27

To which extent leaders care about their employees (concern for people) and to which extent they care about production targets (concern for production)

Question 28

What are the 5 leadership styles in Blake/Mouton’s managerial grid?

Answer 28

• Indifferent. Care about neither employees or production, only about keeping their job and not being responsible for mistakes.
• Accommodating. Care about employees -> pleasant work environment, maybe not production
• Dictatorial. Control and dominate, care about production.
• Status quo. Balance and compromise between employee needs and production goals, risks failing in both.
• Ideal. Great concern for both employees and production. Employees should be themselves but still become a productive force for the organization.

Question 29

What does Hersey and Blanchard’s situational leadership concern?

Answer 29

Different leadership styles are preferred in different situations. Should be adapted to the prevailing short-term situation, but also over time transform the situation to create highly motivated and competent employees.

Question 30

What are the four phases in Hersey/Blanchard’s situational leadership?

Answer 30

• Telling/directing
• Selling/coaching
• Participating/supporting
• Delegating

Question 31

What characterises Telling/directing in situational leadership?

Answer 31

Employees have low competence but high motivation to work. An authoritative leadership style is preferred, where the leader gives clear instructions on what and how to do.

Question 32

What characterises Selling/coaching in situational leadership?

Answer 32

Employees have started to learn the tasks (some competence) but initial motivation has decreased. Authoritarian leadership should be combined with more supportive; encouraging while guiding through work.

Question 33

What characterises Participating/supporting in situational leadership?

Answer 33

Competence is high but motivation is lacking. Leaders should aim to increase intrinsic motivation; design tasks to be varied and enriching, and more horizontal leadership.

Question 34

What characterises the Delegating phase in situational leadership?

Answer 34

Both high competence and high motivation = ideal. Leadership can be minimised and delegated, to make employees self-governing and working in autonomous teams.

Question 35

What are the strengths of the HR framework?

Answer 35

• Complements the structural framework; more focus on complex/psychological humans (warm and human)
• Strong normative power.

Question 36

What are the weaknesses of the HR framework?

Answer 36

• Ignores some aspects of reality.
• Normative power = reality is taken for granted
• Naive belief in willingness of good people to contribute to organisations and others benefit.
• Misses power and conflicts (maybe expresses the influence processes it helps to conceal)
• Maybe not motivated employees->successful organisation, but rather successful organisation->motivated employees?