Download Chapter 5: Managerial Ethics & Corporate Social Responsibility

How do we learn?

Classical Conditioning
» Learn by experiencing two stimuli
occurring close in time (They become
associated or connected.)

Operant Conditioning
» We learn the connection between a
behavior and its consequences

Social Learning
» Learn by observing others
Classical Conditioning

Involuntary reflexes
» Behavior is “elicited” by a stimulus
Neutral Stimulus (e.g., bell) becomes
“conditioned” through association with
an “unconditioned” one (e.g., meat)
 Thus, the formerly neutral stimulus
now elicits the response (salivation)
previously elicited only by the
“unconditioned” stimulus

Operant Conditioning

Voluntary Behavior
» Behavior is “emitted”
Associations learned among
Stimulus, Response, and
Consequence
 Learning to obtain positive outcomes
and avoid negative ones by making
the correct response in the presence
of a stimulus (or cue or signal)
 Behavior is “Shaped” through
reinforced steps

Social Learning
Also called “Modeling” and
“Vicarious Learning”
 Observe someone else (the Model)
 Consequences to Model are
important
 Can be considered a sub-category of
Operant Conditioning

Major Elements of the
Reinforcement Theory of
Motivation

Stimulus
» Supervisor requests faster work

Response
» Employee increases or decreases speed or
does nothing

Consequence
» Positive Reinforcement, Negative Reinf.
(Avoidance Lng.), Extinction, Punishment
CONSEQUENCES OF
BEHAVIOR
To Motivate
Employees to
Continue Desired
Behaviors
To Motivate
Employees to Cease
Undesirable
Behaviors
Positive Reinforcement
(Good outcome if you
continue)
Extinction
(No outcome/reward
whether you continue or not)
Negative Reinforcement
(Avoidance Learning)
(Bad outcome if you don’t
continue)
Punishment
(Bad outcome if you don’t
stop)
CONSEQUENCES OF BEHAVIOR
Encourages Mature
Behaviors
Positive
Reinforcement
Extinction
Negative
Reinforcement
Punishment
Effect on
Maturity/
Development
Encourages
Immature Behaviors
Increases
Behavior
Decreases
Behavior
Effect on Behavior
How to Effectively Shape
Behavior with Reinforcement
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Define desired behavior patterns specifically.
Measure performance accurately.
Reinforce behavior quickly.
Use valued reinforcement.
Give individual rewards for independent jobs.
Give team rewards for interdependent jobs.
Beware of “Loser Effects”.
Beware of unintended consequences (rewarding the
wrong thing).
SCHEDULES OF REINFORCEMENT
SCHEDULES OF
REINFORCEMENT: EXTINCTION
The less predictable Reinforcement
was in the past, the more difficult
behavior is to extinguish (Resistance
to Extinction)
--Intermittent (Partial) Schedules are
more resistant than Continuous
(100%)
--Variable Schedules are more
resistant than Fixed
APPLICATIONS OF
REINFORCEMENT THEORY


Pay for Performance or Knowledge (Merit Pay)
Organizational Behavior Modification (OB MOD)
» Specific, desired, individual behaviors reinforced
The Learning Organization


The knowledge needed by organizations is
increasing
Acquired knowledge needs to be managed
(preserved and communicated)

Everyone participates (often in teams) in
identifying and solving problems

There is “open-book” management of
information

Training is extensive, frequent