ArticlePDF Available

The impact of Positive Reinforcement on Employees’ Performance in Organizations

January 2014
American Journal of Industrial and Business Management 4(1):9-12

DOI:10.4236/ajibm.2014.41002

License
CC BY 4.0

Authors:

Sunway University

Each employee’s performance is important in an organization. A way to motivate it is through the application of reinforcement theory which is developed by B. F. Skinner. One of the most commonly used methods is positive reinforcement in which one’s behavior is strengthened or increased based on consequences. This paper aims to review the impact of positive reinforcement on the performances of employees in organizations. It can be applied by utilizing extrinsic reward or intrinsic reward. Extrinsic rewards include salary, bonus and fringe benefit while intrinsic rewards are praise, encouragement and empowerment. By applying positive reinforcement in these factors, desired positive behaviors are encouraged and negative behaviors are eliminated. Financial and non-financial incentives have a positive relationship with the efficiency and effectiveness of staffs.

Content uploaded by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rashad Yazdanifard

Content may be subject to copyright.

A preview of the PDF is not available

Harmonization of Soft Power and Institutional Skills: Montenegro’s Path to Accession to the European Union in the Environmental Sector

Preprint

Full-text available

Apr 2024

This research investigates the alignment of soft power and institutional skills in Montenegro's journey towards accession to the European Union (EU), with a particular focus on the environmental sector. An online survey targeting individuals employed in state institutions directly engaged in negotiation processes, notably the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism and the Agency for Nature and Environmental Protection, was conducted. The research conducted an online survey, distributed before and after the summer recess to accommodate the transition of power following parliamentary elections, aimed at assessing the effectiveness of current personnel and identifying areas for improvement in staffing and negotiation strategies within Montenegro's environmental sector. Employing diverse methodologies, the survey's analysis delved into the demographic, social, and professional backgrounds of respondents. It explored their roles within institutions, involvement in environmental negotiations, and possession of relevant skills and expertise. Furthermore, respondents' knowledge of environmental issues, legislation, and challenges facing the country was assessed to gauge institutional capacity for environmental governance. Demographic data, including gender, age, education and regional origin, were collected to understand gender-specific attitudes and regional disparities in environmental perspectives. The sample of 84 individuals, comprising executives and employees from both institutions, provided insights into the age structure and regional diversity of personnel involved in negotiation tasks for Chapter 27. The selection of the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism and the Agency for Nature and Environmental Protection reflects their pivotal roles in shaping Montenegro's environmental policies and addressing climate change challenges. This study aims to illuminate the dynamics of environmental governance within Montenegro's state administration, contributing to the country's path towards EU accession. The research findings highlight the critical need for Montenegro to prioritize strategic initiatives in personnel management, skill development, and institutional capacity-building within its environmental sector. The implications of this research extend beyond academia to inform policymaking and societal action, emphasizing the urgency for Montenegro to bolster its environmental sector capabilities, fostering both EU alignment and sustainable governance practices for the benefit of present and future generations.

Does Positive Reinforcement Work?: A Quasi-Experimental Study of the Effects of Positive Feedback on Reddit

Preprint

Full-text available

Sep 2024

Social media platform design often incorporates explicit signals of positive feedback. Some moderators provide positive feedback with the goal of positive reinforcement, but are often unsure of their ability to actually influence user behavior. Despite its widespread use and theory touting positive feedback as crucial for user motivation, its effect on recipients is relatively unknown. This paper examines how positive feedback impacts Reddit users and evaluates its differential effects to understand who benefits most from receiving positive feedback. Through a causal inference study of 11M posts across 4 months, we find that users who received positive feedback made more frequent (2% per day) and higher quality (57% higher score; 2% fewer removals per day) posts compared to a set of matched control users. Our findings highlight the need for platforms and communities to expand their perspective on moderation and complement punitive approaches with positive reinforcement strategies.

Harnessing Support: The Role of Psychological Empowerment in Proactive Workplace Performance

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2024

Effect of Verbal Reinforcement and Verbal Punishment on Performance

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2024

The problem of the present study was to investigate whether there is any effect of verbal reinforcement and verbal punishment on performance. The experiment was conducted on some young adult participants. The objective of the present study was to assess whether usual verbal reinforcement influenced performance more than the verbal punishment. It was hypothesized that positive verbal reinforcement would have a significantly greater impact on respondents' performance than positive verbal punishment. We adopted a between group design where 20 undergraduate students were randomly assigned to two conditions, namely positive verbal reinforcement and positive verbal punishment. We provided the interventions through a small, structured interview where the positive verbal reinforcement group were handled warmly but the other group were not. Then we asked them to complete two specially designed monotonous tasks and measured their duration of engagement in the tasks as a measure of performance. The mean durations of engagement for the positive verbal reinforcement and positive verbal punishment groups were 1555.90 seconds and 675.90 seconds, respectively, which differed significantly at the .006 level with a t-value of 3.11 (df=18). And thus, we concluded that positive verbal reinforcement is more powerful to enhance performance than the positive verbal punishment. Bioresearch Commu. 10(2): 1609-1611, 2024 (July)

SME HOTEL

Book

Full-text available

Aug 2023

Hisham Al Ghunaimi

The idea deals with the unification of all the SMEs under one roof of SME hotel. The concept is to have a system in the economy that will promote the growth of the SMEs. The model or the plan holds the concept of hierarchal positioning strategy of the SMEs within a single structure named SME hotel. According to the model the SMEs will assemble under one single roof of SME hotel. It will provide them with all the required services that a SME needs while entering the market. To promote the economic growth of the country and to increase the GDP of every country the platform of SME hotel gives the opportunity to every medium enterprise to flourish in the global market. This platform is a one stop solution for each and every service provider which is associated with our everyday lives. In this foundation, the SME hotel has several layers or floors where the small and medium enterprises get chance to flourish in the competitive market. The concept of the SME hotel revolves around the unification of the SME under one roof. Under this roof, the small enterprise establishes its creativity and this platform helps them to rise independently. The SME hotel looks after the overall development of the small and medium enterprises. The SME hotel helps in promoting the brand and develops the effective communication with the consumers. By effective communication and marketing technique it will help to promote the small and medium enterprises which in turn will indicate the importance of the platform of the SME hotel. This hotel is ought to provide the overall facility of the business development. This hotel will assist to provide each and every service under single roof. The fundamental factor for the development of any business is the valuable contacts as well as the contacts. With these two fundamental elements of business development the small and medium enterprise can embellishment in the global market.

Job Resources and Prosocial Organizational Performance of Technical and Vocational Education and Training Lecturers in Universities in Nigeria

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2022

This study examined the relationship between job resource dimensions and prosocial organizational performance among technical and vocational education and training lecturers in universities in Nigeria.

The Pictorial is Neurodivergent: A Case for More Fidgets and Fewer Fixes

Conference Paper

Jul 2024

Elena Sabinson

Harmonization of Soft Power and Institutional Skills: Montenegro's Path to Accession to the European Union in the Environmental Sector

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2024

Performance Appraisal as a Tool to Achieve Higher Efficiency and Productivity in the South African Public Sector, with Reference to Limpopo Department of Education

Article

Mar 2024

This qualitative study was conducted to assess the performance appraisal on employee’s productivity at the Department of Basic Education in Limpopo, South Africa. Performance appraisal refers to the methods and processes that organisations use to evaluate their employees' level of performance. This usually entails assessing employees' performance and offering them with feedback on both the quantity and quality of their work. The study examined the kind of tool Department of Basic Education utilize and the effects of performance appraisal on employee’s productivity. The researchers adopted a qualitative approach in this study in order to better understand performance reviews and employee experiences. Data was gathered through interviews with senior/junior managers purposively chosen. Additionally, subordinates selected from a simple random sample based on their responsibilities, backgrounds, and experience. As a result, the study used a verbatim transcription to capture every detail of the interview. The data was then analysed using thematic mapping. The research findings demonstrated the inefficiency of the current performance management and development method. The study also shows that workers are unmotivated and no longer have faith in the evaluation process. The findings further show that supervisors' management and implementation of the system are prejudiced, which demotivate employees as a result. According to the study, the current system has to be changed or revised in order to address the gaps and issues that have arisen as a result of prejudice and ineffective execution. The study also suggests that in order for the system's goals to be met, managers need acquire the right training, and staff should receive training as well to have knowledge about the system.

Working from home is here to stay, but how does it affect workplace learning?

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2024

This paper analyses how working from home affects workplace learning in terms of theoretical and practical knowledge during COVID19. We employ panel data gathered in monthly surveys of respondents in training companies between October 2020 and March 2022 to investigate this question. Apprentices in Switzerland are our case study. We address potential endogeneity concerns in two ways. First, we exploit variation across survey respondents and time in two-way fixed effects models. Second, we pursue an instrumental variable “shift-share”-type approach that leverages how occupations react to exogenous changes in working from home regulations. The results suggest that working from home has a significantly negative impact on practical knowledge but not theoretical knowledge, relative to frequenting the workplace. We do not find significant heterogeneity across company size. Similarly, our results do not vary significantly between occupations in which working from home is relatively more or less prevalent. Our findings remain robust to a wide range of robustness checks. Our evidence-based recommendations aim to preserve the acquisition of knowledge through workplace training.

Assessment of effect of empowerment on employees performance (case study telecommunication company)

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2018

Mohammadbagher Gorji

The main purpose of this paper is to determining the effect of Empowerment implementation by considering the three factors of delegation, implementation of participating management, encouragement and giving reward and also determination of classification of priority and importance of effect of each factor with employee’s performance improvement in Golestan Telecommunication Company in Iran. The research method has been descriptive and causal comparative and statistical sample under study was 226 people in order to collected data, two questionnaires and existing documents about rate of employee performance were used in two periods of time before and after Empowerment implementation. The tools validity with Content method and their Reliability by Cornbach method coefficients 0.98, 0.95 has been confirmed. In order to analyze the data, Spearman correlation method, Wilcoxon tests method, and multiple regressions, were used. Findings showed that there is significant difference between rate of employee’s performance before and after Empowerment implementing, by the way Empowerment implementing emphasizing the factors, delegation, participating management and encouragement and giving reward cause employee’s performance to improve.

Google: Searching for value

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2010

THE USE OF NON-MONETARY MOTIVATORS IN SMALL BUSINESS

Article

Full-text available

Jack L. Howard

The present paper provides small business owners and entrepreneurs with a variety of techniques that can be used to motivate employees without increasing salaries. Small business owners and entrepreneurs have an advantage over larger businesses by being able to know their employees, treating them as individuals, and tying rewards to the things that these employees value. The things that employees might value, such as being treated with respect and having a flexible work schedule, might be an advantage that small businesses can offer, which might increase the ability of small business owners to attract and retain quality employees. Additionally, employees can be developed in ways that will benefit both the employee and the small business, and represents a level of involvement that these employees might not find in larger organizations. These actions by small businesses can result in situations where the performance of small businesses can be improved without tying up limited financial resources.

Performance pay improves engagement, progress, and satisfaction in computer-based job skills training of low-income adults

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2013
J APPL BEHAV ANAL

Advancing the education of low-income adults could increase employment and income, but adult education programs have not successfully engaged low-income adults. Monetary reinforcement may be effective in promoting progress in adult education. This experiment evaluated the benefits of providing incentives for performance in a job-skills training program for low-income, unemployed adults. Participants worked on typing and keypad programs for 7 months. Participants randomly assigned to Group A (n = 23) earned hourly and productivity pay on the typing program (productivity pay), but earned only equalized hourly pay on the keypad program (hourly pay). Group B (n = 19) participants had the opposite contingencies. Participants worked more on, advanced further on, and preferred their productivity pay program. These results show that monetary incentives can increase performance in a job-skills training program, and indicate that payment in adult education programs should be delivered contingent on performance in the training program instead of simply on attendance.

Punishment as a Price to Pay

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2012

Siang Kean Chng

Management meted out punishment to enforce rules and encourage adherence. However, the effectiveness depended on how the employees perceive and interpret the policy. Therefore, it was uncertain how to best achieve the target. The paper tested employees’ behavioral responses in two conditions, when employees had to pay fines to employer and when employees had to pay fines to co-workers. Condition one was a typical deterrence policy implemented to punish misconduct in an organization, and condition two tested the behavioral responses to distributive outcomes. Questionnaire was distributed to these employees to investigate perception. The experimental results indicated that employees responded differently to the two conditions, misconduct was significantly reduced in condition two but not in condition one. While employees agreed that the implementation was fair in the two conditions, they did not agree on the punishment outcomes in condition two. The employees perceived paying fines to employer was more acceptable than paying fines to co-workers. Accounting for social norms in the implementation was more successful than formal deterrence.

The Impact Of Reward And Recognition Programs On Employee's Motivation And Satisfaction A Co Relational Study

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2008

This study highlighted "the impact of reward and recognition programs on employee's motivation and satisfaction" . The study was conducted from October till December; 2008 the Sample chosen for the study is 80 employees of UNILEVER companies. The factors affecting satisfaction were identified; payment (0.86**), promotion (0.74**), working condition (0.61**), personal(0.37*) as Analysis showed immense support for positive relationship between REWARD and EMPLOYEE SATISFICTION. All these results are statistically significant thus providing rigor and generalizability in research. This exploratory study suggests for the positive relationship between reward and satisfaction

Impact of employee empowerment on employee's job satisfaction and commitment with the organization

Article

Jan 2011

Staff recognition

Article

Sep 2011
Optometry

American Optometric Association

Is the Use of Short-Term Incentives Good Organization Strategy?

Article

Jan 2013

Jennifer E. Wynter-Palmer

This article is based on research conducted on Jamaica’s hotel industry. The study sought to determine if there are any advantages to both employers and employees in use of short-term incentives in that industry. Using theories of motivation and the concepts governing incentive compensation to construct a theoretical framework, the article sought to make the link between short-term incentives, motivation and employee productivity. The debate by both academicians and human resource practitioners is about the right types as well as the right mix of workplace motivators. It is acknowledged that there are strong arguments on all sides. This article seeks to add to the academic debate by advancing that what is critical is that (a) the need for employee motivation should not be viewed as optional but must be fully appreciated, planned and implemented thoughtfully by employers; and (b) the motivational processes used will be influenced by the thinking of an organization’s leadership team as well as the culture of the organization. It is posited for this discussion that where organizations are on a quest to improve workforce productivity, their employees need to be motivated by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. In turn, the right types and levels of motivation will lead to employees performing at the desired levels.

Birmingham City Council links increased contribution and outcomes to reward and recognition

Article

Jul 2011

Alan Rudge

Purpose Describes how a fair and transparent reward system based on performance is giving greater control over outcomes, retaining the best staff for the future and saving money. Methodology/approach/design Explains that the new performance development review (PDR) system has been delivered as part of the award‐winning Excellence in People Management project, which has modernized and refocused people‐management practice at Birmingham City Council, UK. Findings Reveals that the PDR process has given Birmingham City Council the ability to manage effective performance and behaviors and link pay progression to performance rather than time served. Practical implications Details how managers now have the tools to manage their own staff more effectively. Social implications Shows that the PDR has shifted the performance focus more toward how employees contribute to achieving effective outcomes for the citizens of Birmingham and the behaviors employees need to demonstrate. Originality/value Explains that staff that feel valued and rewarded, are more committed and motivated, and are more willing to go the extra mile. Increased productivity and performance, combined with the abolition of incremental pay increases, has realized a saving of around £6m so far.