Apple Company Leadership, Motivation, and Reward - Essay Example

APPLE COMPANY LEADERSHIP, MOTIVATION, AND REWARD By Apple Company Leadership, Motivation, and Reward Introduction Each company, regardless of whether it is public or private, simply requires a pool of hardworking individuals that work unanimously towards achieving a common objective(s). However, over the past few years, getting employees to work effectively, efficiently and in harmony has been a major challenge to most Human Resource (HR) managers. Conventionally, developing an employee strategy was a rather simple exercise for managers in the determination of the best workforce needed to carry out different duties in the work place, but presently, it requires much tougher decision making, choices and trade-offs. Apple Computer Inc. is a company that has gained universal recognition due to its innovative and branded hardware and software that are easy to use, powerful and more elegant as compared to those of their rivals (Carlopio, Andrewartha & Armstrong 2004, p. 217). However, this positive innovation can be attributed to the leadership practices and motivation and reward that are exercised by the management team of this company. This paper will therefore critically evaluate the effect and contribution of leadership practices and motivation on the performance of Apple Computer Inc. and other organizations. For this purpose, the paper aims at providing the clear definitions of leadership and motivation and reward, thereby critically examining different theories appropriate to these practices. Leadership According to Gibb, leadership is the process of influence whereby principled and authoritative individuals exercise high level of influence over the subjects or followers than the subjects did over them (qtd in Ladkin 2010, p. 35). Gibb therefore recognized leadership as a processes in which an individual exercised due influence on another in order to complete an assigned task or to achieve a certain objective. On the other hand Marshall describes transformational leadership as the a leadership style whereby a leader identifies an absolute need for change in the organization, formulates a vision that will “guide the change through inspiration” and lastly, executes the change with the help and commitment of others (2011, p. 3). Transformational leaders therefore tend to work towards achieving extraordinary positive results. Transformational Leadership Theory Transformational leadership theory has interested of many organizational leaders over the past few years. According to Givens, this theory was established in 1978 by Burns (2008, p. 4). This theory is based on the ability of the leader to provide motivation to the subjects in order to accomplish the general set objectives. Gittens points out that transformational leadership consists of four basic components which include, charismatic leadership or idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration (2009, p. 25-26). In charismatic leadership, the model postulates that the leaders act as an example or role models to employees. They are therefore admired, respected and trusted by all employees. Inspirational motivation, the leaders behave in ways that will motivate, challenge and inspire the employees. Subsequently, intellectual stimulation is achieved when leaders motivate their employees to be innovative and creative during work time. Finally, individualized consideration involves that the manager should pay special attention to the needs for achievement and development of each employee, thereby acting as a mentor or a role model to them. Transformational leadership theory has been employed in the administration of organizations since the 1980s. The use of this theory focused on interactions between employers and employees the organization. This leadership therefore works as a way of generating and sustaining a setting for restructuring human capacity by critically identifying and developing core organizational values. Doing this will unify the employers and employees, liberate the existing human potential thereby consequently generating an improved output. This type of leadership has been effectively used by leaders and managers in a bid to provide good results. To expound on the usefulness of the theory, we will examine how Apple Company Inc. has used transformational leadership to attain competitive advantage over its rivals. Practical Application Apple Company Inc. can be described as having transformational leadership. Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook is a transformational leader that has a high desire for success and a relatively strong passion for innovation, creativity and motivation. Based on the descriptions brought up by Gibb and Marshall, Tim Cook can be designated as a transformational leader due to his ability to innovate, motivate and influence all employees at Apple to strive for and maintain the highest level of efficiency. Usually, transformational leaders are compelling, idealistic and inspiring. They act as role models for trust and their governance is usually based on commitment to shared organizational values (Marshall 2011, p. 3). The rise of Apple can therefore be immensely attributed to Cook’s inspirational techniques, outstanding energy, charismatic personality and high sense of persuasiveness. According to Bass, transformational leaders exercise their expertise and power to profoundly reform, hence altering an organization’s old ways of doing activities and replacing them by new and strategized ones (qtd. in Winkler 2010, p. 40-41). For instance, Tim Cook has in multiple occasions been seen to exercise his expertise and power towards carrying out reforms in the company. The C.E.O has also enthused and inspired the workers in the organization to work towards producing exceptional and unconventional products through innovation. Besides the usual characteristics of transformational leadership, Cook has portrayed a high degree of efficiency. His work and duties have been largely characterized by commitment, a high sense of determination, bravery and selflessness. Even though this leadership style has numerous benefits, there are several drawbacks associated to it. For instance, the organizational duties and are determined by a single person or party rather than collectively. Tourish reflects that, no individuals or groups has the ability to make the correct decisions all the time (2013, p. 77). Employees should therefore be given the opportunity to give their opinions and views in the decision planned before being implemented. Moreover, this leadership style makes a leader to be indispensable since all employees closely depend on the leader for guidelines work plans. This could be a big challenge and threat to Apple since its employees are strongly attached to their leader, Cook. The employees look at him as a leader who has consistently provided inspiration to the Apple Company Inc. and therefore they are concerned about the company’s future in his absence. Motivation and Reward Motivation is simply the force that drives someone to do something. According to Armstrong, “motivation is concerned with the factors that influence individuals to behave in certain ways or manners” (2002, p. 56). Motivation therefore deals with the change of behaviors and actions among individuals. Arnold et al., pointed out that there exists three components of motivation (qtd. in Armstrong 2002, p. 56). These elements include a direction, which tends to offer an explanation of what a person is trying to do, an effort, which describes how hard the person is trying to do the duty and persistence which shows how long a person keeps on trying. Armstrong points out that there are two types of motivation (2002, p. 56). The first type is the intrinsic motivation. This refers to the self-generated influences that cause individuals to behave in a particular manner or focus in a particular direction. For instance, when employees feels that work is important and enjoyable, they will tend to do it passionately even without supervision. On the other hand, extrinsic motivation refers to the type of motivation whereby incentives and rewards are given to workers in order to motivate them. These incentives and rewards not only include aspects such as pay rise, praise, promotions but also disciplinary punishments such as salary withholding, criticism among others. On the other hand, reward refers to the “subjective feelings of satisfaction, fulfillment or pleasure,” that complement certain practices (Mitchell, Ortiz & Mitchell 1987, p. 186). A reward could therefore be looked at as an incentive that is given to someone in order to satisfy and fulfill their needs. Theory X and Theory Y This theories were formulated by Douglas McGregor. The theories establishes ways in which a can use to motivate the employees in the workplace. By understanding the assumptions about employees, motivation can have an impact on the management style, which a manager can use to manage people more efficiently and effectively. Theory X is based on the assumption that employees are naturally demotivated, they hate and dislike working. Theory X also assumes that employees tend to avoid responsibility whenever they can, have to be forced so as deliver the organizational needs, need to be closely supervised in order, and they have to be enticed for them to produce achieve organizational goals, otherwise they have no urge and desire to work. According to Pride, Hughes and Kapoor, the Type X workers usually the minority in the organizations and therefore they can managed and avoided effectively (2012 p. 279-280). On the other hand, Theory Y is based on the assumption that the employees like work, they are usually self-motivated, derive enjoyment from taking responsibility, seek to attain the goals and objectives set by the organization and they consider work to be as natural as play thereby enabling them to solve problems that arise in the workplace imaginatively. Practical Application Apple Company Inc. can attribute its successes in the industry to the fact that its employees are motivate. Tim Cook, Apple’s C.E.O, is not only a perfectionist but he is considered to be a great motivator by the employees. Cook has been excessively criticized by other organizations and employers for treating employees harshly however, much achievement of the company is because of the pressure exerted on them. Cook is always critical in his decision making, and therefore he usually carries out a critical examination of the different results and consequences of each proposed idea before making a decision. By doing this, it is clear that Cook uses both McGregor X and Y Theory in management and decision making. Tom Cook also effectively employed the use of Theory Y. For instance, Cook has always acted towards motivating the Apple Company employees as a whole rather than just concentrating on managing the immediate staff around him. Cook therefore holds a belief that when he exerts the ‘right’ kind of pressure and push on the employees, they will be able to work to their full potentials thus enabling the Company to achieve a competitive advantage over its rivals. Cook has also always been providing motivation to employees through incentives and rewards such as pay increment, promotions and praise. This makes the employees to put more effort in their day to day work activities. Leadership, motivation and reward are therefore important management tools that can make or break both the economic and social performance of any business. Just as in Apple Company Inc., the effects of good leadership and motivation can be felt in other organizations that intend to be successful. Managers and leaders in organizations should therefore examine the appropriate managerial ways that they can use to improve the performance of the employees at the workplace. Decisions such as promotions should be based on factors like integrity, hard work and experience. Doing this will motivate the employees to achieve targets thereby increasing competition among them. An organization that is characterized by a good and effective leadership practice and a relatively efficient motivational scheme will always enjoy a sustainable and lasting success. Works Cited Armstrong, M 2002, Employee reward. London, Chartered Inst. of Personnel and Development. Carlopio, J R, Andrewartha, G, & Armstrong, H 2004, Developing management skills: a comprehensive guide for leaders. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W., Pearson Education Australia. Gittens, Brian E 2009, Perceptions of the applicability of transformational leadership behavior to the leader role of academic department chairs: A study of selected universities in Virginia. The George Washington University. 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