Goal Setting in Motivating Individuals - Research Proposal Example

Business Research Methodology Table of Contents Research Proposal 3 2. 3 3. Introduction 3 4. Literature Review 6 4 A Brief Overview of Goal-Setting Theory 6 4.2 Procedures of Goal Setting in Motivating Individuals to Perform Better Through Improved Recognition and Satisfaction 8 4.3 Consequences of Motivating Individuals in a Workplace by Goal Setting 10 5. Research Methodology 11 5.1 Research Design 11 5.2 Data Collection and Data Analysis Techniques 12 5.3 Ethical Considerations 14 6. References 15 7. Appendix 17 Time Plan 17 1. Research Proposal Title The title for this research proposal is “How do goal settings motivate individuals in a workplace to perform through improved recognition and satisfaction being consistent with their personal values and standards?" 2. Abstract The prime intention of this research study is to examine how the perception of goal setting motivates individuals in a workplace to perform better through enhanced satisfaction and recognition. Satisfaction and recognition are needed to be consistent with respective personal values along with standards of individuals in a workplace. This particular research topic holds utmost importance in this modern day context, as firms often realise the need of motivating their personnel for better sustainability in this competitive landscape. Thus, the modern business corporations often adopt and execute the approach or the theory of goal setting for motivating individuals in a workplace to perform better through enhanced satisfaction and recognition. In terms of research design, a qualitative approach of research methodology will be undertaken for this proposed study with prime focus on conducting survey in the form of designing questionnaire targeting specific respondents. Moreover, the data collection procedure in relation to the proposed study will mainly entail primary along with secondary sources that are found to be relevant to the subject matter of the proposed research study. 3. Introduction Motivating individuals in a particular workplace has been a mandate especially for the modern business organisations towards the attainment of their predetermined objectives. With the increased level of globalisation, gaining momentum of internationalisation, adoption along with execution of advanced technologies and prevalence of extreme business market competition, the modern business corporations generally tend to motivate their respective personnel by a considerable extent. It would be vital to mention in this similar context that there exist several ways based on which business organisations belonging to this present day context motivate individuals in a workplace with the aim of reaping varied significant benefits. These benefits comprise enhancing maximum profitability in terms of market share, attaining superior competitive position as compared to chief business market competitors and ensuring long-term sustainability among others. In relation to the above context, the distinct ways through which the modern business corporations usually motivate their employees include offering them with monetary or non-monetary incentives and practicing goal settings among others. It has been argued that the way of goal settings usually motivate individuals in a workplace to perform in a better manner in the form of improved recognition and satisfaction based on their personal values and standards (Lunenburg, 2011). The prime reason or the motive for selecting this topic is to acquire an in-depth understanding about the significance of goal setting theory in motivating employees towards developing their overall performance. Conceptually, the theory of goal setting is described as the approach of affecting the overall performance of individuals either in a positive or in a negative manner through four particular methods. These methods predominantly include directing attention of the individuals, assessing the efforts made by these individuals towards conducting goal-relevant actions, serving directive functions and analysing the reasons for remaining away from conducting goal-irrelevant activities by the individuals. Specially mentioning, the above discussed theory is directly associated to the performance of individuals in a workplace, as it tends to recognise the efforts make by them usually towards the attainment of predetermined business or operational targets of the organisations (Lockey & Latham, 2002). In this context, the intended value of this particular research can be mainly determined based on assessing the quality of goal setting for motivating individuals to perform through enhanced satisfaction as well as recognition. It is projected that through developed satisfaction and recognition, the personal values and standards of the employees in a workplace would remain consistent with the predetermined organisational targets. Based on the above framed research proposal topic, the research questions have been framed as followed: 1) What is the importance of goal setting theory in motivating employees in a workplace? 2) How does goal setting theory motivate individuals in a workplace for performing with improved recognition and satisfaction, which is consistent with their personal values and standards? 3) What are the consequences of the application of goal setting theory in motivating individuals in a workplace that aid in keeping their personal values and standards consistent with improved recognition as well as satisfaction? By taking into concern the above stated research questions, the following research objectives would be vital to take into concern: To recognise the importance of goal setting approach in motivating individuals to perform through enhanced satisfaction and recognition To determine whether improved recognition of satisfaction of individuals in a workplace remains consistent with their respective values along with standards in the context of goal setting environment To identify the procedures about how goal setting approach motivate individuals to perform better in alignment with their personal values and standards To analyse the consequences of motivating individuals by applying goal setting approach to perform better in association with their personal values and standards through enhanced recognition and satisfaction It will be vital to mention that the proposed research will be undertaken based on the above framed research questions and objectives. Moreover, apart from these, a justified research methodology would be portrayed in the following discussion, making the process much clearer based on which the entire research will be conducted. 4. Literature Review 4.1. A Brief Overview of Goal-Setting Theory According to Bandura (1977), the theory of goal setting is regarded as one of the effective and valuable mechanisms of developing the overall performance of the employees working in a specific workplace. In support to this particular perception hold by Bandura (1977), Lunenburg (2011) affirmed that a particular goal is duly considered to be a desirable objective from the standpoint of motivational aspect. It can be affirmed from a broader understanding that goals are generally taken into concern in various business organisations specifically for two purposes. As per the observation made by Lockey & Latham (2002), these purposes include managing the motivational level of the individuals i.e. the personnel in a workplace and monitoring the performance of organisations. As stated by Bandura (1977), the significance of setting goals lays in motivating individuals engaged in a specific workplace to perform in a better manner through developed recognition as well as satisfaction that are consistent with their respective values along with standards. In this similar context, Yearta & et. al. (n.d.) supported the fact that setting goals is often categorised as a motivational technique, which is often executed substantially in diverse organisations in this modern day context. This can be justified with reference to the ideas presented by Lockey & Latham (2002) signifying that the approach of goal setting is used by the modern organisations as an effectual performance appraisal scheme, which tends to perform distinct functions. These functions typically entail directing the efforts make by the individuals in a workplace while performing varied operational functions, assessing the performances of the personnel and making effective decisions about motivating them in the form of offering them with reward systems and monetary or non-monetary incentives among others (Lockey & Lotham, 2002). In accordance with the ideas presented by Locke (1996), it can be affirmed that the conception or the approach of goal setting is at certain times can be related to the rewards systems of the companies and is often observed to remain persistent in several training and development related programs designed by them. According to Locke (1996), these programs fundamentally include stress management, supervisory skill and time management training among others. On a further note, Bandura (1977) argued that the theory of goal setting is also often regarded as a cognitive based motivational approach, which tends to generate specific positive outcomes towards the betterment of organisations. In relation to the proposed topic, which emphasize about determining how goal setting motivate individuals in a workplace to perform better through improved recognition and satisfaction being consistent with their personal values as well as standards, the notion of goal difficulty might prove to be a crucial concern. In this similar context, as per the observation made by Bandura (1977), the idea of goal difficulty often obstructs organisations to motivate individuals in a workplace, which in turn results in decreased level of their recognition along with satisfaction level. In support to this idea presented by Bandura (1977), Locke (1996) inferred that the perception of goal difficulty is regarded as the level up to which a goal becomes challenging to accomplish and thus, requires deliberate efforts for fulfilling the same in an efficient manner. Thus, according to Yearta & et. al. (n.d.), overcoming the aspect of goal difficulty may facilitate the business leaders or the managers of organisations towards influencing the behavioural attitudes of the personnel by a considerable extent. 4.2 Procedures of Goal Setting in Motivating Individuals to Perform Better Through Improved Recognition and Satisfaction From reviewing the above literatures and assessing the responses made by the respective scholars or the authors, it has been quite evident that the approach of goal setting is held liable for motivating individuals in a workplace, which predominantly helps them to perform better with improved satisfaction and recognition. In lieu of this context, it can be apparently observed that there exist certain procedures based on which the approach of goal setting motivate individuals in a workplace to perform better through improved recognition and satisfaction being consistent with their personal values and standards. In this regard, based on the report published by Saylor Foundation (n.d.), goal setting usually motivate individuals in a workplace to perform through improved recognition and satisfaction being consistent with their respective values as well as standards. The report of Saylor Foundation (n.d.) revealed that the approach of goal setting motivate individuals in a workplace by providing directions to them, energising the people to perform their respective works efficiently and generating the feeling of accomplishment amid such people among others. Apart from this, the report of Saylor Foundation (n.d.) also inferred that improved recognition and satisfaction of individuals after being motivated by the aforesaid ways remain consistent with their respective personal values and standards through various means. These means include setting the goals carefully that provide direction to individuals in a workplace, providing the goals to such individuals that do not align the organisational objectives and devising an innovative working way to fulfil such goals among others. In contrast, as per the research conducted by Tyilana (2005), the approach of goal setting is an important consideration for motivating individuals in a workplace to perform with enhanced recognition and satisfaction level. Goal setting approach is identified to ensure that satisfaction and recognition are consistent with their personal values and standards through certain innovative means. According to the research of Tyilana (2005), these innovative means fundamentally encompass making the expectations of organisations clearer to the individuals in a workplace, delivering continuous feedback to the personnel, providing concise achievable goals to them and making the rewards attainable from the perspective of the individuals. Based on the report published by Saylor Foundation (n.d.), it has been identified that from the perspective of making the expectations of organisations clearer to individuals in a workplace based on innovative mean, individuals in a workplace are often motivated in terms of developing their respective performance in alignment with the organisational standards. Again, as per the views presented in the research conducted by Tyilana (2005), delivering continuous feedback to the personnel can also raise their motivational level in terms of justifying their original position towards the attainment of predetermined organisational targets and acquiring an in-depth understanding about the respective lacunas that need to be diminished. On a further note, it can be apparent from the report of Saylor Foundation (n.d.) that individuals in a workplace are usually motivated from the perspective of providing concise achievable goals to them by making effective decisions and assessing their respective performance of their own. From the standpoint of making rewards attainable, Tyilana (2005) affirmed that individuals attached with a particular workplace are motivated in terms of offering them with attractive monetary or non-monetary benefits. 4.3 Consequences of Motivating Individuals in a Workplace by Goal Setting Certain positive along with negative consequences can be apparently witnessed while motivating individuals in a workplace by goal setting approach. In this regard, from the perspective of positive consequences, Lunenburg (2011) inferred that by motivating individuals in a workplace, a positive work culture can be formed, which eventually aids in accomplishing the desired organisational targets within a stipulated time frame. Apart from this positive impact, Locke (1996) revealed that other positive consequence of motivating individuals in a workplace by goal setting approach is making them self-reliant and generate positive results. Beyond the positive consequences, certain negative consequences can also be witnessed from motivating the individuals in a workplace by the inclusion of goal-setting approach. In a similar context, Tyilana (2005) identified such negative consequences as greater prevalence of misunderstandings as well as confusions amid the people due to the persistence of dissimilar ideas and making ineffective decisions towards the attainment of predetermined organisational targets. 5. Research Methodology 5.1 Research Design The notion of research design is often regarded as a master plan, which portray the methods as well as the procedures of gathering and assessing the required information relevant to a specific subject matter of a research study (Tyilana, 2005). In relation to the proposed research study, which is mainly concerned about determining how does the approach of goal setting motivates individuals in a workplace to perform through improved recognition and satisfaction being consistent with their personal values and standards, a qualitative approach of research methodology will be undertaken. Conceptually, the notion of qualitative research method is defined as a situated activity, which tends to focus on conducting a particular research study by adopting a naturalistic as well as interpretive approach. It will be vital to mention that the qualitative research method will be considered to fit for the above stated research study, as it focuses on varied dimensions that eventually contribute in completing a specific research study within a predefined time frame. In this regard, various dimensions include exploring relevant issues, comprehending respective phenomena and most vitally answering the required questions in terms of assessing as well as making better sense of unstructured data. It is strongly believed that by considering the aforesaid dimensions, reliability along with validity of the proposed research study can be duly measured in an organised manner (Sage Publications, n.d.). By taking into concern the qualitative approach of research methodology to be adopted in the proposed research study, necessary data will be mainly collected from the conduct of questionnaire survey and varied secondary sources. 5.2 Data Collection and Data Analysis Techniques The section of data collection and analysis frames an important part in a particular research study. This can be justified with reference to the fact that this section is quite essential to consider while conducting a research study, as this tends to promote certain significant elements for completing the study within a predefined timeframe. In this similar context, such important elements can be apparently observed as resource mobilisation, policy execution, programme development and most vitally interventions monitoring among others. Several methods of data collection are present that aid in completing research studies of varied subject matters. In this regard, the most common forms of data collection methods include questionnaire, observation and interview among others. Theoretically, the data collection form of questionnaire is defined as a sequence of questions, which is designed for the participants to obtain their responses relevant to the topic of a research study. Its prime advantages as well as disadvantages include less time consuming along with simple and featured with gaining limited knowledge. In contrast, the data collection method of observation is regarded as the approach of gathering relevant data, which comprises proponents as well as opponents. Its major advantages include relatively inexpensive and holds the capability of generating huge volume of data. However, maximum time consumption and irrelevant information gathering are deemed to be its few disadvantages. On the other hand, the data collection form of interview represents forming structured or unstructured verbal form of communication between a researcher and a specific subject matter of a research at the time of gathering relevant information. The various advantages of interview form of data collection procedure include having the probability of gaining higher amount of responses and depth of the responses can be ensured. Nevertheless, the disadvantages of this form of data collection procedure include cost, time element and the probability of emerging biases (LinkedIn Corporation, 2014). After acquiring a brief idea about the different sorts of data collection methods and their respective advantages along with disadvantages, a questionnaire survey will be mainly taken into consideration in relation to this proposed research study. In lieu of this context, the survey will be mainly conducted on the officials and the employees working with different organisations in the form of the participants for determining about how the theory of goal setting motivates individuals in a workplace through enhanced recognition and satisfaction being consistent with their respective personal values and standards. The sample size will be 100 and the above-depicted participants will be selected on a random basis. On a further note, the collected data will be analysed through the inclusion of primary as well as secondary sources and considering varied graphs as well as charts. In terms of applying primary sources, the gathered data will be analysed by evaluating the responses obtained from the participants and reviewing varied literatures that are found to be relevant to the subject matter of the proposed research study. Thus, based on the above discussion, it can be inferred that a qualitative research method with the inclusion of questionnaire survey and taking into concern the primary as well as secondary data collection procedure will deemed to be appropriate in this proposed study. 5.3 Ethical Considerations It is worth mentioning that various ethical issues are found to be persisting while conducting any research study. Similarly for the proposed study, which is mainly concerned with examining how goal setting theory does motivates individuals in a workplace to perform through developed recognition and satisfaction, various ethical issues are deemed to erupt. In this regard, gaining proper consent of the participants to partake in the questionnaire survey and keeping their responses confidential may be certain ethical issues that are needed to be considered while conducting the proposed research study. Apart from these, the probability of rising biasness in the responses of the participants cannot also be ignored as an ethical issue. 6. References Bandura, A., 1977. Social Learning Theory. Prentice Hall. Lunenburg, F. C., 2011. Goal-Setting Theory of Motivation. International Journal of Management, Business, and Administration, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 1-6. Lockey, E. A. & Latham, G. P., 2002.  Building a Practically Useful Theory of Goal Setting and Task Motivation. American Psychologist, Vol. 57, pp. 705-717. Lockey, E. A., 1996. Motivation through Conscious Goal Setting. Applied & Preventive Psychology, Vol. 5, pp. 117-124. LinkedIn Corporation, 2014. Research Instruments. Methods of Data Collection. [Online] Available at: http://www.slideshare.net/ludymae/chapter-9methods-of-data-collection [Accessed December 11, 2014]. Sage Publications, No Date. What Is Qualitative Research? Qualitative Research, pp. 1-40. Tyilana, X. E., 2005. The Impact of Motivation on Job Satisfaction amongst Employees of a National Broadcaster. Research Design, pp. 1-111. Yearta, S. K. & et. al., 1995. An Exploratory Study of Goal Setting in Theory and Practice: A Motivational Technique that Works? Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, Vol. 69, pp. 237-252. 7. Appendix Time Plan Read More