Behaviour Modification - Essay Example

Name of Student: University: Subject Code: Course Instructor: Date Assignment Due: Behaviour Modification is considered to be a Management Tool. Discuss the Advantage and Disadvantages of Behaviour Modification Introduction This brief analytical essay seeks to explore the advantages and disadvantages of behaviour modification as used in contemporary management practices. In recent times, behaviour modification has emerged as a management tool essential in amplifying organization productivity and effectiveness. To understand behaviour modification in management, one must first conceptualize the relevance of organization behaviour i.e. the human behaviour at the workplace and how organisation requires both the employees and management to act in particular situations (Herbst and Houmanfar, pp. 47 – 68). Numerous theories have emerged from research into appropriate management protocols ranging from the individual level such as personality and motivation, to the team level such as in leadership and in group dynamics, as well as organisation level such as in organisation structures and organisational culture. According to Herbst and Houmanfar (2009, pp. 47 – 68), these three levels of research helps explain and elaborate on behaviour at the workplace and its critical role in predisposing organisation productivity and effectiveness. In this essay, the concept of behaviour modification and how it is employed in organisation management are considered before the advantages and disadvantages arising therefrom are reviewed. The essay terminates with a tenable conclusion on the issues raised throughout the paper. Behaviour Modification The term behaviour modification has been defined variously as the practice of employing empirically tested and applied behaviour change techniques in improving the behaviour of individuals towards certain predetermined behaviours (Miltenberger, pp. 402 – 423). In organisation management circles, behaviour modification aims at altering the behaviours of the employees towards certain desirable ends for the overall agenda of an institution (Roberts, pp.83-97; Miltenberger, pp. 402 – 423). The process of behaviour modification may be through training employee reactions to certain stimuli enabled by positive and or negative reinforcement to their adaptive behaviour (Kazdin, pp. 116 – 214). It can also be contrived as a reduction of the maladaptive behaviour by using such techniques as therapy, extinction and punishment (Kazdin, pp. 116 – 214). The most common ways of reinforcing positive behaviour in organisation settings include compensation, promotion, rewards, commendation, recognition and appreciation of good performance. In various applications such as in health care therapy, education settings, palliative care or in management, behaviour modification can be implemented in a variety of ways (Kazdin, pp. 116 – 214). The application id dependent of the target participants or subjects, the objective and the context, Robbins, Judge, Millet and Waters-Marsh (2008, 21) postulates a problem-solving model of organisational management behaviour modification that incorporates five stages. The model initiates behaviour modification with identifying critical behaviours, developing baseline data, identifying behavioural consequences, applying intervention and finally, evaluating performance improvement. Behaviour Modification in Management Practices It is important to conceive organisation behaviour modification as an instrument used by the management to stimulate effective and efficient work performance by the employees (Miltenberger, pp. 402 – 423). In this con caption, the modification process targets organizational improvement by engaging the employees in a program of change that ultimately contributes to the attainment of organizational objectives such as of high productivity, better customer care, better sales etc (Herbst and Houmanfar, pp. 47 – 68). In organisations, the HR department is the one charged with the unique responsibility of monitoring and modelling employee behaviours in line with the stipulated organisation objectives. For instance, during cost reduction initiatives, the HR department will be directed to help alter the attitudes and practices of the employees towards wastage of resources and decrease of expenditure while simultaneously increasing production. If the management notes that poor and low productivity might be resulting from the inability of employees to work as a team, then it is the responsibility of the Human Resource department that gets the mandate to coach, instil and enforce a behaviour modification process (Martin and Pear, pp. 36 – 132). The aim of such a process would be to inculcate group/team dynamics into the employees’ conduct such that they can effectively work in team settings (Martin and Pear, pp. 36 – 132). The available behaviour modification literature suggests seven characteristics that can be attributed to behaviour modification processes in organisation management (Martin and Pear, pp. 36 – 132). For one, behaviour modification emphasizes the importance of defining the problems in terms of measurable behaviour. Secondly, according to Martin and Pear (2004, pp. 36 – 132) the treatment methods must be conceived as ways of altering the current environment of employees so that these employees can function more effectively and productively. Thirdly, behaviour modification processes must always use rationales and methods that can be measured and described precisely. Fourthly, the techniques adopted ought to be simple and direct such as those used in everyday life of an individual (Martin and Pear, pp. 36 – 132). The fifth feature of behaviour modification processes in organisation management is that it employs techniques based mostly on the principles of learning. Robbins, Judge, Millet and Waters-Marsh (2008, 10) defines learning as a process of acquiring a permanent behaviour change consequent to a stimulating experience. As such, behaviour modification processes should be stimulated by experience for them to yield relatively permanent behaviour changes. The sixth feature of the processes is that there must be a strong emphasis on the scientific/empirical demonstration and applicability of the techniques such that any behaviour change can precisely and directly be linked to a particular technique. The process cannot be trusted to trial and error methods where change comes from any of the adopted techniques. There is need for precise application of behaviour modification techniques (Martin and Pear, pp. 36 – 132). Finally, there also needs to be a strong emphasis on the accountability for each and everyone involved in a particular behaviour modification program. The participants need to assume particular responsibilities and to account for their participation in the end result, especially during the evaluation of the process (Martin and Pear, pp. 36 – 132). Advantages of Behaviour Modification Managers usually result to behaviour modification techniques when their employee’s behaviour is not in agreement with the goals of the organisation and when they need to alter the organisation culture (Miltenberger, pp. 402 – 423). For instance, the employees may frequently be absent from the workplace, may have inappropriate customer service practices, may have poor teamwork skills etc. These scenarios result to poor work performance and to negative work place environment. The managers may thus see the only way towards better performance being modifying the employee behaviour, to terminate such scenarios of negative behaviour and engrain positive behaviours (Miltenberger, pp. 402 – 423). In this case, behaviour modification aims to alter how employs act in the work place towards a set of desirable behaviours that favour performance, productivity and good working relationships. The best way to achieve such may be through the use of positive behaviour reinforcement, where whenever an employee displays the desirable behaviour, he or she is rewarded through promotions, benefits, compensation, recognition and commendation (Miltenberger, pp. 402 – 423). In the foregoing analysis of behaviour modification, the many advantages of the practice as a management have been highlighted. For instance, it has already been acknowledged that behaviour modification helps in eliminating negative employee tendencies such as absenteeism, wastefulness or resources etc. It also helps improve performance and productivity of employees, While seeking to improve productivity, organisations can always result to hiring more workers or to improve the productivity of the workers they have already hired (Olchowski, Foster and Webster-Stratton, pp.284-304). Behaviour modification helps amplify the productivity and efficiency of the current workforce such that increased production has no associated extra costs (Olchowski, Foster and Webster-Stratton, pp.284-304). Further, when employed as part of organisation behaviour change, behaviour modification programs help in formulating uniform, positive and long-term organisation behaviour since it is effected in every member of the organisation. The reason why some organisations are reputed for excellent customer service, excellent product quality, etc is because once employee are recruited in this organisations, they are all taken through a successful behaviour modification program that enhances these same traits as the idea culture in which they are adopted (O'Donohue and Ferguson, pp. 335-352). As such, organisations can create a singular way of dealing with different aspects of their production and operation by simulating a behaviour modification program that inducts all members of the organisation in that ideal culture (O'Donohue and Ferguson, pp. 335-352). Another advantage of behaviour modification is that it inculcates consistent behaviour and long term results in employee productivity (Martin and Pear, pp. 36 – 132). As compared to other methods of improving productivity such as increased supervision, behaviour modification engrains a permanent character in every individual towards an idealised behaviour (Martin and Pear, pp. 36 – 132). This means that there is no need for supervision and constant admonition for the employees to perform, since the desired level of performance is adopted as the default behaviour of the employees in all work environments (Martin and Pear, pp. 36 – 132). Disadvantages of Behaviour Modification Even with as many advantages, behaviour modification has some inbuilt disadvantages. For one, the program desired to initiate and maintain behaviour modification within an organisation setting may not achieve the same results in all the employees. People respond differently to different stimuli. Reinforcement for instance for ideal behaviour, may motivate different employees differently and therefore be ineffective as a generalised way of modifying behaviour to a particular objective (Kang, Oah and Dickinson, pp. 21 – 53). Again, the process of behaviour modification cannot be static. If the desired behaviour is attained in an organisation, the program cannot be scrapped due to several reasons (Kazdin, pp. 116 – 214). For one, when ideal behaviour is achieved and left at that, it begins to degenerate again. Humans are wired to perpetually desire seek for change (Kazdin, pp. 116 – 214). Status quo can only remain to a particular time before the natural forces of change result to changed behaviour, a change that might not be in line with organisation objectives (Kazdin, pp. 116 – 214). Secondly, there will always be new employs joining the organisation who needs to be inducted into the ideal organisation behaviour. In the end analysis therefore, the behaviour modification program needs to an ongoing process that perpetually shift the goals to greater attainments once a particular desired behaviour has been engrained in the employees (Kazdin, pp. 116 – 214). This further complicates the role of the HR department, which has many other running programs on a constant basis such as employee recruitment, training, induction, development etc (Martin and Pear, pp. 36 – 132). Finally, the fact that reinforcement of positive behaviour is the most effective way of behaviour modification in organisations as detailed here above, carries with it certain complications. The frequency of such reinforcements (Kang, Oah and Dickinson, pp. 21 – 53), the weight of the reinforcement and the criteria used to identify the recipients of such reinforcements can threaten the success of the behaviour modification process (Pampino, MacDonald, Mullin and Wilder, pp. 21 – 43). According to Kang, Oah and Dickinson (2005, pp. 21 – 53) and Pampino, MacDonald, Mullin and Wilder (2004, pp. 21 – 43) if employees feel that the reinforcements are not adequate, are not given out fairly or are too insignificant or rare, they will have little motivation to seek the attainment of the desired behaviour changes. Conclusion From the analytical essay, it has emerged that the advantages of behaviour modification far outweigh the inbuilt disadvantages. Increased productivity at no extra cost, the permanence of the positive change achieved and the ability to mould a desired organisation culture with behaviour modification far outweighs the limitations of the practice. This explains why behaviour modification is increasingly being incorporated in contemporary management practices as a management tool essential in amplifying organization productivity and effectiveness. Works Cited Herbst, S. and Houmanfar, R. Psychological Approaches to Values in Organizations and Organizational Behaviour Management. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management. Vol. 29 (1). 2009. pp. 47 – 68. Kang, K., Oah, S. and Dickinson, A. The Relative Effects of Different Frequencies of Feedback on Work Performance. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management. Vol. 23 (4). 2005. pp. 21 – 53. Kazdin, A. Behavior Modification in Applied Settings. 6th edition. London: Waveland Press Inc. 2008. pp. 116 – 214. Martin, G. and Pear, J. Behavior Modification: What It Is and How to Do It. 7th Edition. New York: Prentice Hall. 2006. pp. 36 – 132. Miltenberger, R. Behavior Modification: Principles and Procedures. 4th edition. Wadsworth Publishing. 2007. Pp. 402 – 423. O'Donohue, W. and Ferguson, K. Evidence-Based Practice in Psychology and Behavior Analysis. The Behavior Analyst Today. Vol. 7 (3). 2006. pp. 335-352. Olchowski, A., Foster, E. and Webster-Stratton, C. Implementing Behavioral Intervention Components in a Cost-Effective Manner: Analysis of the Incredible Years Program. Journal of Early and Intensive Behavior Intervention, Vol. 3 (4) and Vol. 4 (1) Combined Edition. 2007. pp. 284-304. Pampino, R., MacDonald, J., Mullin, J. and Wilder, A. Weekly Feedback vs. Daily Feedback: An Application in Retail. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management. Vol. 23 (2-3). 2004. pp. 21 – 43. Robbins, S., Judge, T., Millet, B. and Waters-Marsh, T. Organisational Behaviour. 5th edition. Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education Australia 2008. Roberts, M. Research in Practice: Practical Approaches to Conducting Functional Analyses that all Educators Can Use. The Behavior Analyst Today. Frenchs Forest. Vol. 3 (1). 2001. pp. 83-97. Read More