Motivational practices

Abstract

The research study focused on the influence of corporate culture on motivational practices. The goal of the study was to determine the influence that corporate culture has on the motivational practices. The interview conducted helped to garner information for the study used the interview approach to collect data and from two human resource managers from an IT and a marketing organization in South Carolina. Based on the study findings, the researcher found out that organization culture has a positive impact on motivational practices. The study findings will help direct the future doctoral study.

Background

Motivating employees tend to be essential for any organization that is aspiring to succeed. However, motivation tends not to be a straightforward process because of the diversity of individual’s needs. Not all industries adopt the innovative practices in the broader scale despite numerous studies providing their success (Shahzd, 2012). It might be because of the general unawareness of their benefits with the current corporate culture. Thus, corporate culture has a significant role in providing the framework where different motivational issues may act. The methods of motivation are changing over time, and it depends on the situations that employees are experiencing (Dubkevics, 2010). Hence, managers tend to have a crucial role in locating the motivational factors of employees and implementing them in the corporate culture. The corporate culture has a significant role in providing a framework in which motivational factors operate (Cui & Junchen 2012). Thus, besides motivation, the corporate culture tends to facilitate the crucial aspects of the organizational life as unity among employees and their well-being. There is an increasing number of research focusing on the how organizations use different motivational practices to influence the performance of employees. However, there tends to be a lack of published that feature the influence that corporate culture has on motivational practices. Hence, there is a need for further research in this area of study.

Problem Statement

The results from the 2014 TINY pulse employee engagement and organizational culture report, it indicates that 66% of employees do not see strong opportunities for professional growth in their current role (TINYpulse, 2014). According to (Sokro, 2012), the lack of appreciation and recognition tend to be driving employees to feel undervalued as 26% of employees do not believe that they have the tools to succeed. The general business problem is that organizations normally have a unique set of values, beliefs, and norms and most organizations do not consider the impact that culture have on the motivational practices. The specific problem is that organization managers do know how the organization culture can influence the motivation of employees.

Purpose Statement

The study aimed at exploring the influence that organizational culture has on motivational practices. Conducting this study will provide managers with an opportunity to learn how the culture of an organization can influence the motivation practices to use. So as to conduct the study, the researcher used qualitative research method. The researcher interviewed two human resource managers from a marketing organization and also an IT firm. The choice of these companies varied because the IT structure and also the marketing organization are different, and they also involve in different business activities. The results of the study could contribute to positive results about employee management as it will provide managers with knowledge of how to motivate employees.

Research Question

The central question that the study addressed was what influence does corporate culture have on motivational practices? The study considered studying the organizational culture of the two organizations and the motivational practices that the cultures of the organizations influence. The participants of the study had been in the HR position for over four years; thus, familiar with the organization culture and motivation practices used.

Conceptual Framework

Most people with business knowledge have an idea of what corporate culture and motivation means. However, people may not realize their motivational factor and how the culture influences them. So as people can know what motivate them, there is need to comprehend the value set on various issues. The study ground on the structural model of culture proposed by Schein (Schein, 2009). It is an essential framework to analyze organizational culture. The choice of the model was because it has less criticism and can integrate several perspectives in cultural studies. Schein states that people must examine culture at the level of deeply held basic assumptions that the group members share (Schein, 2009). The phenomenon forming the object of this study is culture. The study considers the organization as culture and refers to culture as the deep structure of the organization rooted in the assumptions help by the members. The use of Schein model of culture offered a better understanding of organization culture.

The study considered using the qualitative research design. It is a research design based on the aim of understanding the meaning of a social phenomenon (Silverman, 2011). Qualitative studies may have various approaches such as observation, interviews, focus groups, or study of documents (Luton, 2015). In this case, because of time and cost, the researcher made the decision to use interviews. The interview helped to answer questions on the type of organization culture, the motivational practices that the organization considers, and how employees benefit from the culture of the organization.

Significance of the Study

The research purpose was to bring in a better understanding of how the organization culture influences the motivation practices in an organization. The research study is significant to business because it will provide managers with a framework for implementing motivational tools that affect the way employees behave. When using the findings of the study, managers will be able to create a culture that foster individual motivation. The study will be able to offer useful and sound knowledge to guide the organizations about the development and well-being of employees in the research setting.

The research study will contribute to the field of management through expanding research in an area that was before overlooked. Through showing how organization culture influences motivation, the study could positively influence the structures of the organization so as to help improve the performance of employees. The study results indicate that there is a need for more awareness of the influence of organizational culture and employees. With this knowledge, leaders can be able to find proper strategies that will ensure that employees work in an environment that allow them to be productive.

Reference

Cui, X. & Junchen, H. (2012). A literature review on the organization culture and corporate performance. International Journal of Business Administration. 3(2), 28-37.

Dubkevics, L (2010). The role of the organizational culture in human resource management. Human Resource Management & Ergonomics, 4, 1-10

Luton, L (2015). Qualitative research approaches for public administration. New York, Routledge.

Schein, H (2009). The corporate culture. USA, John Wiley.

Shahzd, F. (2012). The impact of organizational culture on organizational performance. Interdisciplinary journal of contemporary research in business, 3(9).

Sokro, E (2012). Analysis of the relationship that exist between organizational culture, motivation, and performance. Problems of management in the 21st Century 3. 106-119

Thomas, J., Nelson, J., & Silverman, S (2011). Research methods in physical activity. UK, Human Kinetics

TINYpulse, (2014). The 7 key trends are impacting today’s workplace. TINYpulse. 

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