Ÿ Learning- relatively permanent change in knowledge from practice or experience

ü Key points are that it comes from change, change is relatively permanent, and
that it is a result of experience

Ÿ One fundamental way people learn is through consequence they receive for behavior and
actions, “operant conditioning” (learning that happens when behavior and its
consequences connect)

Ex) study hard à get good grades à keeping reading à not burdened for finals

ü Desired consequences- pay & verbal praise

ü Undesired consequences- reprimands

Ÿ Antecedents are essential in learning

ü Instructions, rules, advices from other members of organization

ü Let employees know the organizational consequences and what they should
perform

Ex) rule (antecedent): 3 tardiness è -1 vacation day (consequences) à makes them

think that they shouldn’t be late (behavior)

Ÿ Operant conditioning can create 2 outcomes: employees perform more desired outcomes
or not

Promote desired behaviors through positive or negative reinforcement

Ÿ Reinforcement- process by which applying consequence depend behavior in question

ü Identifying desired behavior

1. Positive reinforcement- administer positive consequences (“positive

reinforcers”)

Ø Managers need to determine which consequences could seem

positive for employees and could be different for each individual

2. Negative reinforcement- high probability that desired behavior will occur

by removing negative consequences (“negative reinforcers”)

Ex) manager complain every time an employee submits late à employee stops
late submission à manager removes complaint è successful behavior
 Ø Consequence and magnitude of desired behavior should be
equivalent

ü Using reinforcement appropriately

Ø Positive reinforcement is better than negative reinforcement

Ø Negative reinforcement can create unintended side of effects

Ø Extreme reinforcement might not be taken seriously

ü Reinforcement schedule

Ø Continuous- behavior is reinforced every time (can result to faster

learning)

Ø Partial- behavior reinforced intermittently

1. Fixed interval schedule- period between each reinforcement is set

Ø Some number of desired behavior can occur before reinforcement

2. Variable interval schedule- period between each reinforcement is variable

Ø Some number of desired behavior that occurs varies at constant

average

ü Shaping- reinforcement of successive and closer approximations to a desired

behavior

Ø Tactic used when managers think employees do not perform

desired behavior at once

Discouraging undesired behavior through extinction and punishment

Ÿ Managers also ensure employee to learn, not to perform undesired behavior (like excessive
absenteeism, excessive web surfing)

ü Extinction- once undesired behavior stops to be reinforced è its frequency

decreases until it no longer occurs

Ex) Sam: likes to joke around à keeps making jokes à meeting gets prolonged à
subordinates does not laugh à eventually stops (eliminated positive reinforcement:
laughing)

ü Punishment- administer negative consequences when undesired behavior occurs

 Ø Decreases probability of undesired behavior; while negative
reinforcement increases the probability of desired behavior

Ø It can create unexpected side-effects, has potential to threaten

employee’s self-respect and create the want of retaliation

Organizational behavior Modification

Ÿ Systematic application for learning desired behavior

ü 5 step process:

1. Identify behavior to be learned

2. Measure the frequency of the behavior- how often the identified behavior
occurs

3. Analyze the antecedents and consequences

4. Intervene to change the frequency- introduce antecedents and applying

operant conditioning techniques

5. Evaluate the success- if not successfully modified, need to reconsider

methods and modify

Ÿ 2 different sides of Ob MOD

ü it can create high productivity and low accidents, absenteeism, etc or;

ü can be “overly-controlling” in a cut-and-dry fashion

Learning from others

Ÿ Social cognitive theory- to understand how people learn.

Ÿ One must take into account a person’s feelings and thought = cognitive process

ü Vicarious learning- learning from observing others’ performance

Learning on your own

Ÿ Use self-control- learn without external pressure

ü Conditions that one is using self-control:

 1. Must engage low probability behavior

2. Self-reinforcers must be available to the learner

3. Must set goals, where self-reinforcement takes place

4. Must administer the reinforce when the goal is achieved

Ÿ The role of self-efficacy (belief to perform successfully)

ü Things that self-efficacy affects learning

1. Inform action and goals chosen for themselves

2. Inform effort exerted on job

3. Affect persistence with trying and mastering new and difficult task

Ÿ Self-efficacy is powerful determinant for job performance

Sources of self-efficacy

1. Past performance

2. Vicarious experience

3. Verbal persuasion

4. Individual’s reading of interval physiological states

Learning by doing

Ÿ Some learning takes place by actually engaging in new or different actions: experimental
learning

Ÿ Important to execute technical, physical, artistic tasks and for interpersonal skills

Continuous learning through creativity

Ÿ Creativity- generation of novel and useful ideas

Ÿ When one is creative è more likely to engage in continuous learning

Ÿ Innovation- successful implementation of creative ideas

 ü Steps of creative learning:

1. Identify a problem

2. Gather information

3. Production of ideas

4. Selecting useful ideas

Characteristics of employee that contribute to creativity

1. Individual differences- openness to experience, internal locus of control, self-esteem,

and cognitive ability

2. Task-relevant knowledge

3. Intrinsic innovation- source of motivation is work

Characteristics of organizational situation that contribute to creativity

1. Level of autonomy- more freedom to make decisions à more creativity

2. Form of evaluation- excessive feedback à afraid to take risks

3. Reward system- rewards should not attempt to control behavior

4. Importance of task or problem- sense of importance is high à more creativity

Ÿ Interaction of personalities and situational factors è creativity

Ÿ Organizational learning is needed to contribute to organizational effectiveness

ü Important key is “knowledge management”