• Home
• Module overview
• 1. The challenge of management
  • Introduction
  • 1.1 Defining management
    • 1.1.1 The art of getting things done through people
    • 1.1.2 Defining management by its functions
    • 1.1.3 Is management a profession?
  • 1.2 Management knowledge , skills and performance
    • 1.2.1 Types of managers
    • 1.2.2 Effectiveness and efficiency
    • 1.2.3 Managing the customer within
  • 1.3 The evolution of management thought
  • Conclusion

• 2. Understanding external environments

  • Introduction
  • 2.1 Putting the e xternal environment into focus
    • 2.1.1 Classifying external elements
    • 2.1.2 The changing environment
    • 2.1.3 The international dimension
  • 2.2 Relating the o rganisation to its environment
    • 2.2.1 So many issues: Which should you focus on?
    • 2.2.2 How do you acquire the relevant information?
    • 2.2.3 Clarifying the relationship between the internal and external environments
  • Conclusion

• 3. Social responsibility and ethics in management

  • Introduction
  • 3.1 Business is not value neutral: Social responsibility, obligation and responsiveness
  • 3.2 Focussing on ethics
    • 3.2.1 Why business ethics now?
    • 3.2.2 Ethical quandaries
    • 3.2.3 Approaches to ethical dilemmas
    • 3.2.4 Defining your ethics
  • Conclusion

• 4. Managerial decision making

  • Introduction
  • 4.1 Decision making and problem solving
  • 4.2 The nature of decision making as part of management
    • 4.2.1 Programmed and non-programmed decisions
    • 4.2.2 Certainty, risk and uncertainty
    • 4.2.3 Urgent vs important decisions
  • 4.3 Problem solving: making the most of opportunities
    • 4.3.1 Looking further at problem solving
    • 4.3.2 The effective decision making process
    • 4.3.3 Improving managerial problem solving: overcoming barriers
    • 4.3.4 Thinking 'outside the box' and creativity
  • 4.4 Interrelated problems
  • Conclusion

• 5. Managing strategically

  • Introduction
  • 5.1 Planning ahead
  • 5.2 Strategic management
    • 5.2.1 Some definitions
    • 5.2.2 The process of strategic management
  • Conclusion

• 6. Organisational design and structure

  • Introduction
  • 6.1 The terminology of organisational design
  • 6.2 Strategic organisational design and structure
    • 6.2.1 Types of organisational structure
    • 6.2.2 Strategic organisational design
  • 6.3 Teamwork
    • 6.3.1 The success of teamwork
  • Conclusion

• 7. Organisational culture and workforce diversity

  • Introduction
  • 7.1 Defining organisational or corporate culture
    • 7.1.1 Culture defined through its response to change
    • 7.1.2 Culture defined through the influence of the external environment
  • 7.2 Strong and weak cultures
  • 7.3 The functions of culture
  • 7.4 Creating and sustaining culture
  • 7.5 Types of culture
    • 7.5.1 Dominant culture
    • 7.5.2 Subculture
    • 7.5.3 Core values
  • 7.6 Changing culture
  • 7.7 Cultural diversity in the maritime industry
  • Conclusion

• 8. Change management

  • Introduction
  • 8.1 Dealing with change and the changing nature of change
    • 8.1.1 In what areas of the organisation can managers expect change?
    • 8.1.2 Reacting to change
  • 8.2 Key issues accelerating change
    • 8.2.1 External forces
    • 8.2.2 Internal forces
  • 8.3 Managing change
    • 8.3.1 Reactions to change
    • 8.3.2 Why employees resist change
    • 8.3.3 Emotions accompanying change
    • 8.3.4 Overcoming resistance
    • 8.3.5 Leadership and successful change
  • Conclusion

• 9. Motivating for performance

  • Introduction
  • 9.1 The nature of motivation
  • 9.2 Theories of motivation
    • 9.2.1 Do rewards really work? needs theories
    • 9.2.2 Are substantive rewards the only motivator? process theories
    • 9.2.3 Learning behaviour reinforcement theory
    • 9.2.4 Social learning theory
    • 9.2.5 Putting it all together systems theory
  • 9.3 The power of positive thinking
  • 9.4 Motivation: The implications for managers
  • Conclusion

• 10. Leadership

  • Introduction
  • 10.1 The nature of leadership
    • 10.1.1 Thinking about 'leaders' and 'leadership'
    • 10.1.2 Theories of leadership
    • 10.1.3 Refining our definition of leadership
  • 10.2 Perspectives on leadership
    • 10.2.1 Manager, leader, or both?
  • Conclusion

• 11. Teamwork

  • Introduction
  • 11.1 Work groups and group dynamics
    • 11.1.1 Work groups, work teams, taskforces, self-managing teams and team building
    • 11.1.2 High-performance teams
  • 11.2 Managing meetings and committees
  • 11.3 Group decision making
    • 11.3.1 Some advantages and disadvantages
    • 11.3.2 So, do groups make better decisions than individuals?
  • Conclusion

• 12. Managerial evaluation and control

  • Introduction
  • 12.1 Evaluation and control as a management process
    • 12.1.1 Why evaluate and control performance?
    • 12.1.2 Getting and using necessary information
  • 12.2 Levels of control
  • 12.3 Steps in the control process
  • 12.4 Assessing control systems
  • 12.5 Back to ethics
  • 12.6 Quality control systems
  • Conclusion

9.2.5 Putting it all together systems theory

We shall now consider the process of motivation from a more sophisticated viewpoint using the context of the modern business environment. We often hear that people are looking for greater self-esteem and more meaning in their work. We have already seen that some of the traditional models of motivating employees appear to be losing their potency in today's business environment.

The workplace itself is now considered more than ever as a source of the fulfilment of personal needs, while socially a greater emphasis is being placed on balanced lifestyles that incorporate work, leisure and family activities.

Surrounding this scenario is an international business community in which competition is becoming more intense and more demanding of both employers and employees. This gives rise to a challenge for companies to address issues related to the needs of employees and other stakeholders while containing payroll and other costs. Knowing the complex factors that motivate people becomes crucial to the wellbeing of modern companies.

Consider the following questions:

• How will companies meet this challenge?
• How can organisations motivate and meet the needs of employees from many different groups and in various geographical locations?
• Does the cultural diversity of the maritime transport industry represent a problem
  or an opportunity for motivating employees and improving job performance?

As you work your way through the rest of this chapter keep in mind these questions and your answers to them. The last question is particularly relevant in countries where there is an increasingly rich and diverse mixture of cultures. While it is unwise to 'compartmentalise' individuals and groups, we do need to recognise that employees from different cultures or other groups may be motivated in different ways, by different aspects of their work.

In discussing the different views of how motivation works, so far we have tended to consider each theory in isolation. However, as you are aware almost nothing exists in isolation from other processes.

Systems management.

The approach to management that considers the impacts of all the factors that influence employees is called systems management . The systems view allows that many, possibly conflicting, pressures act on an individual at any one time, and that all the pressures must be considered in order to determine what motivates an individual.

The next reading starts with the systems view of motivation. The system of factors acting on an individual includes individual characteristics, job characteristics and the work environment. This reading links the work we have done so far, on individual motivation, with the total work environment.

Reading 9.3

Stoner J; Yetton P; Craig J & Johnston K (1994). [Extract from] Chapter 12 'Motivation, job design and performance'. In Management. 2nd edition. Sydney , Australia : Prentice Hall, pages 362-363.

Motivating casual staff.

The fundamental changes that are occurring in the workplace are even more wide reaching than has so far been suggested. We see from recent employment trends released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics that there is an increasing incidence of part-time employment in Australia . This trend raises the issue of how managers can motivate staff who may work for them only occasionally and may indeed work for more than one employer at one time.

In this kind of complex situation all aspects of working life will come under scrutiny and comparison. To successfully motivate and get the best from such workers, managers will need to develop carefully structured remuneration packages. These packages will need to be both flexible to meet employees' changing professional and personal requirements and adaptable to reflect the evolving work and social environments.

Some general readings follow.

Reading 9.4

Gettler , Leon (2000, November/December). 'Do you get what you pay for?' Management Today , pages 4-5.

Inglis, Susan (2001, April). 'Totally devoted'. HRMonthly , pages 46-47.

Wood, David (2001, April). 'Energy, passion and the corporate world'. Management Today , page 24.

Milgate, Michael (2001, April). 'A second look at loyalty'. Management Today , page 12.

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