Personal, Professional, and Ethical Belief System Essay Example for Free

Personal, Professional, and Ethical Belief System Essay In the human services field, personal ethical belief systems combined with professional ethics work in partnership to guide human service professionals in unraveling ethical dilemmas. An increasing number of professionals and clients seek out to define the fundamental policies of the human services field. Humans develop an integration of values, standards, and beliefs from birth throughout life. The values, standards, and beliefs developed through life assist in characterizing personal ethical belief systems. Our personal ethical belief system unites with our professional ethics to shape the ethical decision-making process. A code of ethics is essential to organizations in the human services field. A code of ethics identifies adequate behavior, endorses high standards of practice, supplies a standard to use for self assessment, and establishes a structure for professional behaviors and responsibilities. Human service professionals promote the integrity and ethics of the profession. As a result, it is crucial for a human service professional to stay educated and knowledgeable of the theoretical basis of their ethical belief system, other theoretical ethics, ethical and legal issues, and the ethical principles of their organization. Every person possesses a core system of values. My personal ethical belief system is derived from my core system of values, the people who helped shape those values, and the decision-making factors I use today to improve them as necessary. My parents, educators, Sunday schoolteachers, preachers, administrators, God, leaders, and many others in the community help shape my values and provide the basis for my ethical belief system. I articulate values in my associations with other people when I am loyal, reliable, honest, generous, trusting, trustworthy, feel a sense of accountability for my family, friends, coworkers, community, country, and the organization where I volunteer. My parents taught me to be a Christian person and to do what is morally right in the eyes of God. I met troubled times throughout my life, but I believe because of my strong morally sound background I could take those experiences and learn from them. My parents remain amazing role models in my life. I attend church and praise God every week as a reminder of why I keep my moral values and belief system close and dear to me. I choose to continue my education on many aspects in my life to assist in governing decision-making factors. As a proud citizen of America, I realize the discrepancy relating to laws and ethics. A law is a decree or government rule prepared to punish those whom disobey. Laws are consistent, universal, published, accepted, and enforced. Ethics is a sense of what is right and wrong morally. However, there is a difference between ethics and morality. According to Anstead, S. M. (1999), â€Å"Morality refers both to the standards of behavior by which individuals are judged, and to the standards of behavior by which people in general are judged in their relationships with others. Ethics, on the other hand, encompasses the system of beliefs that supports a particular view of morality. † The law often integrates ethical standards to which society subscribes. Most ethical decisions come with extensive penalties, numerous alternatives, varied results, unsure and personal consequences. My belief system is derived from my confidence that there is more to reality than what we see. I have faith in a spiritual side of reality beyond what we can see or experience. The basis of my ethical belief system comes from my values and those whom attributed to those values including my life as a believer in God and as a Christian. My metaphysiological view of theism supports my views of ethical absolutism. I found this quote interesting and supportive of my ethical belief system. According to Worldview Dictionary (2011), â€Å"Ethical absolutism is the belief that right and wrong are unchanging, not determined by the individual or the culture; revealed by God through both general and specific revelation. † Ethical absolutism follows one universal moral standard. God is infinite, everlasting, and never-changing. God set the laws of the land therefore I must abide by what is determined by God as right and wrong. God has revealed this truth through his creation and revelation. God is absolute. God created all people as equals. As a believer in God, I serve him through service to others and my community. I take on responsibilities of helping others in my community, volunteering, and donating goods. At all times I abide by these principles: worship only God, respect people, be humble, be honest, live a moral life, be generous with time, practice my views, do not criticize, judge, or condemn, do not hold a grudge, and forgive others. I believe it is right to resist temptation while knowing that evil lurks around. I believe one-day God will return and seek judgment for his people. To live morally and ethically divine is obligatory to have eternal life. As a person and professional, I understand and acknowledge that not all human beings embrace the same views as me and I respect the views of others. In the human service profession, my personal ethical belief system helps guide the work I do as a volunteer at Wise Choices Pregnancy Resource Center (WCPRC). At WCPRC the mission is to help women make life affirming choices. The services offered are free pregnancy testing, free limited sonograms, adoption referrals, abortion education, abortion recovery programs, and earn while you learn program for baby needs. I chose this organization specifically because it supports my beliefs on pro-life. Pro-life supports my beliefs as a Christian. I advocate providing women with education and alternatives to abortion. According to Wise Choices Pregnancy Resource Center (2012), â€Å"Through the years, Wise Choices, has been able to provide various kinds of help and â€Å"counseling† to the women of Wise County and the surrounding areas. We not only help the client, but family or friends of the client, in regards to the situation the client is facing. We believe we can make a difference in the lives of women, one at a time! As a Christian woman, I think that it is important to help clients who are abortion minded or abortion vulnerable see the opportunities they have to save the life they have created. As an advocate, I ask the client if she would like the opportunity to hear the gospel. If she accepts I can share the love God has for his children including the client and her unborn child. I also have the remarkable chance to ask the client if she wants to accept Jesus as her savior from sins. I explain to my clients willing to accept and hear the gospel that they may ask God to forgive them for their sins. It is also an occasion to talk to my clients about abstinence until marriage. Each of the values listed above guides me to be an advocate for the unborn child who is defenseless in his or her right to life. Often I am met with challenges, such as a woman who is pregnant from rape or incest. It is often hard to explain to a woman with traumatic experiences that it is still important to give birth to their child even in extenuating circumstances. Some of the hardest cases come from a woman who is abortion minded or vulnerable and has no interest in hearing the gospel. I go home and pray for the client, her family, and the unborn child. As a member of the National Organization for Human Services (NOHS), the Code of Ethics is an important guidance tool in ethical dilemmas. The Code of Ethics is a set standard of conduct for human service professionals to consider in the ethical decision-making process. According to the National Organization for Human Services (2009), â€Å"Human service professionals respect the integrity and welfare of the client at all times. Each client is treated with respect, acceptance and dignity. Statement two is an ethical principle not difficult to adhere. As a human service professional the integrity and welfare of the client is my duty to advocate. I make a commitment to my client when I become his or her advocate, and that commitment involves seeking the best outcome for the welfare of my client. As a Christian I see all people as equal, and I treat others with respect and dignity at all times. It is important to remem ber that it could be me in the same situation. The NOHS Code of Ethics lists ethical principles that will not be hard to adhere. However, I found a one that might prove to be slightly difficult. According to the National Organization for Human Services (2009), â€Å"Human service educators uphold the principle of liberal education and embrace the essence of academic freedom, abstaining from inflicting their own personal views/morals on students, and allowing students the freedom to express their views without penalty, censure or ridicule, and to engage in critical thinking. † The portion of this statement that might be difficult adhering to is inflicting my own personal values if I were a human service educator. I know that I could refrain from inflicting my own personal values, but I find it would be hard. As a Christian, I think it is important to share the gospel and what it means to me. For example in an ethics class students reflect upon their ethical belief systems and where they originated from. I think if I were the educator it would be hard to refrain myself from speaking my own worldviews and morals to other students. However, as a professional it is important to follow the ethical standards set for the organization in which I am an employee, and the NOHS Code of Ethics. A Code of Ethics is guiding principles that apply to different aspects of life. Ethical standards pertain too many of the following general topics: the use of psychological tests in the courtroom, the lie detector, boundaries of competence, integrity, sexual harassment, human differences, and the legal definition of insanity. * The Use of Psychological Tests in the Courtroom- The use of psychological tests in the courtroom to support the testimony of experts ranges from commendable to problematic. There is a necessity for a reasonable practice of disclosure of psychological test information during trials and courtroom procedures, afterwards the material may be sealed. Psychological tests in the courtroom should adhere to ethical standards by telling the truth and not telling truth intentionally inaccurate. In Statement 28 of the NOHS Code of Ethics, human service professional’s responsibility to the profession is to act with integrity and honesty. My ethical belief system incorporates honesty and integrity at all times. The Lie Detector – After researching ethical standards of the lie detector, I found a Code of Ethics from the American Polygraph Association. The ethical standards stated included: rights of examinees, standards for rendering polygraph decisions, post-examination notification results, restrictions on rendering opinions, restrictions on examinations, fees, standards of reporting, advertisements, release of nonrelevant information, restrictions on examination issues, and APA oversight authority. Lie detectors establish the difference between a lie and the truth; if a person has nothing to hide a lie detector should be no problem. Lie detector use brought justice to families over the years, and continues to do so with respect to the rights of all persons who take the lie detector test. As part of my personal ethics it is essential in the justice system. In Statement 35 of the NOHS Code of Ethics, accountability is maintained by the human service professional. * Boundaries of Competence – Human service professionals are only to conduct research, teach, and provide services only within their boundaries of competence, based on personal experience, education, supervised experience, and study. Reasonable steps should be taken to ensure competence in areas emerging and training does not yet exist. My personal ethics system is important to practice my views. This relates to boundaries of competence I would not practice something I did not believe to be true. In Statement 40 of the NOHS Code of Ethics human service educators demonstrate high standards of scholarships and stay current with developments in human services. * Integrity – Accuracy, honesty, and truthfulness is a role all human service professionals abide by. Integrity is something I incorporate in my personal ethical beliefs and value system. Ethically it is wrong to steal, cheat, lie, fraud, or misrepresent a client or a friend. According to American Psychological Association (2012), â€Å"In situations in which deception may be ethically justifiable to maximize benefits and minimize harm, psychologists have a serious obligation to consider the need for, the possible consequences of, and their responsibility to correct any resulting mistrust or other harmful effects that arise from the use of such techniques. My belief in God’s written words of the Bible helps shape my ethical view on integrity. Statement five of NOHS Code of Ethics protects the integrity of client records. * Sexual Harassment – Sexual harassment is solicitation, verbal or nonverbal sexual behavior, and sexual advances. All people have a right to earn a living free from persistent and pervasive acts of sexual harassment. It is not right to threaten an employee’s self-worth, esteem, and possible advancement in the workplace. As a professional, conduct should compare to higher standards of integrity and safety in the workplace. Statement 24 of NOHS Code of Ethics states that human service professionals should report unethical behavior of colleagues. My personal ethical beliefs in this situation relate back to my Christianity and the laws of the land that an act of sexual harassment is not acting appropriately in the eyes of God. * Human Differences – Human service professionals create public trust through ethical and moral acts. Human diversity is one of those acts. It is imperative to be culturally sensitive to all individuals at all times. I promise to serve all people with the intent to protect their welfare without judgment of any kind. In my ethical beliefs God is the judge, and he will return to do that one day. Statement two of the Code of Ethics for NOHS says human service professionals treat clients with respect and respect their welfare, and Statement 20 refers to diverse backgrounds. * The Legal Definition of Insanity – In my ethical belief system a person who commits an act out of insanity is still responsible for what he or she has done. It is one’s duty to do what is morally right. Questions of right and wrong are paramount, and therefore as I believe absolute. Statement 37 of the NOHS Code of Ethics addresses the need for lifelong learning, and I relate that to this case as a responsibility the human service professional has to its client, as the person who commits a crime out of insanity has a responsibility to pay the consequences. As a member of Team C throughout this course relating to ethics and law in the human services profession we did a team presentation on deontology theory, as presented earlier in the paper. According to Alexander and Moore (2008), â€Å"The word deontology derives from the Greek words for duty (deon) and science (or study) of (logos). This normative theory concentrates on what she should do from a moral standpoint. Deontology is a theory that helps to guide and access our choices in what we ought to do. † Deontology theory assumes at least three important features. The first feature concludes that duty should be done for duty’s sake. An example, acts of promise breaking, lying, or murder are wrong intrinsically, and it is the duty of humans not to do these things. Second, humans ought to be treated as subjects of intrinsic moral value; meaning an ends in themselves and never as a mere means to another end. The third feature is a moral principle is a definite essential that is universalizable; meaning it must be applicable for everyone whom is in the same moral situation. The theoretical basis of my personal ethical belief system falls under the deontology theory. Deontological theory claims the moral rightness or wrongness of an action does not depend upon the nature of its consequences, but on its intrinsic qualities. Deontology theory was founded by Immanuel Kant. Kant was motivated by the lack of a role for duty in Utilitarianism, something he believed to be the foundation of all morality. Deontology supports moral absolutism. Actions are either moral or immoral regardless of the beliefs of an individual, society, or culture. Morals of the universe are intrinsic in the laws of the universe and the nature of humanity. Therefore, the theoretical basis of my personal belief system as a Christian is supported by deontology theory. My belief in God supports ethical absolutism, deontology, and my personal ethical belief system.

Archimedes Essay example -- Biographies Bio Biography

Born the son of an astronomer, Phidias, in 287 B.C., Archimedes' education began as a young man in Syracuse. He furthered his education in Alexandria, where he studied with fellow scholar Conon, an Egyptian mathematician. What we know of Archimedes comes from his personal works as well as those of Cicero and Plutarch. However, "due to the length of time between Archimedes' death and his biographers' accounts, as well as inconsistencies among their writings, details of his life must remain subject to question" (Galenet 1). It is doubtless that Archimedes was the greatest geometer of his time, and he has not been paralleled since then. To imagine just how much knowledge he discovered, and the amount of intelligence he must have had to discover it, is practically impossible. "Archimedes' contributions to mathematical knowledge were diverse" (Galenet 1). He discovered the concepts of Pi, the area of a circle, wrote principles on plane/solid geometry, and developed a somewhat rudimentary form of calculus. In his dealings with plane geometry, Archimedes wrote several treatises, three of which survive today: Measurement of a Circle, Quatdrature of the Parabola, and On Spirals. It is in Measurements of a Circle that Archimedes reveals how he calculated Pi. Pi was found by using a theoretically simple method. Pi represents the number 3.14... In turn, 3.14 represents the circumference of a circle. In order to find this number, Archimedes started with the obvious: draw a circle. In this circle, he drew a six-sided polygon, with each vertex touching part of the circle. Similarly, he drew a hexagon on the outside of the circle, with each segment's midpoint touching part of the circle. He calculated the perimeters of both figures. Arch... ...subject of arithmetic, Archimedes wrote several essays, the only one of which surviving is The Sand Reckoner. In the essay, Archimedes proposed ways of determining the number of grains of sand in the universe. While the problem of sand was never solved, Archimedes has been found to be that one grain of sand in the universe that stands out against the rest. His greatness is still observed and learned about today by millions of students and scholars alike, all hoping for a glimpse into the mind of a genius. With history being such an inconstant, it is left to us to wonder if Archimedes was truly so magnanimous, and it is also left to us to hope that one day the rest of his works will be recovered. If such a small portion of surviving information could sway the world to such a magnitude, imagine how different our world would be if the rest of his works were uncovered.

Motivation and Employees Essay

Motivation is the word derived from the word ’motive’ which means needs, desires, wants or drives within the individuals. It is the process of stimulating people to actions to accomplish the goals. In the work goal context the psychological factors stimulating the people’s behaviour can be – * desire for money * success * recognition * job-satisfaction * team work, etc| One of the most important functions of management is to create willingness amongst the employees to perform in the best of their abilities. Therefore the role of a leader is to arouse interest in performance of employees in their jobs. The process of motivation consists of three stages:- 1. A felt need or drive 2. A stimulus in which needs have to be aroused 3. When needs are satisfied, the satisfaction or accomplishment of goals. Therefore, we can say that motivation is a psychological phenomenon which means needs and wants of the individuals have to be tackled by framing an incentive plan. THEORIES OF MOTIVATION MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS Abraham Maslow is well renowned for proposing the Hierarchy of Needs Theory in 1943. This theory is a classical depiction of human motivation. This theory is based on the assumption that there is a hierarchy of five needs within each individual. The urgency of these needs varies. These five needs are as follows- 1. Physiological needs- These are the basic needs of air, water, food, clothing and shelter. In other words, physiological needs are the needs for basic amenities of life. 2. Safety needs- Safety needs include physical, environmental and emotional safety and protection. For instance- Job security, financial security, protection from animals, family security, health security, etc. 3. Social needs- Social needs include the need for love, affection, care, belongingness, and friendship. 4. Esteem needs- Esteem needs are of two types: internal esteem needs (self- respect, confidence, competence, achievement and freedom) and external esteem needs (recognition, power, status, attention and admiration). 5. Self-actualization need- This include the urge to become what you are capable of becoming / what you have the potential to become. It includes the need for growth and self-contentment. It also includes desire for gaining more knowledge, social- service, creativity and being aesthetic. The self- actualization needs are never fully satiable. As an individual grows psychologically, opportunities keep cropping up to continue growing. According to Maslow, individuals are motivated by unsatisfied needs. As each of these needs is significantly satisfied, it drives and forces the next need to emerge. Maslow grouped the five needs into two categories – Higher-order needs and Lower-order needs. The physiological and the safety needs constituted the lower-order needs. These lower-order needs are mainly satisfied externally. The social, esteem, and self-actualization needs constituted the higher-order needs. These higher-order needs are generally satisfied internally, i.e., within an individual. Thus, we can conclude that during boom period, the employees lower-order needs are significantly met. Implications of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory for Managers | As far as the physiological needs are concerned, the managers should give employees appropriate salaries to purchase the basic necessities of life. Breaks and eating opportunities should be given to employees. | | As far as the safety needs are concerned, the managers should provide the employees job security, safe and hygienic work environment, and retirement benefits so as to retain them.| | As far as social needs are concerned, the management should encourage teamwork and organize social events.| | As far as esteem needs are concerned, the managers can appreciate and reward employees on accomplishing and exceeding their targets. The management can give the deserved employee higher job rank / position in the organization.| | As far as self-actualization needs are concerned, the managers can give the employees challenging jobs in which the employees’ skills and competencies are fully utilized. Moreover, growth opportunities can be given to them so that they can reach the peak.| The managers must identify the need level at which the employee is existing and then those needs can be utilized as push for motivation. Limitations of Maslow’s Theory * It is essential to note that not all employees are governed by same set of needs. Different individuals may be driven by different needs at same point of time. It is always the most powerful unsatisfied need that motivates an individual. * The theory is not empirically supported. * The theory is not applicable in case of starving artist as even if the artist’s basic needs are not satisfied, he will still strive for recognition and achievement. HERZBERG’S 2 FACTOR THEORY In 1959, Frederick Herzberg, a behavioural scientist proposed a two-factor theory or the motivator-hygiene theory. According to Herzberg, there are some job factors that result in satisfaction while there are other job factors that prevent dissatisfaction. According to Herzberg, the opposite of â€Å"Satisfaction† is â€Å"No satisfaction† and the opposite of â€Å"Dissatisfaction† is â€Å"No Dissatisfaction†. Herzberg classified these job factors into two categories- a. Hygiene factors- Hygiene factors are those job factors which are essential for existence of motivation at workplace. These do not lead to positive satisfaction for long-term. But if these factors are absent / if these factors are non-existant at workplace, then they lead to dissatisfaction. In other words, hygiene factors are those factors which when adequate / reasonable in a job, pacify the employees and do not make them dissatisfied. These factors are extrinsic to work. Hygiene factors are also called as dissatisfiers or maintenance factors as they are required to avoid dissatisfaction. These factors describe the job environment / scenario. The hygiene factors symbolized the physiological needs which the individuals wanted and expected to be fulfilled. Hygiene factors include: * Pay- The pay or salary structure should be appropriate and reasonable. It must be equal and competitive to those in the same industry in the same domain. * Company Policies and administrative policies- The company policies should not be too rigid. They should be fair and clear. It should include flexible working hours, dress code, breaks, vacation, etc. * Fringe benefits- The employees should be offered health care plans (mediclaim), benefits for the family members, employee help programmes, etc. * Physical Working conditions- The working conditions should be safe, clean and hygienic. The work equipments should be updated and well-maintained. * Status- The employees’ status within the organization should be familiar and retained. * Interpersonal relations-The relationship of the employees with his peers, superiors and subordinates should be appropriate and acceptable. There should be no conflict or humiliation element present. * Job Security- The organization must provide job security to the employees. b. Motivational factors- According to Herzberg, the hygiene factors cannot be regarded as motivators. The motivational factors yield positive satisfaction. These factors are inherent to work. These factors motivate the employees for a superior performance. These factors are called satisfiers. These are factors involved in performing the job. Employees find these factors intrinsically rewarding. The motivators symbolized the psychological needs that were perceived as an additional benefit. Motivational factors include: * Recognition- The employees should be praised and recognized for their accomplishments by the managers. * Sense of achievement- The employees must have a sense of achievement. This depends on the job. There must be a fruit of some sort in the job. * Growth and promotional opportunities- There must be growth and advancement opportunities in an organization to motivate the employees to perform well. * Responsibility- The employees must hold themselves responsible for the work. The managers should give them ownership of the work. They should minimize control but retain accountability. * Meaningfulness of the work- The work itself should be meaningful, interesting and challenging for the employee to perform and to get motivated. | | Limitations of Two-Factor Theory The two factor theory is not free from limitations: 1. The two-factor theory overlooks situational variables. 2. Herzberg assumed a correlation between satisfaction and productivity. But the research conducted by Herzberg stressed upon satisfaction and ignored productivity. 3. The theory’s reliability is uncertain. Analysis has to be made by the raters. The raters may spoil the findings by analyzing same response in different manner. 4. No comprehensive measure of satisfaction was used. An employee may find his job acceptable despite the fact that he may hate/object part of his job. 5. The two factor theory is not free from bias as it is based on the natural reaction of employees when they are enquired the sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction at work. They will blame dissatisfaction on the external factors such as salary structure, company policies and peer relationship. Also, the employees will give credit to themselves for the satisfaction factor at work. 6. The theory ignores blue-collar workers. Despite these limitat ions, Herzberg’s Two-Factor theory is acceptable broadly. Implications of Two-Factor Theory | The Two-Factor theory implies that the managers must stress upon guaranteeing the adequacy of the hygiene factors to avoid employee dissatisfaction. Also, the managers must make sure that the work is stimulating and rewarding so that the employees are motivated to work and perform harder and better. This theory emphasize upon job-enrichment so as to motivate the employees. The job must utilize the employee’s skills and competencies to the maximum. Focusing on the motivational factors can improve work-quality.| McGREGOR’S THEORY X & Y In 1960, Douglas McGregor formulated Theory X and Theory Y suggesting two aspects of human behaviour at work, or in other words, two different views of individuals (employees): one of which is negative, called as Theory X and the other is positive, so called as Theory Y. According to McGregor, the perception of managers on the nature of individuals is based on various assumptions.Assumptions of Theory X * An average employee intrinsically does not like work and tries to escape it whenever possible. * Since the employee does not want to work, he must be persuaded, compelled, or warned with punishment so as to achieve organizational goals. A close supervision is required on part of managers. The managers adopt a more dictatorial style. * Many employees rank job security on top, and they have little or no aspiration/ ambition. * Employees generally dislike responsibilities. * Employees resist change. * An average employee needs formal direction.| Assumptions of Theory Y * Employees can perceive their job as relaxing and normal. They exercise their physical and mental efforts in an inherent manner in their jobs. * Employees may not require only threat, external control and coercion to work, but they can use self-direction and self-control if they are dedicated and sincere to achieve the organizational objectives. * If the job is rewarding and satisfying, then it will result in employees’ loyalty and commitment to organization. * An average employee can learn to admit and recognize the responsibility. In fact, he can even learn to obtain responsibility. * The employees have skills and capabilities. Their logical capabilities should be fully utilized. In other words, the creativity, resourcefulness and innovative potentiality of the employees can be utilized to solve organizational problems. Thus, we can say that Theory X presents a pessimistic view of employees’ nature and behaviour at work, while Theory Y presents an optimistic view of the employees’ nature and behaviour at work. If correlate it with Maslow’s theory, we can say that Theory X is based on the assumption that the employees emphasize on the physiological needs and the safety needs; while Theory X is based on the assumption that the social needs, esteem needs and the self-actualization needs dominate the employees. McGregor views Theory Y to be more valid and reasonable than Theory X. Thus, he encouraged cordial team relations, responsible and stimulating jobs, and participation of all in decision-making process. Implications of Theory X and Theory Y | Quite a few organizations use Theory X today. Theory X encourages use of tight control and supervision. It implies that employees are reluctant to organizational changes. Thus, it does not encourage innovation.| | Many organizations are using Theory Y techniques. Theory Y implies that the managers should create and encourage a work environment which provides opportunities to employees to take initiative and self-direction. Employees should be given opportunities to contribute to organizational well-being. Theory Y encourages decentralization of authority, teamwork and participative decision making in an organization. Theory Y searches and discovers the ways in which an employee can make significant contributions in an organization. It harmonizes and matches employees’ needs and aspirations with organizational needs and aspirations.| MOTIVATION INCENTIVES – INCENTIVES TO MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES Incentive is an act or promise for greater action. It is also called as a stimulus to greater action. Incentives are something which are given in addition to wagers. It means additional remuneration or benefit to an employee in recognition of achievement or better work. Incentives provide a spur or zeal in the employees for better performance. It is a natural thing that nobody acts without a purpose behind. Therefore, a hope for a reward is a powerful incentive to motivate employees. Besides monetary incentive, there are some other stimuli which can drive a person to better. This will include job satisfaction, job security, job promotion, and pride for accomplishment. Therefore, incentives really can sometimes work to accomplish the goals of a concern. The need of incentives can be many:- 1. To increase productivity, 2. To drive or arouse a stimulus work, 3. To enhance commitment in work performance, 4. To psychologically satisfy a person which leads to job satisfaction, 5. To shape the behavior or outlook of subordinate towards work, 6. To inculcate zeal and enthusiasm towards work, 7. To get the maximum of their capabilities so that they are exploited and utilized maximally. Therefore, management has to offer the following two categories of incentives to motivate employees:- 1. Monetary incentives- Those incentives which satisfy the subordinates by providing them rewards in terms of rupees. Money has been recognized as a chief source of satisfying the needs of people. Money is also helpful to satisfy the social needs by possessing various material items. Therefore, money not only satisfies psychological needs but also the security and social needs. Therefore, in many factories, various wage plans and bonus schemes are introduced to motivate and stimulate the people to work. 2. Non-monetary incentives- Besides the monetary incentives, there are certain non-financial incentives which can satisfy the ego and self- actualization needs of employees. The incentives which cannot be measured in terms of money are under the category of â€Å"Non- monetary incentivesâ⠂¬ . Whenever a manager has to satisfy the psychological needs of the subordinates, he makes use of non-financial incentives. Non- financial incentives can be of the following types:- a. Security of service- Job security is an incentive which provides great motivation to employees. If his job is secured, he will put maximum efforts to achieve the objectives of the enterprise. This also helps since he is very far off from mental tension and he can give his best to the enterprise. b. Praise or recognition- The praise or recognition is another non- financial incentive which satisfies the ego needs of the employees. Sometimes praise becomes more effective than any other incentive. The employees will respond more to praise and try to give the best of their abilities to a concern. c. Suggestion scheme- The organization should look forward to taking suggestions and inviting suggestion schemes from the subordinates. This inculcates a spirit of participation in the employees. This can be done by publishing various articles written by employees to improve the work environment which can be published in various magazines of the company. This also is helpful to motivate the employees to feel important and they can also be in search for innovative methods which can be applied for better work methods. This ultimately helps in growing a concern and adapting new methods of operations. d. Job enrichment- Job enrichment is another non- monetary incentive in which the job of a worker can be enriched. This can be done by increasing his responsibilities, giving him an important designation, increasing the content and nature of the work. This way efficient worker can get challenging jobs in which they can prove their worth. This also helps in the greatest motivation of the efficient employees. e. Promotion opportunities- Promotion is an effective tool to increase the spirit to work in a concern. If the employees are provided opportunities for the advancement and growth , they feel satisfied and contented and they become more committed to the organization. The above non- financial tools can be framed effectively by giving due concentration to the role of employees. A combination of financial and non- financial incentives help together in bringing motivation and zeal to work in a concern. Positive IncentivesPositive incentives are those incentives which provide a positive assurance for fulfilling the needs and wants. Positive incentives generally have an optimistic attitude behind and they are generally given to satisfy the psychological requirements of employees. For example-promotion, praise, recognition, perks and allowances, etc. It is positive by nature.Negative IncentivesNegative incentives are those whose purpose is to correct the mistakes or defaults of employees. The purpose is to rectify mistakes in order to get effective results. Negative incentive is generally resorted to when positive incentive does not works and a psychological set back has to be given to employees. It is negative by nature. For example- demotion, transfer , fines, penalties.| THE IMPORTANCE OF MOTIVATION Motivation is a very important for an organization because of the following benefits it provides:- 1. Puts human resources into action Every concern requires physical, financial and human resources to accomplish the goals. It is through motivation that the human resources can be utilized by making full use of it. This can be done by building willingness in employees to work. This will help the enterprise in securing best possible utilization of resources. 2. Improves level of efficiency of employees The level of a subordinate or a employee does not only depend upon his qualifications and abilities. For getting best of his work performance, the gap between ability and willingness has to be filled which helps in improving the level of performance of subordinates. This will result into- a. Increase in productivity, b. Reducing cost of operations, and c. Improving overall efficiency. 3. Leads to achievement of organizational goals The goals of an enterprise can be achieved only when the following factors take place :- d. There is best possible utilization of resources, e. There is a co-operative work environment, f. The employees are goal-directed and they act in a purposive manner, g. Goals can be achieved if co-ordination and co-operation takes place simultaneously which can be effectively done through motivation. 4. Builds friendly relationship Motivation is an important factor which brings employees satisfaction. This can be done by keeping into mind and framing an incentive plan for the benefit of the employees. This could initiate the following things: h. Monetary and non-monetary incentives, i. Promotion opportunities for employees, j. Disincentives for inefficient employees. In order to build a cordial, friendly atmosphere in a concern, the above steps should be taken by a manager. This would help in: a. Effective co-operation which brings stability, b. Industrial dispute and unrest in employees will reduce, c. The employees will be adaptable to the changes and there will be no resistance to the change, d. This will help in providing a smooth and sound concern in which individual interests will coincide with the organizational interests, e. This will result in profit maximization through increased productivity. 1. Leads to stability of work force Stability of workforce is very important from the point of view of reputation and goodwill of a concern. The employees can remain loyal to the enterprise only when they have a feeling of participation in the management. The skills and efficiency of employees will always be of advantage to employees as well as employees. This will lead to a good public image in the market which will attract competent and qualified people into a concern. As it is said, â€Å"Old is gold† which suffices with the role of motivation here, the older the people, more the experience and their adjustment into a concern which can be of benefit to the enterprise. From the above discussion, we can say that motivation is an internal feeling which can be understood only by manager since he is in close contact with the employees. Needs, wants and desires are inter-related and they are the driving force to act. These needs can be understood by the manager and he can frame motivation plans accordingly. We can say that motivation therefore is a continuous process since motivation process is based on needs which are unlimited. The process has to be continued throughout. We can summarize by saying that motivation is important both to an individual and a business. Motivation is important to an individual as: 1. Motivation will help him achieve his personal goals. 2. If an individual is motivated, he will have job satisfaction. 3. Motivation will help in self-development of individual. 4. An individual would always gain by working with a dynamic team. Similarly, motivation is important to a business as: 1. The more motivated the employees are, the more empowered the team is. 2. The more is the team work and individual employee contribution, more profitable and successful is the business. 3. During period of amendments, there will be more adaptability and creativity. 4. Motivation will lead to an optimistic and challenging attitude at work place. Staff Motivation – Motivation Tips for Employees Employees are the building blocks of an organization. Organizational success depends on the collective efforts of the employees. The employees will collectively contribute to organizational growth when they are motivated. Below mentioned are some tips for motivating the staff / employees in an organization: Evaluate yourself- In order to motivate, encourage and control your staff’s behaviour, it is essential to understand, encourage and control your own behaviour as a manager. Work upon utilizing your strengths and opportunities to neutralize and lower the negative impact of your weaknesses and organizational threats. The manager should adopt the approach â€Å"You’re OK – I’m OK†. Be familiar with your staff- The manager should be well acquainted with his staff. The more and the better he knows his staff, the simpler it is to get them involved in the job as well as in achieving the team and organizational goals. This will also invite staff’s commitment and loyalty. A cordial superior-subordinate relationship is a key factor in job-satisfaction. Provide the employees certain benefits- Give your staff some financial and other benefits. Give them bonuses, pay them for overtime, and give them health and family insurance benefits. Make sure they get breaks from work. Let them enjoy vacations and holidays. Participate in new employees induction programme- Induction proceeds with recruitment advertising. At this point of time, the potential entrants start creating their own impressions and desires about the job and the organization. The manner in which the selection is conducted and the consequent recruitment process will either build or damage the impression about the job and organization. Thus, the manager must have a say in framing the advertisement and also in the selection and recruitment process. After the decision about the candidate is made, the manager must take personal interest in the selected joinee’s joining date, the family relocation issues, cost of removal, etc. Being observed by the new recruit and your entire team / staff to be involved completely, will ensure a persuasive entry in the organization. Provide feedback to the staff constantly- The staff members are keen to know how they are performing. Try giving a regular and constructive feedback to your staff. This will be more acceptable by the staff. Do not base the feedback on assumptions, but on facts and personal observations. Do not indulge in favouritism or comparing the employee with some one else. Sit with your staff on daily or weekly basis and make sure that feedback happens. This will help in boosting employee’s morale and will thus motivate the staff. Acknowledge your staff on their achievements- A pat on the back, some words of praise, and giving a note of credit to the employee / staff member at personal level with some form of broad publicity can motivate the staff a lot. Make it a point to mention the staff’s outstanding achievements in official newsletters or organization’s journal. Not only acknowledge the employee with highest contribution, but also acknowledge the employee who meets and over exceeds the targets. Ensure effective time management- Having control over time ensures that things are done in right manner. Motivate your staff to have â€Å"closed† times, i.e., few hours when there are no interruptions for the staff in performing their job role so that they can concentrate on the job, and â€Å"open† times when the staff freely communicate and interact. Plan one to one sessions of interaction with your staff where they can ask their queries and also can get your attention and, thereby, they will not feel neglected. This all will work in long run to motivate the staff. Have stress management techniques in your organization- Create an environment in which you and your staff can work within optimum pressure levels. Ensure an optimistic attitude towards stress in the workplace. Have training sessions on stress management, and ensure a follow-up with group meetings on the manner stress can be lowered at work. Give your staff autonomy in work. Identify the stress symptoms in employees and try to deal with them. Smile often- Smiling can have a tremendous effect on boosting the morale of the staff. A smiling superior creates an optimistic and motivating work environment. Smiling is an essential component of the body language of confidence, acceptance and boldness. Smile consistently, naturally and often, to demonstrate that you feel good and positive about the staff who works for you. It encourages new ideas and feedback from the staff. The staff does not feel hesitant and threatened to discuss their views this way. Listen effectively- Listening attentively is a form of recognizing and appreciating the person who is talking. Reciprocal / Mutual listening develops cordial and healthy personal relationships on which the employee / staff development rests. If the managers do not listen attentively to the subordinates, the morale of the subordinates lowers down and they do not feel like sharing their ideas or giving their views. Effective listening by the manager boosts up the employees’ morale and thus motivates them. Ensure effective communication- In order to motivate your staff, indulge in effective communication such as avoid using anger expressions, utilize questioning techniques to know staff’s mindset and analysis rather than ordering the staff what to do, base your judgements on facts and not on assumptions, use relaxed and steady tone of voice, listen effectively and be positive and helpful in your responses. Share your views with the staff. Develop and encourage creativity- The staff should be encouraged to develop the creativity skills so as to solve organizational problems. Give them time and resources for developing creativity. Let them hold constant brainstorming sessions. Invite ideas and suggestions from the staff. They may turn out to be very productive. Don’t be rigid. Be flexible- Introduce flexibility in work. Allow for flexible working hours if possible. Let the employees work at home occasionally if need arises. Do not be rigid in accepting ideas from your staff. Stimulate flexible attitudes in the employees who are accountable to you by asking what changes they would like to bring about if given a chance. Adopt job enrichment- Job enrichment implies giving room for a better quality of working life. It means facilitating people to achieve self-development, fame and success through a more challenging and interesting job which provides more promotional and advancement opportunities. Give employees more freedom in job, involve them in decision-making process, show them loyalty and celebrate their achievements Respect your team- Respect not only the employees’ rights to share and express their views, and to be themselves, but their time too. This will ensure that the employees respect you and your time. Make the staff feel that they are respected not just as employees / workers but as individuals too.

How Steel Changed America - 953 Words

How Steel changed America One of the greatest discovers that transformed cities to what they are now is steel industry. The rise of the steel industry in the United States drove Americas growth as a world economic power. â€Å"The industrialization of America made steel the number-one selling product. Steel was used in the construction and maintenance of railroads as well as nearly every other industry of the day (Carnegie, Andrew).† Even thou steel had been used during the early days of European settlement began it was not until the 19 century when new technological advances that allowed steel industry to produce tons of steel for cheap. One of technology advances that made it possible to produce more steel was Bessemer converter which†¦show more content†¦This might be consider creed or against the law now days but at the time there was no law that protect the employees. This helped keep prices low on steel and help builders buy steel for cheap which cause a boom on huge projects like buildi ng huge bridges and building like never seen before. With the big boom on building also cause people to move to cities and kept them there because they had steading work. This gave a rise to modern cities all across the United Stated and creating professionals jobs has we see today. â€Å"Americas emergence as the worlds greatest industrial power at the end of the nineteenth century was based on the mass production of steel. In the process of contributing to the transformation of the countrys economy, the steel industry itself was transformed. The technological and organizational changes in the American steel industry during the nineteenth century were both causes and effects of an increasingly diverse, rapidly urbanizing industrial society (Carnegie, Andrew). References Carnegie, Andrew. Gilded Age and Progressive Era Reference Library. Ed. Lawrence W. Baker and Rebecca Valentine. Vol. 3: Primary Source. Detroit: UXL, 2007. 51-59. Gale U.S. History In Context. Web. 25 Oct. 2012 CliffsNotes.com. The Rise of Urban America. 25 Oct 2012Show MoreRelatedEssay on The World Trade Center1387 Words   |  6 Pagesoccur in America. It brought new laws, ways to travel, government agencies, and counter-terrorism programs. David Rockefeller, the grandson of John D. Rockefeller, decided to take on the decision to build the World Trade Centers (World). Construction officially began in February of 1967 (World). 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