Exam (elaborations)
IOP4862 Assignment 2 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) 2024 - 1
July 2024
Course
Managerial and Organisational Psychology (IOP4862)
Institution
University Of South Africa (Unisa)
Book
Organizational Psychology for Managers
IOP4862 Assignment 2 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) 2024 - 1 July 2024; 100%
TRUSTED workings, explanations and solutions..........
. Case Study (Please note that the case study is not an actual company
situation.) John Sithole is the managing director of manufacturing and
operations of a medium-sized steel construction organisation. John has a PhD
in engineering but has not been directly involved in research and new product
development for 20 years. He runs a “tight ship” when it comes to operations.
The company does not have a turnover problem, but it was evident to John
and other key management personnel that the hourly people put in only eight
hours daily. They are not working at their full potential and have become
“clock watchers”. John is upset with the situation because, with rising costs,
the only way the company can continue to prosper is to increase the
productivity of its hourly people. John called the human resources manager,
Zamile de Wet, and said, “What is it with our people, anyway? Your wage
surveys show that we pay near the top in this region, our conditions are
tremendous, and our fringe benefits are unbeatable. Yet, these people are still
not motivated. What in the world do they want?” Zamile replied: “I have told
you and the CEO time after time that money, conditions, and benefits are
insufficient. Employees also need other things to motivate them. Moreover, I
have been conducting some random confidential interviews with some of our
hourly people, and they tell me they are very discouraged because, no matter
, how hard they work, they get the same pay and opportunities for
advancement as their co-workers who are just scraping by”. John replied,
“Okay, you are the motivation expert. What do we do about it? We must
increase their performance”.
QUESTIONS: a) Identify Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and discuss how it
relates to the case study by explaining the motivational problem in this
organisation. (7)
In the case study of John Sithole's steel construction organization, the motivational issues among
the hourly workers can be analyzed through the lens of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Maslow's
theory suggests that human needs can be organized into a hierarchy, with lower-level needs
needing to be satisfied before higher-level needs become motivating factors. The hierarchy, from
the most basic to the highest, includes physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem
needs, and self-actualization needs.
Let's apply this framework to the case study:
1. Physiological Needs: These are the basic needs for survival, such as food, water, and
shelter. In the case study, the workers are likely satisfied in this aspect as the organization
offers good wages and benefits, placing them "near the top in this region" according to
wage surveys. Therefore, physiological needs are not likely the primary issue affecting
motivation.
2. Safety Needs: Safety needs include job security, a safe working environment, and
protection from physical harm. Given the description of good conditions and fringe
benefits, it seems that the organization satisfies safety needs adequately. Lack of safety
concerns is unlikely to be a significant factor affecting motivation.
3. Social Needs: Social needs involve the desire for belongingness, acceptance, and
relationships with colleagues and supervisors. The case study does not explicitly address
social needs, but the mention of workers feeling discouraged due to perceived unfairness
in pay and advancement opportunities suggests there might be some issues related to
social comparison and fairness. Workers may feel disconnected or demotivated if they
perceive inequality or lack of recognition compared to their peers.
4. Esteem Needs: Esteem needs include the desire for respect, recognition, and a sense of
accomplishment. The workers in the case study feel demotivated because they perceive
that their efforts are not adequately recognized or rewarded in terms of pay and
advancement opportunities. They see no differentiation in rewards between those who
work hard and those who do not, which undermines their sense of achievement and
esteem.
5. Self-Actualization Needs: Self-actualization is the highest level of Maslow's hierarchy,
involving the realization of one's full potential and personal growth. The workers in this
case study are not likely to be motivated by self-actualization needs if their lower-level
needs (esteem needs) are not adequately met. They are primarily concerned with fairness
and recognition, which are more related to esteem needs.
