Management and Organizational Behavior

The author indicates that

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

Motivation is one of the most important variables in learning. A high degree of motivation engenders an active and aggressive attitude with regard to educational goals. Every child comes to school with interests and motives. The teacher’s problem is to discover, direct and capitalize upon these motives and interests for educational purposes. Knowledge is not self-motivating. Facts become interesting and desirable when they represent a means of obtaining goals which the learner wishes to attain.
Most of the educationally significant sources of drive are social in origin. The socially derived tendencies are listed as the affiliative- and prestige-oriented motives. This is an artificial but useful classification of motives.
The affiliation-oriented motives include gregariousness, social response, affection, and love as subgroups. These motives range all the way from a desire to be with other people as contrasted with being alone, at one extreme, to parent-child and husband-wife love, at the other. Although the affiliative motives are seldom manipulated purposely for motivational reason, they are involved in most classroom learning situations. Where classroom learning is such that working towards desirable education goals carries with it increased social response and closer affectional relationships within the group, the affiliative tendencies will facilitate learning. Conversely, when the students have attitudes of distrust, hostility, and antagonism towards the teacher, defiance of the teacher and opposition to him may be a means of gaining acceptance within a peer group.
Physical rewards and punishments may symbolize the bestowal or withdrawal of affection. Similarly, commendation and praise, on the one hand, and scolding and reproof, on the other, not only involve the prestige-oriented motives but may also signify the bestowal or withdrawal of affection.
The prestige-oriented motives are often used purposely to motivate learning and are practically always involved in educational procedures. Whenever such positive factors as social recognition, commendation, and praise, or negative ones such as reproof and ridicule are used, the prestige motives are involved. Prestige may attach to any extension of the self, such as one’s relatives and friends, one’s physical possessions and social status, and even to one’s convictions and beliefs. Competitive self-enhancement is an ever-present motive in our culture.
Security-related motivation always has a future reference. It is essentially a desire for an assurance with regard to the future satisfaction of the other motives. Most of the things done to satisfy immediate motives have security implications.
Socially-related motives have their roots in the child’s culture. These various ethnic, cultural, sub-cultural, and community influences initially impinge on the child via his family. The family is the primary and most important social source of motivation in the child. The second most important social influence is the peer group. The adolescent peer group often competes with the family and school as a source of social motivation. (from Education Psychology published by Prentice Hall India)

The author’s chief concern seems to

Directions: Answer the given question based on the following passage:

Motivation is one of the most important variables in learning. A high degree of motivation engenders an active and aggressive attitude with regard to educational goals. Every child comes to school with interests and motives. The teacher’s problem is to discover, direct and capitalize upon these motives and interests for educational purposes. Knowledge is not self-motivating. Facts become interesting and desirable when they represent a means of obtaining goals which the learner wishes to attain.
Most of the educationally significant sources of drive are social in origin. The socially derived tendencies are listed as the affiliative- and prestige-oriented motives. This is an artificial but useful classification of motives.
The affiliation-oriented motives include gregariousness, social response, affection, and love as subgroups. These motives range all the way from a desire to be with other people as contrasted with being alone, at one extreme, to parent-child and husband-wife love, at the other. Although the affiliative motives are seldom manipulated purposely for motivational reason, they are involved in most classroom learning situations. Where classroom learning is such that working towards desirable education goals carries with it increased social response and closer affectional relationships within the group, the affiliative tendencies will facilitate learning. Conversely, when the students have attitudes of distrust, hostility, and antagonism towards the teacher, defiance of the teacher and opposition to him may be a means of gaining acceptance within a peer group.
Physical rewards and punishments may symbolize the bestowal or withdrawal of affection. Similarly, commendation and praise, on the one hand, and scolding and reproof, on the other, not only involve the prestige-oriented motives but may also signify the bestowal or withdrawal of affection.
The prestige-oriented motives are often used purposely to motivate learning and are practically always involved in educational procedures. Whenever such positive factors as social recognition, commendation, and praise, or negative ones such as reproof and ridicule are used, the prestige motives are involved. Prestige may attach to any extension of the self, such as one’s relatives and friends, one’s physical possessions and social status, and even to one’s convictions and beliefs. Competitive self-enhancement is an ever-present motive in our culture.
Security-related motivation always has a future reference. It is essentially a desire for an assurance with regard to the future satisfaction of the other motives. Most of the things done to satisfy immediate motives have security implications.
Socially-related motives have their roots in the child’s culture. These various ethnic, cultural, sub-cultural, and community influences initially impinge on the child via his family. The family is the primary and most important social source of motivation in the child. The second most important social influence is the peer group. The adolescent peer group often competes with the family and school as a source of social motivation. (from Education Psychology published by Prentice Hall India)

How often do you accomplish a goal or complete a project with no help from others? If you are a manager, how many of the great ideas you promote were contributed by staff members? Take the time, and expend the energy, to thank, reward, recognize and specify contributions of the people who help you succeed. This is a no-fail approach to building effective work relationships. Every employee in your organization has talents, skills, and experience. If you can help fellow employees harness their best abilities, you benefit the organization immeasurably. The growth of individual employees benefits the whole. Compliment, recognize, praise, and notice contributions. You don't have to be a manager to help create a positive, motivating environment for employees. In this environment, employees do find and contribute their greatness.

What is the underlying theme of the passage?

When conventional management practices force plans, people, processes and decisions into frameworks that admit only rational considerations, the emotional side doesn't go away. It emerges as compliance - a downside mentality - and a short-term, just don't fail perspective. By changing the way they manage the initiative, executives can kindle the organization's energy for the upside too. This enables the organization to develop a commitment to success and to sustain it over the years it may take to achieve lasting results.

What is the underlying theme of the passage?