Motivation and Incentive Plans

Motivation derives from ability to achieve the target and desire for the reward. Motivation employees have always been a major concern of managers, and it's easy to see why. Managers get things done through others, and if you can't motivate your employees to get their jobs done, you are destined to fail as a manager. By understanding the factors influencing motivation, managers can create the conditions in which employees will perform to their maximum potential.

One of the best known theories of motivation was put forward by an American psychologist, Abraham Maslow, in a book entitled "Motivation and Personality (1954)". In his theory, he presents a hierarchy of needs. He identified certain basic human needs and classified them in an ascending order of importance, basic needs were at the bottom of the hierarchy, higher needs at the top.

Maslow says that first of all an individual's physiological needs must be satisfied. These include the need for air, water, food and sex. At second stage an individual's safety needs must be satisfied. This means that the individual must feel safe and free from fear and threat. After that come the belongingness needs – the need for love, affection, feelings of belonging and, finally, human contact. Having fulfilled their belongingness needs, individuals next need to satisfy their esteem needs. These include the following four needs: firstly self-respect, secondly self-esteem, thirdly achievement and finally respect from others. The final step is to satisfy the self-actualisation needs – those needs which enable individuals to grow, to feel fulfilled and realise their potential. But before moving on to these higher level needs, the lower level needs must first be satisfied. An organisation must, therefore, firstly pay a wage sufficient to feed, shelter and protect employees and their families; in addition it must also provide a safe working environment before offering the employees incentives for developing self-esteem, belongingness and self-actualisation.

There is a reward scheme that attempts to tie pay directly to job performance which is called an incentive plan. Incentive plans can motivate employees. For motivation to take place, the worker must believe that effort on his or her part will lead to reward, and he or she must want that reward. Here are some specific guidelines for developing effective incentive plans:

1. Ensure that effort and rewards are directly related.

The motivation model shows that for an incentive to motivate employees, they must see that effort will lead to their obtaining the reward. Your incentive plan should be therefore rewarding employees in direct proportion to their increased productivity. Employees must also perceive they can actually do the tasks required. Thus, the standard has to be attainable, and you have to provide the necessary tools, equipment and training.

2. The reward must be valuable to the employees.

For an incentive to motivate an employee, it is necessary to provide an attractive reward. Since people’s needs differ, the attraction of various incentives also differs. Where other needs – for achievement, recognition, etc. – are paramount, financial incentives may have little or no effect on performance.

3. Study methods and procedures carefully.

Effective incentive plans are generally based on a meticulous work methods investigation. This usually requires the services of an industrial engineer or other methods expert. Through very careful observation and measurement they define fair performance standards. Your incentive plan is then built on these standards.

4. The plan must be understandable.

Employees should be able to easily work out the rewards they will receive for various levels of effort (remember it is very important for them to see effort-reward link.

5. Set effective standards.

The standards on which your incentive plan is built should satisfy the following requirements: they should be viewed as fair by your subordinates; they ought to be set high, but reasonable – there should be about a 50-50 chance of success at reaching them; and the goal should be specific – this is much more effective than telling someone to “do your best”.

6. Guarantee your standards.

Around the turn of the century employers often raised production standards whenever employees’ pay became excessive. Today, employees remain suspicious that exceeding the standard will result in raising the standards, and to protect their own long-term interests they don’t produce above standard, and the incentive plan fails. Therefore, it is important that you view the standard as a contract with your employees. Once the plan is operational, you should use great caution before decreasing the size of the incentive in any way.

7. Guarantee an hourly base rate.

Particularly for plant personnel, it is usually advisable to guarantee this rate for employees. They will therefore know that no matter what happens they can at least earn a minimum guaranteed rate.

 

Assignments

I. Answer the questions.

1. What sort of things motivate people to do their job well?

2. Think of your own job or studies. What tasks are you motivated to do well? Can you account for this?

3. What are two requirements that must be satisfied for an employee to be motivated?

4. How can one define fair performance standards?

5. Why is it dangerous to decrease the size of an incentive once it is operational?

6. Why do employees prefer not to produce above standards?

7. What is the difference between incentives and benefits?

8. What do typical fringe benefits include?

9. Why is it difficult to insure that the perk offered is for the benefit of the company?

II. Translate into Ukrainian:

to pay a wage sufficient to feed, shelter and protect employees; an attractive reward, a meticulous work methods investigation, to work out the rewards, to see effort-reward link, to produce above standard, to remain suspicious, to earn a minimum guaranteed rate.

III. Translate the sentences into English.

1. Мотивація походить від здатності досягти мети та бажання отримати винагороду.

2. Людина повинна почуватися вільною від страхів та загроз. У цьому суть потреб безпеки.

3. Оплата праці є найважливішим мотиваційним стимулом до праці.

4. Щоб спонукати персонал до більш ефективної діяльності, створіть та підтримуйте атмосферу взаємоповаги, відкрийте канали спілкування, спонукайте працівників до поглиблення їх професійних знань і майстерності.

5. Перевіряйте, чи ви дійсно заохочували працівників за роботу, яку ви від них вимагаєте.

IV. Match the terms and definitions:

 

Terms

Definitions

1. incentive (n)   2. esteem (n)   3. self-esteem (n)     4. motivate (v)   5. motivation (n)   6. hierarchy of needs   7. perks (n)   8. sickness benefit (n)   9. fringe benefits (n)

a) opinion that one has about one’s own value; b) a stimulus that differentially energizes certain responses within a person. c) the theoretical model detailing the sequence of accomplishment necessary for personal fulfillment. d) indirect payments provided by a company; e) give someone a reason or incentive for doing something; f) payments made while a person is on sick leave; g) respect; h) benefit given to a worker in addition to salary, e.g. company car, private health insurance; i) something that encourages the workers to work harder.

 

V. Fill in the blank spaces with the correct form of the word.

1. motivate (v), motivation (n), motivating (p, adj)

People are_____ by many things. The things that_____ people in one culture may be different from ____factors in another culture. Students of _____ suggest that there are both internal and external _____ factors. Do you know what kinds of things ______ you?

2. meaning (n), meaningful (adj), meaningfulness (n)

Some psychologists suggest that the most important need of human beings is the need for _____: the idea that what we do with our lives should have _______. Some work is more ______ than putting paper clips in a box.

VI. Form an opposite of the given words by adding a prefix:

agree, significant, important, probable, appropriate, moral, expensive, logical, effective, legal, regular, productive, advantage, possible, responsible.

VII. Complete the following sentences in any way you wish, using the words in brackets:

1.Maslow carried out... (research)

2. I asked my boss... (advice)

3. Is it true that …? (travel)

4. Have you made …? (progress)

5. I went to a business library... (information)

6. I looked out of my office window and said: “What...!” (weather)

VIII. Develop a questionnaire which can help to understand the motivation of the employees (their main stimuli, their real needs and reasons or incentives for doing their work).

 

 

Text 3

Warm-up

1. Is it easier to praise or to criticize?

2. Which is more embarrassing – being praised or being criticized?

Vocabulary

Appraisal – оцінка (діяльності); ділова характеристика; оценка (деятельности), деловая характеристика

Appraisee – той, кого оцінюють; оцениваемый

Trait – характерна риса, особливість; характерная черта, особенность

Intelligence – 1) розумові здібності 2) кмітливість, тямучість; 1) умственные способности, 2) находчивость, сообразительность

Dimension – сторона, аспект; сторона, аспект

Content analysis – аналіз змісту; анализ содержания

To afford – дозволяти собі; позволять себе

Performance appraisal – оцінка якості роботи; оценка качества работы

Performance standards – стандарт якості роботи, норма продуктивності праці; стандарт качества работы, норма продуктивности работы

Narrative – виклад; изложение, история

Even number – парне число; четное число

Appraiser, rater – оцінювач; оценщик

Rating – рейтингове оцінювання, рейтинг; рейтинговая оценка, рейтинг

Resourcefulness – винахідливість; находчивость

Drive – енергія, внутрішній імпульс; энергия, внутренний импульс

Behaviorally anchored rating scale – шкала оцінювання, пов'язана з поведінкою; шкала оценки, связанная с поведением

Application – старанність, ретельність, завзятість; старательность, тщательность

To give application to work – старанно (завзято) працювати; старательно работать

To lack application – не виявляти особливого завзяття; не выяилять особенного старания

To collate – порівнювати, зіставляти; сравнивать, сопоставлять

Consistently – послідовно; последовательно

Hand down – подавати, спускати зверху; подавать, спускать свыше

Critical incident technique – методика критичних випадків; методика критических случаев

Job-holder – людина, яка має постійну роботу; работающий постоянно

 

Performance Appraisal

Appraisal systems can measure a variety of things. They are sometimes designed to measure personality, sometimes behaviour or performance, and sometimes achievement of goals. These areas may be measured either quantitively or qualitatively. Qualitative appraisal often involves the writing of an unstructured narrative on the general performance of the appraisee. Alternatively, some guidance may be given as to the areas on which the appraiser should comment. The problems with qualitative appraisals are that they may leave important areas unappraised, and that they are not suitable for comparison purposes. When they are measured quantitively some form of scale is used, often comprising five categories of measurement from 'excellent', or 'always exceeds requirements' at one end to 'inadequate' or 'rarely meets requirements' at the other, with the mid-point being seen as acceptable. Scales are, however, not always constructed according to this plan. Sometimes on a five-point scale there will be four degrees of acceptable behaviour and only one that is unacceptable. Sometimes an even-numbered, usually a six-point, scale is used to prevent the tendency of raters to settle on the mid-point of the scale - either through lack of knowledge of the appraisee, lack of ability to discriminate, lack of confidence, or desire not to be too hard on appraisees. Rating other people is neither an easy nor a quick task, but it can be structured so that it is made as objective as possible.

Much traditional appraisal was based on measures of personality traits that were felt to be important to the job. These included resourcefulness, enthusiasm, drive, application, and other traits such as intelligence. One difficulty with these is that everyone defines them differently, and the traits that are used are not always mutually exclusive. Raters, therefore, are often unsure of what they are rating. One helpful approach is to concentrate on the job rather than the person. In an attempt to do this, some organisations call their annual appraisal activity the 'job appraisal review'. Both the requirements of the job and the way that it is performed are considered.

Behaviourally anchored rating scales (BARS)

This is one way of linking ratings to behaviour at work. At the first stage a sample group of raters suggest independently examples of behaviour for each point on a scale associated with a behavioural feature to be assessed, e.g. relations with clients. From this a wide variety of behavioural examples are collected. At the next stage these examples are collated, and then returned to the raters without any indication of the scale point for which they were suggested. The raters allocate a numerical scale point to each example, and those examples which are consistently located at the same point on the scale are selected to be used as the behavioural examples for that point on the scale. Future raters then have some guidance as to the type of behaviour that would be expected at each point. BARS are most helpful when using scales that relate more clearly to work behaviour rather than specific job performance.

Behavioural observation scales (BOS)

These are an alternative to BARS. They indicate a number of dimensions of performance with behavioural statements for each. Individuals are appraised as to the extent to which they display each of the characteristics.

Meeting objectives (MO)

Another method of making appraisal more objective is to use the process to set job objectives over the coming year and, a year later, to measure the extent to which these objectives have been met. The extent to which the appraisee is involved in setting these objectives varies considerably. If these objectives are part of an organizational management by objectives (MBO) scheme, then the individual will never be involved and will simply have them handed down. Alternatively, if they are not part of a larger scheme, there is a lot of scope for the individual to participate in the setting of such objectives. One of the biggest problems with appraisal on the basis of meeting objectives is that factors beyond the employee's control may make the objectives more difficult than anticipated, or even impossible. Another problem is that objectives will change over a period and so the original list is not so relevant a year later.

Development of appraisal criteria

Various methods have been suggested to identify appraisal criteria. These include the use of critical incident techniques to identify particularly difficult problems at work, content analysis of working documents, and performance questionnaires whereby managers and potential appraisees identify (anonymously) what characterizes the most effective job-holder and the least effective job-holder.

Job analysis

In addition to identifying appraisal criteria, job analysis is used to formulate key tasks and duties, and the performance standards that are expected. Appraisal is then based on a comparison between this and the performance actually achieved. This is similar to appraisal by objectives, but much broader. This type of job analysis and appraisal is a very useful approach in smaller organizations which cannot afford to invest in the development of sophisticated appraisal criteria. It is an approach which clearly relates to job performance.

 

Assignments

I. Answer the questions.

1. What do appraisal systems measure?

2. What appraisal methods are mentioned in the text? Describe each of them.

3. What organizational decisions may be made on the basis of the performance appraisal?

4. What problems are associated with qualitative appraisals?

5. What difficulties are associated with the criteria often found in personality appraisals?

6. What is one of the biggest problems with appraisal on the basis of meeting objectives?

7. What approach can be used to help identify performance appraisal criteria?

II. Translate into Ukrainian:

unappraised, unacceptable, lack of knowledge of the appraisee, lack of ability to discriminate, lack of confidence, resourcefulness, enthusiasm, drive, application, intelligence, the use of critical incident techniques, job-holder, to formulate key tasks and duties, sophisticated appraisal criteria.

III. Translate the sentences into English.

1. Проблемами кількісної оцінки діяльності є те, що важливі сфери можуть лишатися поза оцінкою, і те, що вони не підходять для порівняльних цілей.

2. До особистісних рис, які є важливими для роботи, відносяться: винахідливість, ентузіазм, наполегливість та інші.

3. Оцінювачі часто невпевнені, що саме вони оцінюють. Один корисний підхід – це концентруватися скоріше на роботі, ніж на особі.

4. За допомогою робочої анкети менеджери та потенційні об’єкти оцінювання можуть визначити, що характеризує найбільш і найменш ефективного працівника.

5. Аналіз змісту роботи використовується для формулювання ключових завдань та обов’язків і очікуваних стандартів якості роботи.

IV. Find proper definitions to the following terms.

Terms	Definitions
1) performance standard (n)	a) calculation of the value of somebody or something;
2) appraisal (n)	b) bring together and compare information in order to identify differences;
3) collate (v)	c) energy; motivation;
4) job-holder (n)	d) procedure for evaluating a person's work;
5) drive (n)	e) the required level of performance;
6)performance appraisal (n)	f) person who holds a specific job;

V. Complete the following sentences using an appropriate word or phrase of indefinite frequency (never, always, usual(ly), normal(ly), generally, occasionally, rarely, seldom, often, frequently, ever). The first one has been done for you.

1. In appraisals managers occasionally fail to differentiate between current performance and potential performance. (50%)

2. As a result managers are________ promoted to positions in which they cannot perform adequately. (40%)

3. The __________ approach is the superior's rating of subordinates. (90%)

4. A group of superiors rating subordinates is_____ used for appraisal. (75%)

5. A group of peers rating a colleague is __________ used in business organizations. (25%)

6. A fourth approach (subordinates' rating of bosses) is _______used. (10%)

7.________ appraisals concentrate on personal characteristics such as intelligence, decisiveness, creativity, and ability to get along with others. (90%)

VI. Complete the following sentences by adding the appropriate words (both…and, either...or; neither...nor).

1.Performance appraisal is one of the most difficult tasks a manager has to carry out; the appraisal itself, _________________ the communication of the results are easy.

2. Appraisal is the continuous process of feeding back information to subordinates about how well they are doing; it happens

informally systematically.

3. In the case of informal appraisal the manager spontaneously mentions that a piece of work has been done well___________________________ poorly.

4. Because of the close connection between the behaviour and the feedback on it, informal appraisal ______ encourages desirable performance ______ discourages undesirable performance before it becomes engrained.

5. In most major organizations formal appraisals are carried out ______ once twice a year.

6. To be effective, the appraisal method must be perceived by
subordinates as based on__ uniform____ fair standards.

VII. Look at these sentences. In your opinion is the speaker praising or criticizing?

1.You’ve done a terrific…

2. You really should have informed us …

3. Although you’ve made some substantial cuts …

4. We’ve very happy with how you’ve …

5. You were supposed to have …

6. We really couldn’t have asked for anything …

7. We appreciate all your hard work …

8. I know you’ve had to make a lot of changes …

VIII. Give a brief presentation on the following topic.

You are a high-ranking manager in your company. Outline your company’s and the staff performance in the last year, comparing it with the previous year.

 

 

Text 4

Warm-up

1. What is payment?

2. Why must payment be satisfactory for employees?

Vocabulary

So far as – наскільки; насколько

Purchasing power – купівельна спроможність; покупательская способность

Recipient – одержувач; получатель

Pay adjustment – регулювання заробітної плати; регулирование зарплаты

Withdrawal from the job – ухиляння від роботи; уклонение от работы

Carelessness – недбалість; лекговажність; халатность, легкомыслие

Disgruntlement – невдоволення, дратівливість; недовольство, раздраженность

Lateness – запізнення; опоздание

Entitlement to a share – право на частку; право на часть

Wealth – багатство; богатство

To overlay (overlaid) – перекривати; перекрывать

Preoccupation – стурбованість, занепокоєність; обеспокоенность

Gross National Product (GNP) – валовий національний продукт; валовый национальный продукт

Relativities (pl.) – відносні показники відмінностей в заробітній платі у середині кожної групи працівників та між групами; относительные показатели отличий в зарплате в каждой группе работников и между группами

Equitable – справедливий, неупереджений; справедливый, непредвзятый

Remuneration – винагорода, оплата, компенсація, заробітна плата; награда, оплата, компенсация, зарплата

Basic rate – базисна ставка; базисная ставка

Earnings (pl.) – заробіток, прибуток; заработок, прибыль

Settlement – розрахунок; рассчет

Comparators – порівнювані параметри; сравнительные параметры

Composition – структура, склад; структура, состав

Pay package – заробітна плата; угода з профспілкою з питань заробітньої плати; зарплата, соглашение с профсоюзом по вопросам зарплаты

Payment arrangement – платіжна угода; платежное соглашение

Rate – розцінка; расценка

Convention – звичай; обычай

Reference group – еталонна група; эталонная группа

Applicable – застосовний; придатний; діючий; используемый, пригодный, действующий

To quantify – визначати кількість; определять количество

To limited extent – до певної міри; до определенной степени

Sick pay (sickness payment) – грошова допомога під час непрацездатності; денежная помощь во время нетрудоспособности

At the expense of – за рахунок; за счет

Benefit – пільга, грошова допомога; льгота, денежная помощь

Basic pay – основна зарплата; основная зарплата

Incentive payments – заохочувальні платежі, прогресивна оплата праці; поощрительный выплаты, прогрессивная оплпта работы

Prospect – перспектива; перспектива

To enhance – посилювати; усиливать

Intrinsic – внутрішній; внутренний

Statutory minimum (pl. minima) – встановлений мінімум; установленный минимум

White-collar – робітник розумової праці, службовець; работник умственного труда, служащий

Blue-collar – робітник на виробництві, технічний персонал; работник на производстве, технический персонал

Indemnity – виплата, компенсація; выплата, компенсация

Sine qua non (лат.) – обов'язкова умова; обязательное условие

Payment

Those who are paid, and those who administer payment schemes have objectives for the payment contract which differ according to whether one is the recipient or the administrator of the payments. The contract for payment will be satisfactory in so far it meets the objectives of the parties. Therefore we can consider the range of objectives, starting with employees.

First objective: Purchasing power

The absolute level of weekly or monthly earning determines the recipient's standard of living, and will therefore be the most important consideration for most employees. How much can I buy? Employees are rarely satisfied about their purchasing power, and the annual pay adjustment will do little more than reduce dissatisfaction. The two main reasons for this are inflation and rising expectations.

Second objective: "Felt fair"

The level of payment should be reasonable for the job. The employee who feels underpaid is likely to demonstrate the conventional symptoms of withdrawal from the job: looking for another, carelessness, disgruntlement, lateness, absence and the like. If he feels that he is overpaid, he may simply feel dishonest, or may seek to justify his existence in some way, like trying to look busy, that is not necessarily productive.

Third objective: Rights

This concerns a different aspect of relative income. It is linked to the notion of entitlement to a particular share of the company's profits or the nation's wealth. The employee is here thinking about whether the division of earnings is providing fair shares of the Gross National Product. “To each according to his needs' is overlaid on 'a fair day's pay...” This is a strong feature of most trade union arguments and part of the general preoccupation with individual's rights. Mainly this is the long­standing debate about who should enjoy the fruits of labour.

Fourth objective: Relativities

'How much do I (or we) get compared to... group X?' This is slightly different version of the equitable argument. It is not the question of whether the employee feels the remuneration to be reasonable in relation to the job that he does, but in relation to the jobs that other people do. There are many potential comparators, and the basis of comparison can alter. The Pay Board (1974) pointed out three. First the definition of pay. Is it basic rates or is it earnings? Over how long is the pay compared? Many groups have a level of payment that varies from one time of the year to another. Second is the method of measuring changes; absolute amount of money or percentage: £5 is 10 per cent of £50 but 5 per cent of £100. Third is the choice of pay dates. Nearly all employees receive annual adjustments to their pay, but not all at the time, and the period between settlements can be crucial.

Fifth objective: Composition

How is the pay package made up? The growing complexity and sophistication of payment arrangements raises all sorts of questions. Is £200 pay for sixty hours' work better than £140 for forty hours' work? The arithmetical answer that the rate per hour for the forty hour arrangement is better that for sixty hours is only part of the argument The other aspects will relate to the individual, his circumstances and the conventions of his working group and reference groups. Another question might be: Is £140 per week, plus a pension, better that £160 per week without? Such questions do not produce universally applicable answers because they can be quantified to such a limited extent, but some items can be suggested as generalisations:

1. Younger workers are more interested in high direct earnings at the expense of indirect benefits, like pensions and sick pay, which will be of more interest to older workers. In addition older workers will, of course, still be interested in basic pay.

2. Incentive payment arrangements are likely to interest employees who either see a reliable prospect of enhancing earnings through the ability to control their own activities, or who see the incentive scheme as an opportunity to control their personal activities (which provide little intrinsic satisfaction) away from management by regulating their earnings.

3. Married women are seldom interested in payments that depend on overtime.

4. Overtime is used by many men to produce an acceptable level of purchasing power; particularly among the lower-paid. This group will thus be less interested in benefits. Pensions and sickness payment arrangements beyond statutory minima are a sine qua non of white-collar employment, and are of growing importance in manual employment.

 

Assignments

I. Answer the questions.

1. What are the two main reasons of employees being generally dissatisfied with their purchasing power?

2. Give five examples of how a worker will probably show that he feels he is underpaid.

3. What strong trade union argument or principle in relation to pay is mentioned in the text?

4. Why are compensation and reward not the same as payment?

5. What is the difference between wages and salaries?

6. What type of earnings are young workers interested in?

II. Translate into Ukrainian:

to feel underpaid, purchasing power, disgruntlement, lateness, absence, to be overpaid, the equitable argument, crucial, working group and reference groups, pensions and sick pay, white-collar employment.

III. Translate the sentences into English.

1. Службовці рідко задоволені своєю купівельною спроможністю, і щорічне регулювання заробітної плати може лише трохи зменшити невдоволення.

2. Пенсії та грошова допомога під час непрацездатності понад встановленого мінімуму є обов’язковою умовою працевлаштування офісних робітників.

3. Якщо працівник відчуває, що йому не доплачують, він виявляє традиційні “симптоми” ухиляння від роботи.

4. Звичайними симптомами ухиляння від роботи є: пошук іншої роботи, недбалість, дратівливість, запізнення, прогули і т.і.

5. Одружені жінки рідко зацікавлені у платежах за понаднормову роботу.

6. Понаднормовий час використовується багатьма людьми, щоб збільшити купівельну спроможність.

7. Перш за все, організація повинна платити робітникам гідну заробітну плату для того, щоб вони могли прогодуватися, забезпечити себе житлом і захистити свої сім’ї.

IV. Match the terms and definitions:

 

Terms

Definitions

1. remunerations 2. white collars 3. wage 4. compensation 5. reward 6. sick pay 7. benefit 8. blue collars 9. withdrawal 10. basic pay 11. earnings (n.pl.) 12. salary

a) pay, usually expressed as an annual sum and paid monthly; b) weekly pay; c) wages and other financial benefits received from employment; d) office workers; e) the act of taking away; f) manual workers; g) payment for loss or injury; h) special payment for a special act; i) money paid during absence from work through illness; j) wages or salary; k) the amount of indemnity to be regularly paid as a right under a state or private insurance scheme; 1) normal amount paid weekly or monthly to a worker without extra payments.

V. Complete the following sentences with words opposite in meaning to the words in italics.

e.g. interesting He does not like his job because it is uninteresting.

1. satisfied Workers become ………..if their jobs offer no challenge.

2. conclusive Since the report was so ………, no recommendations were made.

3. responsible …………… behaviour by staff can be costly to an organization.

4. popular Managements become ……….. if they fail to pay bonuses.

5. respectful No manager likes a subordinate to be ……

6. secure A worker who feels …………. In his job will probably not be committed to the firm he works for.

7. social People who work …………. Hours, for example at night-time, generally receive extra pay.

8. efficient Nowadays, it is not easy to get rid of an employee who is …………...

VI. Translate the following sentences using the Participle II in the Attributive function.

1. Вони недооцінили зусилля, що вимагаються для виконання цієї роботи. (to require)

2. Заробітна плата, що пропонується, буде залежати від стажу роботи та кваліфікації. (to offer)

3. Дослідницька група намагалася розробити теорію, в основі якої була серія практичних експериментів. (to base upon)

4. Компанія провела збори, на яких були присутні керівники організації та працівники відділу кадрів. (to attend)

5. Представлена інформація повинна бути об’єктивною та правильною. (to provide)

6. Більшість із створених робочих місць призначалися для висококваліфікованих робітників. (to create)

7. Головне запитання, яке задають претенденту на посаду: “Чи маєте ви досвід роботи у цій галузі?” (to ask of)

Text 5

Warm-up

1. What do you know about communication between business people?

2. Comment on the statement: “Today’s gossip may be tomorrow’s fact– that is why managers cherish hearsay”.

Vocabulary

Communication – спілкування; общение

Internal operational communication – внутрішні виробничі контакти; внутренние производственные контракты

External operational communication – зовнішні виробничі контакти; внешние производственные контракты

Personal communication – особисті контакти; личные контракты

Survey – дослідження; исследования

Pervade – проникати, розповсюджуватись; проникать, распространяться

To implement – виконувати; выполнять

Memorandum – службова записка; служебная записка

Workstation – робоче місце; рабочее место

General public – широкий загал, громадськість; широкая публика, общественность

Salespeople – продавці; продавцы

Spiels – пусті розмови, розхвалювання (товару); пустые разговоры, расхваливание (товара)

Civic-mindedness – розвинене почуття громадянського обовя’зку; развитое чувство общественной обязанности

Point-of-purchase display – експозиція в місцях продажу; экспозиция в местах продаж

Planned publicity – запланована реклама, гласність; запланированная реклама, гласность

Courtesy – ввічливість, люб’язність; вежлтвость, любезность

Physical plant – 1) основні виробничі засоби; 2) капітал; 1) основные производственные запасы, 2) капитал

Interdependence – взаємозалежність; взаимозависимость

Tip – порада, натяк; совет, намек

 

Communication

Managing people effectively requires an understanding of several behavioral factors. Communication is surely one of them. Surveys clearly show that communication is one of the most vital skills that managers need. Managers rarely work with things but rather with information about things. Thus, communication pervades the management functions of planning, organizing, and controlling. But what is communication?

Communication is the transmission of common understanding through the use of symbols. The term is derived from the Latin communis, meaning “common” In other words, unless a common understanding results from the transmission of verbal or nonverbal symbols, there is no communication.

Communicating involves the emotional, psychological, and mental characteristics of individuals, as well as technical characteristics of the medium used to communicate.

The importance of communication in business becomes more apparent when we consider the communication activities of an organization from an overall point of view. These activities fall into three broad categories: internal operational; external operational; personal communication.

All the communication that occurs in conducting work within a business is classified as internal operational. This is the communication among the business’s workers that is done to implement the business’s operating plan. By operating plan we mean the procedure that the business has developed to do whatever it was formed to do – for example, to manufacture products, construct buildings, and sell goods.

Internal-operational communication takes many forms. It includes the orders and instructions that supervisors give workers, as well as oral exchanges among workers about work matters. It includes reports and records that workers prepare concerning sales, production, inventories, finance, maintenance, and so on. It includes the memorandums and reports that workers write in carrying out their assignments. Nowadays much of it is performed through a network of executive workstations.

The work-related communicating that a business does with people and groups outside the business is external-operational communication. This is the business’s communication with its public – suppliers, service companies, customers, and the general public.

External-operational communication includes all the business’s efforts at direct selling – salespeople’s “spiels”, descriptive brochures, telephone callbacks, follow-up service calls, and the like. It also includes the advertising the business does, for what is advertising but communication with potential customers? Radio and television messages, newspaper and magazine advertising, and point-of-purchase (POP) display material obviously play a role in the business’s plan to achieve its work objective. Also in this category is all that a business does to improve its public relations, including its planned publicity, the civic-mindedness of its management, the courtesy of its employees, and the condition of its physical plant. And of very special importance to our study of communication, this category includes all the letters that workers write in carrying out their assignments.

The importance of external-operational communication to business hardly requires supporting comment. Certainly, any business is dependent on outside people and groups for its success. And because the success of a business depends on its ability to satisfy customers’ needs, it must communicate effectively with them. In today’s complex business society, businesses depend on each other in the production and distribution of goods and services. This interdependence requires communication. Like internal communication, external communication is vital to business success.

Not all communication that takes place in business is operational. In fact, much of it is without purpose as far as the business is concerned. Such communication is called personal.

Personal communication is the exchange of information and feeling in which we human beings engage whenever we come together. We have a need to communicate, and we will communicate even when we have little or nothing to say.

We spend much of our time with friends in communication. Even total strangers are likely to communicate when they are placed together, as on an airplane flight, in a waiting room, or at a ball game. Such personal communication also occurs at the workplace, and it is a part of the communication activity of any business. Although not a part of the business’s plan of operation, personal communication can have a significant effect on the success of the plan. This effect is a result of the influence that personal communication can have on the attitudes of the workers.

 

Assignments

I. Answer the questions.

1. What is communication?

2. What are the main categories of communication activities in business?

3. What forms does internal-operational communication take?

4. What does external-operational communication include?

5. How can personal communication affect business?

6. What does a business do to improve its public relations?

II. Translate into Ukrainian:

behavioral factors, mental characteristics of individuals, medium used to communicate, memorandums and reports, work-related communicating, point-of-purchase display material, to require supporting comment, to be vital to business success.

III. Translate the sentences into English.

1. Дослідження чітко показують, що комунікація – це одне з найважливіших вмінь необхідних менеджерам.

2. Всі контакти, які мають місце в рамках бізнесу, відносяться до категорії внутрішньої виробничої комунікації.

3. Говорячи про комунікацію, ми маємо на увазі совокупність дій людей, пов’язаних з передачею інформації та її обробкою за допомогою різноманітних засобів та інструментів.

4. Процес комунікації обов’язково включає наступні компоненти: відправника, тобто особу, яка відбирає інформацію і відправляє її, та одержувача – того, кому адресовано повідомлення.

5. Неформальні контакти в цілому не пов’язані з ієрархією організації; для них характерним є більш швидке розповсюдження інформації, проте така інформація може бути недостовірною, суб’єктивною та неповною.

IV. Find proper definitions to the terms.

Terms

Definitions

1. communication process 2. service salesperson 3. callback 4. POP advertising

a) promotional material placed at the point of purchase, such as interior displays, printed material at store counters, or window displays; b) the technique used by a sales representative on a second or subsequent effort to induce a potential customer to buy; c) a person who sells intangibles, such as insurance and advertising; d) the steps between a source and a receiver that results in the transference and understanding of meaning.

V. Discuss what culture is associated with each type of communication, and how they can be integrated to form maximum communication both within and outside the company.

VI. Translate the following sentences into Ukrainian.

1. In other words, unless a common understanding results from the transmission of verbal or nonverbal symbols, there is no communication.

2. Radio and television messages, newspaper and magazine advertising, and point-of-purchase display material obviously play a role in a business plan to achieve its work objective.

3. This communication network is far more effective than a first impression might indicate. Certainly, it carries much gossip and rumour, for this is the nature of human conversation.

4. Written communication is more likely to involve creative effort.

5. Because of these differences in minds, errors in communication are bound to occur.

6. Some find it very difficult to select symbols that express their simplest thoughts.

VII. Read and decide whether the following statements are true or false.

1. Managing people effectively requires an understanding of several behavioral factors. Communication is surely one of them.

2. The importance of communication in business doesn’t become apparent when we consider the communication activities of an organization from an overall point of view.

3. The work-related communicating that a business does with people and groups outside the business is external-operational communication. This is the business’s communication with its public-suppliers, service companies, customers, and general public.

4. Personal communication is the exchange of information and feeling in which human beings engage whenever they come together.

VIII. Here are ten communication tips for writing e-mails, writing letters, and using telephone. The tips are all mixed up. Work out which tip refers to which form of communication? Some tips may apply to more than one form of communication.

 

Rules of the office 1 Always decide beforehand exactly what you want to say. 2 Always use the spelling tool. 3 At the end, summarize the points made. 4 Be concise. 5 Don’t be too spontaneous. Allow yourself a few minutes’ reflection before sending it. 6 Don’t type in all lower case or all upper case. 7 Limit social chat and get straight to the point. 8 Restate the other person’s concerns using the same key words and phrases. 9 Tailor your style to their style. 10 Use a clear simple layout and clear simple sentences.

 

 

Text 6

Warm-up

1. What is necessary to do to avoid a conflict?

2. What types of behaviour in a conflict situation can you name?

 

Vocabulary

Innate – природній, природжений; природный, врожденный

Outlets – віддушина; отдушина

To restrain – стримувати; удерживать

Combat – боротьба, конфлікт; борьба, конфликт

Combatant – сторона, що конфліктує; конфликтующая сторона

Divergence – розбіжність; отличие

Obedience – слухняність, покірність; послушание, покорность

Clash of values – зіткнення, конфлікт цінностей4 столкновение, конфликт ценностей

Allegiance – вірність, відданість; верность, преданность

Urge – спонукання, потяг; побуждение, тяга

Payroll – виплата заробітної плати; выплата зарплаты

Conflict – суперечити, конфліктувати; противоречить, конфликтовать

Conflict prone – схильний до конфліктів; склонный к конфликтам

Dismissal – звільнення; увольнение

Drawback – недолік; недостаток

To obsess – оволодівати розумом, переслідувати, мучити; овладевать умом, преследовать, мучить

Taxing – обтяжливий, тяжкий; отягощающий, тяжелый

Thorn – колючка, шип; колючка, шип

Unrest – безлад, заворушення; беспорядок, суматоха

To impair – ослаблювати, заподіяти шкоду; ослаблять, вредить

To entrench – укріплятися; укрепляться

 

Conflicts

The line managers are necessarily responsible for industrial relations in their particular areas of operations. They need the freedom to manage their departments or sections effectively according to agreed policies and with access to specialist advice. In this case the specialist advice comes from the employee relations manager.

What causes conflict? It seems that we all have in us an aggressive impulse – a kind of innate drive. And although there are many pressures on us to restrain this drive, we all behave aggressively to some extent at some time or other. Some of the outlets for our aggression are watching football, wrestling or boxing; but others are within our direct experience. And negotiations with our employing organization are a splendid arena for the expression of combat.

The second cause of conflict is a divergence of interests between those classified as managers and those seen as non-managers. The first group is seeking principally, such things as efficiency, economy, productivity and the obedience of others to their authority. The members of the other group are also interested in these things, but are more interested in features like high pay, freedom of action, independence from supervision, and scope for the individual. And, as you can see, these, to some extent, conflict.

Thirdly, and more fundamentally, is the clash of values between the two groups. Values about how people should behave, about allegiances to political parties, about social class attitudes. And most frequently about managerial prerogative. Managers tend to believe that management is their right - and so can't be questioned, whereas non-managers tend to think that managers should be more open to questioning and criticism.

One of the most likely sources of conflict is the urge to compete for a share of the limited resources of the organization - often seen as the money available for the payroll. Much of the drive behind differential pay claims is because one group needs to compete against other groups at a similar level to try and assert their position and status in the organization.

The fifth possible source of conflict is tradition. There are some organizations and some industries which are conflict-prone. The conclusion you might draw is that conflict is a bad thing - to be eliminated at all costs. However, that is not necessarily so. Conflict can bring some real benefits.

Firstly a conflict can clear the air by letting people get their bad feelings off their chest. By bringing a conflict into the open the parties can start talking about their differences and start looking for solutions.

The second point is about rules – new rules. Employment has a number of rules that govern it. Some of these rules are formal, such as the procedure for dismissal, while others are informal and unwritten, such as how we address each other. Conflict is one of the ways of changing the rules. Seen positively, it means that conflict is a creative process out of which change occurs, and that change can be good or bad. If conflict leads to a positive change, then it can and should be seen as a creative process leading to the introduction of new rules.

Just as conflict may be instrumental in changing the rules, it can also play a role in modifying the organization’s goals. Goals set by management may only be recognized as unpopular or really unattainable through conflict. Yet if this conflict is brought into the open it can lead to the positive step of modifying the goals in line with what is realistic. And through conflict this may be done earlier rather than later.

The final potential benefit of conflict is that it can lead the parties – the combatants – to understand their respective positions. Conflict brought out in the open leads to communication. And this communication about the issue enables the parties to see more clearly just what it is that they want, why they want it, and how justifiable it is. In challenging the position of the other party, they will come to a clearer understanding of where they stand, and why.

On the other hand, conflict clearly has its drawbacks.

Firstly, there is the waste of time – and energy. There is a very real risk that the conflict can become destructive when over-personalized, and individuals become obsessed with the conflict rather than what it is about.

A second drawback is the emotional stress for the participants, and the need to be involved in lengthy negotiations is a source of stress which some people find very taxing, while others find it stimulating.

A third problem area is the organizational stress and inefficiency usually associated with conflict. Situations such as striking, working to rule, working without enthusiasm, withdrawing co-operation, or the simple delays caused by long negotiations.

Another drawback is the risk that when a conflict bubbles to the surface, it may not be resolved to the satisfaction of the parties and may become a thorn in the organization’s side, a recipe for future industrial unrest.

The final point is about communication and the vital role it plays in management practice. During conflicts, the quality and amount of communication is impaired, as the parties become more and more entrenched in their positions. The danger here is that this can lead to greater feelings of hostility as the communication worsens.

 

 

Assignments

I. Answer the questions.

1. What may cause a conflict in an organization?

2. What are the main drawbacks of conflicts?

3. What five examples of organizational stress and inefficiency are mentioned in the text?

4. Do conflicts have benefits? What are they, if any?

II. Translate into Ukrainian:

drawbacks of conflict, aggressive impulse, innate drive, clash of values, allegiances to political parties, to assert position and status in the organization, to bring a conflict into the open, the procedure for dismissal, combatants, to become destructive, to become obsessed with the conflict, if a conflict bubbles to the surface, a recipe for, to become entrenched in something.

 

III. Translate the sentences into English.

1. Всі ми маємо в собі агресивний імпульс – щось на зразок природньої енергії.

2. Причиною конфлікту є розбіжність інтересів тих, хто належить до класу керівників, і тих, хто не є управлінцями.

3. Виносячи конфлікт на поверхню, сторони можуть почати обговорювати розбіжності та шукати рішення.

4. Якщо конфлікт призводить до позитивної зміни, він може розглядатися як творчий процес, що веде до запровадження нових правил.

5. Під час конфліктів якість та кількість комунікації послаблюється, так як сторони все більше укріплюються у своїх позиціях.

IV. Match the terms and definitions.

 

Terms	Definitions
1) evaluate	a) energy; motivation;
2) entitlement	b) payment that is made in goods or services and not in cash;
3) payment in kind	c) calculate the value of something;
4) drive	d) a process that begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect, something that the first party cares about;
5) conflict	e) a person's right.

 

V. Group the following list of fifteen words into five categories, with three words with associated meanings in each:

problem conflict govern drive status

drawback urge rule aggression position

procedure impulse disadvantage clash level

 

VI. Recommend actions in these situations. Begin your sentences with:

I think we should…or I don’t think we should…

1 You have a machine that is old and often breaks down.

2 Your mar