HR Motivation in Brett Jones in Tanzania

HR Motivation in Brett Jones in Tanzania

Podcast and Script

In any organization, motivation is essential to the performance of employees. Without motivation, employees will always be dissatisfied at work (Kanfer and Fletcher, 2020). According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs for employees to be motivated, their needs should be fulfilled, starting from the most basic to the most complex needs (Mawere, Mubaya, Reisen & Stam, 2016 p. 26)). From the case study, motivation is an essential element that HG must deal with.

Based on the case study, the three issues that faced HG in Tanzania included social problems, motivational problems, and leadership, and lifestyle differences. As presented in the case study, employing Tanzanian citizens based on family ties was a motivational tool for many organizations. When a company or a manager of an organization hired a close friend or a relative of the employee in the organization, the employee’s love and belongings needs were fulfilled, and hence the employee would be motivated. However, although this may increase the productivity of employees at HG due to increased motivations, HG HRM managers needed to proceed with caution when using nepotism to hire people to avoid ruining the company’s culture.

The second issue discussed in the case is the issue of motivation. The motivational issue has been brought by the difference in Tanzanian and US culture. Tanzanians perceive incentives given to different stakeholders as appreciation, which boosts one’s esteem, which is a motivational need covered under Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. While this is not a problem in Tanzania, it is viewed as a bribe in the US, and therefore, HG culture does not promote it.

The last problem that is identified in the case is leadership and lifestyle differences. Graham Steinberg wanted Jones to lead American life when it comes to hiring and where to live. Jones had embraced Tanzanian culture as he hired close relatives referred by other employees as it is a norm in Tanzania. His lifestyle was also different as Jones lived among the middle-class Tanzanians. Although Steinberg was not happy with Jones’ leadership, especially during hiring as well as his Jones life style, he did not inform him. This is because such a step may have led to esteem issues at work for Jones as well as safety issues as Jones felt secure when living with among the middle-class Tanzanian citizens but not with fellow expatriates. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs used to explain the issues identified in the case, esteem and safety needs are essential for one to feel satisfied at work (Shamsi, Najafabadi and Hosseini, 2020). That is why even if Steinberg did not agree with almost everything that Jones did, he could not question him.

Additionally, the issues presented in the case study can also be explained by Herzberg’s Theory on motivation. This is because in all the three issues presented in the case study, the theory provided management authorities to make decisions on the most suitable decision that will improve the performances and operations of the company. Although Steinberg had not taken action on Jones’ recruitment method as well as his lifestyle, which were not according to the HG take standards, the organization’s management can take action against Jones for not maintaining the standards of the company. The above podcast has discussed the two theories and how they have applied.

The three problems identified in the case study can be applied to motivation and HRM, organizational culture, and leadership style. From the case study, it is clear that HG Company lacked a specific way of motivating the employees. HRM in any organization should ensure that the employees of the organization are satisfied to perform better (Vermeer, Krol, Gausterer, Wagner, Eisenegger, and Lamm, 2020). In Tanzania, employees are motivated when they recommend their relatives or close friends, and they get hired. Jones, who was the head of HRM, had to embrace the Tanzanian culture of hiring employees so that he could keep them motivated. Although it was nepotism and it would be perceived as corruption, Jones was able to keep the employees motivated.

Organizational culture of an organization should be respected wherever the organization is operating (Muntz and Dormann, 2020). Nepotism was completely discouraged in the organizations, and thus Jones was adhering to the organization’s culture. However, it is something that was encouraged in Tanzania, and therefore, it was not viewed as corruption. In order to embrace the social values and culture of Tanzania. Although it was in contrast with the organization’s culture, the employees were still competent, and Steinberg could not question their competence. To avoid conflict, organizations should learn to embrace diversity, as demonstrated by Jones, regardless of the organization’s culture.

Finally, leadership and lifestyle issues can be explained by the topic of leadership. Jones’ leadership was different from Jones. Jones was a transformational leader, while Steinberg was a transactional leader. The two had different ideas on how the project could be run, especially in hiring employees and their lifestyles. Jones led a simple life and frequently interacted with the locals, but Steinberg expected him to live in expensive estates that most expatriates lived.

Reflective Script

At the point when I was doing this assessment, the five dimensions models of natural culture were useful in recognizing and understanding valuable differences in the culture of the organization. The application of the Geert Hofstede model mainly centered around five key measurements, including Uncertainty evasion, Long-term direction, Power separation, Masculinity/gentility, and community/Individualism (Yu, Chavez, Feng,  Wong and Fynes, 2020). The ethicality of Jones’ situation can be analyzed by citing nepotism as the main issue that the administration was investigating Jones’ actions concerning the recruitment process in HG. The organization was not happy with how Jones was hiring employees as it was not according to the organization’s culture and rules despite being highly encouraged in Tanzania. Many practices of human resource management usually align with the management of organizations in the world.

In addition to ethics, leadership style was also helpful in enabling determination of how organizational nature functions in various parts of the world and also different contexts. The article by Wnnunst (2017) was very helpful in understanding the leadership style as it clearly and in detail explained the professional burnout, organizational culture as well social support which have been applied by leaders in administering projects and organizations. The case study was essential in the identification of the main distinction between leadership style and other important aspects associated with the management of the organization’s ethics, the culture of the organization, and operational management.

Most significantly, the five components of national culture likewise aided in understanding practices of  HRM that are used in different firms, especially when dealing with issues during different stages of organizational operations. To understand more information on both national and organizational cultures, I had to do more research using Ntoumanis, Ng, Prestwich, Quested, Hancox, Thøgersen-Ntoumani, Deci, Ryan, Lonsdale and Williams (2020). Through this source, I was able to understand various types of cultures that prevent many organizations from reaching their target customers. This has been demonstrated by an instance of the case study that involved Jones and two tribes living near the place the dam was being constructed proclaimed the dam site was home to certain holy spirits. By just respecting the culture of Tanzanians, Jones decides to do what the elders and locals told him by sacrificing for the spirits. Although Jones was respectful to the cultures and beliefs of Tanzanians, it is an act that could tarnish the HG’s reputation among the locals and in many other parts of the world. One thing that was evident throughout the case study is that Jones took part in undertaking the rituals that the people of Tanzania were undertaking. He also adhered to the Tanzania culture and interacted with the locals more than he did with other expatriates.

During this assessment of the study, I learned that it is essential to contribute as well as give a chance for the other people in the group to give their views and suggestions of how the project should be done. Like in the case study that we were analyzing, diversity is everywhere, and we have to embrace it so that we can allow projects to run as they were planned. To move forward and complete the assignment, we encouraged each other to give out opinions and arguments that would be useful in evaluating the three issues that were identified in the case study and the how the sources, theories, and concepts were of importance in understanding the topics we selected to tackle.

Making every group member feel free and share their views during group discussions was a kind of motivation as it showed that everyone in the group was valued, and thus their views would be appreciated. It was highly encouraged during the group meetings for the members to share their opinions and arguments regardless of whether they conflicted with those of other group members or were not just fit for the topics we had selected. The model of Hofstede, ‘the five dimensions of national culture aided our group members in accommodating each group member and understanding and appreciating different perceptions of others and trying to reach a consensus by discussing issues logically. Moreover, the two theories pf motivation used during identification of the issues of the case study helped us to understand that no opinion from a group member is either wrong or right. Group members can have different views, but it is just a matter of agreeing on the most appropriate views, but no opinion can be declared wrong. Therefore, both theories of motivation and Hofstede’s five dimensions of national culture helped complete the assignment that required us to read and identify the key issues found in the case study.

The most interesting part of the group assignment is that every group member was free with each other, and therefore, we presented our views without fear or shying from each other. It is really good to embrace diversity in a group or organization and contemplate and understand other people’s opinions, whether they do not make sense of are just wrong according to what one knows. Sometimes, there would be a conflict of interest from the group members. Still, with so many sources to refer to and relate our views, we were able to navigate the hurdles and finally completed the assignment on time and harmoniously.

However, after presenting views, discussing, and referring to the sources that we had collected, there was a big problem with how each of the group members presented their opinions. Most group members did not give views that were based on the management or practices of HRM. Many of the opinions and arguments the group members presented were more of personal opinions, and therefore, they lacked any scientific management evidence. However, research is always part and parcel of a student. Students need to use peer-reviewed sources to learn and understand different concepts of management. Through research, our group was able to understand and thoroughly discuss the concepts of organizational culture, diversity, HRM practices, and motivation. After going through several weeks and having several group meetings, my experience in completing the assignment was not only good but also educative. It helped me to understand some challenges that I may encounter in the future due to diversity and how I should deal with them.

References

Mawere, M., Mubaya, T.R., van Reisen, M., and van Stam, G., 2016. Chapter Three Maslow’s Theory of Human Motivation and its Deep Roots in Individualism: Interrogating Maslow’s Applicability in Africa. Theory, Knowledge, Development, and Politics: What Role for the Academy in the Sustainability of Africa, 55.

Kanfer, R., and Fletcher, K.A., 2020. Work Motivation and Employment Goals in Later Adulthood. In Current and Emerging Trends in Aging and Work (pp. 219-241). Springer, Cham.

Muntz, J., and Dormann, C., 2020. Moderating effects of appreciation on relationships between illegitimate tasks and intrinsic motivation: a two-wave shortitudinal study. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, pp.1-14.

Ntoumanis, N., Ng, J.Y., Prestwich, A., Quested, E., Hancox, J.E., Thøgersen-Ntoumani, C., Deci, E.L., Ryan, R.M., Lonsdale, C. and Williams, G.C., 2020. A meta-analysis of self-determination theory-informed intervention studies in the health domain: effects on motivation, health behavior, physical, and psychological health. Health Psychology Review, (just-accepted), pp.1-85.

Shamsi, H.R., Najafabadi, M.O., and Hosseini, S.J.F., 2020. Designing a three-phase pattern of organic product consumption behavior. Food Quality and Preference, 79, p.103743.

Vermeer, A.L., Krol, I., Gausterer, C., Wagner, B., Eisenegger, C., and Lamm, C., 2020. Exogenous testosterone increases status-seeking motivation in men with unstable low social status. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 113, p.104552.

Yu, W., Chavez, R., Feng, M., Wong, C.Y. and Fynes, B., 2020. Green human resource management and environmental cooperation: An ability-motivation-opportunity and contingency perspective. International Journal of Production Economics, 219, pp.224-235.

Winnubst, J., 2017. Organizational structure, social support, and burnout. In Professional burnout (pp. 151-162). Routledge.