Content area
Abstract
Research on positive reinforcement has established its utility in areas such as education and mental health organizations. However, this technique had not been used as frequently in the work organization as a method to increase performance. Luthans and Kreitner's organizational behavior modification model (1975) included the principles of positive reinforcement and served as a systematic means by which to increase performance behaviors. A meta-analysis conducted by Stajkovic and Luthans (1997) statistically demonstrated O. B. Mod.'s effectiveness by reviewing over twenty years of field research.
As a means to further the findings of the meta-analysis, this study examined four positive reinforcement interventions and the subsequent effects on employee performance. Further, the study analyzed how positive reinforcement interventions were administered in traditional versus behavioral management approaches. It was hypothesized that traditional pay-for-performance (PFP) and behaviorally-managed interventions of monetary rewards, feedback, and supervisor attention/recognition would increase productivity levels. However, behaviorally-managed interventions were hypothesized to increase performance more than traditional PFP methods. It was also hypothesized that there would be no significant differences associated with any interventions administered with a behavioral approach. These three hypotheses represented a test of the findings from the meta-analysis.
Using two manufacturing facilities in a large organization, the reinforcement interventions of monetary rewards (with and without O. B. Mod.), feedback, and supervisor attention/recognition were administered to four groups of workers (n = 182) over an intervention period of four weeks. An analysis of the data demonstrated that both traditional and behavioral management-driven interventions have a significant, positive effect on employee performance. Further, performance levels under the monetary reward (with O. B. Mod.) condition were higher than the performance associated with the traditional pay-for-performance condition. Evidence also showed that there were no significant effect magnitude differences with the administration of reinforcement interventions using the organizational behavior modification model. Based on the study's findings, a discussion of future directions for research and practice were discussed.
