Introduction
While working on any group project, it is necessary to keep in mind the goals and motivations of every member. Thus, better cohesion can be achieved, and the work can be done more quickly and efficiently, and yield better results. Thus, teamwork, motivational theories, and the Competing Values Framework help greatly unify the group and drive them to fulfill their intended goals. Thus, in this essay, I will prove that the abovementioned theories work and significantly affect the group project my team and I have finished.
Application of the Goal-Setting Theory
In our work, we relied mostly on the goal-setting theory. The goal theory states that the group’s goals, as well as the value of these goals, are the driving forces that motivate the members to work in that direction (Mullins and Christy, 2016). In our case, the driving force for us to do our work correctly and in a timely manner was getting good grades for the project.
However, while starting to work on the project initially, we had some problems with organization. We have mainly attributed it to the fact that while the main goal was set, we have given little consideration to smaller milestones, like preparing the text for the PowerPoint presentation, the slides themselves, etc., at specific periods. According to the goal theory, people with only distant, vague goals lack motivation and may instead start procrastinating, decreasing their efficiency (Mullins and Christy, 2016). However, we have managed to deal with this flaw in our work and set clear milestones to make a proper schedule for our project.
Moreover, with our understanding of the goal theory, we have decided that each team member will pick the project parts that they prefer. This was done because when participants take part in the goal-assignment process and have the option to set their own goals, they tend to perform better (Mullins and Christy, 2016). Thus, we have increased our efficiency by adhering to this nuance of the goal theory.
The Use of the Competing Values Framework
Additionally, we have utilized the Competing Values Framework in our project. This framework consists of 4 different values: rational goal, human relations, open systems, and internal process. Rational goal focuses on maximizing efficiency, human relations’ central theme is increasing the morale of group members, open systems allow for reaction to outside stimuli and internal process is centered around rules and regulations (Boddy, 2017). While most organizations focus on one of these philosophies, we have chosen a mix.
Due to the nature of our project, we have decided to use human relations and rational goal values. Because we already used the goal-setting theory of motivation, we have decided to reinforce that with elements of the rational goal value from the Competing Values Framework (Boddy, 2017). The elements that we have chosen were the systematic approach to work and the clear division of labor.
The elements of centralized planning and control and the low-involvement employment relationship were not chosen simply because we didn’t work on a scale large enough for that. Due to that same reason, we have opted for the human relations value, as it is centered around the social processes in a group, which was essential for us, as a lack of motivation from one individual may have crippled the work process.
Application of the Rational Goal Model
The systematic approach to work is a feature of the rational goal model that correlates well with the goal-setting theory of motivation. It values careful research of the task before issuing it (Boddy, 2017). Thus, when dividing our project tasks, we ensured that each member’s part would require the same amount of work and time. This way, we connected them and put them into a PowerPoint presentation in one day.
Another element of our rational goal model was the clear division of tasks. It is centered around each member of an organization, focusing on their concrete set of tasks that they need to work on (Boddy, 2017). While dividing our project, we ensured that each member got a part centered around one particular topic so that they could specialize in it and give a better result in return. This way, each team member knew exactly what they needed to accomplish and was more effective.
The Use of the Human Relations Model
In addition to the elements of the rational goal model, we have used the human relations model from the Competing Values Framework. As we were a small team, the human factor significantly influenced our work, and the primary focus of the human relations model is precisely that (Boddy, 2017). In our case, it took the form of bringing pizza to our joint study sessions, as small celebrations for our progress. By considering each group member’s moral well-being, we have increased the group cohesion and efficiency.
The Impact of the Equity Theory of Motivation
Furthermore, correlating with the human relations model, the equity theory of motivation significantly influenced our work. This theory revolves around people changing their work behavior if they feel that their work is valued differently from others (Mullins and Christy, 2016).
On the first of our joint study sessions, one of our team members came prepared less than the rest of us. Though nobody openly judged them for that, their perception of the work changed because of their comparison to the work made by other members. This motivated them to increase the number of hours they put into their work and keep up with the rest of the group members, which sometimes outpaced them. Thus, the results of the equity theory of motivation positively affected the output of the whole group.
Conclusion
Motivational theories, as well as the models from the Competing Values Framework, had a significant effect on our work process on the group project. The goal-setting theory motivated us to do our work promptly with good results. We have achieved high efficiency by working according to clear milestones, allowing group members to pick the topics they wanted, and ensuring that each member’s goals aligned.
Moreover, by incorporating parts of the rational goal model, we could divide tasks between us rationally and ensure that each member specialized in a particular topic. With the human relations model, we could take into account the human factor in our work and increase the social cohesion between group members. Lastly, the equity theory motivated the members of our group who were lagging behind the other to put more house into their work.
To summarize, motivational theories and the Competing Values Framework have been proven to be effective in management, both on a small and large scale. They are effective in increasing the efficiency and social atmosphere of collectives.
Reference List
Mullins, L. J. and Christy, G (2016). Management & Organizational Behaviour. Pearson Education Limited.
Boddy, D. (2017). Management: An Introduction. Pearson Education Limited.