Student Resource
Scandura, Essentials of Organizational Behavior, 3e
SAGE Publishing, 2022
1
Sample Answers to In–Text Questions
Note: Answers to Case Questions are available in the Case Notes. Answers to Toolkit Activities
are personal to the student therefore there are no sample answers.
Chapter 9: Motivation: Applications
Critical Thinking Questions
1. The research on gifts described previously was conducted in Germany. Do you think that
this would work in the United States or the culture you are from? Explain why or why not.
Can you think of any potential limitations to the motivating potential of gifts?
Question Location: The Meaning of Money
Ans: I think it would work in the United States to a certain extent. These types of gifts can be
seen as praise or positive feedback which can inherently be more motivating that financial gifts.
2. Explain why punishment may not be the most effective way to encourage learning. What
would you do to encourage learning instead?
Question Location: Punishment
Ans: Punishment may not be the most effective way to encourage learning as it may disinterest
the learner from even trying. I would encourage learning through positive reinforcement and/or
3. Discuss why the biweekly paycheck form of payment is not the most motivating schedule
based upon the principles of reinforcement. Provide an example of a method of payment
that would be more motivating.
Question Location: Schedules of Reinforcement
Ans: Biweekly paychecks would be an example of fixed-interval reinforcement schedule.
Employees may not feel adequately motivated as they think the reward will come no matter
Student Resource
Scandura, Essentials of Organizational Behavior, 3e
SAGE Publishing, 2022
2
4. Why do you think paying someone to do something they like doing reduces their intrinsic
motivation? What steps can a leader take to address this situation?
Question Location: Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Rewards
Ans: Paying someone to do something they like can change the motivation from intrinsic to
extrinsic. Work should be set up so that performance leads to both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards
to produce job satisfaction. Paying someone to do something they like can reduce the level of
5. Use reinforcement theory to explain why extrinsic rewards may not produce long-term
effects on motivation. What should a leader do instead to motivate workers based on the
relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation?
Question Location: Relationship Between Intrinsic and Extrinsic Rewards
Ans: The extrinsic rewards may lose their value over time in the eyes of the employee. A leader
should try to balance both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. Adjusting the reinforcement schedule
6. Do you agree that forced rankings should be eliminated in evaluating performance? Why
or why not? Discuss the positive side of having competition in the organization.
Question Location: Performance Management Methods
Ans: I think forced rankings could be effective in the workplace as long as the rankings are
7. Explain how the management of individual performance may harm team performance.
How can this be addressed?
Question Location: Other Forms of Compensation
Student Resource
Scandura, Essentials of Organizational Behavior, 3e
SAGE Publishing, 2022
3
8. Is it a bad idea for a leader to seek feedback from followers? Why or why not?
Question Location: Feedback Seeking
Ans: Outcomes from feedback seeking are a more accurate perception of one’s own performance
and progress on goal attainment by gaining feedback when needed. Also, one’s self-perception
and image may be enhanced through the five strategies of feedback seeking. Research on
feedback seeking suggests seeking negative feedback does improve an employee’s image (unless
Research in Action
Why the “Carrot and Stick” May Not Always Work
1. Discuss Pink’s premise in light of what you have learned about the effectiveness of
positive reinforcement. Why are these criticisms valid (or not)?
Question Location: Research in Action
Ans: Pink’s premise runs counter to the effectiveness of positive reinforcement. I think his
2. Do you agree that intrinsic motivation is a preferable way to influence performance?
Why or why not? Why is autonomy so important to intrinsic motivation?
Question Location: Research in Action
Ans: I do think intrinsic motivation is preferable; however, it is more difficult for a leader to
influence. It is easy to give an extrinsic reward, but it is more challenging to increase someone’s
3. What other factors do you think are important for increasing intrinsic motivation?
Student Resource
Scandura, Essentials of Organizational Behavior, 3e
SAGE Publishing, 2022
4
Question Location: Research in Action
Ans: Pay may be a reward for doing a good job, but employees also seek work that is interesting
and challenging. To influence intrinsic motivation, leaders should offer psychological
empowerment which involves autonomy, mastery, and purpose.
What’s #Trending in OB?
New Directions in Performance Reviews: Beyond the Bell Curve
1. What are the pros of performance appraisals? Provide an example of when a
performance appraisal has a positive benefit.
Ans: Performance appraisals are good at giving feedback to employees and establishing a
communication between leaders and followers regarding their performance. It is effective at
highlighting the positives and negatives of an employee’s behavior and providing a tool to help
2. What are the cons of performance appraisals? Provide an example of when a
performance appraisal has a negative outcome.
Ans: Managers can be biased when giving appraisals, and often the appraisals come too
infrequently, so that poor performance continues on too long without the awareness to change it.
3. Based on motivation theory, we know that employees need feedback to perform well.
Describe an alternative to performance appraisal that provides necessary feedback.
Ans: Other feedback methods would be customer service scores or coworker evaluations. If an
employee can see how satisfied their customers are that would help improve performance. Also,