BU288 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Job Performance, Performance Appraisal, Employee Engagement
Document Summary
Bu288 lecture 14: punishment provides a clear signal as to which activities are inappropriate; it does not by itself demonstrate which activities should replace the punished response. If the boss fails to provide substitute activities, the message contained in the punishment may be lost: both positive and negative reinforcers specify which behaviours are appropriate. Punishment indicates only what is not appropriate: punishment only temporarily suppresses the unwanted response, when surveillance is removed, the response will tend to recur, provide an acceptable alternative for the punished response. It has a tendency to provoke a strong emotional reaction on the part of the punished individual. Managers must apply punishment very carefully and deliberately to achieve this effectiveness. In general, reinforcing correct behaviours and extinguishing unwanted responses are safer strategies for managers than the frequent use of punishment. Learning and behaviour sometimes take place without the conscious control of positive and negative reinforcers by managers.
