BEHAVIOURAL MODIFICATION AS A TOOL FOR INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY IN AN ORGANISATION

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION

This research topic can not be understood without a concise and explicit definition of Behavioural modifications in organizational settings like Dangote Cement Company, Gboko Benue State as case study.

          BEHAVIOURAL MODIFICATION DEFINED AND EXPLAINED.

                   Behaviour modification entails increasing prospect of positive behaviour and reducing likelihood of inappropriate behaviour. Modification is a programme of planned change and improved performance. Since individual employee has highly developed faculty, their capacity to learn is unlimited. However, the extent to which management can get desired behaviour from their employees depends on how well they can modify or shape their behaviour. This is closely followed by what is referred to as “reinforcement principles”.

                   Reinforcement principle is an external explanation of behaviour. It is anything that increases the strength of response and tends to induce repetitions of behaviour that preceded the reinforcement. Thus, reinforcement is environmental influence that follows a response and has the capacity to shape behaviour. We shape behaviour by systematically reinforcing each successive step that moves individual to the desired state.

          Lewin has it that, it is a programme of planned change and improve performance developed, which involves the management of three-phase processes, which include;

                    Unfreezing-reducing those forces which maintain behaviour in its present form, recognition of the need for change and improvement to occur.

                   Movement: Development of new attitudes or behaviour and the implementation of the change.

                   Refreezing: Stabilizing change at new level and reinforcement through supporting mechanisms, for example policies, structure or norms.

                   French etal list eight specific components of a planned change effort related to the above process which has: initial problem identification, obtaining data, problem diagnosis, action planning, implication, followed-up and stabilization, assessment of consequences and learning from the process.

                   The identification could be explained to mean that, an employees or individuals attitude is based on the belief that behaviour is generally predictable.

1.1     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS

          The statement of the problem serves to elaborate deeply upon the information implied in the title of the study. It is an interrogative statement which asks about the assured or proposed relationship between two or more variables. It is a statement that help clarifies, outlines, limits and bring into being a distinct image of the problem to be investigated. Statement therefore shows emphasis placed to arriving at relevant results in this fact finding mission.

                   This topic is chosen with the intension of finding out what reinforcement technique should be adopted or administered to staff in an organization that will enhance increase in performances with particular reference to Dangote Cement Plc Gboko Benue State. The research work will furthermore examine or study workers attitude to work in the process of discharging their duties or carrying out their responsibilities.