Learning Arelativelypermanentchangeinthebehavioroccurringasaresultofexperience Twoapproachestolearningareofferedbyoperantconditioningandsociallearningtheory. Organizational learning complementstheseapproaches bystressingtheimportanceofcommitmenttolearning throughoutanorganization. Organizationalmembers,especially newcomers,mustlearnhowto perform newtasks.Experiencedemployeesmustlearnhowtousenewequipmentandtechnologyorhowto follownewpoliciesandprocedures.Learningisafundamental processinorganizations.

Thischapter discusses principlesoflearningthat managers canpromotetomaintaindesiredorganizationalbehaviors suchasgoodcustomerserviceormanufacturing high-qualityproducts. Learningconsistsofarelatively permanentchangeinknowledgeor behaviorsthatresultfrompracticeorexperience.Thisdefinitionhas threekey elements:(1)permanent, (2)change,and(3)throughpractice.Atemporarychangeinbehavioror knowledgeis notcharacteristicoflearning.Learningtakesplacethrough practice,ortheexperienceof watchingothers,althoughit istemptingtotakeshortcuts.Theoriesoflearning,operant conditioning,and sociallearningtheoryemphasizedifferentwaysoflearning. MethodsofShapingBehavior Reinforcement isthe process thatincreases the probabilitythat desiredbehaviorsoccur byapplying consequences. Managersusereinforcementtoincreasethelikelihoodofhighersales, betterattendance,orobserving safetyprocedures.Reinforcement beginsbyselectinga behaviortobeencouraged. Correctlyidentifyingthe behaviorisimportant,orreinforcementwill notleadtothedesiredresponse.Amanagermustdecideif attendanceatmeetingsisthedesiredbehaviororattendance and participation.Themanagerwouldneedtoreinforcebothbehaviorsifbotharedesired. Positivereinforcement increasesthe probabilitythata behaviorwilloccur byadministering positiveconsequences(calledpositive reinforces)followingthe behavior.Managersdeterminewhatconsequencesaworkerconsiderspositive. Potentialreinforcesincluderewardssuchaspay,bonuses,promotions,jobtitles, FlexibilityFactorsFlexibilityFactorsStrengthFactorsStrengthFactorsOtherFactorsO therFactors B a s i c P h y s i c a l A b i l i t i e s

interestingwork,andverbalpraise.Rewardsarepositive reinforcementsifaworkeractsinthedesired mannertoobtainthem.Workersdifferinwhattheyconsidertobeapositivereinforce.Forsome,titlesare rewards,forothersitisvacationtime.Once thedesiredbehaviorisdetermined,reinforcesmustfollowto increasereoccurrence.Organizations usereinforcementtopromote thelearningandperformanceofmany behaviors.Someorganizationsuse positivereinforcementfordiversityeffortsandtoretainvaluable employees. Negativereinforcement increasesthe probabilitythata desiredbehavior,thenoccur byremovinga negativeconsequence (or negativereinforce)whena workerperforms thebehavior.Thenegativeconsequenceisfaceduntilaworker performsthe desiredbehavior,thenthe consequenceisremoved.Amanagers naggingisanegative reinforcement,ifthe naggingstopswhenworkerperformsa task correctly.Negativereinforcesdifferfor variousindividuals.Naggingmaynotaffectsomesubordinates.Theywillnotperformthedesiredbehavior, evenifthe naggingstops.Whenusingnegativeandpositivereinforcement,themagnitudeofthe consequencesmustfitthe desiredbehavior.Asmall bonusmay notbesufficienttocauseaworkerto performatime-consuming ordifficulttask. Extinction: Accordingtooperantconditioning,bothgoodandbadbehaviorsarecontrolledbyreinforced consequences.Identifying behavioralreinforcesandremoving themcandecreaseabehavior.Anundesired behaviorwithoutreinforcementcandiminishesuntilit nolongeroccurs.This processiscalled Extinction .Extinction canmodifythebehaviorofaworkerwhospendsmuchtimetalkingortellingjokes.Theattention ofcoworkersreinforcesthis behavior.Ifcoworkersstoptalkingandlaughing,theworkerislikely tostoptelling jokes.Althoughextinctionis useful,ittakes timetoeliminatethe undesiredbehavior.Whenbehaviorsneed tostopimmediately,managersmayresorttopunishment . Punishment consistsofadministeringanegativeconsequencewhenthe undesiredbehavioroccurs. Punishmentis not thesameas negativereinforcement.Itdecreasesabehavior,whereasnegativereinforcement increasesthefrequencyofabehavior.Punishmentadministersanegativeconsequence,whereas negative reinforcementremovesanegativeconsequence