Business 360 Exam 1

1.6 How does PM deal with thoughts and feelings? What are private behaviors/private events? 6

PM considers thoughts and feeling as a behavior to be explained. Thoughts and feelings are private behavior. Thoughts and feelings are only made to be observed by the person feeling them, they are private behaviors or events to them to analyze unless they are verbalized to the public

1.3 PM brings significant value to organizations. Be able to describe each of the seven and give an example of each. 2-9

PM is practical and it works - Customer Service, PM produces short-term and long-term results - BCBS (Blue Cross and Blue Shield) 33 years of PM, PM requires no formal psychological training - baby's can figure out if they cry they get attention, PM is a system for maximizing all kinds of performance - Production Jobs; R&D Group or textile employees producing a 50 year old product, PM creates an enjoyable place in which to work - PM can be used to enhance relationships at work, at home, and in the community - Using PM to get your children to do their chores, PM is an open system - Anyone in the organization can use PM

1.2 How does PM relate to the larger field of Applied Behavior Analysis?

PM is the branch of Applied Behavior Analysis that focuses on the workplace. Mostly just human behavior

4.5 What is "performance"? 28 What is the relation between behavior and performance? 28-29

Performance - consists of a situation, one or more behaviors, tasks, and results, which are combined to produce a specific accomplishment. Behaviors are a series of behaviors directed toward some outcome or goal. Performance is a summary term for behaviors and their effect on the environment.

6.5: "Behaviors or results: when should you emphasize one?" Be able to answer in some detail. 62-63. Relate to LO 5.21

Pinpoint both behaviors and results, but always pinpoint and measure results first. However, pinpointing behaviors first may help avoid 3 things: People engaging in illegal or morally reprehensible behavior such as falsifying data. Behaviors necessary for the maintenance of long-term results may be neglected. You may set up negative reinforcement contingencies that reduce performance

3.8 Deming, who was known for his work in quality, was interested in process variance - what is this? Why is this the focus of interest? What are the "four Ms"? 23-24

Process variance is factors out of control of employees so therefore they cannot be blamed for bad results because the variance of the process was not minimized before they worked. The four Ms of process variance: Materials, Machinery, Methods, Manpower

7.6: The section on measurement categories contains lots of detail. Be able to describe the four categories in your own words and give a business example of each. 74-78

Quality - number of dimensions needed to measure. Looking for accuracy, class, and novelty. Accuracy - Measuring for errors. Class - "Comparative superiority of a product beyond mere accuracy." Novelty - The unusual or unique aspect of a performance. Quantity - The action of counting. Volume (number of occurrences). Rate (Frequency per unit of time). Timeliness - Only concerned when something gets done. EX: Deadlines. Cost - The behavior cost of performance. Labor Costs

7.5: There appear to be many excuses used for not measuring performance, give at least three in your own words. 73-74

"Some jobs can't be measured." "Measurement is hard work." "Measurement just signals punishment." "There isn't enough time to measure."

5.19 Be able to distinguish between an active and inactive pinpoint and give an example of each. 49 This will be a critical part to your Living Case Study.

Active pinpoint - require action such as coming into work. Inactive pinpoints require no action such as skipping work or no accidents. Active pinpoints communicate what is wanted

22.10 What design do you use when you want to compare two treatments simultaneously? 301

Alternating treatment designs

9.2 The statement behavior is a function of its consequences, could be modified to say, "Behavior is a function of its antecedents, consequences, and motivating operations." Explain how this is a more complete explanation. 106

An antecedent is getting people ready for a change, the MO reinforces the behavior you want and the consequences are the events that follow the behavior that will make it occur more often in the future.

9.1 What element is added to the ABC Model (Fig. 9.1)? What does "M.O." stand for? How does this add to our understanding of factors which affect behavior? 105-106

Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence. Motivating Operation. MO stand a reinforcer for behaviors and make them occur again

2.2 How is reinforcement defined? 12

Any consequence that follows a behavior that increases the probability it will occur again in the future

5.15 In organizational settings, discrete behaviors are rare. Classes of behaviors are common. Describe a behavior class and give examples. 43

Any group or pattern of behaviors that produce the same effect on the environment. Handwriting and typing out are both in the same behavior class because the end result is the same

9.4: What are behavioral consequences? 107-108 Take a look at Fig.

Are events that follow a behavior that change the probability that the behavior will recur in the future

6.9: Describe "work sampling" and include reference to the four purposes. 68-70

Being aware of what you are seeing and avoiding reinforcing any inappropriate behaviors. Determine how well your organizational structure functions. Determining how well your management process works. Sample work with a supervisor to ensure that you both are seeing the same things and to train him on what your criteria for success is. Use this opportunity to strengthen the position of the supervisor rather than undercutting it.

5.2 Define pinpointing and give an example of it in a business situation. 35

Being precise about behavior (not allowing for those who you are asking to change to be confused on the criterion), being specific about what people do. Example of what not to say: Someone says change your attitude. Or stop making errors. Examples of what to say: instead of saying youre lazy, say you need to stop coming into work late.

22.3 The question of which color monitor to use is a great example of statistically significant data having little practical value. 295 How was this determined? This relates to socially significant changes discussed in Unit 1. When else have you seen a similar situation?

By a test of 200 people. It changed the time by 1 second but wasn't a practical difference to implement the change.

2.5 The Figures on pp. 14-15 make an important point about cause and effect. Note Figure 2.4 shows a more powerful design in comparison to Figure 2.2.

Correlation is not causation

5.5 How might counts be mistaken for results? Give an example. 36

Counting is just counting the occurrence of a behavior, not the result of the behavior. Like a call center counting phones answered

1.1 What is the goal of Performance Management (PM)? 1

Create a workplace that brings out the best in people while generating the highest value for the organization

4.6 Discuss what behavior is NOT. 27+

Generalities are not behaviors - these things do not describe what you can observe a person doing. Such as creative, teamworker, etc. Attitudes are not behaviors - these are not behaviors but instead refer to a vast collection of tasks and behaviors. States - state is a static condition that's a result of a behavior. Values - teamwork is an example of a value

5.1 What is the "most difficult" thing to do to improve performance? 35 Do not underestimate this!

Identify the basic behaviors driving the desired result

4.1 Dr. Ogden Lindsley came up with the dead person's test. What does it mean? Contrast this to the definition of behavior. Explain it in your own words for a business setting. 27

If a dead man can do it, it ain't behavior

9.6 Give two examples that support the proposition that "doing nothing can change behavior." 111

If an employee goes to extra effort to solve a problem for a boss and the boss does not acknowledge it, the employee will most likely not go to that much trouble again. If an employee disregards safety precaution and gets no consequence he will likely keep breaking the precautions

7.4: What does this mean: "Managing effectively requires performance data." 73

If you don't collect data to support your assessment, you may appear more opinionated, subjective, and irrational

5.11 What are the problems with measuring attitudes? What is wrong with informal surveys, opinion polls, and the like? 39 What is the most serious concern and why? What does attitude surveys indicate, at best? 40

Implies that attitudes can be observed. They produce invalid and unreliable results. Most serious problem with measuring attitudes is that people's responses may not predict their behavior. Whether a problem exists (survey says morale is low but doesn't indicate why)

9.5: for each of the behaviors, consequences predict whether the behavior will increase or decrease in the future. Explain. 109 We will explore this more later.

Increase Decrease Increase Increase

3.3 What is wrong with managing by results only? 19 Relate this to profitability.

It is a reactive approach and is very ineffective. It looks at changing behavior long after the behavior is already gone

3.5 Why not just look at profitability measures as a means of evaluation of organizational performance? 20

It is costly and unpredictable way to get results

6.4: Explain: "If the result is completely achieved, would anything else be expected."

It is for examining if there are any outcomes that may happen in order to determine the exact objective of a job. Intervention continues after the goal is achieved.

4.8 Why is a value, like honesty, not a behavior? 31 What then, is a behavior that might capture these terms?

It is in that person and should not be wasted on time changing. A behavior such as not cheating on a test could capture those terms.

4.3 "Organizations can only increase value through the behavior of employees." What does this mean? 27

It means that the behavior of employees it what gets output for an organization

4.9 "Trying to solve a business problem by trying to change thoughts and feelings is inefficient and intrusive..." What does this mean? 32-33

It means that those are a persons own thoughts and it takes too long to change a person. You only need to focus on the behaviors to get stuff done.

22.8 In Fig. 22.5 the number of safety incidents performed safely dropped when the intervention was stopped, what does this mean? 298

It means the intervention worked because it reverted back

5.6 "Some managers may spend too much time with nuisance behaviors" means what? 36 What is the challenge?

It means they are dealing with a symptom of an issue not the real issue. Like taking long breaks, the real issue is productivity and people can be unproductive at their desks

1.7 Chapter 1 makes a rather bold statement about the utility of PM. Why might PM approaches not be currently mainstream in all organizations?

It might be hard to implement the positive methods of reinforcement over and over with the wrong managers

2.7 Why is a scientific orientation important for organizations? 15 Carefully consider "correlation is not causation" and why this is important to understand in business (and in life).

It reduces the use of unnecessary work in organizations. Just because there is a correlation in two events like if a country has more paved roads it has less malaria, doesn't mean the two caused each other just because there is a correlation. Important to understand just because a change is made in business it doesn't mean that is what caused better results

Quantity is the most frequently used measurement category.

It's the most used because it only involves counting.

2.4 Refer to Figure 2.1 on p. 13. Be able to make the scientific knowledge comparison if given the common sense characteristic. "Common sense solutions only require ____." 13

Living. While scientific understanding requires systematic effort

PFP1.2 What is management? 3 What is an organization's purpose? 3 What is some of the history mentioned and role of the marketplace

Management is about getting a group of people to do things they would not individually choose to do on a consistent basis. An organization's purpose is to achieve common goals rather than personal goals. Earliest organizations were the military with a common goal of defense. Management pushed soldiers to take risks and endure hardship they would not normally accept. Tribal Chiefs, Democracy will of the people by the leader

5.7 What are the three characteristics of pinpoints? Give an example of a good pinpoint that meets all three requirements. 37 Note: you will need to consider this L.O. in your Living Case Study business interview.

Measurable, observable, reliable

PFP1.1 Why the change in management perspective? Describe the movements. 10-12

Movement from Entitlement to Pay Performance - So that wages are not just a fixed cost that must grow exponentially for a company, Movement toward Decentralization and Outsourcing - more things are outsourced in companies so supervisors must adapt and look at objective results rather than subjective impressions and employee activity, Movement toward more concern for Customers - TPS 1. provides timely, precise measures of service levels and customer satisfaction/loyalty. 2. Shares profit with employees. This all makes the employees more connected to customer and perform more as a self-employed person than an employee

4.2 "Behavior" is a word that often has implicit meanings. Note here, "behavior can be good, or _______..." 25 Does all behavior add value? What is value-added behavior?

No, value-added behavior adds to an organization's output

1.5 According to Skinner, "mentalistic explanations explain ______." What does this mean? 6

Nothing. This means by applying labels to actions it causes interpretation that can be far more than a manger is capable of working on, instead of describing what is seen or heard makes it easier for change to occur

4.4 Why is "Managing the detail of successful performers..." overkill? Explain. 28 Why focus on a critical few behaviors in a skill set?

Once an employee has demonstrated skills at high-steady rates, the need to supervise every event is not required. Coaching the right behaviors is key to output, if management focuses on a few and teaches them they will see more results.

7.1: When are you ready for the measurement phase? 71

Once you've pinpointed the behavior and result you would like to change and your mission has passed the ACORN test, then you're ready to measure.

6.1: What is an organizational "mission"? Look up the mission of three different companies.

Organization "mission": statement of what the company does. Starbucks - To inspire and nurture the human spirit - One person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time

6.2: Note that there are three levels of mission. What do you mean? Give an example of each within an organization - consider restaurants.

Organizational mission - Short pity message describing why company exists. Unit Mission - should contain the simple outcome of unit's efforts. Job Mission - A statement as to why performers do their tasks to get their result

5.10 While in the process of pinpointing you can sometimes discover there really is not problem. Explain this. What is meant by the magnitude of a problem? 39

The problem you thought was occurring could really be a misunderstanding a different magnitude of what you thought, or a different scenario with much smaller impact

22.6 What does, "The power of the A-B design to tease out cause and effect is low" mean? 296

The real cause of the increase after intervention may no be caused by what you think it is. Results can be because of many variables other than the variable in the graph

6.7: What should the trainer have said to the clerk if Aubrey said, "no thank you" to the offer of the apple pie? 65 Does the trainer need to say anything if Aubrey buys the pie? Why or why not? Consider the implied logistics and feasibility here...

The trainer should have told the clerk to "keep it up and you'll sell tons of apple pies." By doing this positive reinforcement even when the sale didn't work then it helps encourage the clerk to continue asking the question. If Aubrey buys the pie then yes the manager should absolutely support the clerk by using positive, immediate, and social reinforcement.

5.3 "Results are pinpointed first...", why? 36

They provide a case for changing behaviors. First so you have information necessary to make changes to the support system that has been created to produce valuable behavior

9.3 What are discretionary behaviors? 106 What maintains them?

Those that occur beyond the minimum required by the organization. Reinforcement maintains them.

7.2: What is the major reason for measuring in a PM system? 71 What does this mean: "Measurement is the key to progress." 72

To increase the appropriate delivery of reinforcement. Measurement allows for people to see if performance is improving, waning, or staying the same.

7.8: "For every pinpoint you should ask..."_____. 79

What are the relevant measures of performance? Do you want to alter the quantity, quality, or timeliness, or cost of performance.?

5.17 What is so important about verbal behavior? 46

What people say to each other and how they say it probably has more influence than any other kind of interaction. How managers present things and reinforcers with words changes how employees act

5.4 Gilbert would say that "behavior is valuable only _____." Explain. 36

With accomplishments

1.4 Study and familiarize yourself with Figures on p. 4-5 be able to describe the graph is showing, what variables are representing, and what is happening to the data over time/intervention.

With feedback as time goes on so does the performance of workers.

4.7 What distinction do the author's make between attitudes and behavior? 30

You as a manager can change someone's behavior but you can't change their mind (attitude)

22.4 What are some of the challenges with using between-group designs in PM? What are the advantages of a repeated measures design? 295-296

You can't easily transfer a person from one department to another. Lose individual accountability.

3.4 How does a "proactive manager" work? 19 Do you think this is easy/difficult to do over time? Explain in an example.

You must define the results that you need and then determine the behaviors that will produce those results. You then manage those behaviors as they occur.

22.7 How do the A-B-A-B designs add power to the determination of cause and effect? 297-298

Remove the feedback and intervention and if the data reverts back then the intervention caused the change

3.6 How is the word result used in PM? 20 Explain in your own words: "You do not manage the bottom line; you manage the processes that create it..."

Results are seen as changes in behavior

5.20 Results must be ______________, _____________, and ____________. Why? 50

Results are static and inactive because you can't observe someone doing a result, you can only see them perform the behavior. However, results must be measurable, observable, and reliable. So you know how the behavior went

2.1 Be able to define science and explain how it relates to the PM. 11-12

Science is first of all a set of attitudes. It is a disposition to deal with facts rather than what someone said about them. Science is applied in PM to seek knowledge that can be replicated from one industry to the next

5.14 What are the two challenges involved in pinpointing behavior? 42-43

Separating behaviors from non-behaviors. Determining whether or not you select will in fact create the outcome you want

9.5 Give an example to support "attitudes are not behavior." 109-110. Relate to L.O. 4.7

She is lazy. She has a bad attitude

22.9 What is the logic behind the multiple baseline design? 299-301 Why do the performances have to be independent (i.e. they don't "covary")? Explain what, "The variables must be measured concurrently" means. 299

Staggering the interventions. It is ideal because most PM interventions do not start at the same time. The performances must be independent so there is no overlap in the results. It means there must be some overlap of the first variable with the baseline of the later variables

5.9 Labeling can lead to _______. Why is this so bad? 38

Stereotyping which is bad because it causes us to attribute many qualities that were never actually demonstrated or observed. This is dangerous and limiting.

2.6 Read, and re-read, and reflect on the last paragraph starting on p. 15, "In today's economy..."

...a scientific orientation is both a practical and economic necessity for organizations. It reduces unnecessary work if we are creating the most effective way to produce and deliver products.

6.6: What is "Pareto's Law" and how does it apply to the distinction between behaviors and results? 64

20% of employee behavior creates 80% of the results.

6.3: What is the "Acorn" test? If you are given a mission, analyze it using Figure. 6.1

A - Accomplishment - it's a result, not a behavior. C - Control - The performer has the predominant influence over accomplishment. O - Overall Objective - The accomplishment that represents the major reason for the job's existence. R - Reconcilable - The accomplishment must have minimal conflict with the requirements of other jobs. N - Numbers - It must be possible to generate practical, cost effective data to measure the accomplishment

5.16 Discuss and give examples of "behavior chains." 43-45 Consider the role of behavior chains in business. Consider a Figure 5.2 and create your own task and sample behaviors for something. 44

A behavior chain is behaviors in a sequence.

5.22 What are the four components to a behavior pinpoint? 52 Be able to apply to a scenario.

Action- verb must be in active not passive, object, condition - when to start behavior, criterion - when to stop Ex. Complete the review of the new marketing materials and provide your analysis by noon on Monday. Not all pinpoints require condition and criterion but they do require action and object

5.8 Pinpoints are not beliefs, attitudes, etc. Why not? Motivation, personality, and morale all require pinpointing, why? 38

Because these are internal, subjective, or abstract. Each represents a a collection of behaviors and/or results

3.2 "To change results, you must change _____." 19 Explain.

Change employees and get people to of more or less of something

7.3: Data (as the result of measurement) can help detect what? 72

Data helps detect small changes in behavior and reinforce them when appropriate.

5.21 What are the elements for writing a pinpoint? 51 Practice this exercise. Note the differences made about Results pinpoints vs Behavior pinpoints.

Direction of change - if your direction is to reduce or maintain something try again. It should always be an increase. The units of measure - pounds, dollars, etc. The pinpoint itself - measure and words need to agree

3.1 Explain: "All organizational results are the products of human behavior." 19

Every result is produced by someone doing something.

3.7 Discuss the concept of predictability in laws of behavior. 22

Everyone clings to their old behavior by habit

6.8: How can poor results be beyond a performer's control? 66-67 give a personal example. What might be the focus?

Factors out of performer's control: Weather Economy Venders An example: Recession in sales over time Sales go down even though workers are performing at their best

14 PFP 1.3 Discuss the obstacles that need to be addressed for successful implementation of the performance systems approach to management? 6+

Subjective Management - many companies rely more on subjective impressions than objective performance in managing. It is hard for a manager to set aside personal feelings and look solely at performance. Change Effort - Subjective Management gives all the power to managers in an employees organizational fate. Employees are trying to please their managers rather than worry about performance to gain favor. If changed it would take power away from managers. It is easier and less time consuming for managers to only react when mistakes are made. Shifting the Locus of Control - Managers who adopt the system view can no longer blame employees for departmental failures. Failures to perform are viewed as problems with the system that the manager set up it changes the manager dynamic from reactive to proactive. That takes more effort on the mangers part. Entitlement Thinking - Pay and annual increases have become an entitlement for employees regardless of performance. Employees must be ready to change their view too to take responsibility for their pay. Commodity Labor Thinking - instead of thinking that employees must be payed the amount that competitors pay in the same region and job, employees must agree to take less pay in a downturn for greater in a profiting company off of their work.

5.12 Figure 5.1 on page 40 is intended to clarify the distinction between generalizations, behaviors, and results. Create your own table using some generalizations that you have heard and see if you can generate behaviors and results that might be associated with them.

Term: friendly Behavior: talks a lot, says hey, smiles Possible results: high customer satisfaction, good customer loyalty

5.13 What is the issue about pinpointing being under the performer's control? Give two examples. 40- 41 Have you ever been held accountable for something you couldn't control?

The behavior of the performer more than anything determines the result. People would like to be surgeons but may lack finger dexterity, someone may want to be a singer but is tone-deaf (that me) I can't control the pinpoint of being able to hear tone.

2.3 What is wrong with the first 3 ways of "knowing"? 12 Consider how we can use scientific approaches in a typically non-scientific context. How do we really "know" anything? Is "knowing" similar to "truth"? What ways of knowing can lead to false impressions? Consider the ways our everyday language has drifted from fact, e.g., the sun rises, the moon is shining...

The first three (authority, agreement, and personal experience) all fall under common sense and are subject to considerable error.