Date of Award

8-1-1979

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Abstract

The question of central interest in this study was, "do incentive testing pilot programs adversely affect the performace of non-pilot groups?" The current managerial practice of testing new motivational techniques on small subgroups within an organization provides employees with a recognizable discrepancy between the effort to reward payoffs among co-workers. Independent variables manipulated in this study were: (a) differing levels of preferential treatment, and (b) membership versus non-membership in a bonus testing pilot group. Dependent variables included task quantity, task quality, subject's estimates of productivity had they been in each of four treatment conditions, and treatment group attractiveness rating. Planned comparisons revealed that a cash bonus program used throughout the study increased task productivity and was seen by subjects as being a desirable condition to work under. Comparisons also showed a preference for a work situation in which no worker received bonus payments over a situation in which a minority of the work force benefited from such payments.

Comments

A Thesis Presented to the Department of Psychology and the Faculty of the Graduate College University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts University of Nebraska at Omaha. Copyright 1979, Thomas E. Kranda

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