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HOW THE CHANGING OF TECHNOLOGY CAN BECOME A MOTIVATING FACTOR IN HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

PHD LECTURER ENG LIVIA ANASTASIU


Technical University of Cluj-Napoca Romania, Construction Faculty

Abstract Objectives: Technology may be seen as an activity which forms or changes the resources. The changes in technology affect the organizational culture and structure. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the way the employees can be motivated in labor by new technologies. Prior work: The changes in technology may become a motivating factor. For certain employees, the companys focus on new technologies, on research and development, may give the people the feeling of confidence. This is a long term strategy that encourages the sustainable development. We have to consider the concept of learning organization too. In an active and almost savage economy, with hard competition, information is golden. A personnel-centered organization is thinking of true means to keep the good employees. Money isnt always the strongest argument, or a friendly environment. Maslow`s hierarchy points the general order of human needs. But there are particular cases, as persons are not alike. The subject of this paper is related to two themes of the topic: Organizational Change Management and Organizational Culture and the Management of Technological Changes. Methodology and approach: In order to sustain my demonstration, I made a survey in SMEs in Cluj-Napoca. The chosen companies were granted by the Industry and Commerce Chamber of Cluj County, Romania. Results: There are not good people or bad people, only different ones. When a company deals with new technologies, its possible it may have to change the whole organizational structure. The target might strike creativity, the willing to research. Unfortunately, this often happens in big companies. SME`s dont have enough finance so the R&D department, if there is one, is not developed. Implications: The results of the survey were analyzed and presented to the companies` management staff. Most of them agreed that, in their companies, the changing of technology wasnt thought as a motivator factor. The main problem in implementing the changing is, of course, the lack of money and the run for immediate profit. Originality value: The survey has open questions, the questionnaire is anonymous. The concept belongs entirely to the author and so is the results` interpretation. Romania is now a United European country and it has to deal with a real competition, therefore training and motivating the workers is crucial. Key words: sustainability, changes, human resources management

1. INTRODUCTION The development of the modern society is based on the organizations` activity. Modern theories consider the organization as an open system:
Inputs: - materials - human - financial - information - technology Outputs: - products - services

Transform Transform

The figure reveals two important items: the people and the technology. Its obvious that their contribution is crucial in the success of the organization. The companies perform in an unstable environment, where the tastes of the consumers are in a continuous changing. Therefore, the inputs, in our case the human resources and the technologies must change too, and they are always connected. An important part of the human resources management is based on the study of the methods used to motivate the personnel in order to perform. The changing of technology is one of the motivating factors. 1.1. Definitions of motivation Le Petit Larousse Dictionary defines motivation as the motives .that justifies an action or the conscious or non-conscious psychological factor that determines the individual to act in one manner or another. Kreitner (1995): Motivation is the psychological process that gives behavior purpose and direction. Buford (1995): Motivation is the predisposition to behave in a positive manner to achieve specific, unmet business.

Feedback
Figure 1: Organization as open system

The inputs are transformed in outputs (products and/or services). The feedback shows the objectives which are fulfilled and the changes that must be done to improve the process.

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Higgins (1994) and Bedeian (1993): Basic motivational factors are an internal drive to satisfy an unsatisfied need and the will to achieve. These definitions have some elements in common: a persons motivation and satisfaction relies on the organizations capacity to meat ones goals, according to the personality and the competences. Peter`s principle says that a person will grow until he will reach his own limit of incompetence. That means that the human being is restless in seeking for methods to reach self motivation 1.2. Motivational theories The people working in a company may rise or fallen it by their implication. The management have to find ways to pursuit them to do their jobs in order to meet the goals. But the people have to work together, as teams, even if they are different. The motivational theories are based on observing individuals in the working process. Maslow`s pyramid shows a hierarchy: in his opinion, there are five big categories of needs physiological (shelter, food, clothes, air, water), safety (at home and work), social (belonging to a group), esteem (recognition, respect) and self-actualization (the willing to know more in domains of interest, to improve constantly). Herzberg identifies two factors that provide satisfaction in work: hygiene factors (working conditions, wages, job security, friendly working place) and motivator ones (learning, responsibility, achievement, value recognition, career progression). The existing of the hygiene factors dont give satisfaction, but the lack of them lead to nonsatisfaction. Only the motivator factors are motor of satisfaction. No matter what kind of theories is analyzed, an individual will be motivated as long as, doing a job will satisfy personal needs. This will lead to a motivated behavior in order to get the expected results. 1.3. The change of technology concept The Lisabona Declaration states that the European Union aims to develop the most competitive knowledge based economy. This kind of economy relies on science and technology. Science means research, technological development, technological transfer and innovation. The contemporary post-industrial era is a technology-based one. Wealth is generated where new technologies perform. The most important is automatization. In fact, the most powerful countries are using high-technology. Modern companies can survive only if they are opened to change. This process affects all the activities, not only the Research & Development department. People using the technologies must change too.

2 2. CHANGING TECHNOLOGIES MOTIVATOR FACTOR The motivator theories show that the individuals are one of the organizations inputs. Nothing can be accomplished without the members contribution. As the humans work as teams, the companys management has to find solutions to motivate them to perform. A main fact in an organization is the understanding and the interpretation of the causes that determine the actions and the behavior of the people. The behavior changes according to the needs, demands, promises and the situations conditions. Therefore, the organization must focus on the understanding of the motivator items. 2.1. The management implication The organizations management has to find strategies (subtle or direct) to motivate people. The motivation and satisfaction in work arent connected only with money, but also with the working conditions and the workings essence. That leads to the companys strategy to direct the personnel towards the settled target. The organizations management cannot act on all items: the economic environment, the peoples personalities, and the state politics. However, it can interfere in: - decreasing the non-motivator factors - creating the means to motivate people - promoting the peoples individualizing The organizational psychology studies the triangle: individual profession work, in an organizational context. Scotts theory on organization as a system points out the concept of organizational changing, for an environmental adaptation. Phil Harding finds four key factors for implementing a success change management: - the management willing to make a change - a clear vision of change, shared with the members of the organization - the real capacity of change - the action targeted on change The change of technology is an important matter in leading the organization to progress. Unfortunately, the willing is not enough; the financial resources often obstruct companies in doing it. The small and medium enterprises, which are the main part of the world economy have poor budgets; so, if they want to improve the technology have to take credits. The crisis slow down the development of the economy and the most affected are these types of enterprises. The statistics show that they dont have a Research & Development Department, and if they have one, it is kind of penniless and small wages for researchers. 2.2. The personnel implication

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The development and the utilization of the new technology depend on the human resources of the company. The world is moving quickly and ceaseless and in order to succeed flexibility is a demand. People may become interested if the evolution of the company is explained. Another important issue is the answer to the change. The changes must take place in all the companys levels; otherwise the effect is lack of balance. The most important thing is the change of the organizational culture, with adaptable, creative and inventive people. The change must be made through people. The most important features in a changing organizational culture are communication, integration, motivation. Technology is an important pillar; new, quick, update equipments are perfect for performance. But they have to be used by people, and they might be integrated in the culture by socialization and adaptation. One of the most charismatic figures of the modern management is Jack Welch, former president of General Electric. He remains in the history of management for he wanted to change the attitude of the personnel towards work. He encouraged his people to free their emotional energy through creativity. Therefore, the manager must stay close to the employees, to have a pro-listening attitude, to be approachable and direct. This kind of behavior will lead to the personnel renewal. Charles Darwin said: It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones who are most responsive to change. The organizations success depends on the motivation of the workers. There are many ways to motivate people, but money isnt the most important one; interesting work may give a lot of satisfaction. The evolutionist model (Schneider) is based on the ASA template (Attraction Selection Attrition); that means that an organization gathers individuals with an appropriate psychological profile for the jobs. Leadership is the main force in the changing process. Bass (1985) agrees that there are three methods to motivate the employees: - the employees must understand and like the goals - they must be guided to self-learning - they must know their results are important to the organization 3. SURVEY REGARDING THE CHANGE OF TECHNOLOGY SEEN AS A MOTIVATOR FACTOR The individual is unique as we think about him in features as intelligence, culture, temper. Within an organization, one doesnt work alone, but in a community, and so all the features are mixed up and lead to the group behavior. In order to gain Excellency, the organizational groups forming are essential. In order to support the importance of motivating and satisfaction in work by changing the technologies, I

3 attained a survey focused on elements that may lead to a performance-based behavior when the changing of technology is involved. I conceived a questionnaire with queries revealing sensitive issues concerning the pleasure to work, the devotion towards the organization, the factors that motivate the employee to be the best. I showed the results of the research to the companies` leaders and I had a pleasant surprise to notice that their attitude was pro-active. Most of them realized that they never thought seriously if their subordinates came to work by pleasure, or only by pecuniary reasons. Its true, the big rush for profit, the concern of staying in business, the savage competition is everyday problems and they dont find time for minor issues. The questions structured and were focused on revealing the employees` attitude on the economic environment. The survey was anonymous in order to provide sincere answers. The 30 questions are patterned and they reveal the global degree of motivation and satisfaction. Combinations can be made, but I chose 5 motivational factors, focused on the following problems: - personal achievements - loyalty for the organization - money as motivator - the collectivity - the feedback of the achievements - influences of the technological changes The survey was made on a sample of 248 SMEs: 70.2% micro, 25.8% small, and 4% medium. The working fields: production 6%, construction 18%, trade 32%, services 44%. As far as the employees are concerned, 47% are female, 53% male; 18% have leading jobs, 82% operative jobs; 12% vocational school, 40% high school, 43% university, 5% masters. The results reveal interesting matters: a. the companies` domain of activity

Technology changing by domain


50 40 30 20 10 0 construction production trade services

The most interested in changing the technology are the workers in production (42%) because they are the direct users. The less interested are the traders (5%), for they only sell the products/services. The construction domain had an extraordinary development in Romania in the past five years, so the companies began to invest in new technologies. The consumers` tastes are more

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rafinated and to stay in business, the owners must have quality.

4 The globalization destroyed the borders on product or services selling. The Internet provides information world-wide. What is new today may be old tomorrow. If yesterday we could only dream to be connected to the modern technologies, today its a fact. All the past calculations are history: it may be cheaper to contract a company from Germany if you want to build a home in England. The transportation expenses will be meaningless if the workers come with new and low-cost technologies, they do their jobs perfect and in less time. There are no limits in satisfying the customers` demands. For that kind of employees, money is important, of course, but the pride to be trusted in fulfilling the jobs is stronger. If they are well motivated, they are committed to their company and are proud working there. Its all about the charisma and determination of the leadership. That`s why the motivation methods are essential in modern and successful companies by some reasons: - improve the efficiency when the job is well done - lead to higher quality of work - create pride and confidence among employees - reduce the fluctuation and absenteeism The Human Resources Department of Procter&Gamble made a robot-portrait of the ideal employee: For my company, the ideal employer is the one who provides the possibility of my development and it gives me freedom in expressing my ideas and undertaking. Of course, money is important, but I expect other types of motivations. The working climate is extremely important and the team is too. At the same time, the fact that my efforts are estimated, that the promotion is based on performance, its only up to me to have a successful carrier. Of course, there must be a limit in everything. The robots may replace some of the organizations` activities. But the human being has brain, which is not replaceable. The creativity has to be used in positive directions; otherwise the disasters cannot be controlled. Another danger is the dilution of personality. Who would think 20 years ago that today citizens come to the country to assist the peasants to milk cows or to see (as in a museum) plantations with potatoes, tomatoes or Halloween pumpkins? References
1.Huntington, S., Ciocnirea civilizaiilor i refacerea ordinii mondiale, Ed. Antet, Bucureti, 1998 2. Lockwood, N., Strategic Human Resource Management in the Federal Sector: human resources emerging role and the demand for leadership, Human Resources Magazine, July, 2006 3. Hertzberg, F., The Motivation to Work, John Wiley&sons, New York, 1987 4. Beardwell, I., Holden, I., Human Resources Management, a Contemporary Approach, Prentice Hall, United Kingdom, 2001

b. male versus female

Technology changing by workers` sex


100 50 0 male female

Males are more motivated by the changing of technologies (82%) than women. Its obvious, as long as most of men have technical capacities and have strength to work in hard conditions. c. level of education

Technological change by level of education


60 40 20 0 vocational high school university master

The higher is the level of education, the bigger is the willing to do an interesting job that deserves specific knowledge: master employees are opened to new techniques (44%), in opposition with the vocational workers who are not prepared to perform sophisticated jobs (7%). The human resources are the organizations core competences when they congregate the following conditions: are unique, hard to copy, valuable and organized. The human resources may become core competences and can generate competitive advantage if they can be trained to reach the objectives settled through strategy. The way to do this is a deep-thought motivation. The normal succession of motivation is action, and the expected results of the action generate satisfaction. 4. CONCLUSIONS

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