RUNNING HEAD: Research Paper 1
Research Paper
Caleb Parada
BMAL 500
Liberty University
Research Paper 2
Abstract
In this paper we will look at a problem that is occurring in my workplace. Currently there
has a been a high turnover rate, with lots of workers lacking job-commitment to the workplace.
This has caused higher management to spend time constantly hiring new workers. On page 57 of
our textbook, the author defines job commitment as “a force that binds an individual to a course
of action or relevance to one or more targets,” (Kinicki, pg.57). In this paper we seek how
managers can be that “force that binds an individual to being committed to their job. In order to
solve the problem, we will be using the 3-step approach to problem solving and showing
research on McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y.
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Step 1
Summary of Organization
Recreation centers, aims to provide students a place where they can be active throughout
the school year. Recreation Centers is a part campus recreation for Liberty University. The
facilities that are under Recreation Centers are the Montview bowling alley and game room,
Lahaye gym, and the David’s place clubhouse. Currently I am a manager that oversees the
Montview bowling alley and game room, and as well as the David’s Place clubhouse. In our
facilities, along with 5 other managers, I oversee about 20+ student workers that work part time.
Recreation Centers prides itself on providing facilities to improve the live and well-being
of Liberty Students. Customer service is a big part of what our department does. In order to
successfully succeed at customer satisfaction, student workers are the main point of contact for
members and students that are coming into the facilities, making them an important piece of the
Recreation Centers’ overall goal. Having 6 managers, it can be difficult at times to be on the
same page when it comes to establishing policies. Having multiple managers comes with
different management styles. However, the major overriding issue is the constant turnover of
student workers that has happened throughout the years and the lack of job commitment in the
workplace.
Synopsis of the Organizational Challenges
One key thing to remember is that, with having 6 different managers to report to, student
workers may have a difficult time working with the different management styles that each
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manager has. Management has a big impact on employee commitment and how work is
executed. The number of employees that quit throughout the semester has been slowly increasing
throughout the years and has caused to ask questions whether employees are happy working for
Recreation Centers.
In the article “Employees Want a Lot More From Their Managers,” written by Jim
Harter and Amy Adkins, we see that engaged employees are those who come to work with
enthusiasm and are committed to their work and workplace (Harter & Adkins, 2015). It is
important to understand managers have a big impact on how these employees may see their
work. Harter & Adkins explain how when employees are under bad managers, some may feel
miserable while being at work causing them to compound their stress and effecting their overall
well-being in a negative way (Harter & Adkins, 2015). To put in perspective, the authors conduct
research showing that managers affect at least 70% of variance in employee engagement (Harter
& Adkins, 2015). With such a high turnover rate and a lack of job-commitment, one must look at
the managers and try to understand if they are directly affecting how employees do their work.
In our textbook Organizational Behavior: A practical problem-solving approach, We
learn about how the 3-Step Approach can be used to solve a problem in our workplace. In
Chapter 1 we are told that 3-Step Approach is to Define the problem, Identify potential causes,
and finally make recommendations (Kinicki, 2018, pg.21) So far, we can see that the answer to
the first step (define the problem) is that there is a lack of job commitment in the workplace
causing a high turnover rate. Next, we must look at step 2, where we identify possible causes of
this problem.
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As said before, in my workplace we have 6 managers overseeing about 20 student
workers. Currently there is one manager who is very extreme about their job. This manager,
which we may call Angela, is a new manager this year who began at the start of the fall semester.
Angela was very driven to become manager and once she received the position, she was very
serious about doing her job. She believed that student workers were always to be told what to do.
Angela believed that to have a successful facility, student workers were always to be at their best
behavior with no room for error. She believed that student workers had to be constantly
supervised for them to do their job correctly. As a result, many student workers did not enjoy
coming into work while that manager was on shift. During shifts that Angela was manager, there
was a higher number of student workers wanting to drop their shifts or to switch. Angela’s
management style caused a lack of job-commitment in the workplace. Angela realized this and
continued to be stricter and enforce policies on student workers. One strategy that Angela used
was the threat of punishment if student workers did not come into their shifts. That would be
effective at times causing student workers to come into their shifts.
On the other hand, there is a manager, that we may refer to as Bob, that takes an interest
in his student workers. Bob takes time to understand each student workers concerns about the
workplace. Because of this, student workers respect Bob more and go to him in any situation.
When Bob is manager on shift, student workers rarely miss work unless there is a serious
emergency. The employees like to come into work when they see Bob is on shift and employees
seem to provide higher customer service to members when on shift.
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Having these 2 examples of managers in the workplace, we can help identify the possible
causes for the lack of job commitment and high turnover rate. In my workplace, this has caused a
headache having to hire new student workers to replace the ones that quit. Recently, it has been a
growing issue in the workplace. It is important to address the issue, because time spent on hiring
new workers takes time out of higher management, that could be used being spent on improving
facilities. Therefore, the problem in our workplace of student workers lacking job commitment is
an issue that must be addressed and solved. It is important to research theory in order to support
our claim that these management styles are the causes for our problem of job-commitment. One
theory that stands out in this situation can be seen in Douglas McGregor’s Theory X and Theory
Y management styles.
Step 2
History of Douglas McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y
In the 1950s, Douglas McGregor was a professor at the MIT Sloan School of
Management. There, McGregor worked and developed his Theory X and Theory Y which were
theories of motivation and management. In Leanna Lawter’s study, “McGregor’s Theory X/Y
and Job Performance,” We find that when McGregor first began his theory, he pushed three ideas
about managers. The 3 main ideas that McGregor pushed were that (Lawton, 2015):
1. Managerial work behaviors are a result of the managers assumptions of people
2. There are two different views about the nature of employees
3. Managers assumptions about employees was a self-fulfilling prophecy
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These 3 assertions paved the way for McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y of
management (Lawter, 2015). Douglas McGregor wanted to show managers, that work
performance is largely affected by management behavior. McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y
can be applied to the problem that is occurring at my workplace.
In the research paper “Revisiting of Theory X and Y,” authors Sait Gurbuz, Faruk Sahin,
and Onur Koksal conduct research into order to see how McGregor’s Theories can influence how
subordinates or workers do their job and how it plays into job-commitment. Gurbuz, Shain &
Koksal, do their study with military leaders to complete a questionnaire to determine if they were
more Theory X or Theory Y. The researchers also went on to ask the subordinates of those
military leaders how they felt about each leader and how it effected their commitment to tasks.
This research allows us to understand more about the difference between the management styles
of Theory X and Theory Y.
Theory X
Gurbuz and the authors of the research first began with their findings of leaders that put
under as Theory X. Military leaders under Theory X were found to emphasize on the close
supervision of their subordinates as well as pushing the chain of command concept (Gurbuz,
Shain & Koksal, 2014). These military leaders pushed a more strictly task-centered relationship
with their subordinates. Because of this, the subordinates under these leaders were dissatisfied
with their leaders. The findings discovered that the impersonal and formal relationship that these
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leaders portrayed caused subordinated to have a lower affective commitment to the organization
(Gurbuz, Shain, & Koksal, 2014).
Taking what we learned from this research of Theory X leaders, we can connect it to the
management style in my workplace. Angela can be defined as a Theory X manager. This
manager pushes more for an impersonal and formal relationship with her student workers. When
Angela comes to her shift, she cares more about the tasks being done right, rather than caring for
the student workers. Being a Theory X manager, Angela believes that for student workers to
successfully complete tasks, they must be closely supervised. This causes a lack of trust between
Angela and student workers. We can see how Angela’s Theory X management style causes
student workers to want to avoid coming to their shifts. Attitudes that these student workers have
under a Theory X management style is saying that the constant supervision having a formal
impersonal relationship cause job-commitment to be low. This can explain the constant
dissatisfaction in the work place and why there is a high turnover rate.
Theory Y
To understand the negative effect that Theory X managers have on employees, we must
also analyze effect that Theory Y managers have. Gurbuz and the authors of the research found
that leaders with a Theory Y management style, trusted their subordinates in getting task
completed with little supervision. These leaders were available at any moment to help if any
situation would arise, but ultimately watched from a distance when tasks were being completed.
Under this leadership, subordinates were more trusting and open to Theory Y leaders (Gurbuz,
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Shain & Koksal, 2014). Subordinates were found to have a close relationship and mutual trust
with their leaders which then caused a higher commitment to tasks. The researchers found that a
people-focused leadership style coming from a Theory Y management style, enhanced job
satisfaction with leaders and increased commitment to the organization (Gurbuz, Shain &
Koksal, 2014). Theory Y managers cared more about the employees, causing employees to want
to work better. These subordinates or employees enjoyed completing tasks because they felt a
sense of fulfillment given under a Theory Y management style. They were given encouragement
and assistance when needed, causing an increase in trust and job satisfaction.
Given this information on the research found, we can better explain how Bob is very
similar to a Theory Y manager/leader. Bob takes time to get to know his student workers and
looks to help with any task that may be difficult. Instead of threatening student workers with
punishment for not showing up or completing tasks, Bob offers encouragement to those who do a
good job. This is seen by other workers and motivates them to work hard as well. Under this
management style, workers are more likely to commit to their work and have a low turnover rate.
Bob has trust and understanding with his student workers which establishes a bond. By this
research we can see that if most of the managers are like Angela, with a Theory X management
style, then employees would continue to have a lack of job-commitment in the workplace. In my
workplace this is what seems to be occurring now. Understanding how Theory X managers
interact in the workplace, points to the possible reason for why student workers do not feel a
sense of fulfillment in the workplace and why job commitment is low.
Step 3
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Recommendations for Organization
When using the 3-step approach to problem solving, the final step is to make
recommendations (Kinicki, 2018). The problem that we defined in my organization was that
there is currently a lack of job-commitment from employees, causing a high turnover rate. The
second step of this approach, we identified that management styles of certain managers have
caused a decline of job satisfaction and then causing a low rate of job-commitment. To support
our potential cause, we looked to Douglas McGregor’s Theory X and Y on management. We
found that because some managers are Theory X managers, workers are not feeling fulfilled in
their jobs and will look elsewhere to work. Since we now know the problem and the potential
causes, we can now make recommendations to fix it.
Being a manager, I believe that we should be trained. Recreation Centers leadership
should take consider taking time to train managers on leadership skills and different management
styles. I believe that if Managers take care of their workers, then workers will take care of
customers. It is important to understand that managers should be leaders, therefore Recreation
Centers should train managers on how to be helpful and effective leaders. Letting managers
know of the different management styles such as Theory X and Theory Y, will help them be more
mindful on how they treat their workers. My organization can not properly give great customer
service, if workers are not happy doing their jobs. That is why, it is the managers who should be
more like Theory Y managers for employees to do their job the best they can.
Implementation of Scriptures
As Christian business leaders we must remember of the way we treat those who are under
our leadership. We are to be an example of Christ and love others. Therefore, the way we treat
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out employees reflects what is in our hearts. As Christian managers, we must always think to
ourselves if we are being a leader that is representing of God. Proverbs 29:2 says “When the
righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people grown.” Here we see that
bad leadership is very dangerous for an organization. If one was to wonder if they were a good
leader or bad, they must look to their employees and see if they rejoice or if they groan. We must
remember that a leader is a servant to all. John 13:13-17 we see Jesus wash his disciples’ feet as
a service. We read Jesus say, “You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘Lord’ and rightly so, for that is what I
am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you should wash one another’s
feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you,
no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now
that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them,” (John13:13-17). This teaching
by Jesus was very important for his disciples, because it showed how we were to care for one
another.
A true leader cares for his followers, just as Jesus cared for his disciples and took time to
love them, Us managers must care for our employees and learn to be of service to them. As
Christians we must remember that we are reflection of what Jesus and the bible, especially when
we work in a non-Christian environment, we at times may be the only example of Christ that
some people see. Therefore, as leaders we must look at McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y
management styles and understand that how we manage has a great effect on employees and
their job-commitment in the workplace.
References
Gurbuz, S., Gahin, F., & Koksla, O. (2014). Revisiting of Theory X and Theory Y.
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Management Decision, 52(10), 1888-1906. Doi:10.1108/md-06-2013-0357
Harter, J., & Adkins, A. (2015, April 08). Employees Want a Lot More From Their Managers.
Retrieved from https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236570/employees-lot-managers.aspx
Kiniki, A., Fugate, M. (2018). Organizational behavior: A practical, problem-solving Approach
New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education
Lawter, L., Kopelman, R.E., & Prottas, D.J. (2015). McGregor’s Theory X/Y and Job
performance: A multilevel, multi-source analysis. Journal of Managerial Issues, 27(4),
84-101.
