Long Essay

UNIVERSITY OF GHANA BUSINESS SCHOOL

A RESEARCH PROPOSAL ON THE TOPIC THE EFFECTS OF EMPLOYEE

MOTIVATION ON PRODUCTIVITY: A CASE STUDY OF TROPO FARMS LTD

BY

NANA AKUA KONADU ASANTE

10325752

TELEPHONE NUMBER: 0244-891075

SUPERVISOR: DR. KWESI AMPONSAH-TAWIAH

TELEPHONE NUMBER: 0546-238672

1.0 INTRODUCTION

We understand that man is a social being. Most organizations exhibit paternalistic tendencies like

providing accommodation, transport and other fringe benefits that come with employment.

Motivation, however, is related to the performance of human resources in modern organizations.

It is a psychological process through which unsatisfied needs or wants lead to drives that are

aimed at goals or incentives. Hence motivation is a stimulus that drives behavior. It explains

further why people at work behave in the way they do in terms of their efforts and the directions

they are taking. Productivity can briefly be explained as the output per worker per period of

time. This proposal shall outline to the maximum, the essence of motivation to employees. It

shall identify what ‘moves’ employees to work to their maximum. We understand that what

motivates employees in one country may not be an effective motivator in another country; thus

we shall also try to examine the output of expatriates and locals. Do people work because they

have been told to do so? Do people wok only because they are given incentives to bring out their

maximum output? Do employees exhibit work centrality for the mere reason that they are

workaholics or is it based on something that triggers that effective productivity?

1.1 BACKGROUND

Tropo Farms Ltd is a leading fish farm here in Ghana where it employs over four hundred and

fifty Ghanaians with four expatriates. Over four hundred employees are in the rural areas where

the production sites are located; specifically in Mpakadan in the Asuogyaman District, Asutsuare

in the Kpong District and the Sales Depot in Tema and Kasoa. There are several levels of

employees: expatriates, a Ghanaian Manager ranked on the level of an expatriate; Ghanaian

managers; supervisors with tertiary education; supervisors with secondary level education who

have risen in ranks due to experience, long term of service as well as loyalty; feeders, ‘slashers’,

harvesters and gutters.

Productivity levels at Tropo Farms Ltd can be measured as product is tangible- tilapia. A staff’s

carelessness in the Hatchery can cause the loss of over ten tones of fish (an approximate of over

GHS62, 000.00). A negligent staff at the depot can cause over twenty tones of fish to go bad if

things as minute as a truck reefer malfunctioning, power outages or a faulty generator are not

reported on time.

Eggs are hatched at our Hatchery in Asutsuare and fingerlings of six weeks old are transported to

the production site which is on the Volta Lake on the banks of Mpakadan, off the roads from

Apegusu. They grow in sunken cages which are fed formulated feed on a regular basis and

harvested between four and six months depending on the size in high demand by pulling these

nets. Production is on a large scale such that twenty to thirty tones of fish is harvested every

other day. The tilapia is killed on ice, gutted and packed back on ice in 25kg crates and

transported to the depot. Refrigeration trucks are used during transportation of the fish. These are

sent to the Tema depot (Volta Catch) and held under observed refrigerated storage facilities. Fish

are not allowed to freeze but rather kept in cold air. Fish is then distributed to our outlets in

Kasoa, Osu, Mataheko, Malata and on the Spintex road. Volta Catch then undertakes both

wholesale and retail services to hundreds of customers on a daily basis.

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT

As productivity is measurable, it is quite difficult to understand how staff will not work to the

maximum. Salaries are based on one’s educational level and length of service and bonuses based

on performance. As it is a private establishment, the higher we produce, the higher we sell and

the higher our benefits. Some workers behave like they are doing the employer a favour by

coming to work. They do limited work and expect higher wages. Others are not regular at work

yet do not want to be penalized. They find excuses for their actions. Generally majority of the

workers have a lackadaisical and passive attitude towards work. Culprits of theft cases on site are

usually the employees in that particular department and not outsiders. Based on the

characteristics of motivation being personal, as influenced by other people or influenced by

situational factors, the issue at hand is why do employees not give off their best? People pursue

goals that have value for them however, few societies display similar values. Motivation has

emphasized three recurrent themes: human needs, culture bound and achievement hence

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory, Herzberg Two factor Theory and McClelland’s

Achievement Motivation Theory. If what motivates one man does not necessarily imply that the

same will influence the next man, then a generally accepted mode of motivation may not

necessarily be the stimulating factor that will drive the second man’s behavior. Thus what will

motivate a manager in Tema will not necessarily motivate a feeder on the production site on the

Volta Lake in Mpakadan.

1.3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The findings of this research will help employers of Tropo Farms know the basic things that

motivate their staff. They will understand, for example, that what will motivate the staff in

Mpakadan will not be the same as that which will motivate those in Tema. We will also try to

identify what motivates the expatriates as they work harder than the locals.

Generally, we shall identify whether motivation is intrinsic or it is extrinsic; what motivates an

individual to work and the extent to which one exhibits work centrality based on how much the

individual contributes to the job. Work is limited in society; how many people are actually doing

what they love and as such put their all into it. Hopefully, we shall be able to identify what

motivates employees and move towards influencing their behavior as motivation is more of a

psychological situation.

1.4 LITERATURE REVIEW

The literature review will consist of an account of what has been published on motivation by

specific scholars and other articles. I shall use books, journals, articles, documents to compare

theories of motivation to each other based on how these authors deal with such issues.

Other articles from recognized universities will also be discussed. Several sites on the internet

shall also be surveyed for ideas.

Mullins, L. J. (2005). Management of Organisational Behaviour. Work Motivation and

Rewards, 12, 470-514.

Mullins (2005) mentions that in a major international study undertaken by Proudfoot Consulting,

a major reason for productivity loss was poor working morale. Poor working morale included

people feeling devalued and poorly rewarded; absence of positive team spirit; low motivation;

lack of attention to quality; and a poor sense of belonging. Allen and Helms suggest that reward

practices are significantly related to higher levels of perceived organizational performances.

With a positive philosophy in place, productivity, quality and service should improve because

motivation helps people towards achieving goals; gaining a positive perspective; creating the

power to change; building a self esteem and capability; and managing their developments and

helping others. Managers must therefore know how best to effectively apply motivation in

particular work situations. A manager should thus be aware of the main theories of motivation.

Two main theories are mentioned: content theories and process theories. Content theories

emphasise on ‘what’ motivates individuals while Process theories emphasise on the actual

process of motivation.

Major writers of Content theories include Maslow (Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs), Alderfer

(Alderfer’s ERG theory), Herzberg (Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory) and McClelland

(McClelland’s Achievement Motivation Theory). Major theories under Process theories include

Expectancy theories, Equity theory, Goal and Attribution theories. The works of these

individuals together with the above mentioned theories shall be expanded further in the chapters

to follow.

Armstrong, M., (2006) A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. Motivation, 18,

252-269

People are motivated when they expect a course of action is likely to lead to the attainment of a

goal and valued reward-one that satisfies their need. From this statement, we can clearly infer

that motivation can be personal and as such people always tend to wonder what is in for them

when they do their best. Hence for an employer to get the best results from an employee, it is

best to identify ‘what’ the employee needs so as to get the desired result.

1.5 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Sampling will be done from the four major sites of Tropo farms Ltd; namely, Mpakadan,

Asutsuare, Tema and Kasoa where different levels of staff coexist. Data sources will mainly be

in the form of questionnaires and by interviews. With the aid of the Statistical Package for the

Social Sciences (SPSS), data shall be analysed.

1.6 HYPOTHESIS AND/OR RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Global tests will be conducted using the results compiled from questionnaires. Such questions

will include their position in the company, their basic salaries, their family size, their length of

service and expected salaries, the importance of their employment on their economic lifestyle

and whether staff are happy with their present jobs. A chi square test will be conducted to find

the relationship between motivation and productivity. We shall confirm if indeed there is/ is not a

relationship between motivation and productivity levels.

1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Not only are we confirming whether motivation indeed has a relationship on productivity levels

but we shall also try to identify and generalize the basics of what exactly motivates people based

on the theories of motivation. As there are different levels of staff we understand that what

motivates employee A may not necessarily motivate employee B. An increase in output will be

based on how hard our staff work. When this stimulus is identified, we shall be able to get

increased output per worker.

1.8 RESEARCH ASSUMPTIONS

A) That the company has control over immediate output and can supply particular tilapia size as

demanded by the market.

CHAPTER 2

2.0 CHAPTER INTRODUCTION

The literature review will consist of an account of what has been published on motivation by

specific scholars and other articles. The human resource is an organization’s most valued assets

which is of considerable worth and as such must be handled with care. Human Resource

Management thus encompasses all activities that relate to day-to-day activities of an organization

which include recruitment and selection, performance management, which is usually done

through appraisals. These could be on a peer level or performed by superiors. However, over the

years, an effective appraisal, the 360 degree appraisal system is recommended. With this,

customers, peers, subordinates and superiors have the ability to assess the individual employee.

This has proved to be an effective form of performance appraisal used. Reward management,

involves activities which motivate the employees to give off their best to the full furtherance of

the achievement of the organization’s goals. This must be performed by an effective manager as

the human resource is of considerable worth to the organization and varies at different levels.

Reward management enhances motivation, job enlargement and commitment by introducing

policies and processes that ensure that people are valued and rewarded for what they do and

achieve and for the levels of skill and competence they reach. It shall include tangible and

intangible factors such as contingency pay, employee benefits and job satisfaction. The final

activity is development. This can be achieved through training of the individual to achieve high

quality results.

Human resource management has evolved through various stages over the years. The initial stage

was associated with alleviating employee problems through welfare tradition. Here workers were

given a ‘say’ and their employers were very paternalistic. Next was the ‘industrial relation era’.

During this period, workers confronted management with their interests. They had a voice and

were able to defend their rights. This was mainly in the industrial age where there were high

amounts of manufacturing industries all over the world. Unionization was built during this

period. Personnel management handled routine people management where records of staff were

kept. These included bio data and other relevant data concerning the individual employee.

Human resource management handled human relation at a professional working level and

management dealt with welfare, industrial relations, employee voice and people development

issues such as effective communication.

Currently, with a strategic human resource management in place, the organization can use a

rational planning model of formulation and implementation in structuring the organization.

These shall include individual human resource management activities performed on a day-to-day

operational level encompassed in a five to ten year plan based on the mission, vision and goal of

the organization.

2.1 REVIEW OF THEORETICAL LITERATURE

It has been an aim for work psychology to uncover the reasons why individuals vary in their

motivation to work, as well as how differences interact with organizational/ situational factors to

influence individual satisfaction and motivation (Furnham, 2002). Motivation, can thus be

defined as “an internal state … giving rise to a desire or pressure to act’ (Westwood, 1992, p.

228). The concept of motivation together with job satisfaction go hand in hand, as it is argued

that the extent to which a an individual is satisfied at work is dictated by the presence of factors

and circumstances that motivate him or her (Furnham, 1992). There are however, contrasting

views by researchers such an Lachance (2000, p. 3) who notes that rewards that bind an

employee to an organization have more to do with the way an employee is treated than any

particular pay scheme… people stay at work for various reasons other than pay. Managers will

then have to acknowledge and manage those other rewarding conditions as part of an overall

strategic approach to rewards.

On the other hand, other research that investigated the differences in the motivation of private

versus public sector managers found that pay has a significantly greater motivating potential for

private than public sector managers (Khojasteh, 1993). This research shall try to identify whether

generally, it is pay or otherwise, such as how an employee is treated at work that encourages him

or her to come to work daily, in Tropo Farms especially and if these motivating factors have an

effect on productivity.

According to Bruce and Pepitone, 1999, p. 132,” understanding what motivates employees is one of the

key challenges for managers. Although it is not possible directly to motivate others, it is nonetheless

important to know how to influence what others are motivated to do, with the overall aim of having

employees identify their own welfare with that of the organization”. By this statement, we clearly

understand that it is difficult to identify exactly what motivates employee B as it will not necessarily be

the same that motivates employee A. On the other hand; every organization has a budget which they must

work within. As much as the organization will have to satisfy each and every individual, it will also have

to be operating within its limits. It is also imperative for employees to align their individual goals towards

that of the organization. Such that as one promotes the growth of the Company, it must also aid in

achieving the individual’s personal goals in achieving goals such as appreciable take home pay, benefits,

promotions and recognition.

2.2 THE PROCESS, CONCEPT AND NATURE OF MOTIVATION

As emphasized by Armstrong, it is wrong to assume that one approach to motivation fits all. This is

because people have different needs, establish different goals to satisfy those needs and take different

actions to achieve those goals. As mentioned earlier, staff in Mpakadan will see basic needs such as

clothing and shelter as very important whereas staff in Tema may consider safety or social needs as basic

to them. Armstrong again stresses that “all organizations are concerned with what should be done to

achieve sustained high levels of performance through people”. Hence all types of motivation must be

identified. Two main theories are mentioned: content theories and process theories. Content

theories emphasize on ‘what’ motivates individuals. It states that motivation is essentially about

taking action to satisfy needs that influence behavior. Examples of content theories include

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg’s Two Factor Model. Process theories on the other

hand emphasize the actual process of motivation. These include the psychological process of

expectations, goals and perceptions of equity. Examples are Vroom’s Expectancy Theory and

Adams Equity Theory.

The main aim of these theories is to obtain added value through people in the sense that the value

of their output exceeds the cost of generating it.

2.2.1 CONTENT THEORIES

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

The basis of the theory of needs is the belief that the content of motivation consists of needs. Needs are of

unequal importance to an individual at any one time. The individual’s background and present situation

influence the more powerful need that drives one toward a goal. Maslow postulated a hierarchy of needs

which he believed were fundamental to the personality. According to him, there were five major need

categories which apply to people in general. They started from a fundamental physiological need which

run through several needs until the final need for self-fulfillment at the apex was met. Maslow’s theory of

needs states that when a lower need is satisfied, the next highest becomes highest becomes dominant and

the individual’s attention is turned to satisfying this higher need. As man is a ‘wanting animal’, it is said

that only an unsatisfied need can motivate behavior as the dominant need is the prime motivator of

behavior (Armstrong, 2007). On the other hand, it must also be noted that lower needs still exist though

declining in strength on satisfaction. Irrespective of one’s position in society, man will always ling for

basic necessities such as oxygen, food and water. Here personality will play a very important role. For

example, the shop floor staff in Mpakadan will consider healthy drinking water as that from a tap,

borehole whereas the supervisors or expatriates will consider bottled water a basic necessity. The

difference here is very clear. Also, even though temporarily dormant as motivators, individuals constantly

return to previously satisfied needs. The various levels of needs as described as Maslow include the

following from basic to very important:

Physiological Needs: these include basic needs such as oxygen, food, water and sex

Safety Needs: these include the need for protection against danger and the deprivation of physiological

needs, eg job security

Social Needs: the need for love, affection and belonging to a group

Esteem Needs: prestige needs., ie the desire to be adequate and the desire for achievement and the

reputation/status defined by other people

Self actualization: the need to become what one believes one is capable of becoming

Figure 1 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs model

(Please complete diagram)

Herzberg’s Two-Factor Model:

Herzberg et al.’s (1959) seminal two factor theory of motivation postulated that satisfaction and

dissatisfaction were not two opposite extremes of the same continuum, but two separate entities caused by

different facets of work. These are hygiene factors and motivators.

Hygiene factors, meaning preventive and environmental, are characterized as extrinsic components of job

design that contribute to employee dissatisfaction if they are not met. Examples include supervision,

working conditions, company policies, salaries and relations with co-workers.

Motivators, however, are intrinsic to the job itself and include aspects such as achievement, development,

responsibility and recognition. It would be misleading to suggest a dichotomy between individual

difference and situational factors in the determinants of job motivation and satisfaction. People select

organizations who select and shape them (Furnham et al 2009). This will however be an invalid statement

in our production sites especially as people do not have the ability to express their choice. People have

very limited access to job opportunities and other resources to engage in farming or fishing which are the

primary sources of livelihoods in those parts of Ghana. One would ask when a native of Asutsuare or

Mpakadan will have the financial resource to acquire a boat, nets, outboard motor, feed and other fishing

gear or equipment to engage in fishing. Also considering how the water bodies in Kpong are polluted, no

source of income can be obtained from those waters whether routine fishing or deliberate fish farming is

undertaken.

Differential psychologists have long stressed individual difference predictor of work performance. A

study by Staw and Ross (1985), indicated that employee attitudes were shown to be stable across a five

year period despite the changes in both occupations and employers. It indicated that prior attitudes were a

strong predictor of job satisfaction than changes in pay and promotions.

Hence, hygiene factors such as money generally cannot inspire employees to strive for improved

productivity, and they do not lead to lasting satisfaction. Instead, they must be controlled as potential

sources of dissatisfaction that can stifle productivity.

2.2.2 PROCESS THEORIES

Vroom’s Expectancy Theory

This was formulated by Vroom (1964) and was originally contained in the Valency-

Instrumentality-Expectancy Theory. It states that ‘where an individual chooses between

alternatives which involve uncertain outcomes, it seems clear that his behavior is affected not

only by his preferences among these outcomes but also by the degree to which he believes these

outcomes to be possible. Expectancy is defined as momentary belief concerning the likelihood

that a particular act will be followed by a particular outcome. Expectancies may be described in

terms of their strength. Maximal strength is indicated by subjective certainty that the act will be

followed by the outcome, while minimal (or zero) strength is indicated by subjective certainty

that the act will not be followed by the outcome; Armstrong (2007).

The strength of expectations may however be based on past experiences. On the other hand,

motivation may be reduced as individuals are presented with new situations regularly. These

include job changes and working conditions imposed by management. Thus motivation is only

likely when a clearly perceived and usable relationship exists between performance and

outcome, and the outcome is seen as a means of satisfying needs. This may be the reason why

extrinsic financial motivation (eg. Bonus scheme) works only if the link between effort and

reward is clear and the value of the reward is worth the effort. It also explains why intrinsic

motivation arising from work itself can be more powerful than extrinsic motivation. These are

more under the influence of the individual and they place greater reliance on their past

experiences to indicate the extent to which positive and advantageous results are likely to be

obtained by their behavior.

Adams Equity Theory

This was postulated by Adams (1965) and concerned with the perceptions people have about

how they are being treated compared with others. To be dealt with equitably is to be treated

fairly in comparison with another group of people or a relevant other person. Equity involves

feelings and perceptions and is always comparative a process.

Equity theory states, that people will be better motivated if they are treated equitably and de-

motivated if they are treated inequitably. Imagine how a manager at Tropo Farms will behave if

he is to be put on the same salary structure as a ‘feeder’ in Mpakadan.

Adams suggested two forms of equity: distributive equity which is concerned with the fairness

with which people feel they are rewarded in accordance with their contribution and in

comparison with others. The second form is procedural equity (procedural justice), which is

concerned with the perceptions employees have about the fairness with which procedures in such

areas as performance appraisal, promotion, discipline are being operated.

2.3 CHARACTERISTICS OF MOTIVATION

Three general characteristics have been identified. These are:

Motivation is personal

Motivation is influenced by other people

Motivation is influenced by situational factors

Motivation is personal

As much as extrinsic motivation is effective, the ability to be fully efficient will depend on the intrinsic

motivation that is embedded in an individual. It is always a personal decision or choice to excel in life. No

one individual sits in one place with no motive in life and excels. It takes hard work with a lot of

disappointments along the way. The ability to get back on one’s feet after a nose dive event takes is an

individual choice that one has to make. With this knowledge in mind, managers will know they have

limited control over an employee. Intrinsic motivation includes self generated factors that influence

people to behave in a particular way or to move in a particular direction. These include: responsibility,

freedom to act, scope to use and develop skills and abilities, interesting and challenging work and

opportunities for advancement. These are concerned with the quality of working life and likely to have a

deeper and longer term effect because they are inherent in individuals and not imposed from outside.

Kathy Schofield, the Director of Human Resources of HFC Bank once stated that ….”You don’t motivate

individuals. You provide them with an environment to be self-motivated. It’s a personal decision, but its

management’s job to provide the right environment. We then must note that if employees are placed in

the wrong environment and management looks on, it is likely to adversely affect our productivity.

Motivation is influenced by other people

Motivation is influenced by other people if they are extrinsic; that is what is done to or for people to

motivate them. These include factors such as increased pay, bonuses, praise, promotion and punishments.

An individual may wish to enter into the medical profession as a result of pedigree; other family members

are into it thus a major underlying factor to be a doctor. These have an immediate and powerful effect but

will not necessarily last long.

Motivation is influenced by situational factors

As motivation is a push-pull phenomenon, situational factors also determine what motivates an

individual. As Tropo Farms is a private organization and highly managed by expatriates must accept the

fact that what motivates people in less developed countries such as Ghana will not be the same factors

that will motivate an employee in a developed country. Thus the parameters must be duly researched into.

Hence if Tropo Farms had a branch in England, staff will be motivated by recognition while the Ghana

branch may be motivated by money. This may also be explained on cultural basis.

2.4 IMPLICATIONS OF MOTIVATION ON HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Care must be given to the role that motivation plays in the lives of our employees as they are an

organization’s most treasured assets. As most major theories of motivation date back many years, it is

inevitable that questions will be raised about their relevance today based on the major changes such as

globalization and internationalization of both human resource and technology.

In a study conducted by Reis and Pena in researching whether motivating people in this century with

theories conceived in the past 100 years is feasible, it was identified that ‘managers should consider the

outdated motivational patterns utilized to maintain role performance in organizations and adopt a fresh

motivation formula for this 21st century based on friendship, work and respect.’ Simply put, managers

have to be creative in motivating their staff. However, it is inferred from the above statement that as much

as creativity has to be adopted, management should try as much as possible to robe this into their strategic

plans and clearly confirms the statement by Lachance (2000, p. 3) that rewards that bind an employee to

an organization have more to do with the way (emphasis here in on how) an employee is treated than any

particular pay scheme. These according to the study are friendship, work and respect.

A Charted Management Institute Checklist maintains that three major theories are still valid today. These

include; Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Herzberg’s Two factor Theory and McGregor’s. Hence managers

must therefore judge the relevance of these theories and how they might effectively be applied in

particular work situations. The Checklist mentions that a basic understanding of their main principles

will be invaluable for building a climate of honesty, openness and trust.

To increase output, managers must:

I. Use rewards appropriate in terms of individual performance.

Small groups must be assigned to a supervisor. These help in the one to one relationship that is built over

time. With an in depth knowledge of an employee or subordinate, management has a fair idea of ‘what’

will motivate this individual directly.

II. Attempt to establish clear relationships between effort-performance and rewards, as perceived by

the individual

Employees must know the reward related to each level of performance. In the hatcheries in Asutsuare,

rewards are based on the mortality rate of fingerlings. Thus employee knows the if there is a mortality

rate beyond 10%, he is bound to lose his performance bonus for the month.

III. Establish clear procedures for the evaluation of individual’s levels of performance

A clear standard of operations must be crafted for the organization. Staff, for example, must be trained in

the operation of hatchery equipment so they can be held accountable for their actions. Clear times for

feeding should be specified for feeders by supervisors. Mature cages to be harvested must be stated 48

hours before the actual day of harvest so feeders starve the fish in that cage. This is important as mortality

rate is also reduced as the fish is less stressed as the cages are pulled up. If these clear procedures are not

in place, then employees cannot be fully accountable for their careless actions.

IV. Pay attention to variables such as abilities and traits, role perceptions, organizational procedures

and support facilities which may still affect performance though not directly motivational factors

With smaller groups per supervisor, he is able to identify the major traits inhibited in an individual and

the Company can tap into these resources. With this an individual with a close eye for detail, for example

should be sent to the production site aid in sorting for the various sizes.

V. Minimize undesirable outcomes which may be perceived to result from a high level of

performance (eg industrial accidents) and also issues such as short time working or layoffs.

Employees should not be taken advantage of. The organization must desist from the use of casuals and

minimize layoffs. With the relevant grievance as well as disciplinary procedure in place, individuals

should be laid off according to what has been elaborated in the Labour Act, 2000 of Ghana.

Especially in expatriate managed companies, the popularity of the various theories are know, however,

doubts are raised about their universality on the ground that they have not adequately addressed the factor

of culture.

2.5 MOTIVATION IN THE CROSS- CULTURAL CONTEXT

Our perceived definitions vary with respect to extrinsic, intrinsic and relational aspects of motivation. For

high productivity, managers have to be culture sensitive to embrace all possible issues that will motivate

an individual to give off his best.

Francesco and Gold, for example, in a discussion on motivation examined the extent to which American

motivation theories are applicable outside the United States. An individual who has schooled in Harvard

and worked in any major American organization cannot apply the same theories to a Ghanaian based

organization. These will be as a result of the culture that is evident in the country. Culture thus can be said

to be the way a group of people live. It is generally an accepted way of doing things in a society. Hence it

is the acquired knowledge that people use to interpret, experience and generate social behavior. Through

culture, traits, values, attitude, behavior and information are passed on for generations.

Hofstede’s four dimensions of culture can be used to explain this. These are power distance, uncertainty

avoidance, individualism/collectivism and masculinity/femininity.

Culture hence delineates societies along dimensions such as individual or group orientation or attitudes to

power distance. Power distance refers to the extent to which less powerful members of an institution

accept that power is distributed unequally. Ghanaians, with the natives in particular exhibit blind

obedience to superiors which defines high power distance. The organization is mostly centralized as it

takes its own decisions.

Uncertainty avoidance is the extent to which people feel threatened by ambiguous situations and have

created beliefs and institutions that try to avoid these. Individuals value safety and security needs more

than high order needs such as self actualization.

Individualism is the tendency for people to look out for themselves and their immediate family.

Americans will exhibit a high level of individualism as it’s a society that is based more on greater

initiative and promotions are based on market value and not on seniority. On the other hand, the Ghanaian

culture promotes collectivism. This is the tendency to belong to groups and to look after each other in

exchange for loyalty. Based on this, Americans are more competitive as each individual know that

information is power and as such will be rewards and attributes will be accorded to the individual in

question. To them fame and association of an event to an individual means all, while in our society all

decisions and issues are based on family.

Masculinity refers to a situation in which the dominant values in society are success, money and other

material items. Great importance is placed on earnings, and recognition. Industrial conflict is common as

a result of the competition and there is high stress at the workplace. Fewer women also hold high level

jobs. On the other hand, feminity is a situation in which the dominant values in society are caring for

others and the quality of life. A high importance is placed on working relationships and work/life balance.

From the above, it is evident that there is a possibility that while a theory of motivation may be essentially

valid in principle, it is legitimate to think about the ways in which national culture can intervene in teems

of its interpretation in different societies.

2.7 Conceptual framework/theoretical position of the study

2.8 CHAPTER CONCLUSION

Research shows that most organizations have not recognized the need to identify and tap into their

employees’ personal motivators.

Whitmore suggests that in order to create a climate for creativity among employees, recognition must be

given to the importance of two human needs that rise above all others and exist independent of race, creed

and culture- the need for self belief and the development of emotional intelligence; and the ever present

need that every human being has for a sense of meaning and purpose in their lives. Self belief and

meaningful work are the fundamental bedrocks that underlie business performance. It is well noted that

pay and conditions are very important. These two issues are barely recognized but business leaders ignore

them at their peril.

CHAPTER 3

3.0 CHAPTER INTRODUCTION

This chapter discusses methodological issues in relation to the study. Specifically, the chapter

deals with the procedures or processes used in data collection and analyses. Both qualitative and

quantitative research were used to come to our desired conclusion.

3.1 THE RESEARCH DESIGN

This consisted of the plan and structure of the research. Here, the research problem was

conceptualized and put in a structural perspective that will guide in data collection and analyses.

This plan guided in data collection and analysis. Permission was granted by the Managing

Director to carry out this study. An experimental design was drawn up and later edited by the

supervisor after which a final questionnaire was drawn. The strata of the company was of utmost

importance as each site follows similar reporting lines.

Each site has a Manager: this could be resident or not. Each department on these sites has

supervisors. Supervisors have line managers. Below these line managers are the front line staff

and the shop floor staff. All categories of staff had the opportunity to express their views through

this questionnaire.

3.1.1 The Questionnaire

Questionnaires clearly spelt out the position of the individual employee; his/ her length of stay in

the company as well as what they consider motivational. The demographic information stressed

the particular site that this individual worker is located, the employee’s gender, age, marital

status, period with which the employee has been working in the Company and the position held.

These had a high influence on the standard and cost of living as well as the desired satisfaction

which was measured in terms of performance. In this case, it was expected outcome of the

individual. As language was a possible major limitation back to this research, there were follow

up with interviews; thus triangulation was highly adopted.

The section on motivational factors was determined by whether an employee considered

motivation to be intrinsic or extrinsic. Performance related factors dealt with the fact that an

employee considered prevailing conditions and performed better based on the present situation.

3.2 TARGET AND STUDY POPULATION

The study population consisted of all employees of Tropo Farms Ltd. However, as majority of

the work at Tropo Farms is centered on the farms in Mpakadan and Asutsuare, it was imperative

that the categories of the staff working in these sites have the opportunity to express themselves.

The study population hence comprised all employees of Tropo Farms Ltd. The organization was

conveniently selected because the researcher is a Human Resource executive in the organization

and thus wanted to address the research issues in the organization.

On the other hand, as much as the bulk of the job was performed by the shop floor staff, the

supervisors made sure coordination was effective. Supervisors must thus be motivated to

encourage the staff to reach their daily targets. The farm sites have different departments whose

effective coordination gave the final end product of a mature tilapia. These were sold at the sales

outlets. The production sites had sorters, feeders, gutters and packers whose operations are

linked. The sites in urban areas- Tema, Kasoa and Malata had relatively higher exposure to

civilization. They dealt with Sales and Marketing. Hence their views were highly influenced by

that.

3.3 SAMPLING PROCEDURE AND SAMPLING SIZE

The sampling procedure or technique employed is of equal importance as improper sampling

could lead to difficulties in the generalization of findings and to wrong inferences being drawn.

Hence the random sampling technique was used where every member of the population had

equal chance of being selected to the sample. All staff of Tropo Farms had an equal opportunity

to participate in the study as questionnaires were taken to all the Company’s sites. Data

collection was not biased to only staff in Mpakadan or to those in Tema. The main advantage of

randomization lies in the fact that since every subject has an equal chance of being selected, any

extraneous variables to be controlled would be randomly distributed among the various groups in

the sample.

3.4 TYPES AND SOURCES OF DATA

Survey Research, a widely used method of data collection was used. This was relevant as it

studies both large and small populations. Studies that employ the survey methodology are

generally concerned in discovering the incidence, distribution and interrelations among

sociological and psychological variables. The reliability and validity must be ensured in the

construction of a questionnaire.

The most powerful and widely used tool, of a structured questionnaire was used in the survey

research. Panel interview and controlled observation were also adopted for the purpose of

triangulation. An already standardized questionnaire was used after deleting irrelevant items and

adding relevant items which were related to the population under study. The stratified random

sampling technique was used where Tropo Farms Ltd was categorized into sectors. Thus a

suitable questionnaire was obtained when the questionnaire was piloted on a sample of the

population under study.

The questionnaire was distributed to all sites, namely; Mpakadan (80), Asutsuare (40), Tema

(35), Kasoa (15) and Malata (5). It must however be noted that majority of the total number of

staff are casuals. Hence, it is therefore critical to note that data was obtained from primary

sources using structured questionnaires.

3.5 RESEARCH INSTRUMENT

A questionnaire was drafted and further editing and corrections was made by the supervisor in

question. Follow up interviews as part of triangulation was carried out to effectively comprehend

the responses. Of the total number of 80 distributed to the Mpakadan staff, the total number

received was 43(this indicated a 53% response rate); we received 21 fully completed

questionnaires from Asutsuare (this represented a 52.5% response rate). Out of 35 distributed to

the Tema staff, there were 28 respondents (an indication of an 80% response rate); staff at Kasoa

completed 9 (a 60% response rate) while Malata completed 3 out of the 5 sent to them (60%

response rate).

3.6 ADMINISTRATION OF RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS

Questionnaires were administered to all the sites; namely Mpakadan, Asutsuare, Kasoa, Tema

and Malata. The supervisors in Tema, Kasoa and Malata handled the administration and

distribution of the questionnaires. All the questionnaires distributed were coded to keep track.

In Mpakadan and Asutsuare, the Administrative Managers distributed and organized collection

of the questionnaires. As the requirements suggested, time spent on all questionnaires was 15

minutes. However, an estimated time of between 20 and 30 minutes was spent on each

questionnaire per staff on the farms as the English language was a barrier to communication to

majority of the staff. Hence translation was necessary.

3.8 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The gathering of data was conducted with the highest levels of ethical considerations. These

included:

The objective assessment of information gathered devoid of personal bias. In the analyses

of the data gathered, the research student was objective in both collection and analyses of

the information given.

Differences in opinion from respondents were allowed. Information was not manipulated

to attain an already anticipated conclusion. Allowing different opinions to questions

asked aided in discovering the true situation on the ground. This shall facilitate in the

provision of realistic recommendations.

The belief systems in the society of the respondents were considered. Information is

considered as sacred.

The utilitarian rule shall be highly considered. Utilitarianism is when there is greater

good for the greater good of the people. Hence our aim is to make sure our findings shall

be used for the greater good of the greater good of the population. We shall consider if

these findings shall, on one hand, enhance the livelihoods of the members of staff of

Tropo farms Ltd or they shall break society.

3.7 CHAPTER CONCLUSION

The data gathered from the above procedures will be compiled as raw data and later

analyzed. The research shall aim to reach a consensus or confirm if indeed motivation does

have an impact on the productivity of a Company with Tropo Farms Ltd as a case study. It

shall also aim to find out if indeed, the Company in question shall have to concentrate on

either intrinsic motivation or extrinsic motivation.

THIS MUST BE PART OF CHAPTER 5

LIMITATIONS TO THE STUDY/RESSEARCH

The following limitations were identified:

Language was a major hindrance. Mpakadan is a fishing community with Ewe as the

main dialect. The Managers and Supervisors on site are either expatriates or Akans. They

communicate by “pidgin” English and anything beyond that seems to be done by sign

language. This then was a massive translation duty for the Managers and Supervisors.

The few JSS leavers who could partially interpret it assumed it was an exam and were not

amused. They had to be convinced before they would proceed.

Even though it was categorically stated that respondents had to be anonymous, some staff

also assumed that the information given will affect their ‘performance bonus’ adversely.

As much as a minimum of 15 minutes was to be used in completing the questionnaires to

prevent adulterated answers, staff believed it was overlapping with their lunch break as a

longer time was spent on interpreting for those who did not understand what they were

reading.

As interpretation was carried out for most workers, the concept of anonymity was

defeated as the person carrying out the translation practically knew most answers that the

staff were to be giving in confidence.

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