Mini-Case 17-4: Plumbers Don't Want Recognition

question 3

Essay

Mini-Case 17-4: Plumbers Don't Want Recognition
"If I ever went out to those guys and asked them if they wanted a little more recognition, they would laugh me out of the shop. People work for money." Norm Schultz had been a plumber himself for 18 years before he saved enough money to open a small plumbing contractor business. The men who worked for Norm knew what was expected of them - a fair day's work for a fair day's pay. "You don't need to tell a person that he or she is doing a good job; the person is either doing the work or not working for me!"
Norm's son-in-law was taking a management course at a local college. When Norm asked him what he was learning in class, he told him the management of people. Norm was very emphatic about managing the plumbers who worked for him. "Tell an employee what you expect from the beginning. Watch to see if they perform the job properly. Treat your people fairly and never cheat them." Norm went on to tell his son-in-law that this was the way good managers did things. "Recognition won't put bread on the table."
-Would you like working for Norm? Why or why not?

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Definitions:

Behaviorist

A proponent of the psychological approach focusing on observable behaviors and the ways in which they're learned, rather than on cognitive or emotional processes.

Piagetian

Piagetian relates to the theories of cognitive development proposed by Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget, focusing on how children develop intellectual abilities.

Psychometric

Relates to the science of measuring mental capacities and processes.

Information-processing Abilities

Refers to the cognitive capacities to perceive, analyze, and manipulate information efficiently and effectively.