Work Base Learning

Literature Review
Mary Konye Word Count:

Introduction
The title of the project is to investigate into whether the current patterns at New Look has a negative impact on the working patterns on staff motivation and research into whether job rotation increases motivation. This report is a literature review of all the secondary resources used to gather information for the project title. The report will look at how useful the sources were and if not why it was not and any suggestions on what could support the project. This report will also assess the usefulness of primary research tools that can be conducted to support the project as this can generate direct information that is not provided through secondary research.

Discussion and Analysis

In order to identify the ideal motivation strategy, it is important to look into how to increase motivation in the workplace. This section will discuss some motivational theories and the importance of motivation in the workplace. It will also discuss factors that lead to demotivated staff and ways to improve staff morale. In addition, it will also include the importance of research tools.

Research Tools and Sources

Primary research is new research, carried out to answer specific issues or questions. It can involve questionnaires, surveys, or interviews with individuals or small groups (The Times 2013). Further research supports this definition and explains the benefits of primary research. When conducting primary market research, you can gather two basic types of information: exploratory or specific. Exploratory research is open-ended, helps you define a specific problem, and usually involves detailed, unstructured interviews in which lengthy answers are solicited from a small group of respondents. Specific research, on the other hand, is precise in scope and is used to solve a problem that exploratory research has identified. Interviews are structured and formal in approach. When conducting primary research using your own resources, it is important to decide how to question your targeted group: by direct mail, telephone, or personal interviews. If you choose a direct-mail questionnaire, the following guidelines will increase your response rate: Questions that are short and to the point A questionnaire that is addressed to specific individuals and is of interest to the respondent; A questionnaire of no more than two pages A professionally prepared cover letter that adequately explains why you are doing this questionnaire; A postage-paid, self-addressed envelope to return the questionnaire in (Entrepreneur 2013) This information is very useful as it states the advantage of conducting primary research. In relation to the project, this will give detailed information precise to the investigation. These research tools are used in the project and the information above gives necessary skills required to obtain as much information

such as open questions which gives employees the chance to express themselves and personal interview which allows a one on one with direct contact with the store manager. Secondary sources consists of data collected in advance from books, journal, and reports. These forms of data may not be specific to the project as it research conducted by someone else, however some information may apply. For example motivational theories looked into that will be mentioned further in the report. According to a Zurich (Business Studies 2013), Secondary research is quicker and easier to collect. Its weakness, however, is that it may not have been collected for the specific purposes required. In this case, the secondary research may not directly be related to how job rotation may improve motivation.

Motivational theories
The main aim of the project is to increase motivation in the work place. Motivational theories gives a foundation, which should be considered when assessing motivation in a work place. According to Herzberg, businesses should motivate employees by adopting a democratic approach to management and by improving the nature and content of the actual job through certain methods. Some of the methods managers could use to achieve this are: Job enlargement workers being given a greater variety of tasks to perform (not necessarily more challenging) which should make the work more interesting. Job enrichment - involves workers being given a wider range of more complex, interesting and challenging tasks surrounding a complete unit of work. This should give a greater sense of achievement. Empowerment means delegating more power to employees to make their own decisions over areas of their working life. (IGCSE Business 2012)

This information is very useful; the methods stated are methods that can be implemented in the project to increase staff motivation. The project title is based on lack of job rotation in the workplace, in which Herzberg has stated job enrichment as being a form of motivation. This is an aspect that New Look would need to consider instead of allowing workers repeat the same tasks every shift. On the other hand, Maslows theory believes that there are five stages in a hierarchy of needs (appendix 1) of which needs to be fulfilled to increase motivation. Although Maslow has carried out several studies using this theory, it can be critiqued on several grounds. The model was founded during the 1940-50s in the USA; this model may not be relevant to todays society and the way of life in the UK. This form of secondary research may not be reliable as the information is outdated.

Training
According to P.W. Betts (2000), training provides a source for the individual to achieve competence in technical and technological aspects, in performing tasks, and improving skills. These skills required through training is to allow workers the opportunity to do more things and in return increase motivation in the work place. This gives staff the chance to set goals and aspire to meet rather than repeating the same duties and staying on the same level. As Maslows hierarchy of needs explain workers do not like staying in the same level they like to work themselves up through every stage, these stages cannot be accomplished by staying repetitive in the work force. Training the workforce (2000) states there are three types of training, which are manual skills, this is required to develop reflexes and capability to use machines, devices, and tools. Basic clerical skills which develops skills such as memorising, learning procedures, and systems using communication devices and higher clerical skills to improve long-term effectiveness by developing mental and creative skills, problem solving, and decision-making. This resource was very useful as it states e importance of training

References
http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/food-standards-agency/market-research-and-consumerprotection/primary-and-secondary-research.html#axzz2P89R7ESL

http://www.entrepreneur.com/encyclopedia/primary-market-research

http://www.tutor2u.net/business/gcse/people_motivation_theories.htm

Appendix