Theories Used to Increase Work Motivation

Theories Used to Increase Work Motivation INTRODUCTION Employees are organizations, best asset as stated in American Psychological Association, 2006. The businesses of todays market emphasize on how to motivate subordinates in order to create productive and high-quality work environment. The case study states different methods to advance staff motivation for the satisfaction and increase in work performance of changing work environment. In Part A, the study involves the application of Herzbergs Two-Factor theory, Lockes Goal-Setting theory and Job design theory in a telecommunication firm called O2. O2 is a leading provider of mobile and broadband services to consumers and businesses in the UK To understand the theories of work motivation, the case study interprets the structured interview of an O2 sales advisor. After analysing the interview; suggestions were made to enhance the sale advisors work motivation. In Part B, there is a discussion on identifying the national culture differences and compare whether they would be effective for the Indian working environment from that of Part A. The theories are compared to a sales advisor of an Indian telecommunication industry named Airtel. According to Konsik et al (2007), Airtel is Indias largest telecom industry. JOB DESCRIPTION The sales advisor at O2 in the UK is responsible for the promotion of the companys products and its brand to potential customers, including solving their problems and tackling their complaints. The job role is designed to meet the targets and the person should possess good communication skills and should be confident (Randstad, 2010). The daily duty for the position is consisted of client reception, product and service introduction, selling phones and business contracts signing. THEORIES TO INCREASE WORK MOTIVATION In order to understand more about the job role, we interviewed Mr Ademola Abimbola who presently works as a sales advisor in O2 (see appendix exhibit 1). From the interviews, it can be seen that numerous methods of improving work motivation has been applied in O2, yet there is a possibility to increase it by using Goal-Setting theory and Herzbergs two-factor to enhance performance and satisfactory need. In this part the three theories will be analyzed and evaluated. HERZBERG Creating a good working environment internally and externally is essential for a personnel. From the interview, it appears that the environment for O2s workplace is likely to be improved by adopting Herzberg two-factor theory. This theory was proposed by Frederick Herzberg in 1959, who introduced five motivators, such as achievement and recognition, to contribute people toward satisfaction and another five hygiene factors containing company policy, supervision and other elements, associated with peoples unsatisfactory in their jobs (Robbins and Judge, 2001, pp.212-214). It is suggested that businesses should use intrinsic motivators to increase subordinates satisfaction that improves extrinsic working conditions not to make people dissatisfied. Nevertheless, it seems that job satisfaction does not contribute to job productivity; but the theory assumes that there is a relationship between job satisfaction and productivity (Robbins and Judge, 2001, p214). JOB CHARACTERISTIC MODEL Mr. Abimbola is given responsibility and autonomy to some extent, yet job characteristics model (JCM) may make him reach a higher level and thus Job Design will be introduced. Hackman and Oldhams JCM is based on job enlargement and job enrichment to address five core dimensions skill variety, task identify, task significance, autonomy and feedback to lead to favourable work motivation, performance, satisfaction and low absenteeism and turnover by cultivating experienced meaningfulness, responsibility and knowledge of results (Grant and Parker, 2009, p.320). Accordingly, this model can be introduced to improve satisfaction and performance. Whereas it seems powerful among work design theories, there are critique and limitations. Aldag, Barr and Brief (1981) argued that relationship between job characteristics and work outcomes was not strong. Furthermore, one paper addressed that the model did not obviously lead to job satisfaction when the employee concerned more about welfare (Robb ins and Judge, 2001, p.271). GOAL SETTING Goal Setting is an effective method to lead a positive effect over a period of time (Tolchinsky and King, 1980, p.455). Goal Setting is introduced to motivate employees at O2. According to Locke and Lathams Goal Setting theory (1990), staff setting is clear and difficult goal will improve higher performance than staff setting their own goals (McCracken and Brown, 2010, p29). When employees are assigned to their targets, their behaviour towards it depends on the degree of their conscious acceptance (Yukl and Latham, 1975, p.824). Therefore, the theory concludes that personnel performs better in the job when they receive feedbacks (Judge and Robbins, 2001, p.220) and suggests commitment to goals. However, there is criticism of this theory that it might be effective for simple jobs with few goals than a managerial job with many tasks; particularly when the tasks were difficult to be measured (Yukl and Latham, 1975, p.842). Moreover, another study argued the effectiveness of Goal-Setting that might be from different culture; but it may be effective for cultures with low power distance but not workable for countries with high uncertainty avoidance (Judge and Robbins, 2001, p.220). In addition, satisfaction, turnover and absenteeism are not stated in the theory; which is another limitation. Goal setting has many limitations while it may be one of the most influential theories of motivation. Only few studies dispute that setting a specific and difficult goal contributes to higher productivity (Judge and Robbins, 2001, p.236). CHOICE OF PREFFERED CHANGES HERZBERGS THEORY OF MOTIVATION Frederick Herzberg conducted various studies on the working environment of employees and factors leading to their satisfaction and dissatisfaction. With the help of these studies, he found out that factors that were causing job satisfaction were not the same as the factors causing job dissatisfaction. He termed the factors causing satisfaction as motivators and the factors causing dissatisfaction as hygiene factors. Motivators include factors such as growth, achievement, recognition, advancement, work itself and responsibility. Hygiene factors include supervision, company policy, salary, work conditions and internal relationships shared with employees (Robbins and Judge, 2009, p.212) It is essential for every organisation to satisfy both; the psychological and physiological needs of an employee. Psychological needs are connected to the emotions of an employee that are important to succeed and achieve the goals. These needs motivate an employee to grow in the organisation. Physiological needs are the materialistic needs of an employee. They can be fulfilled by providing material benefits. After conducting interviews (see exhibit 1), it is observed that the working environment of O2 includes various forms of motivators as well as hygiene factor. At O2 the psychological needs of an employee are satisfying, as the working environment is very informal and friendly. The employees have a direct communication at their workplace. O2 provides employment opportunities by introducing them to numerous people thereby increasing their networks. This is one of the utmost motivating factors for an employee. On the other hand, O2 is unable to fully satisfy the physiological needs of an employee. According to the structured interview (Exhibit 1), Mr. Abimbola claims that there are various benefits provided to him such as 25% discount on handsets, vouchers for retail stores such as River Island and Top man, pension schemes, eye test, 28 days annual leave and various other benefits for friends and family. However, he is not satisfied with these perks and tends to compare them with the benefits provided by other organisations. They look up to organisations like Virgin, which provides a lot of additional benefits such as good commissions and free holidays. GOAL SETTING THEORY Setting specific goals and targets give a direction to the work achieved by an employee. O2 provide Mr Abimbola an estimate of the task that he is expected to achieve. Once he is committed to the goal, he makes sure to achieve it. Thereby it can be said that goals are a great source of motivation for an employee. Moreover, setting difficult goals make an employee put in a 100% effort and results in better performance and higher productivity (Robbins and Judge, 2009, p.219). In this organisation, the staffs are included in setting of the goals. According to the interview (see exhibit 1) these goals are revised and reset every three months. However, O2 maintains a policy of setting up very challenging targets but also making sure that they are attainable. This way of functioning makes the job very stressful for the employees; nevertheless it also improves their overall productivity and performance. Justification of the choice After analysing the interview of Mr Abimbola, it appears that he is not satisfied with the perks and benefits that O2 have been offering during his time of working for the company. Due to this, his physiology needs were not fully met. Mr Ademola states that he admires mobile companies such as Virgin, who provide far more benefits such as joining UK Tribe, which is joined by only employees of Virgin and provides them numerous deals and offers. Recommendations such as vouchers for retail stores should be exchange with a discount card of a certain percent off, discount on travel insurance, discount on holidays, discount on restaurants and bars and discount on leisure and amusement organisations such as Alton Towers and Madame Tussauds. These recommendations should be reinforced with the benefits that the staffs of O2 are currently receiving. With these changes, the job performances of the staff in O2 will enhance, providing them motivation in providing good service and most importantly satisfying their physiology needs. The addition of the recommended benefits should not give a negative effect to the performances of the staff. However the employer should not provide too many goals and targets that are not attainable by the staff. Even though according to the Goal Setting Theory, setting difficult goals can make an employee put in a 100% effort and result in better performance and higher productivity, setting over the extreme difficult goals can cause the staff to not achieve the goals, which will result in bad performances and lower productivity. O2 is one of UKs leading providers of mobile and broadband services to consumers and businesses. 2. According to O2, they had more than 40 million fixed and mobile customers across Europe and in the UK they have 18.4 million customers. So with these facts, the opportunity of employing extra benefits for their staff is possible. With their high and impressive reputation, O2 can negotiate deals with other organizations to implement discounts for their staff. If O2 can invest money and time to ensure that these extra benefits are made for their staff, they will witness a soar in work performance from their staff and overall productivity. Consequence of the change Based on the preferred changes that have taken action, the employees should be satisfied with their psychological and physiological needs, leading them to succeed and to achieve the goals set by the O2. Satisfying the employees needs will increase their work performance and work commitment. At the same time, O2 should witness a soar in work performance from their employees and their overall productivity. However, everything could be double edge sword, as the changes are applied, there are resistance problems which will rise in the process of implementing new changes which may result in change failure or even a negative effect on both employees and O2. Resistance to changes According to Mr Abimbola, it is not ambiguous to see that he resisted against potential changes. The possible action he may take to resist the change will be meeting up with other employees in his working environment and negotiate with his manager. Although he believes that most of the other employees in O2 will accept potential changes in the future, it is considered that Mr. Abimbola will not be the only one who resists changes in working environment. Resistance to changes usually exist in organisations, that are threats to the originations, and every firm is striving to overcome them. Researchers are also working hard in find a way to minimise the resistance. Richard Derwent Cooke (2009), who is a specialist in developing and implementing plans for deflating resistance, developed a framework to overcome resistance to changes, which is shown below (Figure 1): Cooke (2009) stated that in order to deflate the resistance of change, the managers should understand what causes the resistance to occur. There are different reasons why people resist changes, they are differentiated regarding to industries, job position, place, time and many other aspects. Hellriegel and Slocum (2007) Suggested that there are two types of resistance in the organisation which are individual resistance and organisation resistance. According to this case, individual resistance is the key situation for O2. These two authors list six common reasons why people resist changes: the first one is perception; second is personality; and job habit could be one reason. However, the most 3 common reasons are: Threats of power and influence, and fear of unknown, as well as economic reason (Hellriegel and Slocum, 2007). According to the situation, Cookes framework of method is considered to be the appropriate solution for the case of O2s situation. Therefore, in this case what the manager needs to do is to understand the reason behind the resistance. However, in order to do this, the manager needs to communicate with his subordinates and listen to what they think of the change. Finally the manager should do something in response to solve the problems, such as make employees know what exactly will happen if the changes take place or the manager could guarantee employees in advance with certain unchanged after change. PART B INTRODUCTION In order to understand the differences of the work environment in India, we proposed to conduct a structured interview of a sales advisor in Airtel. According to Konsik et al (2007), Airtel is Indias largest telecom industry. The basis of the interview was the same that was conducted for the sales advisor at O2 Company. This allowed us to compare and understand the way of working and applied culture for the same job role in India. JOB DESCRIPTION According to the structured interview conducted, the job of Mr Mayur Goyal is to achieve the required sales target and deal with the queries of the customers approaching him. The daily duty of the sales advisor in the UK (O2) is similar to the daily duty of the sales advisor in India (Airtel) (see exhibit 3). THEORIES OF MOTIVATION HERZBERG TWO FACTOR THEORY According to Herzberg two factor theory, Mr Mayur Goyal is satisfied with the kind of working environment which can be also seen from the interview conducted (see exhibit 3). The communication between the management is followed by a rigid hierarchy and is not comfortable. According to Handy (1996), the working environment is categorised a Role Culture which involves getting the targets achieved quickly and creatively. The operations are carried out by following a certain set of rules and regulation as decided by the company. The communication between the management is complex where they can not directly reach the mangers. Head of Department Team manager Sales Assistant On the other hand, the working environment in O2 is categorised as Task Culture where the targets are achieved quickly and creatively. Moreover the communication between the management is flexible. In other words, the lower management staff can directly approach and communicate the manager. Sales Assistant Head of Department Salary and benefits are one of the crucial internal factors in any organisation as mentioned in the Herzbergs two factor theory environment (Robbins and Judge, 2001). As for the interview conducted in India, Mr Mayur is not satisfied with the kind of salary offered by Airtel but is satisfied with the benefits (see exhibit 2). Whereas on the other hand, Mr Abimbola at O2 is satisfied with the salary offered but he would like to have increased margin of commission and also the increase in the benefits from the company. Moreover as seen from exhibit 1 Mr. Abimbola says that there is lack of staff, due to which the work load increases. This makes the job tedious and the efficiency as a whole reduces. On the other hand, Mr Mayur works efficiently as there is appropriate staff. Hence it makes it easier for him to achieve targets. Hence it can be concluded team work is an important aspect of the internal environment of Herzberg which results in motivation at job. JOB DESIGN The structured interview (exhibit 2) shows that Mr. Mayur has no pressure of working environment, moreover he achieves more than the desired targets. Hence it clearly shows that there isnt any work load on Mr Mayur. In addition, he is working in the industry since 3 years and yet was not given any kind of promotional benefits. Ironically, although the job of Mr Abimbola is target oriented and he struggles with the kind of load set to him due to the shortage of staff as said by him in exhibit 1. Still Mr Abimbola claims to be satisfied from the working environment and also with the kind of responsibilities and benefits provided to him (exhibit 1). Hence it can be observed though the job is same in both the countries, but the working environment is satisfying in UK as compared to India. GOAL SETTING As seen Goal Setting deals in identifying of various goals that are effective in producing the improved levels of motivation and performance in a job environment (Locke, 1968). According to exhibit 1 and 2 it can be clearly seen that the jobs of both sales advisor are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time Bound. Therefore it can be concluded that both are given a similar type of goals to achieve but, Mr. Mayur completes more than the desired targets set to him giving an optimistic opportunity if compared to the job design of Mr. Abimbola. Hence it can be assumed that Mr. Mayur is more motivated and focused towards his job as compared to Mr. Abimbola. As seen in exhibit 1 Mr Abimbola is given a responsibility of getting involved in setting of the targets with his managers but if compared with Mr. Mayur the case is not the same. Therefore it is observed that there is a communication gap between Mr. Mayur and his managers. As a result he cannot provide any suggestions or recommendation in the setting of targets. Therefore in conclusion from above analyses of theories, it can be stated that there is a difference in organisation structure. In other words Indian job environment is functional structured organisation where there is inappropriate communication due to rigid hierarchy. Whereas the UK environment is a Boundary less structure organisation where the chains of command are eliminated and this results in flexibility. Conclusion The case study majorly considers the different ways in which the work motivation of employees doing a job role can be improved to lead to increased job satisfaction and work performance. It is essential for every organisation to satisfy both; the psychological and physiological needs of an employee. The theories that were used in the research are Herzberg Two factor theory of Motivation, Job Design theory and Goal setting theory of Motivation. With these theories we made recommendations and the results showed that following these theories increases the job satisfaction and work performance of employees. In addition the similar kind of job was taken into consideration in India, and studied the cultural differences in the motivating factor of both the jobs of a same kind but in a different working environment. After the analysis conducted by the use of motivational theories, it was experienced that there was a magnificent amount of culture difference in the job. As a conclusion we can say that the UK job was more satisfying in terms of exposure and responsibilities to be performed in the job as compared to Indian environment which had satisfied Mr. Abimbolas psychological and physiological needs.

Mission, explicit policy Essay

Mission, explicit policy and explicit policy are element of ethical climate around which the client works.   Each has varying degrees of impact on the behaviors of the employee People base behavior on values and are less affected by a set of rules and regulations as elucidated in the implicit and explicit policies; they are influenced more by what they know is of paramount value to their service to the client and company they service. In this vein, the mission statement provides the greatest influence to the employee behaviors, impacting it for positive outcomes. It is customary to specify these mission statements to the employees in the letter of appointment as well as ht terms and conditions guiding their employment and service to the company including its clients. Of all, what stays and is closest to the staff is the mission statement, hung at a specific location in the company. It is usually accessible and easy to understand. On the basis of its omnipresence, it influences the character of members of staff to work, their attitude to their responsibilities at the duty post is constantly checked and twisted at the sight of short concise and easy to memorize sentence[s]. Usually, this statement becomes the foundation for making right decisions during unfavorable situations, the impetus for proposing innovative ideas and implementing them for the good of the colony. It helps to improve the [performance of status by encouraging them to take initiatives as at when appropriate and suiting for the situation.   It is one of the tools that link the employee strength and service to the employer’s goals and values.   This link creates a productive environment for effective delivery of services and goods to customers/clients. It clarifies thoughts and make the arduous decision-making mechanism an adventure.

Mercy Killing or Murder? Essay

It has been exactly one month ago your mother told you she has cancer and it is inoperable. The doctor have her three months to live and told her that the cancer would be very painful and would spread to her brain causing her to be very confused and disoriented. Now you stand before your mother, a mere shadow of the person she once was. She looks at you with tears in her eyes and asks you to do something that you would never consider doing in a million years. Your mother that you love more than life itself has just asked you to help her commit suicide. She tells you she cannot stand the pain anymore and she cannot bear to see the family stand around her crying, hoping and praying that she will get better knowing she will not†¦ What would you say to her? Would you or could you help her? Would you ask the doctor to do it for you? These are just a few questions one would be faced with if put into that situation. On one hand, you want to do whatever your mother tells you to do. However, on the other hand actually you would be committing murder in the eyes of the law. Euthanasia in my opinion should be a freedom of choice because it provides a way for individuals to relieve extreme pain, it allows individuals to die with dignity, and it frees up medical funds to help other individuals. Although, some may conclude that euthanasia would not only be for people who are terminally ill, it would become non-voluntary, and it would become a means of health care cost containment. Euthanasia provides a way for individuals to relieve extreme pain. Many people fear the lingering effects of chronic illness, when pain and the inability to control one’s body reduce the quality of life (Kavanaugh). What person wants to live if their life is nothing but pain from the time they wake up until they fall asleep. Most people who have these life ending illnesses also have to heal with having to have someone take care of them twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. This is where most individuals lose what dignity they have. Poor mental health can be treated- medications, psychotherapy, etc. – whereas terminally ill individuals plagued with excruciating pain death is inevitable (Humphry). What kind of life is it to have someone do everything for you? Basically, these individuals are like life size dolls that have to be bathed, dressed, and feed by someone in order to live. There cannot be many individuals who want to live their remaining days on this earth in that situation. Euthanasia allows individuals to die with dignity. When a person has no quality of life, then they should be able to choose to die because it is unfair to force them to continue living (Smith). It is understandable that someone would rather die than have to wear diapers and have someone there that has to take it off and clean up after them. That is just one of the very many things that cause a person to lose their dignity. Human life is sacred it should not be degraded by reducing the quality of life for the sake of extending the quality of life (Green). Family members also go through tremendous grief watching their loved one day after day suffer. Most individuals will tell you that after their loved one has passed away they are glad they are not suffering anymore. Euthanasia provides relief not only for the individual who is suffering, also for the family members who have to endure seeing their loved one suffer and watch lay in utter embarrassment due to the fact that they cannot control their bodily functions anymore. Euthanasia frees up medical funds to help other individuals. Money saved could be used towards saving people who can be or towards research into why their condition cannot be cured (Flemming). Doctors could be on the brink of discovering a cure to a certain illness but they cannot get the funding needed to continue their research because the money went to keep a few individuals alive who were diagnosed with only a month to live. Is that fair to the parents of a five year old who is waiting for that research to be done so their son or daughter could be able to live a full life, grow old, and have children of their own? It would also help the financial burden that would occur on the remaining family members. An individual staying in the hospital one month could accumulate charges in the tens of thousands of dollars. Millions of dollars of taxpayer’s money is spent keeping alive and caring for many people who are just waiting in hospitals to die (Humphry). Can you imagine the research doctors could do with that kind of money? Maybe if a few of those who were diagnosed with only a month to live and wanted to end their life had the freedom to do so, doctors could use the money saved and put it towards finding a cure for whatever that individual was dying from. Who knows, maybe the next person that came along with that illness would be cured due to the fact that a few certain individuals choose to end their lives by euthanasia. Euthanasia would not only be for people who are â€Å"terminally ill. † The legalization of euthanasia would be devastating because it would have mentally ill and depressed individuals that do have some hope of recovery wanting to end their lives (Weir 58). Individuals who are depressed might at that very moment think they want to end their life. Nevertheless, what about a few days later when things do not seem so awful. That individual may not choose euthanasia. Depression, in my opinion should not be a factor in someone wanting to end his or her life. The reason being is that when someone is depressed they may feel like they do not want to live another day, but the next day they might feel very different. That is the problem with someone being diagnosed with depression. One day they may want to die, the next day they may feel like they are on top of the world and want nothing more than to live. An article in the journal, Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior, described euthanasia guidelines for those with a hopeless condition, â€Å"hopeless condition† was defined to include terminal illness, severe physical or psychological pain, physical or mental debilitation or deterioration, or a quality of life no longer acceptable to the individual (Braddock). How can any guidelines be set due to the fact that everyone’s idea of an acceptable quality of life is different? What you may think is a good quality of life; another individual may think that if they had to live like that they would go insane. There needs to be more research done on these guidelines before they are set in stone. Euthanasia can become a means of health care cost containment. Legalized euthanasia raises the potential for a profoundly dangerous situation in which doctors could find themselves far better off financially if a seriously ill or disabled person â€Å"chooses† to die rather than receive long-term health care (Smith). This concept would put individuals and their families in an awkward position. Knowing you’re going to die in only a matter of months, do you decide to go ahead and end your life knowing the money saved will help someone else, or do you tough it out waiting and hoping that some kind of miracle cure comes in the nick of time giving you another chance at life? Their doctors might course individuals with HMO’s into euthanasia because HMO’s are all about making money (Dyck). No individual should be made to feel guilty about wanting to live, especially by his or her insurance carrier or doctor. No one should be pressured into making that decision especially when they are ill. Doctors take the Hippocratic Oath before they begin to practice. They swear in this oath to protect life, not to try to end it. If doctors start being coursed by insurance carriers this would go against everything they are suppose to believe in. Some doctors in this world who are all about making money and the legalization of euthanasia would give those unscrupulous doctors the perfect opportunity to make more money. Euthanasia will become non-voluntary. Emotional and psychological pressures could become overpowering for depressed or dependent people causing them to opt for euthanasia (Smith). If doctors start suggesting euthanasia to their patients, those patients may feel like the doctor knows what is best for their situation and actually consider euthanasia only because they feel like the doctor is pressuring them. Before the doctor suggested euthanasia, it was not even a considered by the patient. Doctors need to realize what kind of influence that they have over patients before they start suggesting euthanasia, especially when it comes to the elderly. Most elderly people feel as if their doctor that they have been with for years is some kind of â€Å"God† and will listen to and do just about whatever the doctor tells them. If the choice of euthanasia is considered as good as a decision to receive care, many people will feel guilty for not choosing death (Flemming). This is where euthanasia becomes a problem. Euthanasia goes against most people’s religious belief. However, if the doctor is telling them that it is ok, how are these elderly individuals going to be able to make a sound decision? Euthanasia is a very complex topic, one with many doubts and unanswered questions. The question society needs to answer is not: is euthanasia morally permissible (it has tacitly conceded that it is), but which type of euthanasia is permissible, and under what conditions? The power to terminate life, at present, solely rests in the hands of the medical profession and is not exempt from misuse or abuse. Euthanasia should be a freedom of choice in my opinion, it not only provides individuals relief from extreme pain, it allows them to die with dignity, and it frees up medical funds to help others that are in need. However, some individuals may feel that euthanasia would not only be for people who are â€Å"terminally ill,† it would become non-voluntary, and it it would become a means of health care cost containment. I do not claim to hold the answers to the difficult questions euthanasia raises, nor do I claim to be a pro euthanasia lobbyist. However, I do believe that if an individual is terminally ill and feel that their quality of life is not acceptable, he or she should have the right to choose to either let nature take its course, or choose euthanasia and die with dignity. Work Cited Braddock, Clarence. Physician-Assisted Suicide, Ethics in Medicine. 11 Apr 2008 Univ. of Washington School of Medicine 19 Apr 2008 http://depts. washington. edu/bioethx/topics/pas. html Dyck, Arthur. Life’s Worth: The Case Against Assisted Suicide Economy and Society. AD 2000 16. 2 05 March 2003 http://www. ad2000. com. au/articles/2003/march2003p17_1281. html Flemming, Rebecca. â€Å"Suicide, Euthanasia and Medicine: Reflections ancient and Modern† Economy and Society. 34. 2 (2005) 295-321 Ebscohost. Hazard Community and Technical Coll. Lib, Hazard, Ky. 19 Apr. 2008

John Locke Human Understanding Essay - 1802 Words

When considering knowledge, Locke is interested in the ability for us to know something, the capacity of gathering and using information and understanding the limits of what we know. He believes this also leads him to realise what we perhaps, cannot know. [1] He wants to find out about the origin of our ideas. His main stand-point is that we don’t have innate ideas and he aims to get rid of the sceptical doubt about what we know. The innate ideas which Locke sets out to argue against are those which â€Å"the soul receives in its very first being, and brings into the world with it†. [2] â€Å"Let us suppose the mind to be, as we say, white paper, void of all characters†. [3] This quote depicts the idea of the â€Å"Tabula Rasa†, that at birth are minds†¦show more content†¦The problem he has with us thinking like this is that all sorts of things would end up being defined as innate. Locke thought that we had the capacity to recognise â€Å"self e vident† truths and that we do have an innate capacity allowing us to recognise things, however they are not actually innate ideas within us, but ideas we gain from experience which our innate capacity allows us to understand. He was of the opinion that ideas are material of thinking and that there was no thinking before perception. While the mind has the capacity to think, it is not actually constantly thinking. For example, if you are asleep but not dreaming, then according to Locke, your mind isn’t actually thinking. All ideas we experience derive from sensations and perception. Sensation obviously uses the bodily senses to receive ideas, whereas reflection uses the body’s own procedures to receive ideas like thinking, believing and doubting. [4] Both of these processes are passive. 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Proposing a perspe ctive that is especially interesting during his time in the 17th century, which catered to a shift towards individual morals and responsibilities - the Puritan movement (Kang). Furthermore, John Locke sees the human mind as a product of one’s own experiences and inherent responsibilities, which is evident not only in his essay, but also in his upbringingRead MoreEssay on John Locke: Illuminating Path to Life, Liberty, and Property642 Words   |  3 Pagesprominent man by the name of Thomas Jefferson, were greatly influenced by the Enlightenment’s most profound philosopher, John Locke. Since the beginning of Enlightenment to the 21st century, Locke’s ideas have been behind countless innovators, philosophers, and politicians; including our very own Founding Fathers. From being an enlightened philosopher to creating bold, new ideas, John Locke is the single most influential person in history because he helped establish the basis of modern philosophical empiricism Read MoreBusiness Ethics: John Locke Essay1696 Words   |  7 PagesBusiness Ethics: John Locke Business Ethics Business ethics is defined as â€Å"a specialized study of moral right and wrong that focusses on moral standards as they apply to business institutions, organizations, and behavior† (Velasquez, 2014, p.15). Business ethics is the study of moral standards that focusses primarily on how these standards may apply to social systems and/or organizations. For this paper I will be focusing on one of the great minds of business ethics, John Locke, his ideas andRead MoreJohn Locke : The Most Influential Philosophical And Political Thinker917 Words   |  4 PagesThe Key to Locke John Locke â€Å"proved to be the most influential philosophical and political thinker of the seventeenth century† (Kagen 213). He lived in a period of great political change; Locke’s upbringing came to influence his philosophies, and these ideas had much significance in regards to the Enlightenment. Locke was born on August 29, 1632 in Wrington, Somerset (John Locke 9: 478). Early on came the outbreak of the English Civil War. Anglican and possessing Puritan sympathies, Locke’s fatherRead MoreJohn Locke, a British Philosopher, Studied the Knowledge of the Human Mind635 Words   |  3 Pages John Locke (b. 1632, d. 1704) was a British philosopher, Oxford academic and medical researcher. Lockes monumental An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1689) is one of the first great defenses of empiricism and concerns itself with determining the limits of human understanding in respect to a wide spectrum of topics. It thus tells us in some detail what one can legitimately claim to know and what one cannot. Lockes association with Anthony Ashley Cooper (later the First Earl of Shaftesbury)