it is ob file

1. Bhuwan Shrivastava
5 Learning
Chapter Objective: After reading this chapter a reader should be able to:
• Understand the basic concept of Learning
• Differentiate the learning with other terminology used in normal course
• Understand the development of learning as a field of study
• Realise the importance of different theories and experiment conducted for learning
• Understand the usage of different elements used in learning in order to generate the
desired results
• Understand the defining characteristics of learning
• Understand the development of further psychological concepts based on learning
Content of this chapter: Introduction, Concept, Classical Conditioning, Operant
Conditioning, Characteristics, Process of Learning, Organisational Behaviour and
Learning
Introduction:
Learning is the concept, which is being very less, understood over the years or we can say that
this concept has been taken for granted for many years. This is so, because the misunderstanding
of the concept has been so deeply rooted that we tend to give an excuse rather than
understanding the same. To many of us learning is still an activity, which we use to perform
when we were in the school or in the colleges. But does that in reality signifies the meaning of
the concept of Learning or in the other words does that give the actual understanding of the
concept of Learning? The answer can be or in more specific words the answer is NO, as
whatever the understanding these words are trying to come out is not the actual description of the
learning, they are rather the outcomes of the process of learning.
The words or the line, which we generally use to describe the process of learning, is not
complete in real sense. Actually the search for the answer to this question has enticed many
authors and researchers to get into the real meaning of the concept. In this regard the work of
Saljo is worth mentioning, who, in the year 1979 took the study to identify the deep-rooted
meaning of the concept learning by involving number of adult students and asking what they
mean by the term “Learning”; the answer then was summarized in five main categories: 1)
Learning is increase in knowledge, 2) Learning is memorizing, acquiring facts, skills, and
methods, 3) Learning is extracting the meaning, 4) Learning is interpreting and understanding
reality in a different way. The given references to the definition of the learning suggest the need
to understand the concept of Learning as whatever the theme given out by the students of Saljo is
nothing but the effect the cause of which is something else.
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In the same way other researchers are also devoting their considerable time in searching the real
soul of the same. Some of them have succeeded and some of them have not. In the further
paragraphs of this chapter we will be trying to clearly interpretate with the concept of learning in
great detail. As this concept invites more attention towards the realizing the importance of same,
since it can be termed as the mother of all behaviour in the organization and thus it is rightly said
that if the learning is correct then rest assure that the outcome in the form of behaviour will be
the correct one and appropriate according to the situation.
Learning: The Concept
As said above the concept of learning has stimulated many researcher and academicians over the
years. Their effort form the very beginning was directed towards getting the actual meaning of
the term Learning so that once identified it can be addressed to the correct direction and any
organization can utilize this concept to the fullest of its extent. But this was possible only when
once the actual concept has been understood. In this line, work of Ivan Pavlov and B.F. Skinner
are considered as the milestone and are taken as the reference to have the better understanding of
the concept of learning. The thought as given by these two great scientists is generally grouped
into two broad heads. With these two broad categories it will be easier for us to understand the
development of the concept. The two heads are Classical Conditioning & Operant Conditioning.
Classical Conditioning:
This model of learning takes in to account two important terms i.e. conditioned Stimuli and
Unconditioned stimuli. The work in this regard is a result of the work of Russian Scientist Ivan
Pavlov. Pavlov, while studying the function related to the digestive system went further to study
the reason behind the secretion of saliva. For which he conducted many experiments, the
experiment, which came out, as the solution, for the riddle for the secretion of saliva, was the
experiment he conducted with his dog.
He used to feed his pet. He conducted the experiment by ringing the bell first and then after the
bell has rung he use to serve the pet with the meal. He repeated this process many a times. But
after the several repetitions of the same he manipulated the offering. He did the same thing i.e.
ringing the bell before serving the meal, but this time the food was absent after the ringing of the
bell. What he saw was, every time whenever he use to serve the food after ringing the bell, there
was the secretion of saliva inside the mouth of the dog. This secretion of saliva was attached to
the ringing of the bell. Because when he repeated the same process of ringing the bell but not
offering the meal, the secretion of saliva was there but that was only for the limited number of
time. After certain attempts the secretion of saliva was stopped, as the process was repeated
many number of times. The secretion of saliva was accompanied with a limited number of
ringing of bell as after certain exercise the offering of food was stopped and thus the secretion of
saliva was decreased and at the end it was stopped.
This very experiment of Ivan Pavlov provided a fillip to the understanding of learning as a
concept. With this experiment two words aroused which went further to provide a solid base to
the concept of learning. These two words were conditioned and unconditioned stimuli.
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Stimuli, which was (or which is) considered as the starter for the learning process to initiate.
Stimuli mean any information, object or language etc that can draw the attention of the person.
Thus in this regard it was divided in to two subparts. Out of which unconditioned stimulus was
the natural one, and the processed stimuli or the artificial one is the conditioned stimuli, which
can be altered according to the situation and circumstances. In the experiment of Ivan Pavlov the
process of secretion of saliva was the unconditioned stimulus. Since this was accompanied by the
application of the conditioned stimulus (ringing of the bell and showing the meal). It was found
that in order to get proper response from a person, he/she needs a proper stimulus. Or in other
words, in order to get the conditioned response, a subject matter needs repeated application of
unconditioned as well as the conditioned stimuli. But this application of the same has to be dealt
with great precision, as the repeated application of the same can create the state of fatigueness in
a subject matter (person) pertaining to the set of stimuli. After repeated affair, tendency of not
responding to the stimuli will occur which can prove the application of stimuli worthless. This
outcome if applied to the organization, can deliver many meanings. Once an incentive scheme
has been launched in the organization, it has to be delivered to the winner other wise the said
scheme will not work as the unconditioned responses have ceased to come. For once it can be ok
but if the process is repeated it can create the negative feelings about the organization. Also this
forces the company to ensure that once the incentive has been delivered, whether it has reached
the actual winner or not. This can also raise the issue pertaining to the credibility of the
company. Thus you can find, that every company asking for the acknowledgement of receipt of
any incentive or gift from the winner or the recipient.
The concept of classical conditioning has a very limited extent. According to Skinner it treats the
human behaviour as reflexive in nature. But this is not true, as human behaviour is voluntary and
not reflexive in nature. Here, by reflexive, Skinner meant to say that in order to have a certain set
of response “some things” are to be done. Thus treating the behaviour as the reflexive. To
address this issue B.F. Skinner came up with the concept of Operant Conditioning, which
according to Skinner was the best explanation of the concept of the learning.
Operant Conditioning:
To put forward operant conditioning as the base to the understanding of the theory of learning,
B.F. Skinner took the effort to prove his viewpoint as the one, which can describe the causes
behind the learning or behaviour. B.F. Skinner, a writer, psychologist and a teacher, chooses to
work as a psychologist after giving up the idea of being a writer. He successfully designed the
commonly known Skinner box, which was developed to ascertain the effect of behaviour of the
animals in the lab.
Operant conditioning was the term, which was coined by this great psychologist in describing the
consequences of the behaviour in the re- occurrence of the same behaviour. According to this
theory if given the positive reward to the response, the probability of occurring that response will
more as compared to the response for which there is no reward. The Skinnerian theory of operant
conditioning was extension to the Thorndlike’s Law of Effect which says: “Of several responses
made to the same situation, those which are accompanied or closely followed by satisfaction to
the animal will, other things being equal, be more firmly connected with the situation, so that, if
it recurs, then it will be more likely to recur; those which are accompanied or closely followed by
discomfort to the animal will, other things being equal, have their connections with that situation
weakened, so that, when it recurs, they will be less likely to re - occur. The greater the
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satisfaction or discomfort, the greater the strengthening or weakening of the bond.”. In other
word, if the intention of a person is to have a particular set of activity again and again from the
person next to him, then that activity of the performer should be accompanied with the reward. If
given the reward, probability of occurrence of the same will increase as compared to another one
for which there is no provision of any reward.
According to the theory of Operant Conditioning, there are four ways by through which we can
have the desired results: Positive Reinforcement, Negative Reinforcement, Punishment, and
Extinction.
Positive Reinforcement: Positive reinforcement takes into consideration the use of reward as the
motivational tool for the job to get done or to have the desired behaviour out of the person. If a
person is into certain kind of activity and that his activity is generating the positive result or
activity is into the desired activity criteria of the person, and if the organization demands that
activity to be repeated again then that activity has to be given the due consideration or that
activity has to be backed up by some kind of reward or the incentive. This is what the positive
reinforcement is. For e.g. if a medical representative of Torrent Pharmaceuticals has achieved his
target and has performed well in his assigned area then that result or the performance of the
Medical representative must be duly recognized with reward and the incentive, if the company
wants that person to perform well again. But in order to have this system working well following
conditions must be satisfied on the high priority: a) that activity must accompany with the reward
at the same time when the result is there. The delay in the same can nullify the significance of the
same, b) the reward or the incentive so declared should address the need of the receiver. If the
same is not addressing the need then it will not leave any impact on the receiver and thus the
probability of occurring the same will decrease with the time.
Negative Reinforcement: It is that type of reinforcement, which addresses the fear stance of the
performer. Theoretically speaking removal or the fear of punishment to have the desired
consequence is the negative reinforcement. For example, if a person is not performing in the
organization, and if a boss is coming out with the statement that if he is not going to perform this
month then he may loose his job, or he may get demoted. This fear of getting layoff from the
organization might stimulate a person to perform this month. But the biggest problem while
applying this type of reinforcement is that the perception of the person whom that was targeted.
He may assume that thing to be on the negative note, since it is not necessary that every one have
the same sense of thinking.
Punishment: It is way to control the unwanted behaviour form the employee’s side. This is the
way, which is not targeted to align the performance, but this is the way, which is targeted to
ensure the right kind of behaviour. The most common way to make sure that the things move in
the right direction is the come up with the threat or punishment. For example: in order to ensure
that no one smokes inside the railway compartment Indian Railway has declared a monetary
punishment if being caught doing so. This will ensure the concerned organization that the
concerned act is getting performed.
Extinction: This is a way to control the consequences through ignoring the unwanted behaviour.
It has been found that once behaviour is ignored and it is ignored for the longer period of time
then that the likelihood of occurrence of that behaviour will minimized and the time will come
when that behaviour will be vanished from the behaviour of the organization. For example: if in
a branch of bank an employee reacts to the customer then the occurrence of the irritating
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behaviour from the customer will be more as compared to the avoidance of the same from a
customer care executive.
The theories as discussed above, considered cause and effect and the relationship between
Stimuli and response as the base for the learning to occur. But the concept of learning will be
incomplete if we have not understood the importance of environment in the said context. Here
environment means the external and internal environment, which is there with respect to an
individual.
To an individual, he is the collection of many subsystems, which in total summed to form a
bigger picture of system to which we commonly address as the Individual. How an individual is
system? For this, we need to brief ourselves with this term, as system is the concept where it
incorporates in to itself the input and then process it within itself and products out that as the
output from the system. The important point to note here is that, the system works in the
circumstances outer to itself which known as the external environment. It means the environment
in which that system is working is the external environment and the circumstance and the
situation that is helping this system to work is the internal environment. Internal environment to
an individual is his value system, belief system, the norms, the philosophy of his life, of his
religion etc. The environment external to the individual consists of any thing which is there in
external environment viz. the society, the peer group, brothers, sisters, parents, politics,
geography etc.
Individual being a system operates in the external as well as the internal environment. It
processes the information received from the external environment with perspective to the internal
environment and takes out that information in the form of output.
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Application
Differences in behaviour and formation of learning
This is a diagramatic representation of learning
Input process in an individual. As given in the figure,
External External an individual is confronted with numerous inputs
Environment Environment and other information from the environment
which is external to the individual (and that is
Input Individual Input why this environment is called as external
environment) and indiviudal, with the help of
processed information already present and with
the help of other elements of internal
Input
External External environment, will process this inputs which he
Environment Environment got it from the external environment. Thus, apart
from the information which is received by an
individual from the external environment, the internal environment also plays a very vital role in
the formation of learning of an individual. That is why, in many of the instances you must have
noticed that to an individual, the meaning of some input may be different from another
individual.
This is very common phenomenon in the organisation that, once confronted with a difficult
situation like, over burdening of target, two different individuals will behave differently. There is
a probability that some of them may feel very dejected, as they cannot achieve this high target
while at the same time some others may feel motivated to perform more so that he can be
eligible to earn an incentive. This is so beacause, different individuals have analysed and
processed the information in tow different ways and thus the two different behaviour and
meaning pattern to the same.
As once the individual is positioned in the external environment it receives the information from
the variety of the elements present there. It stores the information and uses it when needed. This
is what the learning is. More elaborately saying, individual is bombarded with tonnes and tonnes
of information, and stimuli form the outer environment. Here the individual demarcates the
information so received form the outer/external environments, that which information to use just
now and which information should I keep for the further reference. Thus this process of
receiving and storing the information from the external environment, in order to use it just now
or for the further reference, is known as Learning. There are two types of learning (the
differentiation is based on the moment to use the information): 1) the information, which we
have to use just now for the current reference, and 2) the information, which is being stored in
the brain for the reference to be taken in the future. It is to be noted that, it is not in the control of
the individual for the absorption of the stimuli from the outer environment i.e. that person cannot
stop this process from happening. If it is going on then it is because of being out of the control
for human beings to stop it. Whatever an individual watches around him in the surroundings or
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in the external environment, a sort of tape recorder, which works inside the brain of the
individual who records all the offerings from that context. Once recorded it is then depends on
the individuals to use it or keep it for the future reference. Once the information is stored inside
the brain, whether it is going to be used for now or for the future reference, this decision and
usage in that instance is automatic. It means that an individual don’t have to ask to the brain
explicitly that I’m in the need of information kindly provide me, it comes automatically to the
usage of the human being in the appropriate context and circumstances. That’s why it has been
said that the more a person travels and more the person reads, the more a person becomes
learned. It is obvious that here learned fellow means the person having more number of
information stored inside his brain as due to traveling and due to the reading of books he has
experienced many things which has served as the information to him and thus it was stored.
Characteristics:
From the above discussion it can be easily said that learning is the concept which posses
following characteristics:
1) Ceaseless Process: Learning is the continuous process. It is the process which goes on
and on with the life of individual. Once a person is out in the environment his/her
learning process starts then and there only. This process cannot be stopped at the will of
the person. That is, a person cannot say “enough of learning, now I don’t want any
learning”. It will continue even if a person is not ready to accept the things. Since the
process of learning depends upon the external environment, and since the external
environment is beyond the control of human being, he cannot control the process. Thus it
is said that learning is the continuous process.
2) Two forms: Learning basically takes two shapes. The first of its kind works with the
conscious mind of the person, and another forms works with unconscious mind of the
individual. Basically when an individual is placed in the environment (internal and
external), he/she is bombarded with loads of information and stimulant from the same
condition. In this way he chooses automatically the type of information to carry on with
and which one to store. This is the process, which goes on as an automatic process. The
information so stored can be used in future whenever and wherever required. The use of
this information is automatic and the person doesn’t have any control as which and when
to use. It comes out automatically of its own.
3) Depends upon the External environment: Learning is the process which takes place
spontaneously. The major of its content can be attributed to the external environment, in
spite of the fact that the learning depends upon both of the environment
(internal/external). The major share is attributed to the external one. This is so because
with the external environment a person gets the opportunity to interact with other person
as well and this interaction and the transaction between these two persons assist them to
keep a share of information as information gathering from that source also.
4) Basis of personality of person: The concept of learning has acquired importance over the
years because this is the base for the over all personality of the individual. This is so
because the information so received from the environment acts as the stimulant for the
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person and thus provides him the experience; the experience so gained is stored in the
minds of that person. This lays the foundation for the learning to occur. The learning so
framed will further lead to the formation of the perception of the person. As learning
forms the basis for perception. There after this perception will further lead to formation
of the attitude and thus at the end formation of behaviour takes place. Thus whatever
learning a person is going to have the same kind of behaviour that person is going to
reflect. This process will be clearer in the following paragraphs.
Learning: The Process
Consider the diagramme given below:
Stimulus
Experience
Experience Learning
Learning
Information
Perception
Perception
Personality
Personality Behaviour
Behaviour Attitude
Attitude
Personality Development Cycle
As shown in the diagramme above, the process of learning starts with the stimulus from the
environment. The stimulus may contain varied form of information from the external
environment. This is not at all necessary that the information so collected has to be from the
external environment; the stimulus can be from the internal environment as well. Here internal
environment refers to the meaning of a particular situation a person is deriving. Of course this
derivation of the situation depends on the earlier learning a person had, but this derivation of the
meaning forms the base for further learning. The information or the stimulus so collected from
the environment (internal/external) serves as the raw material for the process of learning to start
as this information so collected is going to help the person to form an experience regarding that
situation. Thus experience in much simpler term can be called as the sum total of all the
information and the stimulus collected from the environment the composite form helps the
individual to have the learning regarding the situation.
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Actually whatever information a person is collecting from the outer as well as the inner world,
the information so collected is going to be stored within the psyche of a person and further this
stored information helps a person to take decision regarding the situation. Thus we can say that
the experience acts as the raw material for the learning.
Now once the information has been received and the experience has been framed, the direction
of the think radar of a person is going to be moved towards that direction where his experiences
about the subject are asking him to do. This learning about the situation and circumstances
facilitate a person to develop the thinking about that subject and the thinking developed about the
same helps to develop thinking towards the subject matter. This thinking towards the subject
matter further facilitate the person to frame the attitude towards that same subject and thus with
this attitude which is more of inner thing the behaviour of the person takes the shape. The details
will be going to be dealt in further chapters about attitude. The attitude which is coming out in
the form of behaviour from a person is the basic reason for the person to frame his/her
personality, since personality is nothing but the sum cumulative of the attitude and behaviour a
person has towards the subject matter. In the other words it can be deduced that the behaviour if
performed over the longer period of time and continued in the same way will lead to the
personality of the person identified by his approach to think towards the subject. Thus it can be
said that a good learning is required to shape up the good personality. It is like the raw material
for the personality to take the final face.
Organisation behaviour and learning:
Once we are ready with this background that learning is all what is required to shape up the
behaviour and in turn the personality of a person, the same principle if applied to the
organisation, can have the positive node. In any of the organisation this theory of learning can be
used for the employee to generate the required behaviour which in turn helps to blend the
personality required for the organisation in specific.
From the discussion which we had in above paragraphs, it is clear that in order to have the
appropriate behaviour an appropriate input in the form of learning is required. If the environment
is of the company or any of the organisations then the task assumes the importance because the
behaviour which is required by an employee or any member of the organisation should be in
consistent with the objective and the vision set by the organisation. Any inconsistency with the
vision or the objective of the company can be fatal one for both organisation and the employee.
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Application
Application of learning in generating customer walk-ins
The concept of learning has
different implications to different
individuals. Because of this
different implication to different
individuals, learning has emerged
as an important field to
understand and study.
One such use of this concept is to
generate the desired responses
from the individual. As discussed
earlier, an individual when placed
in an environment, encounters
inputs and other form of
informations. Thereafter the
analysis of the same occurs. This
analysis is given in the form of
behaviour of a person. That is why the concept has been used to generate the desired response
from individual. This applies to both types of customer, i.e. internal as well as external (the
employee and customer).
Now a days companies are concentrating on those inputs and information through which the
desired response can be generated. The inputs are so designed, that output which an organisation
is seeking can be generated. That is why, in order to tackle the intensive competition in the
market and to lure more customer, companies provides cozy atmosphere and pleasant to feel
environment, so that with this positive input desired positive response can be created.
One such example is of ADLABS (now known as BIG Cinemas), which is having almost 200
screens across India, provides relaxed environment and soothing presence in the form of positive
inputs so that high customer walk-ins can be generated.
Thus it becomes the liability or the task of the organisation to communicate the member (i.e.
employee) about the requirement in terms of the behaviour and the personality. On the other
hand it is also required from the organisation’s side to develop and maintain the required amount
of inputs to the experience of the employee so that they come up with the behaviour so required.
The inconsistency in the behaviour from any of the either side appears in such output like high
absenteeism or high turnover the employee. From other side consequences can be in the form of
low confidence in the employee and lack of trust for the employee. Once these all things are in
the organisation, the result will be as said above the “fatal” one. Thus companies are investing
huge so that such may not occur in their organisation. As in this competitive era it is highly
required to retain the employee. Once lost the same employee cannot be back as he was all set in
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the organisation, he was well aware with the values, belief and philosophy of the organisation. If
any new employee is inducted in the organisation then the whole process will be required to be
repeated again.
Thus the learning has come as the best way to retain and increase the productivity of the
employee and at the end of the whole organisation. It does not involve any huge amount to be
invested in the process. What is required is nothing but the alertness from the top management
side to make things happen. Companies like Bhilai Steel Plant adding huge amount to their
investment pattern on this aspect. Because they understand if the employee is happy and satisfied
they will work more productively and in more efficient manner. Making working environment
soothing and more conducive is on the priority for every company in today’s competitive
scenario. Introducing the concept of PCs in each and every employee’s desk is a common
phenomenon now a day. Providing free mobile phones, engaging the employees for outing or
celebrations like birthday or marriage anniversary are some of the best example of providing the
quality input to the employee so that they can have the required behaviour apt for the
organisation to grow productively.
It is not necessary at all that for the learning to take place in the organisation the class room is
needed. The people working there in the organisation are the best teachers for new joinee. The
person newly inducted in the organisation doesn’t need any so called professional trainer to have
the first hand experience about the atmosphere and the environment inside the organisation.
Companies are implementing programmes like employee orientation programme or the
employee induction programme. These training programmes are basically intended to give the
first hand experience to the employee, but what is going to be the ultimate behaviour of
employee in particular employee will be automatically decided by employee looking at the
circumstances then and there. This process is automatic rather than a conscious one. An
employee doesn’t decides that this information he wants to receive and this information he do
not wants to receive. Every information which an employee is getting bombarded with, is
definitely going to be accepted. Thus the information so bombarded is going to be floated inside
the employee and will come out as the behaviour of that employee.
Here it is required that to have the appropriate input made to the member of the organisation
effort has been made. Because if showered with negative or not so appropriate input then this
effort of creating the positive impact on the employee will be futile and employee will feel as if it
was, the decision which has forced him to such a situation in which he don’t find himself well
conversant with. Thus this will create a negative impact in psyche of the employee and he/she
will start looking out for the negative points in the organisation as the fire has been ignited in
him of the negative feeling in the organisation due to the carelessness of the top management in
this regard. With this it will be the top management only who is going to face the consequences
for the not so responsible behaviour.
Thus it becomes mandatory to have the conscious effort from the companies point of view or the
from the top management perspective that they should come up with or they should float such
type of input in the atmosphere of the company that everyone finds it soothing and conducive
enough to let them grow and nurture in the environment. Thus we can say that the concept of
learning is so important that it ultimately leads to the formation of the environment and the
climate of the company.
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Application
Application of learning in generating customer walk-ins
As discussed above, the concept
of learning is now widely used to
generate the positive and desired
response from the customers.
Therefore, McDonalds has taken a
very different route to get the
customer’s expectation on the
maximum scale.
With more than 31,000 restaurants
in 119 countries Mc Donald’s has
served different customer with
different needs.
In India, which is a land of
diversity, Mc Donald’s has completed more than 12 years of its operation. India is the first
country where Mc Donald’s does not offer any beef or pork. With the respect to the local
culture and values the chain has developed menu that will suit to Indian tongue.
In order to maintain the highest degree of freshness and hygienic offering Mc Donald’s
procure raw – material from local manufactures and cultivators only. It has developed its own
Cold Supply chain system, in order to ensure fast and quickest way to transport the material
procured from the producer to restaurant.
Therefore with all these efforts, Mc Donald’s is making the things confirmed that proper
positive inputs should be reached to customers and at the end which can be converted into
desired business.
This was with regard to the internal customer of the organisation. The same principle if applied
to the external customer can again lead to the encouraging result. As the behavioral aspect of the
organisation also includes the behaviour shown by the external customer (the customer in
common language). Thus it may be found anywhere in the market scenario the effort of the
companies towards the customer has been changed with the advent of the customer. Every
company is fighting of the space in the market to grab a pie in the market share. The best way
out is to provide the customer with that input which can lead to the positive response towards the
company. This can be done by proving them with that experience which has helped a customer
to create a positive attitude towards the company and companies’ product. Even companies who
are engaged in the business of petroleum are also changing the way they handle the customer
initially and the way they handle it now. Now every petroleum outlet is full with such input like
soothing lighting, music, extra service like car wash thereby creating an experience towards that
product and thus whenever in future customer thinks of that same class of product, automatically
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his/her experience will ask him to think on that brand only as initially he had the experience
which was highly acclaimed in this regard and thus the attitude was framed accordingly and
outcome was in the form of positive behaviour towards the brand.
It is required from the companies end that they should be having the proper stand in that regard
and should considerable time so that the failure to make a not may not results in negative result.
++++
Questions
1) Explain the concept of learning?
2) Discuss the different school of thoughts over the concept of learning?
3) How does the experiment conducted by Ivan Pavlov will help managers in shaping there
organisation towards the growth path?
4) What significance does B.F. Skinner thinking holds over the concept of learning?
5) Differentiate negative reinforcement with punishment? Which is most appropriate in all
circumstances, negative reinforcement or punishment?
6) Is extinction is really required in organisation to frame a decision?
7) How learning is helping different field of concern in there decision making process?
8) Discuss the usage of learning in consumer buyer behaviour?
9) Discuss the usage of concept of learning in managing the attrition level in industries?
10) How learning can be useful in increasing the retention rate in the organisations?
Group Task
Conduct a research to determine the basic reason for hesitation by an individual to join the
academics from the industry. Your objective is to determine the key determinants which shape
the decision of the individual with respect to staying away from academics. Suggest ways to the
organisation in the said field to attract more and more people from the industry to the academics.
Individual Task
1) Visit any mall or any multiplex and conduct the research there to determine, the factors which
influence the walk-in of customers inside the malls or the multiplex.
2) Conduct a research to determine the cause behind the high attrition rate in Indian Insurance
industry. Suggest the measures to overcome this problem.
Discussion
A 1) Discuss the importance of external inputs to the individual in an organisation? How
does it effects the productivity and efficiency of an individual in the organisation
2) How does the learning shapes the decision making process of an individual?
3) Can you relate the high attrition rate in IT or BPOs to the process of learning? If yes,
discuss with example, in what manner does it effects the retention of an individual in the
organisation? What are the measures that can be taken in order to reduce the same?
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14. Bhuwan Shrivastava
B Anil was working with ABC financial services limited in a very reputed designation. But
being a very different personality from his counterparts he had to join the brand
management firm whereby he can display his actual skills to the fullest, according to him,
even though he was in much comfortable position in the present organisation. In the
meantime he met Mukesh he was thinking to start a brand management firm. He was
hunting the heads that can work for him and can help in realizing the vision. And for that
he opted to go with Anil because the person he met till this time was not capable
according to Mukesh’s standard. Mukesh briefed Anil about his vision, being Anil was
looking for this kind of opportunity, Anil decided to go for it. To start with Mukesh
offered very less salary to Anil. Being Anil married there was lot many responsibility
lying on his shoulder on the personal front. But in the meantime Mukesh also briefed that
is Anil remain well committed to the organisation then he will reward him, but for that he
has to show his commitment in the twelve months to come. Anil took it as a challenge
and decided to accept it on the ground that he will prove his worth.
Anil displayed his capabitly to the fullest. He was giving his best. Whatever the task
given to him he was the person who was achieving the task. He worked for more than 8-9
hours a day (which was much more than the counterpart in the present organisation), so
that when he will request to Mukesh to increase his salary there should not be any point
left where he can raise his finger. During his tenure he lost the contact with all his friends
and relatives which was more of intentional effort, as according to his viewpoint he is not
in well respected position as far as salary is concerned; he decided to rejuvenate that once
he received the desired salary, for which he was confident because he has proved his
worth.
Now it was the turn of Mukesh to show his commitment as it was the 12th month of
Anil’s service for which Anil was waiting with much eagerness. Accordingly Anil
planned his financial requirements as he was going to receive the remuneration of his
expectation. Then one day he got the news that he has received the increment. When he
went into the details he was surprised to see that actual amount was much lower than
expectation; Mukesh, in accordance with his friendly nature, told him that whatever he
has got is much maximum according to the industrial standard. Going much above it can
create feeling of disappointment to the other members of organisation as they are better
and better trained then Anil. There was no option left for Anil but to accept the
remuneration as again changing the job would effect his financial standing.
Anil decided to alter his strategy and will work the way others are working in the
organisation. Of course this was something which created a gap between Anil and
Mukesh as Anil was not the same old fellow he used to be. Mukesh was aware of the
situation and was worried over Anil’s act.
Q Discuss the situation in the light of the concept of learning. What can be done to this situation
so that both of them can have a positive result at the end?
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15. Bhuwan Shrivastava
Q What implication, by the act of Mukesh, can bring to the organisation in terms of retention and
attrition?
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