Reward Learning? LO18380

Arno Pilon (115092ap@student.eur.nl)
Sat, 13 Jun 1998 01:51:30 +0200

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I'm very interested in the following question:
How can management use reward and appraisal systems to stimulate,
facilitate and encourage learning processes?

At the moment I'm writing a thesis about this issue. All literature talks
about the importance of having an appraisal and reward system that rewards
learning. But my problem is that I never read anything practical which
gives an answer to the question: how to do this?

Honestly, I doubt if an appraisal and reward system is really so important
as a lot of authors would like us to believe. These systems are designed
to influence behavior and attitudes, and are even trying to control this.
I think this is not possible. Appraisal and rewards can never guarantee
certain behavior (as needed for learning). I do think however, that
appraisal and rewards can frustrate and discourage learning if the wrong
incentives are given.

I'm very interested in your opinion on these issues. Which possibilities
do managers have to create a learning climate by means of appraisal and
rewards? And is there any literature or research on this issue that really
adresses these questions into some detail?

Arno Pilon
Erasmus University Rotterdam - The Netherlands

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Arno Pilon <115092ap@student.eur.nl>

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