This paper will address the following topics:
• How Joe could address the importance of understanding how people form perceptions and make attributions about others with his employees;
• Choose which learning theory will be most appropriate for Joe to apply in this situation and explain the reasons why this theory was selected;
• Ways Joe could apply the learning theory to improve employees’ performance; and
• Determine how Joe could leverage an understanding of the value of self-efficacy to ensure he hires the most successful salespeople
Understanding Perceptions in the Workplace Perception is the process by which the individual selects, organizes, interprets and responds to information (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2011). Employees are constantly exposed to a variety of information, whether from personal experience or from co workers. However this information is obtained, this information is processed in their minds and organized to form concepts pertaining to what is sensed or experienced. There are two main factors that influence what an individual perceives: External factors and Internal Factors. Extenal factors are factors that come from culture rather than personal observation, that enable perception and includes: (a) Size, the larger the object); (b) Intensity, the more intense an external factor, like bright lights and loud noises; (c) Contrast, factors that stand out. These are unexpected, therefore, more noticeable; (d) Motion, a moving factor stands out more from a stationay factor; and (e) Repetetion, a repeated factor tha
References: Bandura, A. (1994). Self-efficacy. Retrieved January 26, 2012, from www.self-efficacy defined. Barlas, D. (2012, January 26). Choosing a Sales Incentive System. Retrieved January 26, 2012, from www.about.com. Cherry, K. (2012, January 25). Introduction to Operant Conditioning. Retrieved January 25, 2012, from www.about.com. Hellriegel, D., & Slocum, J. J. (2011). Organizational Behavior. In J. Don Hellriegel & John W. Slocum, Organizational Behavior. Mason: Cengage Learning.