Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory

 

The two-factor theory suggests that there are a number of factors that affect either job satisfaction or dissatisfaction and these cannot be measured using the same continuum. It is based on a literature review that was conducted on literature from 1900 to 1955 involving issues concerning job satisfaction and dissatisfaction and the reasons behind them. This theory was also developed in the 1950s; a time when there was full employment in the United States, with most factories or manufacturing plants working fulltime. These circumstances were highly instrumental in the development of a perspective concerning job satisfaction and dissatisfaction because it involved a situation where there was considerable unionization, which is in contrast to the current job situation, where there is a high unemployment rate and a considerable reduction in unionization. Among the most significant findings of this theory is that there is a relationship between job satisfaction and the productivity of employees. In addition, the characteristics of dissatisfaction among workers are well documented in the literature that was reviewed. Furthermore, the attitudes related to work has also been well defined in the literature; a sign that there had been extensive research on the subject over the decades. The theory suggests that while there are a considerable number of factors that might bring about the development of dissatisfaction among employees, there are only a few factors that can lead to the advancement of job satisfaction.

These conclusions are based on two hypotheses that seek to advance an understanding of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. The first of these is that the “…factors leading to positive attitudes and those leading to negative attitudes will differ.” The second hypothesis suggests that there are “…factors and effects involved in long-range sequences of events would differ from those in short-range sequences.” Through a study of a number of engineers and accountants, there was an attempt to understand their level of job satisfaction. One of the most significant findings was that while salaries were considered an important dissatisfier, there were instances where it was appreciated, especially in situations where it involved a reward for a job well done. Hygiene factors were considered to have a significant effect on satisfaction, with a large number of those interviewed stating that good hygiene had a positive effect on the performance of individuals in the workplace. Therefore, when the hygiene needs of employees are satisfied, it becomes possible to ensure that there is the advancement of a reduction of dissatisfaction and poor performance. According to Herzberg, it is essential for jobs to be restructured in such a way that ensures the advancement of the ability of workers to achieve their maximum productivity. Motivational factors have to be employed in order to bring about job satisfaction, and this should be done with recognition of the role of the supervisor in the work environment. Finally, there is need to ensure that workers are supposed to be allowed an opportunity to determine how best to achieve their work goals, and this is in order to complement the role of supervisors in organizing and planning how work is to be conducted.

Should Patriots Use Acts of Terrorism in the Formation of their Government?

The creation of a sovereign government is one of the most important events that can take place. This is because it involves individuals undertaking their patriotic duty towards ensuring that they create a government that puts into consideration all of their nationalist aspirations. In the contemporary world, there have been instances where terrorism has been used by patriots as a means of creating their government. Such instances have been seen in countries such as Israel and Northern Ireland, where patriotic groups have made use of terrorism to achieve their objectives. This paper argues that there are instances where it is inevitable that patriots must use terrorism to create their government, because while patriotism is a motive, terrorism can be considered a means of achieving this motive.

Among the most significant acts by patriots in a bid to ensure the creation of their state through terrorist activities were those of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The IRA was for a long time categorized as a terrorist organization by not only the British government, but also its allies. This was despite the fact that this organization did not partake in violence for its own sake, but rather sought to bring about the independence of Northern Ireland. This organization, rather than being motivated by such aspects as religion or money, the IRA sought to ensure that there was the advancement of the rights the nationalists in Northern Ireland, especially when it came to the achievement of independence from Britain (Martin, 2012, p.231). The IRA orchestrated several bombing campaigns as well as organizing an armed opposition to British rule in Northern Ireland; a campaign that continued for decades. A result of this situation was that while this organization did not attain its objective of bringing about the independence of Northern Ireland, it was able to ensure that it promoted the achievement of a peace settlement that sought to bring together the nationalist and loyalist groups in the country (Martin, 2012, p.457). The case of the IRA is fundamental because it shows the manner through which despite the use of terrorism, this organization was able to achieve its objectives, which were patriotic rather than conducted for malicious purposes. The use of terror by the IRA was able to achieve the recognition of the rights of Irish nationalists, and despite not gaining independence; the Irish nationalists have attained a place in the Northern Irish government.

The use of terrorism to achieve patriotic goals can be considered the right course, because it seeks to ensure that there is a respect for the rights of individuals in the regions where they live. Most liberation movements, no matter their methods, have often been categorized as terrorist organizations, as seen with such groups as the IRA in Ireland, and Lehi in the Palestinian Mandate. Patriotic groups often resort to terrorism in situations where they feel that their concerns are not being addressed by the government within which they live (Marsden, 2016). A consequence is that they seek to ensure there is a level of advancement of their objective through the creation of their own government. These groups, such as the ETA, which promotes Basque independence, often face innumerable odds because the actors that they challenge are stronger than them, with more resources (Leonisio, 2015). Under such circumstances, one of the most effective ways of making sure that there is the advancement of their interests is the use of terror. Terrorism gets the attention of state actors that stand in the way of patriots creating their government, meaning that it can be considered as a weapon of the weaker party. Without the use of acts of terrorism, it is unlikely that the aspirations of patriots to form their own governments would be respected, because these acts ensure that they put as much pressure as possible to the dominant power or state so that they can be allowed to pursue their objectives.

In conclusion, in situations where patriots desire to create their own governments, they are often ignored by the prevailing powers at the time. A consequence is that they have to resort to dramatic displays that will get the attention of these powers. Under such circumstances, the use of terrorism is an effective way of not only gaining the objectives of patriotic organisations, but also putting as much pressure as possible on the dominant parties to such an extent that they end up either giving in to the aspirations of the patriots, or coming to a negotiated settlement with them. Thus, terrorist acts by patriots are a political tool by weaker parties aimed at the achievement of negotiated settlements.

The Different Styles of Coaching

Introduction

Coaching is an essential aspect of sport in the world today because it ensures that individuals are able to work together with their coaches in order to achieve desired results. A consequence of such a situation is that the coach is considered the leader of the team and it is he or she that is held responsible for the successes and failures of the team. In many cases, coaches can either be fired or fired at a moment’s notice based on their performance; meaning that it is essential for these individuals to ensure that they promote the advancement of their teams through having the skills needed to help their players achieve their maximum potential (Bloom, Falcão & Caron, 2014). One should not underestimate the considerable influence that coaches at all levels tend to have on the lives of the individuals that they mentor. This is especially the case with those coaches who undertake the training of children, where they teach the latter how to learn and play a diverse number of games. These individuals are extremely important, because they seek to advance the development of children so that they can make better athletes while at the same time instilling in them the ability to exercise discipline while both on and off the field. Coaches at the beginner level of training are essential in the advancement of the interests of children because it ensures that they not only develop life skills, but also have an opportunity to bring about a positive effect in their growth and learning. In this paper, there will be a discussion of the development of coaching and how this role has developed in the contemporary world. There will also be an analysis of the role of coaches and the different styles adopted by these individuals in order to achieve their objectives. The role of different coaching styles in the lives of individuals that allow for the advancement of their skills will also be analyzed within the context of molding these individuals into responsible people in society.

Previous approaches

            Coaching began as early as sports and this has been documented since the ancient period, as seen from the Olympic Games held in Ancient Greece to the professional sporting events held in the contemporary world. Coaching began with older or retired athletes transmitting their knowledge to younger ones; ensuring a level of continuity in a considerable number of sports. Furthermore, it was in the interest of coaches to ensure that they pushed their protégés towards putting their best efforts towards the achievement of their goals (Jeanes, Magee & O’Connor, 2014). This meant that they had to make these individuals push the limits on their bodies in order to become successful. In the early days of coaching, the practice essentially involved teaching younger people what they knew. Therefore, the practice was not as professional as it is today because in the contemporary world, coaching has become a profession, with individuals putting in all of their efforts towards sports as their main activity. Participants in sports tended to seek to ensure that they became just like their coaches, because the latter were usually former participants in sports themselves. A consequence of this situation was that rather than having sports as the main activity in their lives, players more often considered it a pass time and did not take it on professionally. The act of participating in a game for the fun of it rather than to make money ensured that individuals appreciated these activities more. This is unlike in the contemporary world where sports have essentially become a means through which the participants see an opportunity to make a lot of money. Therefore, coaches in the contemporary world have the task of learning from the past and making sure that there is the advancement of a genuine appreciation of sports from the current generation. The lessons from the past are also essential in bringing about a level of discipline so that it leads to the reduction of interest in sports for the financial rewards they might bring to participating in them, such as having fun.

New findings

The role of coaching has evolved to such an extent that it has become an essential aspect of almost all, if not all sporting events. A consequence has been that it has allowed coaches to become among the highest paid individuals in the world. Some football coaches are paid tens of millions of dollars annually because of the work that they do and this is a sign of the considerable important that is put on their skills. Furthermore, while the art of coaching has evolved to become more professional, the activity itself is still for the most part conducted because of the individuals’ love for the game (Rynne, Mallett & Rabjohns, 2016). The coaches in the smallest leagues have the responsibility to ensure that they instill the love of sports in their team members from a young age so that as they grow, they participate in sport for the fun of it rather than for the aim of making money. A result of such instances is that it will have the potential of creating more genuine interest in sporting activities from individuals rather than seeking to simply join in the activities for monetary gain. It is essential for coaches to take the time to promote getting back to the basics of sports because this situation will ensure that advancement of the sporting activities while at the same time allow for the development of discipline, which is an essential attribute when it comes to the achievement of success both in an out of sport. It is the role of the coach to not only instill discipline in the team, but also sportsmanship and knowledge of the game. However, in order to achieve this goal, it is essential to consider coaching and the role that it plays in helping to advance the interests of athletes. Through this understanding, it will be possible to bring about an understanding of how coaches are able to accomplish their tasks.

Coaching styles

There are a number of coaching styles which are made use of in order to instill efficiency, discipline, and self-development in athletes. These styles are important in the development of responsible individuals in society because they help instill needed values that athletes have both inside and outside their sporting activities. There are three main coaching styles and these include the following; command, submissive, and cooperative coaching styles.

Command style

In this style, coaches make all the decisions and this is to such an extent that the role of the athlete remains to only respond to the commands of the coach (Marten, 2004, p.2). This is one of the most common coaching styles and it works on the premise that the coach knows what is best for the athletes. It often takes place in a situation where there is need to ensure that there is constant discipline in the coaching process, with the coach often undertaking to have a serious demeanor at all times to ensure that the athletes appreciate the seriousness of the situation. It also involves the coach not being pleasant with the athletes because to do so is considered to be a sign of weakness, which might end up shaking his authority. However, one of the most important aspects of the command style of coaching is that it often leads to considerably good results, especially in situations where the coach is a brilliant strategist and tactician, whose instructions lead to the success of the team. The downside is that it also involves a considerable number of athletes quitting the various sports programs because they feel that they have no say in any of the coaching activities that the coaches decide on. Therefore, in order for this coaching style to be acceptable and effective, it is essential for the coaches to ensure that they understand the boundaries of such coaching practices so that they do not become abusive of the athletes under their care.

Submissive style

The submissive style of coaching is an extremely relaxed one because the coach takes as small a role as possible in the process. It involves a situation where the coach does not take an active part in the decision making and leaves the athletes to make the decisions concerning what to do concerning their own coaching (Hassan & Lynch, 2014). The athletes have absolute freedom in the coaching process to such an extent that it leads to a situation where the coach only gets involved in situations where they feel that they have to step in. This coaching style allows athletes the ability to advance their own interests in the best way that they know how and helps them become more responsible for themselves. In addition, it helps them to ensure that they not only develop their own team spirit, but also helps them make the necessary choices for their teams. Despite these advantages, the coaches in this situation can end up having their careers become quite short because they do not impose their authority over the team. This is especially considering that they do not provide any direction, instruction, or discipline to the athletes; leading the latter towards a situation where they have the potential of getting out of control. Because the coach in this situation allows the athletes to dictate their coaching, it leads to the considerable reduction of the authority needed to make sure that the coaching practices are as efficient as they should be; resulting in the underperformance of both the coach and the team.

Cooperative style

The third coaching style that has been mentioned is the cooperative style. This involves the coach providing the athletes under his care a voice on how to handle affairs related to the coaching. However, despite providing such freedom, it is essential to note that the coach continues to retain full authority over the athletes and he is the final decision maker. This style is also important because it puts into consideration the different styles of learning that the athletes have and this is to such an extent that it ends up being tailored into the overall coaching practice. Therefore, the different learning styles are not only identified by the coach, but that are also accommodated in the instruction area (Aoyagi, et al, 2016). A result is that it is essentially collaboration between the coach and the athletes, and this ensures that while the former retains absolute control over the overall coaching, the latter feel more comfortable with the practice because they also have a say in it. Furthermore, the focus of the coach is essentially the maximization of the potential of the team and this ensures that the coach seeks to do what is best for the athletes by taking their input into consideration. In both practice and game situations, the importance of coaches and athletes working together is emphasized, meaning that the coach, with more experience, is able to guide the athletes towards the achievement of their goals in a more considerate manner than is the case in submissive coaching. However, in this coaching style, the coach has to ensure that he remains focused in his objectives because there are instances where they might end up leaning too much towards the interests of the athletes that they forget their main objective, which is to ensure that they turn these individuals into better participants in their respective sporting activities.

Conclusion

One of the most fundamental aspects of coaching and the styles that are adopted is that it has an effect on the social behavior of the athletes as well as having a focus on decision making. Therefore, it is essential for the coach to take time and reflect on their individual coaching styles so that the one that they adopt will be tailored to cater to the specific coaching context while also considering the interests of the athlete. In this way, while athletes seek mentorship and guidance, coaches are also able to ensure that they advance their own experience with every athlete that they mentor. Thus, coaches have to find ways of bettering their skills so that they can help mold the athlete of the future in the best way possible.