Chapter 5 : Learning

and Creativity

Lecturer Name : Encik Lokman Bin Ali

Group : 4
Group Members :
1. Noor Zulaiha binti Alan Zamirza (L) (A14HA0085)
2. Filzah Husna binti Rizal (A14HA0026)
3. Nurul Diyana binti Zahari (A14HA0146)
4. Anis Nadhirah binti Ahmad Azmi (A14HA0007)
5. Nor Atiqah binti Fadzil Shah (A14HA0088)

Outline

The nature of learning

Learning through consequences
Learning by doing
Continuous learning through creativity
The creative process
Characteristic of employees that contribute to
creativity
Characteristics of the organizational situation
that contribute to creativity

THEORY

FACTS FROM THE CASE

1) The Nature of Learning

Managers at UPS decided to develop a
Learning is a relatively permanent
new training process that takes a total
change in knowledge or behaviour that
of 6 weeks, includes 1 week at an
results from practice or experience.
innovative training facility called

Key points in definition:

Learning comes change

The change in knowledge or

behaviour has to be relatively
permanent or long lasting

Integrad, and incorporates 30 days

driving a truck.
Hands-on learning is emphasized at
Integrad. Trainees play videogames in
which they are the drivers and have to
locate obstacles. Trainees learn
selection on UPS truck with
transparent sides so they can actually
see the instructor performing the steps
and then practice the steps themselves
rather than trying to learn the steps
through a lecture and memorization.

Learning takes place as a result

of practice or through
experience

Clarksville, a replica of a town with

small houses, streets, street sign,
sidewalks, and pseudo businesses
provide trainees with the opportunity
to drive a real truck, and make
deliveries.

To learn how to safely make deliveries

on slippery surfaces such as icy
sidewalks, trainees carry a 10 pound
box down a greased tile surface
wearing shoes that have no tread
(called the slip and fall).

2) Learning through Consequences

To protect them while they are
Operant conditioning approach describes
learning that, it is important to
how learning takes place through
stand straight and take very small
consequences - learning that takes place
steps under these condition, they
when the learner recognizes the connection
wear a safety harness.
between a behaviour and its consequences.
An individual learns to engage in
For drivers, UPS has developed
specific behaviours (such as being
highly specialized and detailed
responsive to customers needs) in order
procedures describing the motions,
to receive certain consequences (such as
behaviours, and actions drivers
a bonus).
should perform for efficient and
highly quality customer service
that minimizes strains and
injuries.

Desired
organizational
behaviours
Antecedents
Undesired
organizational
behaviours

Positive
reinforcement

Negative
reinforcement
Extinction

To protect them while they are

learning that, it is important to
stand straight and take very
small steps under these
condition, they wear a safety
harness.

For drivers, UPS has developed

highly specialized and detailed
Operant conditioning focuses on how organizations
procedures describing the
can use consequences to achieve two outcomes:
motions, behaviours, and actions
1. Increase the probability that employees perform
drivers should perform for
desired behaviours (eg: Satisfying customers
efficient and highly quality
and coming to work on time).
customer service that minimizes
2. Decrease the probability that employees
strains and injuries.
perform undesired behaviours (eg: Web surfing
Punishment

and making lengthy personal telephone calls at

work).

Theory
3. Learning by doing:

Facts from mini case

Experiental learning
Learning that occurs by the direct
involvement of learner in the
subject matter being learned-learning by doing.

Learning by doing is an important

component of many kinds of jobs
and occupations.

It is also important for

interpersonal skills.

Hands-on learning is
emphasized at Intergrad.

Trainees learn selection on a UPS

truck with transparent sides so
they can actually see the
instructor performing the steps
and then practice the steps
themselves rather than trying to
learn the steps through a lecture
and memorization

Theory

Facts from mini case

4. Continuous learning through

creativity

Creativity
Generation of novel and useful
ideas.
Novel > ideas that represent new
ways of thinking.
Useful > ideas that have the
potential to contribute to the
performance and well-being of
individuals, groups, and
organizations.

When people are creative, they are

engaged in continuous learning.

Traditionally, UPS relied on 2

weeks of lectures, memorizations
and drills, and subsequent
practices.

Develop a new training process

that takes a total of 6 weeks,
includes 1 week at an innovative
training facility called Integrad.

Theory

Facts from mini case

Creativity process

The creative process, however,

usually entails a number of learning
steps :

However, in the 2000s, managers

became concerned that some of
their trainees (who are typically in
their 20s) were failing the traditional
training process, that it seemed to
take longer for trainees to complete
training and be ready to drive (it
was taking between 90-180 days
rather than the typical 30-45 days
average), and new drivers had
higher quit rates than in the past.

trainees might need more hands-on

kinds of instruction to learn how to
be effective and safe drivers

1. Recognition of a problem or an
opportunity

2. Information gathering

Traditionally, UPS relied on 2 weeks

of lectures, memorization and drills,
and subsequent practice.

Theory

Facts from mini case

3. Production of creative ideas

4. Selection of creative idea(s)

Researchers from Virginia Tech and

MIT, animators from Brainvisa
based in India, and forecast from
the institute for the Future 3 years
to develop Integrad and they had
the support of a $1.8 million grant
from the Department of labor.
Managers at UPS decided to
develop a new training process
that takes 6 weeks, includes 1
week at an innovative training
facility called Integrad

Facts from mini case

Theory

5. Implementation of creative
idea(s)

Characteristics of employees that

contribute to creativity
Individual differences
A variety of ways in which people
differ from each other and some of
the personality traits and abilities
especially relevant to understanding
and managing organizational
behavior.
example : openness to experience
locus of control
self-esteem
ability

The learning that takes place at

Integrad benefits both trainees and
UPS. Failure during training have
gone down as have first-year
injuries and accidents and driver
proficiency has increased.
UPS is opening a second Integrad
and training facility in the Chicago
vicinity

Theory

Facts from mini case

Task-relevant knowledge
All of the information, skills, and
expertise that an individual or group
has about the kind of work being
performed.

It took more than 170 people,

including top managers at UPS(given
UPSs policy of promoting from within,
many of these managers started at
their careers at UPS at drivers)
researchers from Virginia Tech and MIT,
animators from Brainvisa based in
India, and forecasters from the
Institute for the Future 3 years to
develop Integrad.

Intrinsic Motivation
The source of motivation is the work
itself.
These employees enjoy performing
their jobs, often love their work, and
get a sense of personal satisfaction
when they do a good job or come out
with creative idea.

Characteristics of organizational
situation that contribute to
creativity

Level of autonomy
Autonomy is the freedom and
independence to make decisions and
have personal control over ones
work on a day-to-day basis.
A high degree of autonomy is good
for creativity
And when autonomy is low,
creativity is unlikely.

Form of evaluation
Creative people and employees like
to know how they are doing and to
receive feedback and
encouragement
Evaluative feedback and criticism
can hamper creativity because it can
make employees afraid to take risks.

Theory

Facts from mini case

Reward system
People who come up with creative ideas like
to be rewarded for them.
To help promote creativity, an organizations
reward system should recognize and reward
hard work and creativity.
It is important that employees are not
punished when some of their creative ideas do
not pan out
If employers want creativity, they need to
encourage organizational members to take
reasonable risks and be willing to accept
failure.

Anne Schwartz, Vice President of Global

Learning and Development stated her career
at UPS as a driver in Detroit, Michigan.
She then held the following series of
positions which helped her
continuously learn and develop on the job :
human resources supervisor
helping to start up operations in Ontario,
Canada
human resources manager position in South
Carolina,Kansas, and Ohio
working with engineering, strategy, and
mergers and acquisitions groups in Atlanta
working in Asias supply chain business
solution units
and then back to headquarters in Atlanta for
her current position

Theory

Facts from mini case

Importance of a task
Being creative is intrinsically
rewarding, but it also can be hard
work
Creativity is enhanced when
members of an organization feel that
what they are working on is
important.