Re: Week 16: 5/9-5/15 Question 3 - Reward and Punishment Power

3). Pick one other concept in the book (any chapter) that you feel needs further discussion?

Reward and Punishment Power is the concept in chapter 12 that I want to share with all of you. In Harris and Sherblom’s text, they offer, “In an organizational small group, the administrative assistant or secretary may hold this power” (p.257). I full agree with the authors’ expression. We understand each of these individuals have their own positions in the organization because of the classical management. In an organization, the organization chart is an important chart to let everyone understands who lead or supervise the staffs.

Before I came in the United States, I worked in a company with 50 staffs in the office. My position was the administrative assistant who was lead by the secretary. My routine work was to do filing, prepared the meeting agenda and memos to all clerks in different divisions. If I could not finish the work, I should do the OT (over time) work but without any additional pay. After one year, the secretary took her vacation for four weeks and I tried to act her position in the office. Clearly, the work load was very heavy that let me work until nine o’clock at night time. One day, my boss talked to me and gave me a big surprise. He understood that I was very hard working and always worked long hours in the office. In order to be fair to me, he increased twenty percent of my salary which was a kind of reward. Under this issue, I believe that if you work hard to your job, your boss will give you the reward as he has his own power to lead and manage the office.

In another issue at home, if my children get the good grades at his or her report card, I usually buy the small gifts to both of them. Conversely, if they have the low grades at the report card, I may try to cut their chattering time over the computer and pocket money. Under these two issues, my children understand that I have the reward and punishment power in the family.