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The effect of feedback on employee efficiency: A field study investigating if feedback can increase machine operators’ motivation and productivity
Blekinge Institute of Technology, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Industrial Economics.
Blekinge Institute of Technology, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Industrial Economics.
2018 (English)Independent thesis Advanced level (professional degree), 20 credits / 30 HE creditsStudent thesis
Abstract [en]

This field study examined whether the effects of loss aversion exists at a manufacturing plant while providing machine operators feedback about their performance. It also investigates if nudging in form of feedback can affect the machine operator’s levels of performance and motivation. The field study consisted of a field observation and a motivational survey. 

During the field observation, the machine operators were subject to feedback framed as either a win or a loss. It showed that feedback contributed to an increased performance level among all machine operators receiving feedback. However, the machine operators subjected to feedback framed as a loss outperformed the machine operators subjected to feedback framed as a win. It supports the assumption that the effects of loss aversion exist within the manufacturing industry. 

A survey was handed out to the machine operators before and during the field observation measuring the hygiene and motivational factors according to Herzberg's two-factor theory. The result showed that the machine operators' overall motivation level increased, especially concerning the motivational factors. However, the increase in motivation was not statistically significant, and therefore a conclusion regarding that feedback contributes to an increased motivation level can not be done. 

This method can easily be adapted and used by other manufacturing firms.

Abstract [sv]

I denna fältstudie undersöks om effekter av förlustaversion finns på en tillverkningsanläggning när maskinoperatörerna ges återkoppling angående dess prestanda. Det undersöks också ifall nudging i form av återkoppling kan påverka maskinoperatörernas prestations- och motivationsnivå. Fältstudien bestod av en fältobservation och en motivationsundersökning. 

Under fältobservationen var maskinoperatörerna utsatta för återkoppling inramad som antingen en vinst eller en förlust. Resultatet visade på att återkoppling bidrog till en ökad prestationsnivå bland maskinoperatörerna som fick återkoppling. Resultatet påvisade dessutom att de maskinoperatörer som fick sin återkoppling inramad som en förlust presterade bättre gentemot de maskinoperatörer som fick sin återkoppling inramad som en vinst. Därav stöder resultatet antagandet om att det förekommer effekter av förlustaversion inom tillverkningsindustrin. 

En enkätundersökning som mäter hygien- och motivationsfaktorer enligt Herzbergs tvåfaktorsteori har genomförts bland maskinoperatörerna före och under fältobservationen. Resultatet påvisar att maskinoperatörernas generella motivationsnivå har ökat, speciellt de faktorer som berör motivationsfaktorerna. Den motivationsökning som har skett är dock inte statistiskt signifikant vilket innebär att det inte går att dra en slutsats om att återkoppling bidrar till en ökad motivationsnivå. 

Denna metod kan lätt anpassas och användas till andra produktionsföretag. 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2018.
National Category
Business Administration
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:bth-16959OAI: oai:DiVA.org:bth-16959DiVA, id: diva2:1245236
External cooperation
Tarkett AB
Subject / course
Degree Project in Master of Science in Engineering 30.0
Educational program
IEACI Master of Science in Industrial Management and Engineering
Supervisors
Examiners
Available from: 2018-09-05 Created: 2018-09-04 Last updated: 2022-05-12Bibliographically approved

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