Managing Work and People in Pixar Company - Case Study Example

? Managing Work and People EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Pixar Company was established as a Graphics Group in 1979 by Dr. Ed Cat mull and was first based in California, Unites States and is well known for Computer –Generated Imagery (CGI) animation feature films. Motivation perspectives that play a crucial role in Pixar Animation Studio in terms of work and people include extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. In relation to motivation climate, Pixar nurtures trusting and respectful relationship and sets free everyone with their creativity. In authority, a practice is set up by the employer who then gives it to the employees. At Pixar’s, employees are privileged to have individual recognition particularly when they have improved their skills in the work that they have done, and so they are considered an important asset of the company. Grouping helps create pride among employees in the work place especially when they are grouped in terms of comparable ability, where practices flow better and in a friendly manner. Of importance to note is that evaluation and timing are crucial in every company as they assist in the giving employees’ able time to evaluate themselves as individuals and as groups. Apparently, emotions, attitude and behavior play an important role in the workplace behavior making it easier to manage work and people. INTRODUCTION Pixar Company was established as a Graphics Group in 1979 by Dr. Ed Cat Mull. This came as a division from Lucas firm limited, which has a well- known firm- Star Wars. It was first based in California, Unites States and is well known for Computer –Generated Imagery (CGI) animation feature films. MOTIVATIONAL THEORY PERSPECTIVE In line with Pixar Animation Studio, it is common knowledge that if people engage in activities that are interesting, engrossing, involving and or everything else, then it’s evident that their motivation is high. Thus, intensity, persistence, and other motivational indicators are augmented. In essence, motivation is a study that gives reasons on why people behave and think in a certain way. There are two distinct types of motivation namely intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation comes from within while extrinsic motivation is external (Thomson and Thomson 2012, p 100). These two motivations play crucial roles in Pixar Animation Studio in terms of work and people (employees). Intrinsic and Extrinsic motivation Of importance to note is that one of the factors that contribute to effective management at Pixar Animation Studio are Intrinsic and Extrinsic motivation. Intrinsically motivated employees are people who strive to achieve goals that reflect on personal improvement and skill learning especially in understanding specific areas which they are entitled to regardless of what colleagues are doing. Conversely, extrinsically motivated employees specifically strive to beat their colleagues in virtually everything. Needless to say, these two motivation aspects lay within the control of the employees. Motivation Climate Another factor that ensures effectiveness in Pixar Animation is motivation climate. This results from strategies that are adopted by the organization with two main climate of motivation being identified; the task climate and the ego climate. A task climate is when employees view success in terms of effort and improvement. Moreover, employees have a variety of activities to choose from, over and above, new strategies. On the other hand, performance climate incorporates interpersonal comparison where success is normative. Besides, employees are not interested in learning from their mistakes as would be expected from various organizations (Yarberry 2006, p 19). In relation to motivation climate, Pixar nurtures trusting and respectful relationship and sets free everyone with their creativity. This has been facilitated by the presence of talented individuals who have continually practised loyalty to each other and the team as a whole. Hence, their passion and accomplishment had branded the community to be a magnet for people with talents. Additionally, employees at Pixar are given the freedom to spend some time at Pixar University, an institution that provides numerous courses that relate to making of films, art courses, creative writing among other courses that assist in strengthening their knowledge across the Company and filmmaking. Authority Motivation perspective also includes authority. In authority, a practice is set up by the employer who then gives it to the employees. Simply, employees are allowed to make decisions, make mistakes, over and above, letting them to give opinions with regard to work. Through the encouragement of two way communication, employers are able to promote autonomy and decision making to the employees. In light of this, Pixar Animation Studios have emphasized cultivated freedom, which has open and honest communication. This communication is bound to have effective feedback and respect among employees in the development of trust in the organization (Harvard Business School 1999, p 12). Apparently, Pixar’s has taken more weight on an egalitarian culture that is known to provide a response on each idea from the employees. It is worth noting that, through egalitarian culture, it becomes easy to maintain quality in the products that the company produces, a situation that is facilitated by the trust that is given to the employees in terms of ideas. Recognition Recognition in relation to motivation perspective dictates that an employer should give genuine praise and encouragement to their employees especially when they have done great work. This could be done through absolute recognition and rewarding efforts and personal improvement of employees especially those of skills as they play a part in task climate (Yarberry 2006, p 20). At Pixar’s, employees are privileged to have individual recognition particularly when they have improved their skills in the work that they have done, and as, so they are considered as important assets of the company. Exceptionally, the Company does not involve itself in laying blame on employees when things do not work as expected, but rather exercise positive coaching that emphasizes what is expected of the employees rather than what was done wrongly. Grouping Motivation perspective involves grouping, a factor that helps create pride among employees in the work place especially when they are grouped in terms of comparable ability, where practices flow better and in a friendly manner. In fact, careful use of mixed- ability groups is said to motivate employees who have lesser ability, as well as, helping better employees to focus more on self improvement rather than social comparison. In light of this, Pixar’s encourages those employees who have more experience in the world of making films to continuously improve themselves for their own good, and the company as a whole. Similarly, its working culture encourages employees with lesser ability into putting more effort in their work. Evaluation and Timing Of importance to note is that, evaluation and timing are crucial in every company as they assist in the giving employees’ able time to evaluate themselves as individuals and as groups. On the other hand, timing incorporates issues that are planned with specific time frame (Yarberry 2006, p 22). Hence, evaluation and timing are two factors that have kept Pixar’s on tract as it has allowed its working culture to incorporate them for the best working conditions. In general, motivation perspective has enormously being incorporated at Pixar’s Animation Studio, rating it as one among the few companies that have a good working culture especially between the employees and employer. MODEL OF EMOTIONS, ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR The emotions, attitudes, and behavior model indicates that attitudes are formed by the ongoing emotional experiences that are present in people. In light with this, companies that want to be successful should embark on creating more positive episodes at the work place rather than negative emotional events. It is evident that people experience numerous emotions in workplaces and other settings. In fact some scholars have put together all emotions in six basic categories that include; anger, fear, joy, love, sadness and surprise although they can easily be analyses in complex or simple ways (Thomson and Thomson 2012, p 97). Emotions, attitude and behavior play important role in workplace behavior. All the three work in unison in ensuring that there is smooth running of companies in terms of working behavior. However, it is worth noting that a person’s emotions are partly determined by their personality rather than entire work place experiences. Simply, emotions have a profound effect on almost everything that is done in the work place. Globally companies are finding creative ways in which to generate positive emotions in the work place. This means that companies take the responsibility of finding ways which are proactive and innovative to motivate the working fraternity at work. Dual Cognitive emotional attitudes process At Pixar’s Animation Studios, there is use of cognitive-emotional attitude where they continually persuade their employee to experience plenty of positive emotional occurrences every day in the work place. This is purely demonstrated through the satisfaction of work that is granted to the employees by the company. In essence, employees who experience more positive emotions tend to have more favourable attitudes toward their work even though they are not aware of the emotional experiences that they are going through. Conversely, those that have negative attitudes find it difficult to accommodate their colleagues especially when working as a team. Emotional Intelligence Emotional intelligence to handle any kind of emotional occurrence, a situation that has been embraced by numerous companies as they serve as significant instance of improvement for individual employees, team work and the overall effectiveness of the company. Essentially, emotional intelligence involves self management, social awareness, relationship management and self awareness. At Pixar’s the kind management present embraces emotional intelligence among the employees although at times conflict are witnessed due to lack of self awareness, social awareness and relationship management (Harvard Business School 1999, p 17). Managing Emotions Managing emotions is crucial in the work place as it ensures that there is smooth running of operations in the right manner. Basically, at Pixar’s Animation Studio, there are company rules in which employees are expected to adhere to in relation to displaying specific emotions and hiding other emotions while dealing other co –workers and clients. In relation to this, Pixar’s ensures that employees go through a cross cultural training where they are taught on how to interact more effectively with different cultures in terms of value and communication styles. This training reduces misunderstanding in interaction, a situation that further manages emotions especially between the company and its clients. Cross-cultural communication is outlined and demonstrated through the use of ideas, attitudes and behavior that entail four variables. These variables include; time and space, fate and responsibility, face to face –saving and non verbal communication. All these issues affect the communication section of the company and have significant influence on their working culture. Emotional Displays among Culture Emotional display is somewhat tricky to most people as it incorporates hiding or revealing real emotions depending on the culture in which people are associated with. In work places, some companies allow their employees to reveal their actual thoughts and feelings in relation to what they are going through at work. Through this, the management of the company is able to handle the emotions of the employees, over and above, working towards reducing the negative emotions and increasing positive emotions that encourage a positive work atmosphere (Harvard Business School 1999, p 15). At Pixar’s there is a massive organisation culture that incorporates structural and experiential aspects that reflect on management goals and employee experiences, over and above, realising the misunderstandings, disagreement and conflict between management and the workforce which are always possible, and practice. According to Pixar’s employees will be excited to work in a playful environment as compared to stressful and boring environment. Hence, the company does not only involve itself in focusing on high quality production, but also emphasizes having fun in the working place. Contrary to other companies, Pixar’s Animation Studio takes conflict and disagreement as a crucial issue in innovation and allowing employees to showcase their ideas in public and compare them with other products in a professional manner. This is intended to give the company an opportunity to collect additional innovative ideas. Needless to mention, Pixar’s believes in having good working environment thus, providing comfortable feelings and enough fun in collaboration to maintain a great team. As a result, Pixar’s Company show evidence of employees who have designed a working environment that is conducive to them and one that has been respected by top management. Indeed, every employee has continually adapted to this environment, a situation that gives each individual a chance to create individual product. Thus, employees dislike change of environment especially when they are used to it as they view it as uncomfortable and one that would lead to conflict (Yarberry 2006, p 23). CONCLUSION The Pixar Company was established as a Graphics Group in 1979 by Dr. Ed Cat mull, and is well known for Computer –Generated Imagery (CGI) animation feature films. In light with Pixar Animation Studio, it is common knowledge that if people engage in activities that are interesting, engrossing, involving and or everything else, then it’s evident that their motivation is high. Motivation contributes to effective management at Pixar Animation Studio through both, Intrinsic and Extrinsic motivation. Additionally, emotions, attitude and behavior plays an important role in workplace behavior. All the three work in unison in ensuring that there is smooth running of companies in terms of working behavior. However, it is worth noting that a person’s emotions are partly determined by their personality rather than entire work place experiences. Simply, emotions have a profound effect on almost everything that is done in the work place. Reference List Harvard Business School Pub., 1999. Harvard business review on managing people. Boston: Harvard Business School Pub. Thomson,R. and Thomson,A.,2012.Managing People. Business & Economics. Routledge; Oxford. Yarberry,G., 2006.The art of managing people is no secret : working through people. Bloomington, IN: Author House. Read More