Positive reinforcement can be used to promote the learning of desired behaviors in organizations. Commission pay plans, for example, reinforce salespeople for selling by paying them a percentage of their actual sales. However, sometimes these plans can be taken to extremes and may result in unethical behavior.
1. Think about the ethical implications of pay plans that link an employee’s current pay to his or her current performance.
2. Under what conditions might linking pay to performance be questionable on ethical grounds?