MEANING AND DEFINITION OF INDUSTRIAL DISCIPLINE
Discipline means orderliness in any field of activities. It implies the absence of irregularity, confusion, disorder and chaos in human behaviour and activities. Thus, discipline means to work in a normal and orderly way, as a reasonable person should do.
In an industrial organisation, discipline means the situation in which all the workers and employees follow the rules, regulations and procedures of the organisation. It means a situation in which all the employees and workers discharge their duties properly and systematically. The term 'Discipline' has been defined as under:
"Discipline regulates (by reward or penalty) human behaviour."
Dale S. Beach,
"Discipline may be described as essentially an attitude of mind, a product of culture and a particular environment."
H.K. Chaudhary,
"Discipline may be considered the force that prompts individuals or groups to observe rules, standards and procedures deemed necessary for an organisation."
Richard P. Calhoon,
"Discipline is that orderly conduct by the member of an organisation who adheres to its necessary regulation because they desire to co-operate harmoniously in forwarding the end which the group has a view and willingly recognise that to do this their wishes must be brought into reasonable union with the requirements of the group in action.
Ordway Tead,
"Discipline is the force that prompts an individual or group to observe rules, regulations and procedures that are deemed necessary to the attaints of an objective, it is the force or fear of force that restraints individuals or groups from doing things that are destructive of group objectives. It is also the exercise of restraints for enforcement of penalties for the violation of group regulation.
Dr W.R. Spriegal and Edward Schulze,
CHARACTERISTICS OF DISCIPLINE
Important characteristics of discipline are as follows:
1. Discipline is a force: Discipline is a force that prompts an individual or a group of individuals to follow the rules, regulations, systems and procedures of the enterprise in which they work.
2. Discipline is a Mental Attitude: Discipline is a mental attitude that encourages the employees of an organisation to dedicate their efforts to the accomplishment of organisational objectives.
3. Discipline may be Positive or Negative: When the employees of an enterprise follow the rules, regulations, systems and procedures of their organisation on their own, it is called positive discipline. On the other hand, when the employees of an enterprise follow the rules, regulations, systems and procedures due to some fear or penalty, it is called negative discipline.
OBJECTIVES OF DISCIPLINE
Important objectives of discipline may be summarised as follows:
1. To establish certainty in the activities of the enterprise.
2. To get the acceptance of employees towards the rules, regulations, systems and procedures of the enterprise.
3. To develop the nature of self-control among employees of the enterprise.
4. To carry on the activities of the enterprise smoothly.
5. To increase the efficiency of the enterprise.
6. To get the economy into the activities of the enterprise.
7. To develop the feeling of responsibility among employees.
8. To develop the feeling of mutual cooperation and coordination among employees of the enterprise.
9. To establish harmonious relations between labour and management in the enterprise.
RELATED TOPIC
Characteristics of Human Resource Management
Objective of Human Resource Management
Scope of Human Resource Management
