An analysis of the internal disciplinary system used in redressing employee indiscipline in the Delta Beverages transport services

The authors seek to analyse the internal disciplinary system used in redressing employee indiscipline at the workplace and Delta Beverages Transport Services was used as a case using data from October 2010 to February 2012. Discipline is one of the most expensive responsibilities of management. The disciplinary system at this organisation had simply run amok. As employee problems increased, supervisors took more action, harsher supervisory action led to increased misbehaviour. Instead of producing more results, more discipline simple generated more violations. The researcher used descriptive research design. A sample size of 60 respondents was chosen from a total population of 140 subjects. The study seeks to establish the effectiveness of penalties in fostering behaviour modification. Through the use of self administered questionnaires, face to face interviews, and electronically administered questionnaires the study found out that penalties were not excellently effective in changing behaviour. The data from the survey was presented using frequency tables and bar graphs. The study also established that the internal disciplinary system was ineffective since it was established to offer little in terms of consistency, impersonality, and taking immediate disciplinary action. From the findings, the study asserted that the effectiveness of penalties in modifying behaviour is not satisfactory; it also asserted that statistically, the effectiveness of the disciplinary system is not related to the effectiveness of penalties in changing the defaulters’ unwanted behaviour. The study strongly recommends that the organisation has to change its traditional mindset from one of punishing people for wrong doing to one of resolving people problems. The organisation should also use the ‘positive discipline approach’ that advocates for discipline without the use of punishment.