Of awards, rewards and swards

I observed a surprise boom of “award ceremonies” showcasing truly deserving recipients and also “others.” I cannot tell with evidence whether one can pay and buy a prestigious award in Sri Lanka. I have politely declined to be involved as a keynote speaker or as the chief guest in several such “suspected” events. Today’s column is all about awards, rewards, and swards.

- By Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri

Overview

A “sward” is a portion of ground covered with grass, or the grassy surface of the dull looking land, in making it nice looking. What is the relevance of it to award ceremonies? The final showcasing of several reputed leaders who undisputedly deserving accolades whilst inserting several “paid participants” on the equal footing is something one can observe in some so-called elegant events. It is in a way to cover the “dull soil” of haphazardly organising an award ceremony with the “grass surface” of popularly known veterans. I must be truly clear that my intention is not to sling mud at any individual or institution, but to bring a timely topic of the town to the limelight.

An award as a reward

As the fundamentals of organisational behaviour tell us, rewards (both financial and non-financial) can be a way of motivating people. An award in many recent local ceremonies is typically a non-financial reward involving a trophy, plaque, or any other monument together with a certificate. In a true technical sense, it is an example of “extrinsic motivation” where one is excited by an external reward, a mechanism to motivate individuals, interactive teams as well as institutions.

Red flags of warning

In perusing the web, I came across several suspected ways of enticing people to receive an award.

Unsolicited congratulations: You receive a congratulatory message out of the blue for a particular award or ranking.

Website badges and certificates: The award is presented as an HTML badge or winner’s certificate, often with a fee attached.

Requests for fees or donations: You are asked to pay sponsorship fees, donation, or “dinner fees” to receive the award.