Martin is managing a production line in a manufacturing plant in the Midwest. Martin has a quality and productivity problem in one part of the manufacturing process. He discovers that his workers aren't sure what to do. When he asks why they didn't ask questions, the universal reply is, "We Midwesterners don't ask questions, we just do."

Martin decides to address this problem by offering recognition rewards for anyone who asks the most job-related questions each month that lead to process improvements. Unfortunately, Martin finds the program doesn't work. When he further questions his workers, he discovers that no one wants to be the first to ask questions. As a group, workers still feel that they should figure it out on their own and not ask questions.

Martin finds Carmen, one of the workers that everyone else admires, and talks her into being the first to ask questions as part of the program. After about a month, several other people begin to submit questions, and soon everyone in the plant is asking questions.

The source of Martin's production and quality problem is an example of which influence on attitudes?

a. Rewards and punishment
b. Role models
c. Peer or reference group
ed. Culture