Category: Organizational Behavior

The debate concerning the evaluation of evidence is still ongoing as researchers and practitioners have not agreed on what can count as credible evidence. At the same time, the proposed applied research can be regarded as the one that will produce credible findings. Donaldson (2009) states that many researchers agree that different types of evidence can be seen as credible. The author notes that credible sources are not confined to experimental studies as research identifying correlations and trends is also relevant.

It is necessary to consider the proposed study paying attention to such elements as references used and methods employed to collect and analyze data. As for the sources used, all of them can be regarded as relevant as they come from reputable sources (mainly peer-reviewed journals). Moreover, the studies referred to unveil the existing correlations associated with the research topic. When it comes to data collection and analysis methods used, the proposed study is also credible as it aims at revealing certain trends and correlations. Some researchers find qualitative data less relevant as compared to quantitative (Donaldson, 2009). Nonetheless, in social studies and such fields as criminal justice peoples opinions and views are essential as they determine the effectiveness of an intervention, policy, and so on. Clearly, it is essential to employ sound methods and tools to ensure the findings credibility. At that, there are numerous ways to ensure reliability and validity of the research that can be regarded as major elements of credible evidence. For instance, the use of data analysis software can help the researcher ensure the credibility of findings. It is also necessary to add that the proposed research aims at revealing the existing trends associated with female recidivism and parole/probation officers behavior. The themes identified will be the basis for further research that can be quantitative in nature.

As far as the effects of the organizational behavior and daily management are concerned, it is possible to note that they can be manifold. Volkema (2010) states that the major principles of organizational behavior and management include individual / collective, differentiation / integration, centralization / decentralization, and linear / nonlinear. Some of these principles can be traced in the way the organizational behavior affects the proposed study. For instance, individual / collective principle is manifested in the way parole/probation officers will try to stress their adherence to regulations accepted while trying to conceal their personal bias and prejudice. Furthermore, there are chances that the participants will try to defend their groups interests. The principle of linearity is also apparent as the interview (and even the invitation to participate) will be a nonlinear experience for the participants, which may affect their behavior. Unexpected events often make people reveal their true reactions. Therefore, there are high chances that the participants will share their experiences openly. It is crucial to take into account these possible effects when analyzing and collecting data.

In conclusion, it is necessary to state that the proposed study can be regarded as the one that will provide credible findings. The study is associated with credible sources used to support some ideas and sound methods of data collection and analysis. The organizational behavior will have a certain impact on the research as the participants may be less sincere and ready to share due to their desire to defend the interests of their groups. Nevertheless, these effects can be minimized if they are taken into account and addressed properly.

References

Donaldson, S. I. (2009). In search of the blueprint for an evidence-based global society In S. I. Donaldson, C. A. Christie, & M. M. Mark (Eds.), What Counts as Credible Evidence in Applied Research and Evaluation Practice (pp. 2-19). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Volkema, R. J. (2010). Unifying principles of organizational behavior. Journal of the Academy of Business Education, 11, 70-92.

Medical errors are still severe public health problems that threaten patient safety. The issue of medical errors is one of the most important in medical law, and the number of medical errors is not decreasing but increasing. Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) focuses on peoples activities, analyzes their causes, and applies an evidence-based intervention strategy. The relevance of using OBM to improve the healthcare system lies in a practical approach to solving the most critical component of every imperfect healthcare system  behavior (Kelley & Gravina, 2018). Behavior, first of all, depends on the method it occurs; however, it can also be considered the cause of many medical errors, and specific changes in behavior can prevent these medical error.

A medical error can be interpreted as any action or omission that harms the patient. At the same time, it is possible to refer to a medical error as any action in providing medical care that can potentially cause harm. The latter definition, focused on prevention, best corresponds to the application of OBM and determines its relevance (Kelley & Gravina, 2018). OBM includes feedback that is used in many situations to influence behavior change. This approach successfully increases behavior safety and reduces risky behavior in various non-medical conditions.

Turning unforeseen medical circumstances into a form of organizing relationships with established rules is the long-term goal of OBM. Thus, intervention methods become part of the organizations daily practice and make medical personnel ready for unforeseen external and internal circumstances. An essential role of OBM in reducing the number of medical errors is that it can increase and maintain the desired behavior. However, it is necessary to identify behaviors that should be avoided and those that need to be reinforced (Kelley & Gravina, 2018). To understand and eliminate medical errors, a healthcare culture is essential, the basis of which is trust, the desire for success, and positive changes in behavior. Practical and results-oriented OBM technology allows the development of this type of culture in the context of continuous learning and beneficial behavior change.

Reference

Kelley III, D. P., & Gravina, N. (2018). A paradigm shift in healthcare: An open door for organizational behavior management.Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 38(1), 73-89. Web.

Communication

From the class of Management Organization Behavior, I managed to deduce that communication makes a critical influence on organizational behavior development since it defines the nature of interpersonal relations within any working structure. The major points, which I can outline in this context include:

• Friendly relationships between the employees within an organization empower the workers for high-quality work.
• The maintenance of good partnership bonds between organizations stimulates experience sharing (Mohr and Spekman 136).
• Constant improvement of communication techniques facilitates the basic organizational processes and operations.

Leadership

The class inspired knowledge of leadership fundamentals. In the process of learning, I found out that organizational success is propelled by the power of will, initiative, creative thinking, and leadership qualities. Specifically, the following principles were outlined:

• The ability to establish ones own operational innovation or the pattern of behavior in an organization refers to the features of a true leader (Podsakoff et al. 109).
• The quality of leadership defines the virtues of an organization.

Conflict and Negotiation

From this class, I learned that conflict situations, which arise in organizational management spheres, may be overcome if the human resources operate efficient diplomacy skills. The major points, which have to be emphasized, embrace:

• Conflicts arise if the members of an organization demonstrate contrastive views on the same problem (Thomas 270).
• The quality of diplomacy efficiency has to correspond to the positioning of the organization.

Nudge Project Execution

The execution of the project, Nudge, was bound to Pocatello, ID, and Century High Schools. The experiment demonstrated excellent teamwork since there was a tight collaboration between three groups of participants. The content of the game included passing candy to one another and explaining the nudge while the second part of the members was supposed to collect the wrappers. The game was not consistent, for some participants did not receive candies; the others swayed their teammates or never returned the wrappers. Consequently, the projects served as a micro-model of organizational behavior in teamwork.

Learning Self-Reflection

In the class of Management Organization Behavior, I managed to gain strong learning experience and practical knowledge of the basic conceptions of work relations psychology. Thus, I managed to master the ways, in which one can make a consistent analysis of human conduct, which applies to work attitudes, collaboration, and mutual understanding. In this context, I found out that every organization serves as a micro-world of organizational operations and tasks, which are meant to perform a common aim. On the other side, an organization is a congregation of opinions and attitudes, which ensure the diversity of thinking within a working structure.

From this class, I deduced that there is a strong differentiation between the principles of teamwork and individual work. For instance, previously, I had an idea of individuals working separately with the aim of achieving a goal of the organization. Now, however, I realize that successful organizational management can not be systemized without experience-sharing and tight collaboration.

Secondly, I learned that human attitude to work and the surrounding working environment plays a critical role in the process of organizing the working atmosphere. Mainly, it became clear to me that one can not sustain fruitful work if he does not have a positive perception of his performance. Thus, an attitude is a defining feature of a behavioral mechanism. In this context, I certified the theory, according to which, psychological contract contributes to organizational commitment (Sturges et al. 822).

The most memorable thing, which was mastered by me in this course, was the relationship between leadership qualities and organizational success. The Nudge experiment, which demonstrated situational opportunities of management procedures, showed that the variety of human behavioral mechanisms and work perceptions put some people on the leading positions in organizational management while the others are suppressed in the process of leadership revelation (Johns 387).

From this class, I derived a system of behavioral tools, which can be used in organizational management. Specifically, I learned that one should develop a range of positive leadership qualities, moods, and perceptions, which show a deep inquiry into the system of organizational management. Primarily, I managed to make a distinction between emotions and moods. Thus, I learned that the development of emotional perceptions is not sufficient for the improvement of working behavior. In contrast, I deduced that a platform of occupational attitudes, which predetermine the quality of work, is formed by moods since they are long-lasting and mark a stable behavioral system (Luthans and Avolio 293).

The class imposed a strong influence on my day-to-day behavior, for I learned that organizational management defines both work perceptions and daily attitudes towards different aspects of life. Mainly, I found out that people, who reveal initiatives and leadership qualities, may take an upper hand in their routine communications, arguments, and discussions. Such individuals possess self-awareness and can identify their positions and opinions in any environment. The conduct, which is demonstrated by leaders, exemplifies the model of behavioral management, which organizes successful work, as well as a personal standpoint, which identifies a power of will and personal strength.

Works Cited

Johns, Gary. The Essential Impact of Context on Organizational Behavior. Academic Management Review 31.2 (2006): 386-408. Print.

Luthans, Fred, and Bruce Avolio. The Point of Positive Organizational Behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior 30 (2009): 291-307. Print.

Mohr, Jakki, and Robert Spekman. Characteristics of Partnership Success: Partnership Attributes, Communication Behavior, and Conflict Resolution Techniques. Strategic Management Journal 15.2 (2004): 135-152. Print.

Podsakoff, Philip, Scott McKenzie, Robert Moorman, and Richard Fetter. Transformational Leader Behaviors and Their Effects on Followers Trust in Leader, Satisfaction, and Organizational Citizenship Behaviors. The Leadership Quarterly 1.2 (2010): 107-142. Print.

Sturges, Jane, Neil Conway, David Guest, and Andreas Liefooghe. Managing the Career Deal: The Psychological Contract as a Framework for Understanding Career Management, Organizational Commitment and Work Behavior. Journal of Organizational Behavior 26.7 (2005): 821-838. Print.

Thomas, Kenneth. Conflict and Conflict Management: Reflections and Update. Journal of Organizational Behavior 13.3 (2002): 265-274. Print.

Tuckmans Model and the Opportunities It Offers: Small Group Development

Considering Tuckmans model of stages of group development, Bonebright considers the model in relation to the development of smaller groups within an organization. It is essential that Bonebright not only provides an account of the model suggested by Tuckman, but also does so from the historical perspective.

According to the results of the research, the model suggested by Tuckman has stood the test of time, providing practical perspective and commonsense approach (Bonebright, 2010, 118). As Bonebright mentions, the given model can be considered timeless, since it introduces an approach that is likely to work in most small groups of employees: unlikely that a model with similar impact will come out of the new literature (Bonebright 119).

Despite the fact that Bonebright does not establish any revolutionary discoveries in the article, she still offers an honest and detailed account of the theory that seemed to have worn out its welcome several years before.

Jiataos Factional Groups and the Rearrangement of Organizational Behavior

Unlike the previously mentioned paper, in which no major groundbreaking ideas are offered, the article by Jiatao and Hambrick suggests a new phenomenon for consideration, namely, the one of factual groups. According to the authors of the research, factual groups are groups of people who constitute two or more social entities. Hence, the authors offer a new means to considering the conflicts within a group of employees, and, therefore, new methods to solve these conflicts.

Analyzing the relationship between the factual faultiline size, two different types of conflicts emerging in a factional group, i.e., emotional conflicts and task conflicts, and the following behavioral disintegration, the authors of the research make it evident that in factional groups, large demographic fault-lines between factions will bring about task conflict and emotional conflict, and in turn behavioral disintegration (Jiatao & Hambrick, 2005, 800).

The given paper is essential in learning the nature of conflicts within groups of employees and searching for the means to solve these conflicts.

Discussing the Reasons for a Workplace Deviant Behavior: Kanturs Theoretical Premises

There is no secret that, though workplace behavior can and must be regulated according to the rules of the company, the actual behavior of the employees can sometimes leave much to be desired. Kantur considers the instances of workplace deviant behavior, detecting the key factors that contribute to the instances of the corporate behavioral rules and lead to deviant behavior among the employees. The researcher specifies nine questions, the answers to which help identify the source of the problem within the team of employees.

According to Kantur, there are two key issues that lead to poor performance of a group of employees, which are emotional conflicts and behavioral disintegration. As Kanturs research results show, most difficulties arise in the least homogenous teams, especially if the variables are either gender or ethnics (Kantur 809). The given paper shows in a very graphic way the specifics of relationships among employees, as well as the levels of adjustment among the latter.

Virtuousness and Happiness as the Cornerstones of Successful Performance

Of all assets of a typical employee, organizational virtuousness and content are seemingly less important than the ability to provide quality services on time.

However, when considering the given issue a little bit closer, one will have to admit that the employees state of mind has quite an impact on the quality of services which they deliver. Hence, dealing with such issues as organizational virtuousness and happiness and their impact on employees performance and the citizenship behaviors, Rego, Ribeiro & Cunha contribute considerably to defining the relationships between the organizational virtuousness and the affective well-0being of the employees.

Speaking of the key research results, one will have to mention the five-factor model which Rego, Ribeiro & Cunha have introduced. According to the authors of the research, there are several elements that make together the bulk for employees job satisfaction and the feeling of comfort, namely, optimism, trust, compassion, integrity, and forgiveness, which together make organizational virtuousness.

As the researchers explain, with the help of the given elements, the atmosphere in a team can be improved significantly. Meanwhile, in the team with none of the above-mentioned present, the productivity will soon be reduced to zero.

The given paper helps to understand that efficient leadership system is supposed to take into account not only the needs and wants of the entire team, but also the ambitions of every single member in particular, making sure that each of the employees is perfectly content with his position and his job.

Once there is a single discrepancy and an uncomfortable element in the working process, the productivity can be hindered. With the help of the results of the given research, one can build an efficient strategy for improving the current performance of the employees. Offering a detailed account of the factors that impact the quality of employees work, Rego, Ribeiro & Cunha help shape the idea of an appropriate organizational behavior standard.

Reference List

Bonebright, D. (2010) A. 40 years of storming: a historical review of Tuckmans model of small group development. Human Resource Development International, 13(1), 111-120.

Jiatao, L. & Hambrick, D. C. (2005). Factional groups: A new vantage on demographic faultlines, conflict, and disintegration in work teams. Academy of Management Journal, 48(5), 794-813.

Kantur, D. (2010). Emotional motives and attitudinal reflections of workplace deviant behavior. The Business Review, 14(2), 70-77.

Rego, A., Ribeiro, N., & Cunha, M. P. (2009). Perceptions of organizational virtuousness and happiness as predictors of organizational citizenship behaviors. Journal of Business Ethics, 93, 215-235.

The concept of organizational behavior is one of the most important tools in management. Organizational behavior refers to how the organizational structure and practices influences the behavior of an individual and how the individuals influence the organization. Managers should have a good understanding of organizational behavior to manage the affairs of the organization effectively.

Organizational behavior strives to capture how people operate in an organization to ensure that they achieve the highest performance for an organization. Organizations ensure that their employees are highly motivated to ensure that they have high performance. Organizational behavior ensures that employees are motivated towards a common vision. Understanding organizational behavior would help me become a better leader and improve my relationship with other employees.

For an organization to motivate its employees towards a common vision, it is vital to understand why people have certain behaviors. Some of the major work behaviors that an organization should understand include job performance, absenteeism, and turnover. Job performance refers to how an employee undertakes their duties as prescribed in the job description.

Job performance is the major factor that determines whether an employee will receive a promotion. The treatment that employees get from the organization determines their job performance. Employees of organizations that treat them well usually have high job performance (Bauer & Erdogan, 2009). Employees reciprocate the efforts of the organization by performing better. The work attitudes of employees correlate to their job performance.

Highly satisfied employees usually have high job performance. In addition, the personality of employees determines their job performance. Conscientiousness is the major personality trait that determines job performance. People who are organized, reliable and achievement oriented usually have high performance. Therefore, this course has enabled me to understand the effect of work behaviors on an organization.

Absenteeism and turnover are some of the negative behaviors in an organization. Work-life balance and health problems are the major causes of absenteeism. Negative attitudes towards work may also contribute to absenteeism. Employees quit their jobs due to various reasons.

Personality conflict and negative attitudes towards work are some of the reasons why companies have high employee turnover (Bauer & Erdogan, 2009). Understanding the major reasons for absenteeism and turnover would help me in formulating strategies that would help in tackling them.

Employees do not work in complete isolation. They usually interact with their colleagues. Therefore, it is vital to have good communication between employees. Good communication enables employees to coordinate their actions to achieve their goals. Managers spend most of their time communicating with employees.

There is a close relationship between the ability of managers to communicate effectively and their performance. Therefore, it is vital for managers to have good communication skills. Miscommunication in the workplace may interrupt workflow and cause conflicts between employees.

Good communication helps in coordinating the tasks of various employees. This helps employees of an organization to work towards a common goal. In addition, communication helps in sharing emotions and feelings. This helps in uniting people within the organization. Effective communication enables employees to understand issues and helps in building a strong relationship between coworkers (Bauer & Erdogan, 2009).

Most organizations have teams that perform various tasks. The performance of a team member ultimately determines the overall performance of the team. There is usually a close interaction between team members. Therefore, it is vital for an organization to ensure that there is a high level of cohesiveness between the team members. Members of cohesive teams usually have a collective identity and common sense of purpose.

This increases the desire of the group members to remain makes the group members to have a strong desire to achieve the goals of the group. Members of cohesive groups are highly satisfied with the groups activities. This enables them to express their ideas freely since they feel that they have a sense of belonging. Since members of cohesive groups have invested their efforts in the group and its work, they are likely to have active participation in the groups activities.

Cohesive groups usually have high levels of performance since group members have active participation in the groups activities. On the other hand, teams that have high levels of conflict or hostility usually demoralize the employees leading to low productivity (Bauer & Erdogan, 2009). Cohesive groups usually tackle challenging situations that may be too hard for a single employee to tackle. This course has enabled me to understand various leadership theories that may help in building cohesive teams.

In a cohesive team, all members usually have a common goal. The goal of the team members should correlate with the goal of the organization. Cohesive teams usually have a clear definition of the roles of each member. The role of each member helps the group to achieve its goal.

It is vital for an organization to give frequent praise to groups. Frequent praise benefits the group members and the entire group. It helps in improving the self-confidence of the group members and creates a favorable environment for the group to achieve its goals (Bauer & Erdogan, 2009).

Reference

Bauer, T. & Erdogan, B. (2009). Organizational behavior. Irvington, NY: Flat World Knowledge, L.L.C.

Lincoln Electric is a striking example of how several strategies can be implemented successfully within the organizational environment of a single company. Incorporating several theories of organizational behavior, the company managed to blaze its trail to success. Though the company obviously uses a mixture of several theories, one can still see the distinct traces of at least three theories applied to solve the companys problems. One of the most obvious picks is the Theory X constructed by Sigmund Freud.

Claiming that all people are intrinsically lazy and that only a strong motivation can take them off the ground and start working, Freud made it clear that such value as security is the key to motivating the staff. Using this principle wisely, Lincoln Electric offered its staff motivation: The concept of guaranteed employment is another brilliant cost-reducing idea of James F. Lincoln (Borton).

The choices that the Lincoln electrics makes in its leadership strategies, however, also make it clear that the company managerial makes efficient use of the Theory Y, which claims that people have a natural desire to learn (Hartman), thus, spurring the rates of competition in the company.

As Borton says, there is a quiet competition within each work group (Borton). Finally, the company obviously resorts to the Hygiene/Motivation Theory, helping its employees not only compete against each other, but also acquiring new knowledge and skills for the sake of personal and professional development.

The choice of power tactics and the basis of power is not an easy task. Often determined by the specifics of ones own character and personality, power tactics and the basis of power predetermine ones further success in the company (Griffin and Moorehead).

Case in point, the Fast Company situation shows how diverse these tactics and bases can be. Cindy Cassleman (Warshaw) obviously uses the pressure tactics (Admin), seeing how she managed to make the company revenues rise after she expressed her viewpoint on how the work should be done in the company.

Chris Newell, in his turn, seems to use both the ingratiation tactics, since he prefers to encourage the employees rather than conflict with them; however, Newell evidently prefers the policy of introducing innovations to the company to boost its revenues rather than contact with his employees and persuade them to offer more fruitful work:

Last year, Newell became convinced that the emerging field of knowledge management represented a big market opportunity for Lotus and its parent company, IBM. So he became a major catalyst behind a series of knowledge-management products that Lotus and IBM began to roll out by the end of the year. (Warshaw)

Speaking of the video that shows graphically the way office politics is implemented in organizational environment and the way it affects the company members, one must admit that most of companies offer the behavioral guidelines that offer enough room for cheating, bullying and using other dishonest tactics to disarm a colleague. The article mentioned previously, on the contrary, offers the means to improve the companys state of affairs, even though the chosen means might not always be considered appropriate.

That said, one must admit that the article and the video offer two completely different perspectives on business success. However, after watching the video (BNETvideo), one will come to the conclusion that the specifics of office politics does not necessarily concern solely establishing the company goals and assigning company members with their tasks. As it turns out, being a company leader also means being able to solve conflicts fast and efficiently.

Therefore, the use of office politics comes as especially important element of the leaders policy in case conflicts emerge. Therefore, using political behavior helps not only make the company run smoother, but also allows to improve the moral code of the companys staff, introducing a new system of values into the enterprise.

Works Cited

Power Tactics. 2010. Web.

BNET video. Playing Positive Office Politics. 2007. Web.

Borton, B. A Case Study of Lincoln Electric. Web.

Hartman, K. Organizational Behavior and Theories of Motivation. Web.

Griffin, Ricky W. and Gregory M. Organizational Behavior. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.

Warshaw, M. The Good Guys (and Gals) Guide to Office Politics. 1998. Web.

Introduction

Organizational behavior is a broad and interdisciplinary area in management, which relies on the research and ideas of many other disciplines which explain human interaction and behavior.

Such disciplines include psychology, sociology, industrial psychology, social psychology, anthropology and communication (MacGinins, n.d). The focus of organizational behavior is the study of organizational; design, management and effectiveness (Martin, 2005).

Organizational behavior therefore involves the interdependences and interrelationships of various topics like motivation, emotions, change process, culture, power and control, ethics, management and leadership, job design and technology, organizational structure, conflict and politics, stress in groups and individuals, learning, and communication which involves decision making and negotiations.

Managers must therefore understand the relationships between all these topics, and see how they can strike a balance, to ensure that there is a conducive environment for the progress and survival of the organization (Martin, 2005).

In this assignment, I will explore organizational behavior by the use of the case study of RR Feeds, Inc., which is a large feed processing plant located in North Dakota. I will identify the challenges, conduct an in depth analysis and provide recommendations to the Management team.

Discussion

Challenges facing RR Feeds, Inc

One challenge facing the organization is that of economic down turn, which brings in the problems of financial instability for the company because it makes less profit as the expenses remain constant. This made the organization lay off some of the employees and cut spending, so as to survive.

The other challenge is that of change of employees attitude towards the organization. The employees no longer feel obliged to commit themselves to the organization, and that is why they are ready to do as little as they can for the organization.

The employees morale in working is greatly reduced due to lack of or poor motivation for them to dedicate their efforts to the organization. The management is faced with the challenge of enabling the organization to survive under the economic down turn, as they safeguard the welfare of the employees. This is a challenge of change management.

In depth analysis

The problems facing the organization can be attributed to change management. The organization has had a good history in its relationships with the employees and its clients for a long time. It usually gave bonuses to employees, and committed a lot of resources in various activities of the organization.

The employees were very satisfied and they had a very positive attitude towards the organization. The levels of the employee commitment, motivation and morale were high before the economic down turn.

With the onset of the economic down turn, which is a universal economic catastrophe, the organization was faced with the challenge of maintaining the status quo, in terms of giving bonuses to employees, and spending in organization activities. This made the employees change their attitudes and perceptions towards the management of the organization.

The fact that some employees were laid off did not go down well with some employees, who sensed something fishy in the management of the organization. Their perception was that the laying off of some of them was aimed at victimizing them for their reduced morale in their work at the company.

The key problem for the organization is how to effect and manage change within the organization, which is necessary for its survival. When change happens within an organization, each individual reacts differently whereby some embrace the change while others do not. & However, the organization must survive despite the challenges.

When the management started laying off some employees, cutting on spending and bonuses, it did so as a reaction to the external forces to the organization. The employees on the other side reacted to the change by reducing their commitment to the organization due to lowered motivation.

Recommendations to the Management

Organizational change is always a challenge to many managers because they are faced with the challenge of maintaining the status quo for the organization in terms of employee satisfaction on one hand and retaining the organizational performance and output on the other.

Mr. Nates idea of redesigning the jobs for the employees is one way of initiating the desired change to deal with the prevailing situation. This is because the jobs would be redesigned to enable one employee handle various tasks which were being handled by the laid off staff. However, the management will need to train the remaining staff on the extra fields or dockets, so that they may be able to discharge the duties effectively.

The idea of reexamining the performance evaluation program and aligning it to the current organizational situation is aimed at bringing some changes in the manner in which employees are compensated for their labor. Chances are that the manager may come up with a contract performance system of working, in which employees are given some targets to meet, then get paid depending on how they meet those targets&..

This is different from the normal payment in which employees are paid after the end of each month without any targets set for them. The idea is good because it would ensure that the company divides its workload to the number of employees and attach some time frames under which those targets must be met, and then pay the employees depending on how they meet the targets.

This can increase productivity and flexibility in the organization, because each employee will work hard to see that he or she meets the targets, so as to receive the payment. It would increase flexibility because each employee would set his or her own work plan, and develop a time table to accomplish the tasks.

The employees may work hard to meet the set targets within a short time, so as to spare some time to engage in other income generating activities so as to supplement what they earn at the company (Martin, & Fellenz, 2010).

Regarding the stress levels and new employee behavior of low commitment to the company, the management should use Lewins three phases of change management namely unfreezing, transition and refreezing of behavior.

During the unfreezing stage, the management should prepare the employees for the change through talking to them about the prevailing economic situations and how it is affecting the company, and therefore the need for the company to adapt and align itself to the prevailing economic situation in order for it to survive and remain in business.

The management should then use push and pull strategies to prepare the employees for the change, which is implemented during the transition phase. At the refreezing phase, the management should refreeze the newly acquired behavior in line with the new work environment. This would make the employees satisfied and restore their confidence, loyalty and commitment to the organization (Lewin, 2011).

Conclusion

Organizational behavior is a very crucial field in management which is very broad in nature. Managers need to understand organizational behavior in order for them to be able to be able to deal with the dynamic nature of organizational environment, which keeps at changing. Organizational behavior entails interaction between the organization and the employees.

One major challenge for organizations is how to deal with change, like the one which faced RR Feeds, Inc due to the economic down turn. In such cases, managers should borrow Lewins three phase strategy of dealing with change namely unfreezing, transition and refreezing of behavior, so as to align the employees behavior with the prevailing organizational environment (Lewin, 2011).

References

Lewin, K.(2011). Lewins Freeze Phases. Web.

MacGinins, S.K. (n.d). Organizational Behavior and Management Thinking. Web.

Martin, J. (2005). 3^rd ed. Organizational Behavior and Management. Andover SP10 5BE: Cengage Learning EMEA.

Martin,J., & Fellenz, M.(2010). 4^th ed. Organizational Behavior & Management. Andover SP10 5BE: Cengage Learning EMEA.

Organizational behavior has routinely been studied since its discovery in the hawthorn study. Research indicates an inextricable relationship between organizational behavior and a firms performance. Understanding organizational behavior enables managers to discover synergies for employee performance.

Therefore, the study of organizational development has led to the creation of positive organizational behavior as advanced by positivist psychologists¹. Organizational learning process is critical to organizations because it helps management teams and low-end employees to adapt to the workplace environment, and to grow their competitive advantage².

The process of learning behavior at the workplace, such as seeking new information, apportioning time to improve workflow procedures, and testing the validity of work assumptions offers employees to reflect on their actions. This allows them to acquire knowledge and helps in sharing information³.

The extent to which members of an organization interact to understand individual characteristics helps employees to develop a common base for a mutual collaboration. Studies have indicated that mutual coexistence among employees and their immediate seniors enhances knowledge and information sharing, which promotes and concretizes their ability to understand and execute their respective duties.

The nature of relationships illustrates that while people may have different personal dispositions and different personal attributes, learning and interaction can generate greater mutuality⁴. Therefore, if organizations fail to implement facilitate employee learning programs, they run a risk of impeding successful behavior learning, which may hamper improved performance.

A review of the literature indicates that people naturally know little about their fellows, and they would need reinforcement to develop learning competencies. Though many researchers have devoted a lot of their time in investigating the significance of behavior learning at work environment, most researchers have confined their studies on notions of negative behavior⁵.

The role of positive behavior in building positive interpersonal relationships helps organizational members to share their variable information, which remain essential to creating new approaches to completing work processes.

The extent and the quality of learning behavior of individuals and groups in an organization makes people feel highly appreciated and valued and helps to neutralize the uncertainties and tensions. Capacity and objective and subjective experiences of employees with their colleagues and supervisors contribute to better subordinate-superior relationships.

Researchers argue that while negative organizational behavior may have a devastating impact on an organizations capacity to progress, understanding variations in behavior can be used to nurture mutually coordinated relationships. This is because the process of learning organizational behavior facilitates connectivity of relationships, and captures openness to differences. This scenario helps members to free themselves and clear doubts and negative perceptions about their counterparts.

Studies indicate that connectivity among employees through behavior learning enhances the development of non-defensive reactions, and facilitates sharing of knowledge about new challenges⁶. Therefore, using organizational behavior, organizations are able to generate impetus for future successes.

References

Carmeli, A., D.Brueller, & J. E. Dutton, Learning Behaviors in the Workplace: The Role of High-quality Interpersonal Relationships and Psychological Safety, Systems Research and Behavioral Science, vol. 26, 2009. 81-98.

Luthans, F., & A. H. Church, Positive organizational behavior: Developing and managing psychological strengths. Academy of Management Executive, vol. 16, no. 1, 2002.

Footnotes

¹ A. Carmeli, Brueller, D. & J. E. Dutton, Learning Behaviors in the Workplace: The Role of High-quality Interpersonal Relationships and Psychological Safety, Systems Research and Behavioral Science, vol. 26, 2009. 81-98.

² F. Luthans & A. H. Church, Positive organizational behavior: Developing and managing psychological strengths. Academy of Management Executive, vol. 16, no. 1, 2002.

³ F. Luthans & A. H. Church, Positive organizational behavior: Developing and managing psychological strengths. Academy of Management Executive, vol. 16, no. 1, 2002.

⁴ A. Carmeli, Brueller, D. & J. E. Dutton, p. 81-98.

⁵ F. Luthans & A. H. Church, Positive organizational behavior: Developing and managing psychological strengths. Academy of Management Executive, vol. 16, no. 1, 2002.

⁶ A. Carmeli, Brueller, D. & J. E. Dutton, p. 81-98.

Business Scenario

I once was previledged to work with Gimco manufacturing Company. Gimco is a middle-sized family enterprise that was established by Mr. Smith and is jointly run by the family. I worked in the marketing department, which was headed by Brian, who is Mr. Smithss youngest son. The department was made up of six employees who had different ages.

The elderly employees provided professionalism and competency while the young injected enthusiasm, passion and energy into the organization. A month later, after I had started working with the organization, new members of staff were employed. The need for new members of staff stemmed from the expansion experienced in the firm. The organization employed two employees in our department.

The new staffs were employed after convincing Mr.Smith, a renowned engineer by profession that they had the potential to do extensive marketing work. The two employees stirred discord in the organization as they reported to work late and they could also mix their products with those assigned to the other employees. This habit caused alarm in the organization.

Since the organization lacked strong bottom-up conflict resolution mechanisms, all conflicts were referred to the manager. In lieu of what was happening, the manager opted to address the entire department; stressing what was expected of each employee. Before addressing the whole department, the manager had tried using stern warnings followed by some wage deduction to cover the loss sustained by the organization.

The two employees were not punished for their wrongs and the rest of the team was angered by the decision. As it was expected, the trend did not change. The two continued to report late and to misrepresent their sales sheets to reflect a higher sale volume with the aim of attracting a higher commission.

When Mr. Brian was notified of this, he promised to conduct an inquiry into the matter and take stringent measures.

After another month, Mr. Smith decided to affect departmental reshuffles; he appointed one of the two employees to head the department as Mr. Brian was transferred to head the finance department. His decision was based on the completed worksheet returned by sales personnel.

The errant promotion did hurt the organizations morale; all employees in the department complained and confronted the manager. To our surprise, our complaints were given a deaf ear as the autocratic manager imposed his command. Largely, the management made all decisions and employees were not consulted at any instance.

The morale of the employees continued to decrease as well as the trustworthiness. The other reason that instigated this was the unfulfilled promise to increase employees salary biannually. The management remained obdurate and our complaints attracted sucking for the orchestrators. The move not only, violated our rights of holding demonstration but also shuttered all the belief we had in the management.

Further, the organization lacked a strategic plan and working culture to govern the operations. Subsequently, the entire organization started experiencing an increased employee turnover that caused unstable production and paralyzed any progress that was made.

Employee marginalization and prevalence of dictatorial leadership system is to blame for the poor organization morale and poor interpersonal relationship in the organization. If this company was to endure, flourish, and maintain strong market share then strategies for improvement concerning the big picture had to be implemented as a matter of necessity.

Impact of Events on Attitudes and Perceptions

The actions and perception of the employees in the organization have been affected by multi-dimensional issues such as faulty organizational structure that has inhibited delegation of duties, lack organization culture and lack of motivational stimuli. Another thing that has negatively affected the perception is lack of employees voice and involvement in the overall running of the organization.

The definition of perception and attitude has attracted divergent opinions from different scholars and marketers. In their opinion Woods et al (2006, p. 55) assert that altitude is the reaction triggered by individual depending on the surroundings they are in, while perception is the process through which individuals receive, synthesize and construe information (Woods et al, 2006, p. 62).

On the same note, Miner (2007, p.12) connects the two by arguing that employees perception depends on their attitudes. The relationship that exists between makes employee increasingly sensitive to fine details that happens at the place of work.

At Gimco, employees felt underestimated, less appreciated and overall lack of motivation. The exclusion of employees in important factors that pertained to the running of the organization resulted to widening of the gap between the management and employees. The employees felt less useful in the organization as their efforts and contributions were not esteemed.

In addition, the inability to promote workers on merited ground such seniority of service or hard work has been a cause of sustained misunderstanding and chaos. Once the employees are mistreated or their rights are infringed, they become less productive and bad blood develops against the management.

Gimco as an organization lacked internal motivation due to the incommensurate remuneration. ODonnell (2005, p.249) reveals that employee morale is directly dependent on healthy promotion programs and remuneration increases.

The long serving and faithful employees felt an injustice had been done when promotion was given to the unscrupulous new employee. After eroding the meager faith that endured in their mind, the decision rekindled anger, contempt and disbelief. Their faithful service and determination to improve the welfare of the organization had gone unnoticed and unrewarded.

In fact, hefty pay was awarded to the uncharismatic employee who used dubious means to augment their commissions. The situation was even aggravated when employees complaints were dubbed unfounded heresies by the management and instead of an immediate action taken against the ravenous employees; a general sermon to the entire department worsened the situation.

In the organization, employees lack a working job description and organizations goals and objective. The uncontrolled nature of employee activity made it easier for employees to extend their mandate. Instead of supervisor marketing the work sheets, the employee did it to meet their greedy incentives.

From a wider approach job satisfaction was non-existent, Griffeth et al (2004, p. 233) highlight that employees cohesion and better remuneration increases employees satisfaction. In addition, lack of these incentives stimulates employee turnover or instigates thoughts of seeking better pastures elsewhere (Griffeth et al, 2004, p. 232).

With clearly stated goals and objectives, the entire management strives to meet them while each employee also has his or her goals to meet. However, lack of such goals reduces employees output and desire to meet the stipulated mileage.

The organization lacks joint understanding as each individual does his chores without bothering what his colleagues are doing. Since the employees were not involved in-group activities, the interpersonal skills development was inhibited by the dominance of the individualist approach assumed by the organization. This approach denied the employee to freely gather and air their voice in a more unified and harmonious manner.

Simply because the manager disregarded the participation of group performance, the organization found it difficult to adopt new skills and information. Normally, unless employees are allowed to openly express their thoughts, the inherent creativity will not be utilized.

Similarly, individual employees prefer confiding their internal thoughts to their colleagues before they do so to their supervisors and other managers; consequently, lack good interpersonal relationship depresses such.

Although the organization assumes a hierarchical management structure, the structure is non-operational, as the Mr. Smith seems to manipulate the entire organization. In other words, there is no delegation of duties within the organization and the departmental heads assumes ceremonial roles.

During the recruitment of the new staff, instead of Mr. Smith delegating the duty to the human resources manager he single handedly interrogated the interviewee and eventually employs them. Despite his lack of human resource knowledge he blindly hire people with little marketing skill yet very dishonest. Similarly, the manager takes it upon himself to appraise employee and reward them without involving departmental head.

His imposing nature not only embarrassed the employees but it also affected the line managers whose works were reduced to formal portfolio. A dysfunctional structure like Gimcos needs drastic surgery to help reverse the situation and facilitate the flow of information.

Development of a functional structure that allows delegation of duties and free communication amongst employees and the management and eventually to the CEO and vice versa will form a vital role in reinstating the organization to normalcy.

Relevant Motivational Theories and impact of events in scenario upon the motivation of staff

The analysis of the organization will borrow from two theories that are more relevant to the situation at Gimco i.e. Hertzbergs theory and the Expectancy theory.

Hertzbergs Motivation-hygiene theory

In the quest to deal with the problem of unmotivated employees, Herzbergs motivation-hygiene Theory presents substantial measure to enhance employees morale (Fiore, 2004, p. 68). He argued that motivational factors increase employees output while hygiene factors increase employee satisfaction.

In fact these two factors are seriously missed at Gimco where employees lack motivational incentives and have to deal with work dissatisfaction (Hygiene). These factors have been explained in depth as follows.

Achievement

All employees would like to accomplish certain goals that emanate from the hard work and efforts that they reflect at the work place. Since each employee has a goal that he or she has set, the output generated is usually congruent with the goal. Success in meeting the predetermined goals motivates employees to up their production as well as ensuring that they remain true to their goals.

At Gimco employee achievement can be measure in terms of units sold by each employ which attracts a particular amount of money in terms of commissions. In addition, employee achievement can also be measure by successful penetration of a new market niche that was initially unknown.

Miner (2007, p. 47) echoes that employees who finish their duties in time should be allowed to utilize the remaining time as they wish. Once an employ achieves such milestone he attains internal satisfaction and he or she becomes proud of his or her efforts.

Nevertheless, Gimcos employees are rarely appreciated, as the trustworthy employee remained undetected while the cunning ones benefits from the ignorance of the manager.

Recognition

All human beings like acknowledgment for any exemplary job done. Unfortunately, this was not the case at Gimco given the employees efforts were neither recognized nor appreciated. Lack of appreciation-discouraged employees from working to their very best since their superfluous efforts went undetected. Poor supervision prevented recognition and subsequent reward of the deserving employees.

The organization requires having proper employee appraisal mechanism to be able to recognize the hardworking and determined employee. Otherwise, failure to recognize people with extraordinary skills and work rates reduces the morale and the desire to work to their very best (Fiore, 2004, p. 69).

Possibility of growth

Many organizations prefer to undertake internal development promotion rather soliciting employees from external sources. The employees at Gimco are denied this possibility as the management was entirely dominated by Smiths family hence little room of career development exists. The senior employees were dissatisfied by the management decision to replace, Brian with the new and dishonest employ.

The move attracted increased criticism and discourage senior and honest employee who merited the promotion. Due to the current situation, Gimco has a problem of retaining employees for a long time since; employ lack benefits for serving for a long time.

Responsibility

All human beings are motivated by the increase in fulfilling responsibilities and duties assigned to them. As the mandate of each individual increases, he or she becomes more alert and sensitive to details. Increase in responsibility can be achieved through increasing the activities in employees job description or increase accountability.

For instance, employees at Gimco sales department can also be allowed to develop their strategic plan, organize their sub-budget as well as participate in decision-making process. Such increased responsibility will also enhance their accountability and feel appreciated by the organization.

The supervisor duties can also extend to compiling the monthly work list for each employee as well as working in collaboration with the finance department in preparation of the employees salary. Apart from enhancing accountability, increasing responsibility also enhances delegation of duties.

Pay Increment

All employees work to receive financial appreciation for the efforts that they provide the organization. However, each employee expects his or her salary to increase as a times passes by, failure to honor such promises demoralize employees. An increase in salary serves the purpose of improving the welfare of the employees as well as enhancing their morale thus increasing workers satisfaction.

At Gimco the management failed to honor their pledge to increase employ salary according to the prior promise of biannual salary increment. Miner (2007, p. 48) asserts that salary increment promotes self-actualization and personal growth.

Job security

Another factor with analogous effects to that of payment is the aspect of job security. Nearly all organization strives to retain their vital production assets by offering new contracts or even employing employee on permanent basis. Large number scholars argue that many employees prefer working for a small amount of money rather than working for higher pay for a limited period.

Job security (a hygiene factors) eliminates dissatisfaction and prevents workers turnover (Hersey et al, 2000, p. 367). The fact that Gimco is experience high employee turnover prompts organization management to contain this massive exodus by effecting better pay for their employees. This can be done by offering additional monetary incentives such as better health cover, overtime allowance and pension to the employees.

Work Conditions

Although most management fail to see the benefits provided by better environmental facilities, amicable environment enhance workers output. The working environment can be improved by installation of additional amenities such as canteen, fitting first aid kits and generally making the environment safe.

Besides, the organization can also improve the environment by reducing noise, ventilating offices to avoid excess heating and fitting better lighting systems. Better working environment has been identified as one of the most influential aspects that enhance employee performances (Fiore, 2004, p. 68).

Communication

Availability of effective communication in an organization has also been identified as an essential component in a vibrant firm. Miner (2007, p. 49) records that reliable communication enhances better interpersonal relations. Since information can flow freely from the top most to the bottom the organization management is able convey direction and instructions effectively.

For any communication to be effective, good feedback mechanisms, need to be put in place to improve the quality of communication. Apart from aiding in solving conflicts communication form the heart of organization, for instance a good relationship is enhanced between the management and employee and organization with its external factors such as the suppliers and customers.

Good communication is a feature that had dominantly missed in Gimco where autocratic leadership has overshadowed the opinion of employee. Likewise, there is no feedback mechanism in the organization as employee grievances go unattended.

Satisfaction of the motivators and averting problems with hygiene factors help the organization and the management to both enrich jobs and empower staffs, enhancing performance and greater job satisfaction. Similarly, the organization uses this theory to develop employees skills and dexterousness.

When all these hygiene and motivations are blended with an effective communication mechanism, the organization sporadically registers improved performances that attract better profits.

Vrooms Expectancy Theory

Employees at Gimco were unenthusiastic due to the lack of reliable assessment criteria for awarding hardworking employees. Hence, hardworking employees were never rewarded and this made them to reduce their efforts. According to Vrooms expectancy theory, employee reward is equated to the efforts reflected in production activities.

This theory purports that motivation (M), expectancy (E) instrumentality (I), and valence (V) are related according the equation: M = E X I X V. Since all these factors are related, a change in factor will affect the outcome of the satisfaction that is generated. If the expected reward on extra output is low, the motivation appeal generated will be equally low.

On the other hand, an increase in expectations will galvanize the motivation generated. In the above an increase in the any of the variables in the right hand side of the equation leads to the increase in the level of motivation that is generated and vice versa (Borkowski, 2010, p. 129).

According to Vrooms theory, employees are determined to do particular activities to attain fastidious goals in their lives, lack of such provision amounts to increased de-motivation.

The inferences reveal that individuals place specific goals to achieve in the future and they make it responsibility to do everything that would help them to achieve such. The three variables; E, V and I make the motivation equation. These factors are given an exhaustive analysis as follows.

Valence

Valence is the projected satisfaction that is received from a particular outcome. When an employee realizes that he or she can received increased benefits from carrying a particular activity he or she will be determined to carry out the activity rather than forego it. However, if the expected outcome of doing a particular activity is negative the person will opt to forego it in order to retain the current position.

Sometimes individuals prefer to remain indifferent incase an extra participation does not attract any increased incentive; such a scenario is called zero valence. At Gimco, employees were at zero valences since their added efforts did not attract any increase pay.

Since extra output attracted negligible reward in cash and none in terms of promotions, workers remained unmotivated to avoid future disappointments. The promotion that was effected by the organization rewarded the unfaithful employees who did not deserve. Such unmerited promotion blotted the work ethics in the organization and foster diversification of more fraudulent activities.

Instrumentality

This criterion identifies outcomes as first level or second level according to the valence level that is achieved. Commonly, first level outcomes are often influenced by performance while the second level outcomes are influenced by the need. The theory applies that the incentive to acquire a particular thing is seen as the route of achieving a particular outcomes.

If the valence level is highly desired the employee will diligent work out to achieve no matter the hindrances that he or she has to overcome. On the other hand, if the level of valence is low the employee may opt to forego the laborious exercise at all. For second level variances, employees are driven by need to carry out a particular activity or route.

Since needs fall under the category of things that human beings cannot stay without, most often many individuals are compelled by the second level valences to perform a certain activity. However, regardless of the stimulant that stirs employee performances the instrumentality is one of the most cultivating and rejuvenating aspect that promotes the productivity at individual level.

If employee at Gimco are driven by first level valence, their performance would boosted by an intrinsic enthusiasm that propels them to achieve their dreams. The need to achieve a particular thing is not limited to personal gain but it may also include transforming the organization to achieve particular status such become more competitive or even narrow the gap existing between itself and the market leader.

Such aspirations only happen when the employees internalize the organizations strategic plan and the objectives. When the strategic plan is in borne, each employee takes upon himself or herself to improve the current situation to better the welfare of the organization. If Gimco is to experience any of this, the management should learn to appreciate employees contribution to promote their love for their organization.

Similarly, if the need to achieve a particular outcome is propelled by a particular need. Employees become obligated to act as means to meet the requirement of life, for instance if an employee has big family, he will strive to increase sales in order to attract more commission to cater for welfare of the family.

Despite the fact that he or she may not be enjoying a good relationship with company the duty to provide for the family bestowed upon him acts as a stimuli for the argument performance. Therefore, both level one and level two valence works for the better of the organization.

Expectancy

The aspect identifies the choice between alternatives in a scenario characterized by alternative behaviors that have uncertain outcomes. If the alternative selected is highly probable the employee will strive to improve the welfare by injecting extra efforts or even working for extra hours.

The main challenge that is always faced by employee is the determination of the probability accorded to each alternative. If each alternative is known with a particular level of certainty employee would have the easiest of tasks to improve their welfare without much ado. If employees at Gimco have an increasing expectance, the entire output will be improved.

Porter and Lawlers Expectancy Model

Both Porter and Lawler expounded on Vrooms theory further. Their approach is anchored on performance as whole. they argued that the efforts that are generated do not lead directly to the performances but they are determined by employees ability and perception.

The intertwined nature between perception and ability to facility performance become an interested area of study to elucidate the underlying relationship between the variables. Porter and Lawler contend that motivation, performance and satisfaction as individual and separate variables, their analysis reveals the following.

The value of a reward is equivalent to Vrooms valence although it is dependent on the magnitude of the desire. On the same note, the perceived effort-reward is analogous to expectancy as identified by the Vroom. In this argument effort is the intensity of input that is applied by the employee to achieve certain goals.

Meanwhile, individuals abilities and traits are also useful in determination of the outcome received; however, these two are related such issues such as skills and intrinsic intelligence. Thus each individual performance is not just influenced by goals but it is highly dependent on other factors that are mutual included to facilitate an environment that allow better and easier achievement of the goals that are set.

Porter and Lawler commented that the expected outcome is dependent on both intrinsic (coming from the individual) and extrinsic (generated from the working environment). Therefore, to enhance a well-blended performance the organization needs to facilitate a better environment that enhances individual regeneration and amicable working environment.

Group Dynamics and Teamwork

Employees at Gimco work independently and there is no interpersonal competition that exist between them. Jon Katzenbach and Douglas Smith in Goesecke and McNeil (2010, p. 48) define team as small number employees who possess complementary skills who join hands to pursue a common intention.

Goesecke and McNeil (2010, p. 47) assert that managers have a duty to harmonies the conflicting priorities of both the line managers and those of employees to bring enhance attainment of collective goals.

Davis and Davis (1998, p. 279) highlight that for any teamwork to abide, the collective goal should surpass the individuals objectives.

They further argued that managers have the responsibility of identifying the kind of group that they are dealing with as well as understanding the nature of environment that the organization operates in. In order to facilitate group work each organization need to ensure that each department is operation and it has specific goals (Goesecke and McNeil, 2010, p. 48).

Development a group dynamic require a tireless endeavor to accomplish the unified approach that present the personal objectives at the forefront of the strategy. Davis and Davis (1998, p. 280) reveal that this can be done through group interaction or unified team activities.

Further, they proposed that an organization can develop group dynamic by enhancing group opinions, attitudes and fostering group belief. Once the organization collects the opinions and perceptions of members it becomes easier to forge an organization culture that is blended on mutual understanding with the aim of achieving organization goals.

On his side Packer (2008, p.14) perceives a group mentality a social system comprising of various progression and vectors that applied from opposing sides. When the two opposing forces are applied the organization maintains a state of equilibrium

Packer (2008, p. 20) asserts that the requisite of any group dynamic is founded on firm basis such as organization goals, mission, and objectives. The most crucial thing is for the team to understand why it is existent and the purpose for which it was formed.

Once this effected Davis and Davis (1998, p. 281) contends that organization staffs require orienteering to enhance effective bonding and developing mutual understanding. In addition, effective orienteering provides a platform to enhance personal belonging and self-appreciations.

However, Goesecke and McNeil (2010, p. 48) argues that for a team to be effective the organization need organize small groups to enhance contestant interaction and invoke collective participation for members of the group.

Since Gimco is a small organization, each department can be reorganized into a group to enhance effective communication and thorough bonding. However, this can only be done by ensuring that the organization has been restructured to provide a platform to bonding and effecting orienteering.

Essentials of an effective group work

Many organizations fail to develop an effective group dynamic due to lack to relevant group management skills or due to lack of the right person. Several managers argue that an effective group should have complementary skill but not identical skills (Goesecke & McNeil 2010, p. 48).

Complementary skills provide a wide pool of knowledge and understanding, furthermore these group supplies variety of proficiencies that cuts across the entire organization. Since each employee brings unique skills, the organization is entitle with an all round approach.

A team that contains similar skills lacks the depth of dealing with the organization conflicting priorities and other multifaceted phenomenon. Goesecke & McNeil (2010, p. 48) define a group possessing similar skills as a working unit instead of a team.

The second important aspect of a team is prevalence of effective communication. Davis and Davis (1990, p. 290) depicted that when people are put in a group they will automatically talk, however, the question remains who is talking and what are they talking about.

Without structured guidance about the task that is being deliberated by the team, it becomes increasingly difficult for group to achieve any objective. Packer (2008, p. 20) adds that the group should have clear sense of purpose in order to harmonize effective communication within the group.

He further asserted that anxiety and other barriers of communication should be alleviated to foster free communication coupled with lofty degree of trust.

Group cohesion is also another vital aspect that allows different peoples with variant personalities to get along (Davis & Davis, 1998, p. 290). For people to work together as a unit there is need for them to lower their pride, and get committed to the group. Parker (2008, p. 20) suggests that group cohesion can be established by ensuring that the organization assumes shared leadership principle.

Although leadership methods shift from time to time, the organization should be dynamic to ensure that all members in the organization are involved in the running of the organization. On its part, Gimco has a rigid leadership structure that is solely dependent on the CEO who maneuvers all operations. A change to involve other employee would ensure better working environment as well motivating workers.

Lack of adequate conflict management mechanisms has inhibited the development of stable group work. At Gimco no single conflict was given the right resolution, instead the manager imposed his decision leaving employees disgruntled.

Without proper conflict resolution mechanism, any overture to form formidable group mentality will prove futile. It is important to understand that conflicts and misunderstandings are bound to exist in any organization and therefore the management should always be prepared to handle immediately they arise.

Recommendations

From the discussion above the following recommendations are offered in an attempt to improve that management of employees (1) attitudes and perceptions, (2) staff motivation, and (3) Group dynamics. Proper implementation of the recommendations will undoubtedly give Gimco a new lease of life due to a resurgence of staff morale that will result.

Reflection in relation to conclusions drawn from the scenario

Transforming the organization behavior is a difficult mission, due to the inherent motivational and attitudinal developed by the organization. Since human behaviors are inborn, transforming the way people conduct themselves becomes one of the most gruesome activity. In an organization such as Gimco, the management has tough battle to win in order to get back the organization to the required state.

However, no matter how hard the challenge might be, positive outcome is still achievable through deployment of appropriate mechanism and management theories.

Low morale at the work place has been attributed to poor management structure that has facilitated encroachment of defective organization culture coupled with dishonest and greed. Under such environment, the organization has seen it difficult for the management to cope with the high level of demoralization.

Thus, the management structure needs to undergo radical management surgery before dealing employee morale. Similarly, the organization needs to replace the autocratic leadership with participative leadership. In participative leadership, managers are actively involved in production activities and they therefore influence the subordinates in the course of operations.

Their participation enhances mutual understanding with the employees; in addition, barriers between the management and staff are also reduced. Once the gap is narrowed, the management is able enhance an effective communication within the organization.

Conclusion

The above discussion has vividly highlighted the significance of ensuring vibrant employee morale and right perception prevails in any organization. Owing to low morale and few motivation incentives available at Gimco, the organizations performance has been decreasing. Moreover, the de-motivating conditions have generally led to high employee turnover becoming the norm in the organization.

The situation is worsened by the fact that the organization lacks clearly spelt out goals and strategic objectives. Consequently, lack of clear strategic objectives translates into lack of a binding or a collective goal that employees in the organization can identify with.

Despite the state of affairs, everything can be corrected easily if the top management chose to make a mends. Such amends would consist in identifying ways of motivating the employees. One such avenue consists in applying Herzberg theory or expectancy theory to design a motivational framework that uplifts employee morale.

References

Bastiaens, T 2010, On Collective Intelligence, Springer, Berling

Borkowski, N 2010, Organizational Behavior in Healthcar, Jones and Barlett Publishers, Sudbury

Davis, JR & Davis, AB 1998, Effective Training Strategies: a Comprehensive Guide to Maximizing, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc, San Francisco

Fiore, DJ 2004, Introduction to Education Administration: Standards, Theories and Practice, Eye on Education, Inc, Larchmont

Goesecke, J & McNeil, B 2010, Fundamentals of Library Supervision, ALA, Lincoln

Griffeth, R, Griffeth, RW, & Hom, PW 2004, Innovative Theory and Empirical Research on Employee Turnover, IAP Publishers, New Jersey

Hersey, P, Blanchard, KH, & Johnson, DE 2000, Management of Organizational Behavior: Leading Human Resources, Prentice Hall, New Jersey

Miner, JB 2007, Organization Behavior; from Theory to Practice, M.E Sharpe, New York

ODonnell, MP 2005, Health Promotion in Workplace, Cengage Publisher, New York

Packer, GM 2008, Team Players and Teamwork: New Strategies for Developing Successful Teams, John Wiley and Sons, San Francisco

Santrock, JW, & Halonen, JS 2008, Your Guide to College Success: Strategies for Achieving your Goals, Cengage Learning, Boston

Wood, J, Zeffane, R, Fromholtz, M, & Fitzgerald, J 2006, Organizational Behavior: Core Concepts and Applications, 1^st edn, John Wiley & Sons, Milton, Queensland

Introduction

Insurance Marketing Group [IMG] is a private limited company that specializes in marketing health and life insurance policies. The company mainly targets independent agents distributed in different parts of the United States. The firms strategic management practices are undertaken by a qualified management team, which has experience of over 60 years with regard to life and health insurance.

IMG has managed to foster strong and influential relationships over the years, as evidenced by its past success and steady growth. The firm provides agents within the senior and individual health market segments with high quality and competitive products (Insurance Marketing Group, 2014).

The firms success and growth are associated with the implementation of effective strategic management practices. This paper provides a detailed analysis of the organizations performance with specific reference to organizational behavior.

The paper assesses how the organizations behavior has been influenced by different components, which include the organizations culture, internal communication, motivational techniques, nature of authority, areas of emotional quotient embraced by the organization, and the virtual elements adopted by the firm.

Analysis

Type of organizational culture; salad bowl culture

IMG has established its operations in different parts of the United States. The firm recognizes the importance of employees in achieving long-term success. Therefore, the firm has integrated the concept of diversity in its operations (Magala, 2006). The organizations culture can be defined as being a salad bowl culture. This status has been achieved by employing workers from different cultural backgrounds.

The firm does not discriminate employees based on their gender, age, race, nationality, and sexual orientation amongst other demographic variables. The development of this culture has arisen from the recognition of diversity as a source of additional knowledge and experience.

Subsequently, the firms employees share diverse information based on their cultural backgrounds, which has led to the development of cross-cultural competence. Its adoption of cultural diversity has improved IMGs attractiveness in the labor market.

The firm has also succeeded in developing good working relationships amongst its employees. The firms employees share a small office space with no conflicts, which has led to the development of a friendly working environment. In an effort to foster strong working relationship, IMG has adopted a flat organizational structure, which has been motivated by the need to promote communication amongst employees.

Consequently, the firms employees in different levels of management are provided with an opportunity to participate in the firms decision-making process. Therefore, the firm has been effective in promoting a collaborative working environment, thus minimizing the rate of employee turnover.

Collaboration amongst employees has led to the development of teamwork culture. This aspect has led to the elimination of negative competition amongst employees. On the contrary, employees support each other in executing their duties, which has led to the development of effective organizational norms and shared values.

The incorporation of cultural diversity has played an essential role in promoting the effectiveness with which IMG markets its health and insurance products to different customer groups in diverse parts of the US considering the countrys multicultural characteristics.

Moreover, the adoption of the salad bowl culture has significantly increased the firms ability to operate ethically. Ferrell and Fraedrich (2009) are of the opinion that organizational culture is the foundation of ethical business operations.

Mode of communication

Effective internal communication is a critical element in an organizations efforts to achieve business excellence. The various departments in an organization are supposed to operate as a unit in order to achieve synergy. However, the desired synergy can only be achieved if effective coordination is promoted. Internal communication influences the level of coordination amongst employees in different departments.

IMG appreciates the importance of effective communication. Subsequently, the organization has implemented an open internal communication system. The firm utilizes both verbal and written channels of communication. Written communication is undertaken through digital mediums such as emails, the companys website, and social media.

Using digital mediums has improved significantly the effectiveness and efficiency with which the firm communicates to employees because they can easily access information on their wireless devices. Moreover, IMG has also established an intra-net system that provides employees with an opportunity to share information.

On the other hand, the firm also undertakes internal communication through print mediums such as internal memos. The memos are strategically located in the companys notice board in order to ensure that all employees access the intended message.

Considering the small size of the organization, IMG also utilizes verbal communication. The effectiveness of verbal communication is enhanced by the short chain of command within the organization. Consequently, the intended information is not distorted.

In its quest to promote collaboration between IMGs management team and the lower level employees, the organization has incorporated both top-bottom and bottom-top communication strategies. One of the ways through which this goal is achieved is by conducting regular internal informal meetings and events. This aspect has led to the development of an organizational culture that advocates constant meetings.

During the informal meetings, the lower level employees are in a position to interact with the top management and communicate any issue with ease. This scenario has played a vital role in eliminating bureaucracy in the organizations communication process. Verbal communication also provides the top management team with an opportunity to assess the firms performance.

The effective interaction between the top and lower levels of management has improved learning quotient greatly within the firm. Additionally, the firms top management team is in a position to gain intelligence that can be utilized in the strategic management practices.

Motivational technique

Employee motivation is a fundamental element in an organizations pursuit for business excellence. Motivated employees are productive and focused in undertaking their roles and responsibilities. IMG is committed to ensuring that its employees are motivated continuously in executing their duties.

The firms commitment to promoting a high degree of employee motivation arises from the need to nurture a high degree of organizational identification. Furthermore, the firm recognizes that motivated employees are less likely to leave it. Despite the cultural diversity in the firm, IMG has managed to sustain the employees level of satisfaction.

IMG has incorporated both intrinsic and extrinsic motivational techniques. The extrinsic techniques entail providing employees with monetary benefits. The firm ensures that employees are compensated equitably and fairly. IMG has formulated a comprehensive employees remuneration package.

The firm has adopted job description as the basis of the employees remuneration. Subsequently, employees are remunerated based on their skills, level of education, and experience. The employees are awarded bonus compensation for their efforts.

In addition to monetary compensation, IMG has also integrated intrinsic motivational techniques by incorporating non-monetary forms of compensation. Some of the intrinsic methods of compensation adopted include recognizing employees who depict exemplary performance. Recognition is a vital component in ensuring that employees are motivated psychologically.

Furthermore, the firm has adopted the concept of teamwork, which provides the top management team with an opportunity to delegate certain tasks to the lower level employees. Therefore, employees have an opportunity to undertake challenging job tasks, hence providing them with the chance to progress through their career path.

Nature of authority

IMG has adopted a flat organizational structure, which has reduced bureaucracy significantly within the organization. Furthermore, the chain of command amongst employees has been reduced remarkably. IMG is focused at achieving business excellence in its operation. In order to achieve this goal, IMG has integrated teamwork as one of its operational practices.

The top management team delegates tasks to employees in different operational levels. This aspect provides employees with the freedom to make decisions on how the assigned tasks will be executed. Therefore, employees gain an opportunity to explore new dimensions on how to complete the task assigned, which improves their skills.

Subsequently, task delegation has empowered the firms employees, and thus they have become highly productive in executing their duties.

Furthermore, delegating tasks to the lower level employees has enabled the firm to reduce task monotony amongst workers. However, the tops management team has developed a culture whereby the lower level employees are required to be accountable for the assigned tasks (Lussier & Achua, 2009).

From the above analysis, it is evident that IMG is committed to promoting a culture of trust and loyalty amongst its employees. Additionally, delegating tasks to employees leads to the development of a sense of value and worth towards the organization. These elements are fundamental in nurturing a high degree of organizational identification amongst employees.

Furthermore, the concept of task delegation has instilled confidence amongst IMGs employees. Subsequently, the likelihood of employees undertaking challenging tasks is greatly improved. Moreover, employees are likely to stay longer within the firm, hence improving its competitiveness with regard to human capital.

Therefore, one can argue that the nature of authority at IMG has enabled the firm to develop an organizational culture that will enhance the firms long-term success in an industry that is increasingly becoming competitive.

Task delegation has also played a fundamental role in ensuring that employees develop leadership skills. Currently, it is imperative for firms management teams to be concerned with promoting leadership skills amongst employees.

This assertion arises from the view that the leadership skills will improve the effectiveness and efficiency with which employees are in a position to deal with different work-related challenges such as employees conflict (Lussier & Achua, 2009).

Consequently, the firm has been in a position to sustain a good working relationship amongst employees in different departments. Inculcating leadership skills has improved the effectiveness with which IMG adopts a culture of project team. In addition, the firms employees communicate with each other effectively, hence exchanging valuable ideas and information specific to the project at hand.

Emotional intelligence in IMG

Emotional intelligence refers to the effectiveness with which an organizations management team identifies, judges, and manages the employees emotions. Emotional intelligence enables an organizations management to empathize with their employees, which is essential in promoting a strong bond between the top and the lower levels of management.

An organization can adopt different strategies in managing the employees emotions. One of the areas in which emotional intelligence can be applied at the workplace relates to situations of conflict amongst employees. Failure to manage conflicts may lead to reduction in the effectiveness of collaboration within an organizations workforce, hence cutting down the likelihood of achieving the desired synergy.

In an effort to nurture a high degree of emotional intelligence within its workforce, IMG has integrated a culture of mediation whereby conflicting employees solve their differences with the help of selected individuals from the firms top management team. Subsequently, IMG has managed to nurture a high degree of collaboration and job satisfaction amongst its employees.

Virtual elements in IMG

The emergence of information communication technology has led to a remarkable revolution in the workplace. Currently, employees are increasingly seeking for job opportunities that provide them with a high degree of flexibility.

Moreover, employees are increasingly anchoring their job satisfaction on the extent of flexibility in their workforce. In the course of its operation, IMG is committed to providing employees with a high degree of flexibility. This decision has arisen from the need to provide employees with work-life balance.

One of the virtual elements that IMG has adopted relates to telecommuting. IMG provides employees with an opportunity to work from home by adopting digital technologies. The firm has developed a secure and effective database that can only be accessed by the employees.

The firms employees are thus in a position to work from home and submit reports online. Moreover, the firm has adopted the concept of virtual teams, which allows employees distributed in different parts of the US to work together as a team.

Conclusion

The above analysis shows that IMG has developed an effective organizational behavior. This goal has been achieved by taking into account the various elements of organizational behavior such as effective organizational communication, task delegation, fostering a high degree of emotional intelligence, and adopting digital technology in order to promote the employees experience.

Furthermore, the firm has incorporated diversity as one of its core strategic management practices.

References

Ferrell, O., & Fraedrich, J. (2009). Business ethics; ethical decision making and cases. New York, NY: Cengage Learning.

Insurance Marketing Group: Supporting agents in both the individual health and senior market. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.insmg.com/

Lussier, R., & Achua, C. (2009). Leadership; theory, application and skills development. New York, NY: Cengage Learning.

Magala, S. (2006). Cross cultural competence. London, UK: Psychology Press.