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 group’s 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 group’s activities.
Cohesive groups usually have high levels of performance since group members have active participation in the group’s 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 company’s 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 one’s own character and personality, power tactics and the basis of power predetermine one’s 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 company’s 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 leader’s 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 company’s staff, introducing a new system of values into the enterprise.
Organizational behavior refers to the study and appliance of information in relation on how people or else how groups operate in associations. Organizational behavior takes classification approach to construes people-association affiliations in requisites of the entire person, whole group, whole party as well as the as the whole societal scheme.
The principle aim of organizational behavior is to put together enhanced relations through attaining human goal, managerial objectives and also communal ambitions. Organizational behavior can also be described as the study of entities and their behavior inside the context in an organization in an agency locale (Davis 1967).
In other words it is an interring punitive field that takes account of administration, psychology, sociology as well as communication.
There are various private companies inflowing the health care information field and hence leading to both positive and negative results. Some of the positive as well as negative consequences are elaborated below.
With the personal companies getting into the health care field there has been a lot of improvement on the services provided to the patients.
This engrosses the cost on patients that is by provision of more pleasant hospital foods and also improved parking (Newstrom 1993). There have also been enhancements in the use of contemporary information technologies and also in commerce practices in the health care schemes.
In Gary’s response, the health care is portrayed as affordable and efficient. The health care is useful to patients as it has introduced an appealing concerns with the patients portals through which the patient accesses the health vault. By this the private companies are definitely expected to commonly accepted arrangements.
On the other hand, the provider is also in a position to restrict his patient from accessing data from an external provider. With the private companies there has been ascertained baseline of data such as office notes as well as medications that ought to be provided to the patients for motivating payments for the providers.
In Malka’s response tries to elaborate further on the private companies and the domains of health care that are involved as well as the consequences of the private companies. The two domains explained includes the Private Health RECORDS and National Health Information Networks.
Personal Health Information Records composes of various submissions that help people bring together, deal with, scrutiny and also share copies their private health information. For fundamental civilization health care the health care consumers ought to be empowered by means of placing data directly on their hands also via engaging and absorbing them.
Milka responds by arguing that it is possible to systemize as well as to store customer’s health data online via Google health and Microsoft Health Volt thus making it easy to put together your medical records to the patient’s account from connected doctors’, pharmacies or even from various hospitals.
In addition these two can sort out in a single place the health of the whole family. Bailor had a vision of making health data available via network at anytime as well as anyplace.
In conclusion organizational behavior should be aimed at attaining the set out goal whether via a group of people in an association or by an entity. In case of drawbacks that may be encountered the companies or organizations involved should come up with a way of overcoming those (Revans 1982).
With the entrance of various private companies in the health field has lead to improvement of services offered to the patient as well as costs have been regulated. This is seen as a positive result coming along with the private companies entering in the health field.
References
Davis , K. (1967). Human relations at work: The dynamics of organizational behavior. 9th ed., New York: McGraw-Hill.
Newstrom, John W. & Davis, Keith (1993). Organizational Behavior: Human Behavior at Work. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Revans, R. W. (1982). The Origin and Growth of Action Learning. Hunt, England: Chatwell-Bratt, Bickley.
International trade, globalization, enhanced movement factors of production have resulted to diverse labor market where companies can deploy from countries different from their country of incorporation (home country).
Companies employing from diverse communities, societies, and nationality enjoy advantages brought about by diversity; however there are some challenges that come with managing diverse human capital. Workplace diversity is about creating an inclusive working environment, which incorporates people of different caste, nationality, gender, skin color, and ethnicity.
Other than the social and physical diversity, workplace diversity also incorporates differences in ideas, skills, perspectives, and backgrounds (Jackson, 1992). This paper discusses some of the factors that a company that values diversity need as far as organizational behavior is concerned.
Managing diversity
Human resources management has the role of ensuring that an orchestrate team is developed within its organization, when they are addressing diversity, human resources management are expected to understand the scope that the diversity is likely to be attained as well as the definition of diversity within their organizations.
Definition of what diversity within an organization can have different meanings depending with nature and industry of the particular company. For instance at Apple Inc, the world greatest electronic company, the definition of diversity include among others corporate culture, the crucial role of the human capital and global perspective; while other companies like Perisher Blue hotel in Australia defines diversity in the line of difference in cultures of employees and visitors.
After getting a clear meaning of diversity within an organization, the next crucial step is to manage human resources; the human resource department has the role of establishing the differences of beliefs, races, intellectualism and ideas among the team and aim at creating a team that incorporates the strength of the diverse human capital in teams.
An effective human resource manager should be able to combine the strengths and weak-points offered by diversity in a team such that they will reinforce each other and have a winning team.
This calls for a wide human resources research and putting on measures that can assist in determining what is best for the team. Some of the factors to consider when making efforts to know ones employees include their motivation, the way they handle situations, some cultural beliefs and the values that they uphold.
With the teams of the right combination in place, the next step is to motivate and blend the teams together; when blending them then coaching, mentoring and training on how they should be there to reinforce each other for the benefit of the company should follow.
Team members should be trained on how they should respect the views and beliefs of others, they should be meant to understand that people are different, thus their opinions, standpoints and views may be different; however, they can embrace the diversity of views for their own benefit.
When coaching members on how they should stay together, the main emphasis should be on respect to the other persons culture and way of life.
A company should have its own organizational culture that at times may seem to conflict the ethical culture and diversity within individual team members, the management should emphasis that organizational culture remains superior and should be followed within the organization regardless of whether its inline with one’s believe. With such structures, then human resources will respect each other and have a common source of identity, organizational culture (Borkowski, 2009).
Conclusion
Organizations require physical and human resources carry on their businesses; personnel must be managed professionally and their human fundamental rights and freedom respected despite their nationality, ethnicity, race, or cultural belief. The human resources department assisted by line managers has the mandate of ensuring that adequate employees are available at all times and have created a positive organizational behavior.
References
Borkowski, N. (2009). Organizational behavior, theory and design in healthcare. London: Jones and Bartlett.
Jackson, S. (1992). Diversity in the workplace: human resources initiatives. New York: The Guilford Press.
Negative work events at both, the new sales commission and at Datasil Inc., got different responses from the employees at both companies.
It’s quite clear that employees of Datasil Inc. are fully committed to their company from their response during the meeting with their bosses from the U.S. Old employees at the new sales commission are committed to the welfare of their company.
They have invented survival tactics to cope with changes implemented without their consent. Employees of the newly acquired organization show little or no commitment to the company.
Datasil’s employees are motivated. They look up at the acquisition with a lot of anticipation and are, in fact, willing to oversee a smooth integration of the parent company into the Canadian market. During the meeting, they actively participate in finding solutions for their problems.
Employees at the new sales commission are demotivated, especially after taking home no bonus while their counterparts pocket huge bonuses.
The employees of Datasil Inc. show a lot of job satisfaction. No one in the company is contemplating quit. On the other hand, the new team at Amtransport is largely dissatisfied with work.
Root Cause Analysis
Job satisfaction
In general sense, a job is supposed to elicit emotional state that results from the appraisal of one’s job experiences. This is what is termed as Job satisfaction. Workers at Amtransport are not satisfied.
This arises from the fact that the new workers who join the company are not taken through job training. The accounts Executives from the parent company have experience and adapt easily to the changes introduced by the management, thus have advantages over new employees.
The new employees used to work in a different fashion, and a sudden change caught them by surprise. Most of them only had experience in selling one product. The introduction of new directives for the three products did not rhyme well with what they already knew. This brought about job dissatisfaction.
Amtransport employees were not properly supervised and, therefore, no one noted that the new employees have a problem in adapting to the changes.
Salary, bonus, and commission systems may also have demotivated new workers resulting into their poor performance. Whereas their counterparts from the mother company received huge bonuses, almost all the 25 new account executives received nothing.
Because of poor integration of the competitor company into Amtransport, employees lacked the sense of ownership of the company. They did not possess affective commitment to their employer. No wonder that many of them were contemplating leaving.
There is no Autonomy in The new sales commission, a fact that leads to further dissatisfaction. Job autonomy means that the employees possess a certain degree of freedom, independence, and discretion.
The new sales commission has no feedback mechanism. Therefore, their work is not evaluated, and the information on how they are performing in their work does not reach the seniors directly.
Value-Percept Theory of Job Satisfaction contends that satisfaction in jobs depends on whether employees feel that their job supplies the thing that they value. Specific aspects of a given job are used by people to evaluate job satisfaction.
Pay satisfaction– The new sales commissioners were not satisfied with their payment. The bonus and commission systems were unachievable to the new employees and therefore, they earned less than they expected.
Employees at Datasil Inc. were happy with their payment, especially after they were promised payment increase. This value perception increased their job satisfaction, and no one would be willing to quit with such a high expectation.
When people joined Datasil Inc., there were high hopes of promotion, but later people realized that they would stack in their routinized jobs for quite a long time. The takeover presented them with new hopes and filled them with anticipation.
The new management had already offered an upgraded workstation to each of the Canadian employees. This move really made those at the meeting quite motivated. Their commitment to this company saw them participate in the discussion with a positive attitude like we saw.
Another core aspect of value-percept theory has to do with satisfaction supervision. Senior managers at the new sales commission were those who headed the parent company. They lacked a personal touch with the new employees. No team building activities or party were held.
The workers felt that their bosses were incompetent, isolated, and bad communicators. On the other hand, top managers at Datasil Inc. actively participate in decision making in the Canadian company, the new departmental managers are friendly and decisions are made openly.
Communication in Datasil Inc. is laterally as opposed to the vertical communication at Amtransport. This created job satisfaction at Datasil Inc., while at the sales commission, job dissatisfaction was very high.
Satisfaction with the work itself-this should reveal the feelings of the employees about their specific work. It includes whether their jobs are challenging or uncomfortable. In both the companies, satisfaction with the work itself is rather low.
Employees at Datasil Inc. are disgruntled with the new directives that are ultimately resulting in customer dissatisfaction. Delays in delivery are now more common than ever, and the company is likely to be losing to competitors. Those at The new sales commission have no experience or training the responsibility they are handling.
Coworker satisfaction- old Amtransport employees at the new sales commission strategize swiftly when new directives are given. They share on how to share their strengths to ensure each one of them reaps from the new measures. However, they do very little to share their strategies with their new co-workers.
When the bonuses are paid, they reap heavily, while their new co-workers take home nothing. This acts to dissatisfy the new team leading to quits. Likewise, the Datasil Inc. employees mind about each other’s welfare. Mr. Baker is particularly concerned about his employees who he says are unhappy due to their orders delays.
Organizational commitment
Organizational commitment may occur in any of the three forms; affective commitment, continuance commitment, or normative commitment.
Affective commitment
Employees at Datasil Inc. were promised salary increments which are likely to increase their commitment to the company. They also anticipated and were enthusiastic about the new management style.
The promise of more autonomy from the parent company is likely to make them motivated and thus, show more commitment to the organization. The Datasil Inc. employees are likely to remain in the company because they want to. This type of commitment shown by Datasil Inc. employees is what is termed as affective commitment.
Continuance commitment
This is the desire to remain in the organization due to emotional attachment, and involvement with that company. If an employee with Datasil Inc. chose to resign, he or she would have to part with all the promises that come with the takeover.
Normative commitment
Following the takeover, the new top management at Datasil Inc. actively solicited the views and the opinions of the employees. Meetings were held to assist in resolving any arising problems. Such a move is likely to create a sense of ownership in employees.
The employees had a desire to promote a smooth integration of the U.S. Company into the Canadian market. They showed a normative commitment because they felt part and parcel of Datasil Inc. These commitments combine to create psychological attachment.
The attendance of Datasil Inc. employees in an informal cocktail with their local and the U.S heads boosted their flowing commitment to the company. An informal party increases the bonds that link employees together and can only be equated to mentoring and team building programs.
On the other hand, Amtransport did little to inspire employees in the newly acquired competitor employees.
There were no incentives such as promises for better salaries and good working conditions, instead of understanding the market first, the new management, which had no experience in ground services, took the chance in the acquisition process to restructure the sales department and the commission system.
The salaries paid to the account executives were below the industry standards that did little to encourage commitment. The bonus system was also discriminatory in that it was based on core products, whereas the acquired company operated under geographical division. Rather than consult, the senior management assumed almost everything.
A situation like this demoralizes employees making them feel unimportant and less valuable. As such, they lack job satisfaction which lowers their commitment to the organization. Unsatisfied employees will always want to quit.
Whereas Datasil Inc. employees have been given autonomy (freedom, independence, and discretion to individuals performing the work), those at Amtransport have not the slightest idea of what freedom tastes like. Responsibilities are heaped onto them without caring to listen to their views.
The new employees inherited from the acquired organization are not even inducted into the operations of the parent company. They are sent into the field to sell products they are not even familiar with.
There seems to be division among workers as the original Amtransport workers won’t share their secrets with the newly acquired account executives. Jobs at Amtransport lack key ingredients such as growth need strength, knowledge, and skills.
Motivation
Motivation is a set of energetic forces, both intrinsic and extrinsic, to the employee; it initiates work related effort, and determines direction, intensity and persistence. Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory refers to terms such as the working conditions and salary.
The theory states that when working conditions and salary are inadequate, employees tend to be dissatisfied. Improving on these factors alone does not however raise job satisfaction. According to Herzberg, achievement, recognition and responsibility tended to be associated with satisfaction. When people succeeded in their jobs, they attributed the characteristics to themselves.
Motivation has the tendency to increase competency. Very difficult goals are demotivating in a certain way. The motivational force emanating from expectancy is a powerful motivational variable for job performance.
Datasil Inc. management created a very high expectancy in their employees-the promise of pay increase, improved work stations, better communication methods, and greater autonomy and so on. These factors acted to increase their level of motivation which, in turn, precipitated to the positive attitude shown during the meeting.
The new sales commission new employees showed lack of motivation due to poor working conditions and inadequate bonus system. According to Herzberg, these two factors are very likely to result into dissatisfaction in employees.
Company’s policy and administration, poor supervision, and poor interpersonal relationships are other predisposing factors that lead to the dissatisfaction displayed by the new sales commission employees.
Recognition, the quality of work, and the responsibility handed to the Datasil Inc. employees increase job satisfaction. The possibility of salary increment and promotion are also pivotal in the attitude shown by the employees during the meeting.
Withdrawal Behavior
Workers in the two case studies reacted in one of the general four ways in response to the negative change in their respective organizations;
Voice: those from the Datasil Inc. opted to speak out their concern in a meeting convened to address concerns over loss of sales. Representatives from various departments aired out their concerns which were then discussed in the forum.
Discussions in the meeting are organized and individual do not play blame game. The participants were able to come up with a solution for their problem.
With the case of Amtransport, there was no communication from the senior executives. There was not direct contact between the top management and the junior staff. Problems go unsolved because the management rely more on assumption rather than real observation.
When several account executives resign, there is no inquest into their action, they are summarily ignored, and the change dubbed a success. Employees in Amtransport have no chance to speak.
Exit- nearly all the new employees at Amtransport are contemplating quit as they don’t have job satisfaction. There was no job training for the new employees, and because interactions are not encouraged, there is no opportunity to learn from each other. This is despite the fact that Amtransport bonus system is the best in the market.
Neglect- most of the new employees remaining at Amtransport are showing neglect. They would like to leave but have nowhere else to go to. They are buying time to see if the situation will improve or they find alternative jobs. Their motivation has decreased to very low levels due to conditions at the workplace.
Recommendations
To create job satisfaction, the senior management at Amtransport should consider reviewing the bonus system to foster equal chances. The new employees should be offered training to match their co-workers who are already far much ahead. Salaries should also be harmonized to reflect trends in the market.
To increase commitment, the managers should consider installing proper supervision measures so that the correct picture of the happening on the ground is reflected. Consultations are an important part of any decision making process; the managers should consider consulting with the employees to avoid losing valuable employees.
Team building programs are essential if co-worker satisfaction is to be achieved in Amtransport. The company (Amtransport) should consider lateral communication to improve on information dissemination.
The management at Amtransport should solicit feedback from employees about how their assignments can be made more satisfying.
Organizational behavior is a section of study that is closely associated with the study of individuals and occurrences within an organization. It entails interrelations amid individuals within a given association and the nature of an existent interrelationship within varied organizations.
Structurally, the constituent factors of an organization are the individuals pooled from dissimilar sections and enable the organization realize its preset goals and objectives. The divergent roles undertaken by these differing individuals within the margins of the organizational structure cumulatively defines the organization’s behavior.
Evidently, there is a deeper association between the individuals within an organization and the obvious organizational behavior. This essay attempts to unravel this relationship through an exploration the driving factors behind an individual behavior. It borrows heavily from observations made within RBS citizens.
Pilati & Tosi (2011) observe that the key driving factor to an individual includes motivation, ability, role perception as well as situational factors. Motivation is a critical factor for individual excellence in any given setting. According to Furnham (2005), motivation is a multidimensional construct internal to an individual.
Reportedly, both “internal and external factors” influence motivation (Furnham, 2005). Furnham (2005) observes that career identity is a reference to the level of significance and individual accords his career. Reportedly, it is a function of the degree of work participation as well as level of desire for upward mobility.
Both career resilience and insight are significant pointers of the level of dedication an individual accords to career. Furthermore, they show individual resistance to career disruptions amid recurrence of under optimal circumstances. Evidently, the level of motivation of an individual directly relates to both the portrayed behavior and quality of the tasks executed. Within RBS, this is evident especially in the sales section where lowly motivated individuals records minimal sales.
According to Pilati & Tosi (2011), individual ability is the personage aptitude to execute delegated duties and functions within the organizational set up.
Ability presented in terms of both the assessment results of individual worth as well as the intrinsic capacity to perform given tasks. Additionally, the individual ability comprises two sections which include the personage intellectual and physical aptitude.
Pilati & Tosi (2011) observe that intellectual aptitude is an individual capacity to execute mental functionalities. Consequently, physical capacity is associated with potency, physical stamina and condition. In recognition of the significance of this factor, RBS delegates duties that are within the individual ability. This has appreciably minimized losses compounded with improving sales. Similarly, it has increasingly enhanced the individual motivation levels.
In Pilati & Tosi (2011), role perception is the recognition of the particular behavioral attributes expected of an individual occupying a given organizational position or a societal position. In this context, there is need for an individual perception and outright comprehension of role from external source before a subsequent individual assumption.
Pilati & Tosi (2011) describes situational factors as comprising all organizational in-house and external considerations and are inclusive of all social fiscal, budgetary, and periodic factors of the association. Budgetary and fiscal factors in conjunction other related factors are determinant of the levels of individual rewards and extent of organizational needs. Every association has social policies which describes the manner of individual behavior both within and outside the organization.
Organizational ethical codes and Individual characteristics
RBS has stipulated ethical codes that are cognizant of individual characters. Evidently, the process of hiring personnel ensures the absorption of individuals with established abilities, right motivational levels, with proven role perception as well as individuals with excellent records and proven characters. Nonetheless, human behavior is has the capacity to considerably modify with environmental influence, (Furnham, 2005).
RBS recognizes these facts and has over the years devised proven methodologies for correcting undesirable results emanating from poor individual characters. RBS uses such methods like salary appraisals and bonuses to aid in individual motivations. Additionally, delegation of duties within RBS is within the individual aptitude to ensure excellent results. Role perception and situational factors are massively significant as they are principal factors in the realization of excellent outcomes.
References
Furnham, A. (2005). The psychology of behavior at work: The individual in the organization. Philadelphia, PA: Psychology press
Pilati, M. & Tosi, H. (2011). Managing organizational behavior: Individual, Teams, Organization and Management. Massachusetts, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing.
Organizational behavior is a study of the human behavior in an organization which covers various topics such as decision making, motivation, conflict resolution, leadership and many more which are aimed at improving maximum performance of human resource.
This unit in Health Care presents a mutual understanding of individual and group behavior within the health care structure settings. The essential learnt gives the human resource manager a critical approach in understanding related workplace problems and dynamics, hence enabling the health care organization to achieve success via job satisfaction and total productivity (Griffith & White, 2007).
To enhance service delivery and implementations of quality improvements in public sector, certain theories have to be applied and these include the Six Sigma theory. As an implementer of this theory, you are uniquely placed to steer your implementations successfully, and it requires from you to be proactive.
Exercise simplicity in the theory execution; retain clear standards for project scope and focus. It assists in data analysis and defect detection which later finds a long lasting solutions (Tia, 2011).
PDSA theory is used in organizations, planning and manipulating expected performance, a manager uses it to implement and try to compare predictions of the results in the health care sector.
Discussion 1
Health care quality improvement was established to measure and ensure patients to receive quality clinical attention from the heath care facilities around the United State (Borkowski, 2009). These several formulas were used to monitor behavior amongst the health care sectors.
PDCA theory is a four step management strategy used in organization management to control and oversee systematic improvement of processes.
Plan; PLANNING the desired objectives and processes necessary to reach the set goals and improvements.
DO; in this stage you implement the plan.
CHECK the actual results and evaluate from the expected results.
Act, this is the last step where you analyze the differences between and determine what the causes of the outcome are.
Theory of decision making; It deals with concentration on how decisions should be reached at, how thinkers make their final judgment, and it is aims at improving the decision making. The other one is the Incentive theory which is mainly focused on employee’s compensation and alignment of the owner’s goal with the employee’s goal (Tia, 2011).
Discussion 2
Various reports in the United State have raised very serious doubts on the quality of the health care offered to the American. This led to a Crossing the Quality Chasm which addressed an urgent need to change the quality gap which existed and explored how the system approach can be used to implement changes in health care sector.
To address this need, several tools, theories and strategies were applied. I have revisited some of them.
Information Technology; The use of information and communication technology in the health care improves access to the information and supports a decision making process.
Child Health Tool box; this is an online system used to monitor child health programs and ensure quality and availability of medical care to the toddlers.
Poka-yoke theory is used to detect mistakes and also anticipate avoiding errors, as you correct them as they happen.
Six Sigma; it mainly focuses on variation reduction which amounts to a balanced output in the health sector through defining, measuring, analyzing, improving and controlling the management outcomes.
References
Borkowski, N. (2009). Organizational Behavior, Theory, and Design in Health Care. Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett.
Griffith, J., & White, K. (2007). The Well-Managed Healthcare Organization. Chicago: Health Administration Press.
Tia, B. (2011). How to Evaluate Motivation Theories & Conflict Management Strategies Used in the Workplace. eHow Journal, 8622629. Web.
Organizational ethics as a product of societal, professional and individual moral values
The examination and appraisal of business choices concerning moral aspects range from the societal to individual perspectives. In essence, ethical conflicts arise in organizations due to divergent opinions and interests emanating from the firm’s management, personnel and society. In principle, in the operations of a firm, the professionals have a duty of ensuring that the business receives higher revenues through sincere business practices.
The professionals should also take into account the safety and environmental implications of the business operations. Most importantly, the organization has a responsibility of giving back to the society through social corporate responsibility, safeguarding the environment, avoiding child labor and corruption. Concerning individual ethics, organization’s personnel have a duty of adhering to the rules governing practices and conducts of the organization.
Compromising ethical behaviors has various implications. For instance, the business can incur huge expenses through elimination of dangerous emissions to the atmosphere. Additionally, the organization’s relationship with vendors can be severed since the business would require suppliers to maintain the required standards throughout the delivery chain.
Continuous wrangles between company’s returns and adherence to the moral codes will be a major occurrence. Actually, it is evident that the codes, norms and standards governing the smooth operations of an organization emanate from the values and morals exhibited by individuals, professionals and the general society.
Ways in which organizations create value and influence stakeholders
The successes of any organization depend on the manner in which the firm influences investors, personnel, suppliers and the society through creation of worth. In this regard, the business achieves value by attaining equilibrium between the environmental as well as societal obligations and proceeds. In addition, through the utilization of client relationship management, companies are capable of attaining efficient promotional activities through interactions with the targeted customers.
In reality, the business also gives back to the society through corporate programs thereby attracting the interests of various stakeholders. Moreover, through collaborations with vendors in the delivery chain, businesses are capable of reducing expenses, amplifying the worth of clients as well as improving the environmental conditions. The result is enhanced relations with the stakeholders.
Entrepreneurial spirit is critical in creating value as well as influencing stakeholders by propelling collective modernization and reengineering in diverse business segments. In addition, entrepreneurial spirit supports the creation of economic and societal worth to the various stakeholders through a paradigm that involves responsibility, innovation, teamwork, environmental responsiveness and partnerships between different stakeholders and the business.
In fact, the spirit is invaluable in the identification of appropriate business ideas as well as training stakeholders on business operations and leadership. Creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship are elements that create value and help the organization achieve competitive advantage.
Resource dependency theory and the inter-organizational linkages
Resource dependency theory asserts that the resources are not often available fully for the organizations. The theory is based on the ability of an organization to source for resources from external environment. In most cases, sources of external resources are other firms, donors and business-to-business partnerships. Among the external sources of firms’ resources, business partnerships are the commonly applied strategies for sustaining the inflow of external resources.
According to the theory, organizations form inter-linkages due to the scarcity of resources. In the context of the theory, resources are multidimensional ranging from labor to materials.
The formulated relationships are either symbiotic or competitive. However, most inter-organizational relationships are symbiotic in which both parties benefit. In most cases, organizations depend on each other either as customers or suppliers. Symbiotic relationships are managed through many ways including tactical alliances, mergers and acquisitions as well as co-optations.
Strategic alliance is utilized by organizations to manage symbiotic relationships. The reason is that strategic alliances are critical in building the company’s reputation. Strategic alliances include continuing deals, formation of networks, combined business enterprise as well as minority ownerships.
Essentially, strategic alliances in the management of symbiotic relations enhance appropriate means of sharing resources among several companies. Formal agreements such as long-term contracts as well as joint ventures are relationships that are strong as well as offer tight controls of the activities undertaken jointly. Such formal strategic alliances are appropriate means of sharing resources during scarcity of environmental wealth.
Differentiation within organizations
Work organizations or explicit formal organizations undergo various processes during their formation, growth and development. One of the processes is differentiation. Differentiation occurs when structures are marked out across distinct functions, authority and occupations.
In other words, differentiations in formal organizations occur in various components including occupational, hierarchical and functional. Differentiation is critical particularly when the size of an organization increases. As an organization’s size enlarges, various functions need definite roles as well as specialization. Put differently, various functions must be defined in terms of departments as the roles and responsibilities increases.
Essentially, as an organization increases in size, differentiation occurs along several lines or functions. Similarly, as the organization size increases, differentiation occurs along administrative components that affect coordination. Differentiations are critical in specifying roles of various departments as well as enhancing the management of the organization.
The differentiation in terms of functional definition is the horizontal differentiation while in terms of administration and coordination is the vertical differentiation. Studies indicate that horizontal differentiation is often a slow process while vertical differentiation produces hierarchical administrative structures.
As indicated, differentiation in organizations occur both horizontally or vertically. Horizontal differentiation occurs across the organizational functions. In other words, horizontal differentiation is the process in which the functions of the organization are separated into subunits.
On the other hand, vertical differentiations occur when the authority, roles and responsibilities are divided along the hierarchical lines. Vertical differentiation results in hierarchical structures where authority and decision-making processes can be either centralized or decentralized. Vertical differentiations are often fast as opposed to horizontal differentiation, which occurs at a slow rate.
The manner in which centralization, standardization and horizontal differentiation affects the shape of the organization
An organization may take many design dimensions. Besides, an organization may be defined in terms of formalization, centralization, specialization, standardization, complexity as well as hierarchical complexity. Centralization is the level in which the top management of the organization is responsible for decision-making processes.
In other words, all decisions are made at the top. The decisions are then trickled down the hierarchical ladder to the junior staff for implementation and reports back to the top management. The movement of information from the top to the junior staff determines the shape of the organization. Under the circumstances where there is slow flow of information, the organizations may take the form of short hierarchical structures. Short vertical structures are achieved through getting rid of various sections in the central reporting structure.
Standardization is the tactical approach to the work processes of an organization. The procedures through which work processes are accomplished determine the shape of the organization.
In situations where the work processes are to be undertaken in a short time and in a more fashionable way, the organizations need to adopt structures that are more horizontal. In other words, organizations that value standards adopt structures that enhance the attainment of the principles. On the other hand, in the circumstances that the standards are not valued, long hierarchical structures are likely to be adopted.
Horizontal differentiation is the situation where organizations expand along functional lines. In other words, organizations increase its functions and roles along the same line. Organizations that are integrated horizontally in terms of decisions and functions are always slow in their expansion process and in most cases small in relation to vertically integrated organizations.
Values, norms and cultures determine the organizations’ designs. The organizations’ designs are based on the beliefs, rules as well as the goals and strategies of the organization. The norms and values together with culture are derived from the organizations’ external environment.
In most cases, the external environment determines the organizations structure as either mechanistic or organic. In the mechanistic structure, organizations are designed according to the structural activities, specialized responsibilities as well as centralized decision-making process. Conversely, in the organic structure, organizations are designed in terms of teamwork, decentralized decision-making process as well as open communication.
The importance of differentiation in building formal structures
Differentiation process occurs in almost all formal organizations. Whether vertical, horizontal or spatial, differentiation is critical in the coordination of the work processes. Most importantly, differentiation is highly required in specialization of the organizational functions. Specialization in work processes across various functional units requires high coordination for the attainment of the organizational goals.
Even though there are many forms of differentiation, employees in diverse work units have the tendency of developing personal views on the goals of the organization. The diverse views of employees on the objectives of an organization result in differences that affect the general organizational processes, which in effect hinder the attainment of the organizations’ goals.
Therefore, large organizations where work processes are highly specialized require increased coordination. In essence, differentiation is needed to increase the effectiveness and efficiency required to attain the organization’s goals.
Most large and formal organizations are differentiated in terms of functions, authority and geographical dispersion. However, the processes of differentiation are not limited to the work or formal organization. Differentiations also occur in many forms and processes within the informal organizations. For instance, spatial differentiation occurs in informal organization.
The span of control refers to the creation of authority in the management process. In other words, the concept refers to the spectrum of control in terms of employees by the manager. Whereas integration refers to the combination of all the departments and functions of an organization, differentiation is the definition of functions and authority.
In all aspects, there are employees responsible for the implementation of integration and differentiation processes. The employees are under the supervision of the manager or controlled by the assigned supervisor. In other words, the employees have to report to the supervising authority.
Past experiences with the workplace culture
Businesses should create good relations with the customers. Good relationship encompasses a variety of activities ranging from providing quality products to close attention to the needs of the clients. In fact, a good relation, which is one of the organizational cultures that enhance innovativeness and creativity as well as provision of value to the customers, is critical for the success of the firm.
Clients often have close associations with organizations that value quality and provide products or services beyond the expectations. In addition, diversity is another cultural element, which is critical for the growth and development of the company. Currently, most companies go beyond diversity and innovativeness to adopt new cultural dimensions such as corporate social responsibility.
However, diversity has become part of the corporate culture such that both subordinates and management have embraced the dimensions including gender, physical orientations and individual cultural background. Embracing diversity within the organizations’ workforce has increased benefits. In fact, diversity within the workforce enables the company have increased competitive advantage.
Personnel with diverse cultural, language, skills, educational and leadership background characterize variations found in the workforce. The heterogeneous workforce created by diversified backgrounds brings into the organization the skills and competence mix that contributes to the increased competitive edge.
The major differences between functional structure and multidivisional structures as well as reasons for the organizational alterations from functional to multidivisional structure
Functional structures are organizational designs in which employees are grouped according to the areas of their expertise. However, employees are categorized not only in terms of specialization but also according to the work experiences, use of similar resources as well as pursuance of similar organizational goals.
Most of the formal organizations adopt functional structures since nearly all work processes are specialized. In the production process, specialization plays a critical role. The production processes are divided according to various functions and employees are assigned tasks according to their specialized areas.
On the other hand, multidivisional structure is an organizational design in which employees are grouped according to various divisions or departments. For instance, employees are grouped according to the finance, production and operations departments. In addition, functions are categorized according to various departments. For instance, various organizational functions are found within the finance department.
There are numerous reasons that explain the change of the organization from the functional structure to multidivisional structure. As the organization grows, there is need to increase skills and technological capabilities. Second, there is pitiable contact of employees in various departments.
Third, there are difficulties in evaluating workers since employees are exposed to similar standard measures. In other words, developing a parameter that measures every employee’s output is difficult. Fourth, the management is highly concerned with administrative matters. Multidivisional structure provides solutions to the problems associated with functional organization design.
Effects of technological complexity on the organizational structure
In the modern world, the utilization of innovative expertise influences the growth and direction of the firm. In other words, innovative technological complexity is invaluable in augmenting performance and yields of the company.
For instance, internet expertise is significant in carrying out studies on the development of products as well as business ideas regarding the goods and services online. Further, through the knowledge of internet technology, reengineering of the company’s products is inevitable leading to better and valuable goods and services to the clients.
Technology is also essential in the development of various contemporary infrastructures that are of value in the transformation of the company’s products and services. In principle, the infrastructures are valuable in the production of prototypes that test the functionality of the expertise. The alterations of certain attributes of the firm’s products attain more appeal to the customers. Moreover, technology makes the production, reduction of expense, forecasting initiatives and statistical programs efficient.
As a result, the organizations purchase tendency of goods and services provides the executive with clear insights on the amount of products that the company should produce and the expected yields. Essentially, technological complexity within the organization brings about innovativeness in product creation and execution of business processes.
Core competencies that provide an organization with competitive advantage
Core competencies are the capabilities that an organization possesses and uses as its strength to produce goods or services with enhanced satisfaction to the customers. An organization possesses several competencies. However, each organization has own unique core competencies.
The core competencies are the sources of distinctions existing between the organizations. Most of the core competencies include technology, highly skilled employees, organization structure and design, products and services, management, resources and the organization brand. Organizations utilize the core competencies to create products and services that are different from firms operating in the same industry.
Core competencies such as technology enable the organizations to differentiate their products from competitors. For instance, technology enables innovation, market analysis, increased customers relationship as well as other functions that bring competitive advantage to the organization. Most of the organizations that take advantage of the available technology and ahead in terms of innovation always have competitive advantage over similar firms.
Functional strategies are found at the level of departments such as finance, marketing and operations. In most cases, functional level strategies ensure that each function of the organization supports the attainment of the organizational goals. In other words, the strategies within various departments support the business in attaining its goals.
Essentially, functional strategies must be oriented towards the attainment of the organizational goals. Examples of functional strategies of an organization include marketing strategies, financial strategies and operations strategies. All these functional strategies must support the overall business processes.
Decline of organizations and steps undertaken by the leaders to sustain growth
Most organizations decline because they fail to deliver quality goods and services to the consumers. Actually, the provision of substandard goods and services to the economy leads to less purchases and lower proceeds. As a result, the business declines gradually due to accumulation of expenses and debts. Conversely, in order to prevent further decline, businesses have to put measures that ensure growth. Measures such as availing large quantities of products in the market result in increased returns leading to the growth of the business.
The firms must consider the groundwork for sales as well as come up with the list of the sales operations in the management of transactions. As a result, the firm achieves growth through elimination of unnecessary expenses and frustrations in their undertakings. Additionally, increased focus on the causality as opposed to over-focusing on close examination of sales enhances the efficiency of operations.
Moreover, companies invest large amounts of capital in developmental aspects such as infrastructure and other operation models. Companies also employ proficient personnel with the necessary skills that are invaluable in the management of the firm. Further, the firm’s remuneration policy should reward the employees commensurate to productivity in order to reduce excess costs incurred as salaries and wages.
Differences between evolutionary change and revolutionary change
Evolutionary change involves steady alterations realized in the company’s products and services over a given duration. For instance, the alterations that are made in the interior as well as exterior hotel blueprint are examples of evolutionary change. Actually, hotel management has constantly changed the design to suit the current market situations or needs.
In essence, the business must continue altering products design to attract and retain customers. Additionally, the Coca cola Company has experienced remarkable evolution in the design of coke bottles in order to suit the market needs. The evolutionary alterations have resulted in the attraction and sustenance of numerous clients.
On the other hand, revolutionary change is unexpected and rapid alterations in the services and products of an organization. Acquisitions or incorporations occurring between companies are revolutionary changes that have far-reaching and abrupt implications on the products, services as well as employees.
For instance, in the event that Nokia takes over Samsung, the work unit from Samsung Company will feel the abrupt impact of the takeover since they will be forced to adhere and get familiar with the new codes and rules as well as the products of the Nokia Company. In fact, the personnel will face obstacles of getting familiar with Nokia’s visions.
The relationship between creativity, entrepreneurship, innovation and their importance in building a knowledge creating organization
Creativity is the capacity of the organization to come up successfully with solutions to the existing or rising problems. Creativity within the organization is critical source of competitive advantage particularly in fast varying situations. Innovation is the capability of the company to come up with new ideas, products or services. In addition, innovation refers to the ability of the company to invent new products or make improvements on the existing products and services.
Entrepreneurship is the ability of the organization to take advantage of the opportunities arising from the market. Organizations that are capable of turning their products or services into marketable opportunities are said to be entrepreneurial. Creativity is critical for entrepreneurs. The reason is that creativity forms the first step in the innovation process. Additionally, creativity stimulates the discovery of new opportunities. Therefore, there is close linkage between creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship provide core competencies through which organizations generate competitive advantage. The concepts provide processes through which the organization bring about alterations and generate values as well as taking advantage of the existing opportunities. In essence, all the processes of the organization that are knowledge based depend on the concepts of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Relationship between quantum and incremental technological change
Quantum technological modification refers to rapid as well as momentous initial alterations in expertise that are critical to the growth and development of the organization. In other words, quantum technological change refers to the abrupt advancement and development of expertise that existed.
Incremental technological changes are steady modifications of expertise from one type to another over a period. For instance, the changes realized in the cell phone industry characterized by ever-increasing technological advancements ranging from pager technology in the 1950s to the current Smartphone technology. The pagers have continuously undergone modifications through PDAs with the latest technology being Smartphones.
The technological changes are significant in the operations of businesses in a number of ways. First, the companies are capable of gaining competitive advantages over rivals. The competitive advantages are achieved through the production of innovative and quality products as well as services.
For example, quantum is imperative in the development of new products that can be launched in the market without direct competition from other companies. On the other hand, incremental technological changes enable firms to develop insights on the customers’ reactions towards new products. As a result, the firms are capable of providing value as well as products that go beyond the needs of customers.
The organizational structure and cultural influence on subunits
The choices corporations make concerning operations depend on the structure and culture of the organization. In addition, the decisions concerning the organizational designs are imperative in the effortless assessment of such structures. In fact, having ideas on roles eliminates confusion as well as poor verdicts among employees in the workplace.
Additionally, executive segments and pecking order of decision makers are invaluable in making business operations efficient, which result into optimal outcomes. In general, definite organizational structure offers different dimensions in business, which is characterized by high performance and optimal results. In other words, organizational structure produces functional units with definite roles and functions that optimize performances.
On the other hand, organizational culture is derived from the values as well as moral codes guiding the operations of the firm. Aspects relating to authority emanating from connections, acquaintance and advantages are important elements influencing subunits. For instance, organizational structure and subunits depend on the knowledge of personnel in higher positions.
Actually, in companies exhibiting top-down arrangement, the knowledge of new recruits regarding the organization’s management provides competitive advantage. In essence, the recruits are presented with the prospects of getting the job and special treatment. Organizational structure creates subunits that functions depending on the cultural values of the organization.
The importance of maintaining a balance of power between different groups of organizational stakeholders
Power within an organization is the source of resolutions to rising conflicts between various groups. Organizational power arises from various sources including the need to control resources and information. Besides, centrality, non-substitutability, authority as well as self-effacing are type of organizational power.
Powers within organizations are characterized by increased benefits in form of remunerations and privileges. In addition, attainment of power is a form of satisfying personal ego, which is one of the significant needs of an individual. As such, individuals as well as groups within the organization will strive to gain certain degree of authority. The need for control of the organization also originates from the organizational politics. In other words, organizational politics enhance individual power.
The manner in which politics is dispensed differs across various organizations. In some organizations, the dispensation of politics entails the enhancement of non-substitutability and self-effacing power while in others, employees create close association with the top management.
Developing and executing partnerships as well as having influence on major decisions are also means through which individual employees show political capabilities. Essentially, balance of power between different groups is necessary in the management of conflicts. Moreover, power balance is required to make politics and influence useful to the organization.
Basic control process engages careful sought of information on a certain system processes, and people so as to make sound decision about the subject matter. Basic control process assumes that there is an expected mode of behavior and that there is some managing function that performs to produce that expected mode of conduct.
This model encompasses many things from social processes ruled by a regulating control organ to automated manufacturing models. In all instances, a common feature is that some ascertainment of the real processes tendencies is evaluated against the expected process tendency. Organizations engage business control process concept in their operations to effectuate their operations (Williams & McWilliams 2010).
The ultimate objectives of the basic process control are: to enable the university maximize on profits and academic efficiency by cutting down administration overheads; improve products quality; optimize the University academic capacity; improve customer satisfaction; enhance product delivery within time according to customer’s specifications; and to build the schools’ goodwill in its employees and in the industry too.
In service industry the process control is a more complex concept due to the various process interactions. Processing, properties of finished goods, yield, and returns, depend on a number of variables and their multifaceted interaction that is usually misunderstood or categorized. Due to the numerous stages involved in processing and the unexpected complication of the interactions, the university must adopt more powerful tools such as, statistical process control, to ensure that it achieves the objectives of the process control.
The academic sector is very risky as there is a lot of uncertainty in the process so the main concern of the university is to reduce inconsistency in the process since it cannot be eliminated completely. Control processes in the university is used by the managing administration to carefully observe the activities and operation of a certain project in order to ensure that the project is being carried out well under the specific requirements of the work.
Thus by so doing, the organization is in a better position to ensure that any errors or difficulties arising in the course of implementing a certain project are quickly spotted and the necessary measures taken early to correct the matter. However, it is quit impossible for the management to monitor each and every project in an organization, thus the need for them to come up with efficient control methods to keep each and every project running smoothly.
The university has implemented various control process to ensure that campus’ projects are well run. The campus management uses budgets in its control process.
By use of the budgets the school sets objectives in its expenditure by matching the campus income with the expenditure for a certain period. Therefore for the rest of the period the campus is expected to adhere itself to the stipulated budget. In addition, the campus management uses variance reports and performance evaluation techniques for example; balance score card in its control process.
In setting up control processes the following four steps are put into consideration: first step is formulating standards to ascertain achievement of the university. In a university master strategy plan, directors specify objectives for the university divisions in certain, operation terms, that is, the standard of performance. Second is ascertaining the actual performance of the firm through formal reports to measure achievements of the managers.
Third step is comparing actual achievement with the standards. Managers are expected to develop performance reports to show if the university meets, exceeds, or fails to achieve the standards. This is done by comparing the actual operations and the standards and calculating the variation. Fourth step is taking corrective action. If the university experiences variances in its results, the managers should define the areas of change if needed and implement the decisions taken (Neville, 1989).
The statistical process control (SPC) in the university’s’ operations help in characterizing university processes, ascertaining its inherent inconsistency, monitoring if or not the processes are under well managed and optimizing functions of the management.
It therefore focuses on academic institutions which requires the university to consider various models of the statistical process control for effectual implementation of the system, these include: the inconsistency is inevitable in the industry and the university should identify and reduce the inconsistency; there are processes interactions which must be clearly understood; the system requires technical expertise for successful implementation; the managers should be well versed with the SPC; and characterizing the processes by measuring the inconsistency in the operations (Frahme 2002).
There are also alternative options available to the university in cases where control processes are inapplicable or where the implementations impact negatively to the university. Control processes should integrate all the actions of the employees and non staff members to ensure harmony in running organization projects. In addition, the organization can provide a structure that does not embrace measuring the staff performance but offering guidelines to them in carrying out their mandate.
However, the control processes have often led to irrational and ineffective behaviours in an organization as opposed to enhancing performance of the organisation. Due to increasing pressure on the staff members to meet certain expectations, dysfunctional behaviours have cropped up to counter the pressure mounted to them. There has been an increase in organisation bureaucracy as the staffs opt for easier methods to achieve the targets.
Also, there has been resistance from some workers who feel that their freedom and workplace rights are being infringed upon. This behaviour is detrimental to the success of the university due to the implemented control processes as opposed to the performance they ought to bring. Therefore, control processes should be tailored towards ensuring that an individual person or a group can ascertain that the other person or group is working towards achieving the set forth standards of the university.
Control processes in the university are also used to observe the performance and operations of the university’s projects to ensure that the projects are being carried out under the specific requirements of the work.
Thus by so doing, the organisation is in a better position to ensure that any errors or difficulties arising in the course of implementing the projects are quickly spotted and the necessary measures taken early to correct the matter. There is also some diversity in the different control processes. Therefore the more complex or result oriented a university is, the more stringent their control processes will be (Wiley Publishing, 2008).
The process control concept assumes that if the university cannot measure its performance, subsequently, it cannot control its operations. Before the university can evaluate and eventually manage control process inconsistencies, it must measure the characteristics that distinguish its processes.
Even though the measurement model takes some extent of inconsistency to the information applied in characterizing the processes. Also for effective process control, the university information must be readily available and well analyzed and this is made easier by use of information technology platforms such as, databases and spreadsheets. The organization needs to put into consideration the absolute volume of information it collects, how vital it is, and how it is stored for reference (Williams & McWilliams 2010).
Therefore control process is the ultimate connection in the functional authority and management of the university since deviations in the place cannot be avoided.
All projects and activities are usually carefully planned and the expected standards set moreover, all expected stakeholders in the project are directed and encouraged accordingly but besides that, deviations are still bound to occur in the running of the project. By implementing an efficient control process, it will assist the university’s management in monitoring and avoiding any hurdles and deviations that are bound to occur in the project thereby assisting the university achieve its goals at the end.
Control processes are implemented at the initial part of a project and is dependent on the way through which different activities in the project have been assigned to the members involved in the process. Thereby by doing so, the stakeholders involved in the process are prevented from deviating from the desired results or avoiding abuse of authority by them. Hence control processes are vital in the smooth completion of projects as it assists in maintaining the objective initially set and the discipline required in a project.
Conclusion
This research is based on the study of controls and appropriate literature has been used in order to provide appropriate information on the application of controls in a university offering academic services to the public in general. There are many types of control processes that have been implemented in the university and the efficiency, benefits and demerits of the control processes have been critically discussed and analyzed.
Reference List
Frahme, CE 2002, ‘Process Control: Basic Process Control Concepts’, Ceramic Industry, no. 4, pp. 2-5.
Neville, M 1989, Fault management in process control, ‘Journal of American psychological Association’, vol. 32(11), pp 1319-1342.
Wiley Publishing, Inc 2008, ‘The Organizational Control Process’, Principles of management, no. 2, pp. 21-35.
Williams, C. & McWilliams, A 2010, MGMT, Asia Pacific Edition, Cengage Learning, Melbourne.
Among the essential components of organizational structure and performance is communication. Communication acts as the prime mechanism through which integration and coordination of activities in an organization among the specific specialized units at various levels can be attained (Shannon & Weaver, 1949). Communication in an organizational setting can be either upward, horizontal, or downward (FAO, 2011).
Horizontal communication, which is used for connecting related functions, work units and segments in an organization, was used in Bradley Metals Company. It facilitated communication between superintendents, supervisors and machine operators. Downward communication also took place in this organization. Since it is a superior-subordinate communication, the superintendents had supervisors who worked under them and had operators to give instructions to (FAO, 2011).
Upward communication, which serves as a feedback system was also used. Operators were to report to the supervisors who would in turn report to the superintendent. However, some employees scratched other people’s cars. Shajan (2007) says that, this can be interpreted as a nonverbal way of sending messages of dissatisfaction to the management.
Analysis of Behaviour using Organizational Behaviour Theory
Organizational behaviour concerns itself with issues of how organizations affect individuals’ behaviour and how ultimately individuals influence the organization (Duncan, 2003). The American Brass Company used administrative theory put forward by Fayol whose elements are accomplishment of tasks (1999). Administrative theory embraces management principles and concepts of line and staff, committee and roles of management (Fayol, 1999).
In Bradley Metal Company, the management acknowledged the need for division of labour, authority and responsibility, discipline, unity of direction, and personnel remuneration. The distinctive feature of Bradley Metal Company was the concept of remuneration of personnel.
In this company, individuals were rewarded bonuses apart from their salaries and this was a motivation factor. Thus, individuals worked hard and would seldom waste time. This facilitated the concept of Esprit de corps among the employees and thus promoting efficiency (Fayol, 1999).
Adams Machine Tools Ltd. instituted some changes that offset the original balance within the organisation. They cancelled the bonuses thus demoralizing the employees. This in turn broke the Esprit de corps that employees had. Because of this, they became lazier. In spite of the management retaining their benefits, they took employees for granted.
The employees were not motivated anymore and did not feel like working hard to meet the goals of the company. Instead of working tirelessly, they wasted a lot of time during tea breaks, slept during night shifts and sometimes left machines running when they were not working.
Duncan (2003) points out that, one assumption of the modern behavioural scientists is that, human beings are unique with regard to deliberate behaviour. As such, whatever employees did was motivated by something. Dissatisfaction was the main motivating factor.
In general, these two companies used the modern organizational behaviour approach (administrative theory and systems theory). Differences occurred in adherence to some concepts like remuneration of personnel. This caused changes in attitude of the employees and led to dissatisfaction among the employees.
Nonetheless, using feedback loops found in the systems theory (Albrecht, 1983), the later company has managed to attain its objective by working over time. This is in contrary to the former where working overtime implied higher outputs. Thus, different employees show different work attitudes when working under different management styles due to the concepts of remuneration, that is, rewards and benefits (Shajan, 2007).
Reference List
Albrecht, K. (1983). New systems view of the organization: Organization development. New Jersey: Printice-Hall.
Duncan, W. J. (2003). Organizational behavior. Web.
Fayol, H. (1999). General and Industrial Management. London: Pitman.
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (2011). Management of agricultural research: A training manual. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/3/w7503e/w7503e03.htm
Shajan, S. (2007). Organization behavior. Sidney: New age international.
Shannon, C. E., & Weaver, W. (1949). The Mathematical Theory of Communication. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.