Wk2: Understanding attitudes, behaviors and thoughts
Wk2: Understanding attitudes, behaviors and thoughts.
Attitude is a settled way that one feels or thinks about something. Thus a job attitude is a way a person feels or thinks about a certain job. For instance, a graduate may have a bad attitude towards manual jobs or unskilled jobs. Behavior on the other hand is the way a person conducts oneself towards something or someone. Attitude influences the way a person behaves towards something or someone. For instance, a bad attitude towards the job of a toilet cleaner might make an individual mistreat or abuse a person who takes on the work. Finally, thoughts encompasses what we perceive when we hear, see or even interact with other persons.
Wk3: Understanding personality and the use of psychometric assessments in OB.
Personality can be explained to mean the distinct individual variations in behaving, feeling and thinking. For instance, is a person sociable or not? Psychometric assessments on the other hand refers to standard and scientific techniques that are utilized when measuring an individuals’ behaviour style and mental capabilities. Psychometric assessments are conducted on individuals so as to determine their fitness in a given role. For instance, if a person may undergo Psychometric assessments to determine whether they are suitable for the position of a government spokesperson.
Wk4: Understanding emotions and moods, and its effects within an organization.
The role of moods and emotions as an element of organizational strategy has been highly reviewed in the literature. In accordance with Ashkanasy and Cooper (2008) the use of emotions and moods as a criterion for developing an organization’s critical strategic decisions may set organizational activities in risk. It is explained that emotions and moods are not always proactive for organizations. For instance, agony and stress can negatively affect the development of an important organizational project. For this reason, it is suggested that the incorporation of emotions in organizational culture is carefully reviewed and evaluated. The above problem is also highlighted in the study of Zerbe (2010) where it is noted that ‘emotions in the workplace may be negative
Wk5: How humans perceive and interpret things.
The majority of psychological theories presuppose that human behaviour which at the first glance may seem unpredictable and spontaneous is in reality quite logical; and the reason for this behaviour only becomes obvious after analysing and understanding the deeply rooted processes that constitute its basis.
Whereas different scholars have made multiple attempts to explain the human behaviour using various approaches, dividing people into groups, personality types, finding explanations to different actions both “within” and “outside” the individual’s psychic sphere, etc., there has always been a question: to what extend can a human being remain objective while explaining the reasons for another human’s behaviour?
Wk3: Understanding personality and the use of psychometric assessments in OB
Wk6: Use of motivational Psychology within an organization.
Aristotle’s theory of motivation is about the change of behavior via motivation. He presented four causes that can cause changes in behavior and feel a person motivated to do something. These causes were final, formal, material and efficient. These causes can drive a person motivated to bring some change in his behavior and decisions and accomplish a certain goal which can satisfy the cause behind it. When a person feels a formal feeling about something, his brain gets stimulated to make a final decision about fulfilling the need of that feeling. In order to accomplish that, that person sets some materialistic activity to efficiently accomplish the need. In such a way, all four causes can be accomplished by a motivated person. It depends on a person if he gets motivated by one/few or all of the causes. Aristotle emphasizes on relation between these four causes and considered them strong reasons for inducing change in someone’s behavior or decisions.
Wk7: Understanding group behaviours, structure and teamwork to maximize productivity and satisfaction.
In any working environment, creating collaboration profitability is a test. In a different workforce, it turns into a considerably more prominent test. Before choosing whether a group approach is fitting, a few contemplations must be made. Right off the bat, it is important to take a gander at the focal points and hindrances of groups. Also, it is important to consider the relational difficulties related with groups. Thirdly, take note of that a group isn’t suitable in each circumstance. By thinking about every one of these components, it will be demonstrated that groups should just be utilized in differing working environments when the benefits of the group exceed the info that will be required to defeat the difficulties.
There are numerous potential favorable circumstances to collaboration. One of the significant advantages is that there can be an expanded level of individual exertion in groups. This happens on the grounds that individuals from the group can propel each other. In some cases, team members will purposely make efforts to motivate each other. In other cases, a team member will be motivated simply by knowing that the other members of the team are relying on them
Wk8: Methods of communication, design a communication plan, how to read non-verbal cues, understand the basis of cross-cultural communication.
Generally speaking the primary methods of communication are speech and touch. By those primary methods people can communicate regardless of the gender, political believes, and of course culture. Using the e-mail, the video-conferencing and other modern methods of communication, has promoted communication in modern life. The reference to the negative role of modern technology – that follows – in the development of communication is useful in order to understand the multi-dimensional role of technology and to identify the need for precautions when adopting high-tech devices as the primary ‘tools’ of communication.
Wk4: Understanding emotions and moods, and its effects within an organization
Wk9: The determinants of power within an organization.
Organizations today have become very dynamic, and thus various leaders apply various powers so as to manage their employees effectively. However, these power have either been used positively or negatively. Coercive Power for instance, is a type of control occurs when the person in authority threatens his or her subordinates with various forms of punishment when certain tasks are not done well or not completed. The power is gotten from threatening others conveyed through fear of being demoted or losing one’s job. For example, the VP of Sales may negatively threaten sales folks so as to meet their objectives or get replaced. There is also the power that originates from being trusted and/or respected. One gains this power when employees in the organization trust what they do and respect them for how they handle various situations. For instance, a manager who uses his power positively to ensure policies are in place for ensuring employees is fairly treated.
Wk10: Understanding organizational structures and workforce planning.
Workforce planning refers to the systemic identification and eventual analysis of the needs of a business in terms of the type, nature, size, skills and experience of the workforce that it will requires to achieve its objectives. It facilitates the generation business intelligence for tackling current and future situations. Workforce planning can either be strategic or operational. Strategic workforce planning in most instances takes about 2-5 years. The business aligns itself towards the achievement of the objectives set for that particular timeframe. Hunter (2014) notes that the strategic work force planning seeks to look into the current, transitional and future needs of the business. Operational workforce planning, on the other hand, takes about twelve to eighteen months. It forms the basis of the strategic workforce planning.
Wk11: Understanding organizational culture and citizenship.
There is high interdependence between organizational citizenship and organizational culture in many sectors with the highest correlation in manufacturing sector (Mohanty & Rath, 2012). This is because job security, standardized pay and equal opportunity were common to manufacturing sector. Conformity to culture was high in all firms. One can conclude that even if individual employees maybe predisposed to being loyal citizens of the organizations the absence of a favorable organizational culture can throttle this predisposition. Heavy investments in a qualified labor force are futile unless organizations invest in tacit aspects such as a favorable organizational culture. Only favorable cultures enable organizations to hold onto their valuable employees.
Wk12: Managing change and transition in organizations. A note of continuous improvement, and managing workplace stress, and initiating well-being/work-life balance.
An organizational transition involves a set of actions that shift the way an organization works. The actions may also affect the processes that an organization utilizes in delivering their goods or services. The leader initiates most of the time changes in the organization other times the changes can be initiated from outside the organization. The transitional changes do affect the strategies of an organization. The process involved in the implementation of these strategies it also affects the roles of the members of the organization. The transitional changes may lead to the transformation of an organization. A transition in an organization is crucial for the business to thrive. Factors such as competition and demands by customers affect the transition in an organization. They are perceived to bring better services, innovative products and improve the efficiency of the organization. A well-planned transition sees to it that there is improved competitiveness, an encouraging financial performance, and most importantly an excellent customer and employee satisfaction.
References
Ashkanasy, N., & Cooper, C. (2008). Research Companion to Emotion in Organizations. doi:10.4337/9781848443778
Hunter, J. (2014). The Strategic Imperative for Investing in the Health-Care Industry’s Frontline Workforce. Employment Relations Today, 41(1), 27-32. doi:10.1002/ert.21440
Mohanty, J., & Rath, B. P. (2012). Influence of Organizational Culture on Organizational Citizenship Behavior: A Three-Sector Study. Global Journal of Business Research, 65-76.
Zerbe, W. J., Härtel, C. E., & Ashkanasy, N. M. (2010). Overview. Emotions and Organizational Dynamism, xvii-xxiii. doi:10.1108/s1746-9791(2010)0000006004