How Managerial Changes Influence Organisational Behaviour Issues - Research Paper Example

ORGANIZATION BEHAVIOR How Managerial Changes Influence OB Issues Teamwork (Degree for whichthis dissertation is being submitted) Submitted in part fulfillment of the Date of Submission Abstract Change is a necessary way of life in most organizations. In fact, change is all around us-in the season, in social environment, and in biological processes. In the dynamic society surrounding today's organizations, the question of whether change will occur is no longer relevant. Instead, the issue is how do managers cope with the inevitable barrage of changes that confront them daily in attempting to keep their organizations viable and current. Managing" is the key word. It means taking control of and shaping the direction, then influencing in some way the outcome of changes. One of the main obstacles to the smooth implementation of the change management process is the lack of awareness of the context of change by the workmen and unions. While the top management team is aware of the context in which these changes are being talked about, the workmen and unions are not well informed in this respect. A change seeking management has to overcome the stresses to which the system and the people have to undergo. Leadership is, therefore, required to create necessary confidence to overcome the stresses and challenges in the change process. A successful leadership has to keep open the channels of communications within the organization and with the outside world. Leader must recognize authority and power system changes in the attitudes, behaviors, and interpersonal relationship of people (Tennenbam, 1999, p.177). As such organization problems can be overcome by four factors, namely, structural, technical, task and people. However, the capacity of individuals and groups in some organizations are under estimated. This is due to variety of causes emerging from the organization structure, procedures and the traditions of group of people working within the organization. Contents 1. Introduction 4 2. Organizational Change 5 3. Reasons for Organizational Change 7 3.1 Changes in Environment 7 3.2 Change in Managerial Personnel 8 4. Importance Of Managing Behavior Within Organizations Under Change 8 4.1 To Avoid Developing Inertia 8 5. How managerial shifts can affect specific individual and Organizational aspects of work 9 5.1 Role of Group Dynamics 9 5.2 Nature of Group as a Means of Change 10 5.3 Manager's Strategies 10 6. Conclusion 12 References 13 1. INTRODUCTION Human resource Management is, perhaps, the oldest and most widely researched subject in management. Yet, as technologies change, cultural diversities occur and people's expectations undergo fundamental shifts towards newer and newer dimensions. For instance, professionals are gaining more say in the running of organizations. Even where governance is by people who own the majority stakes, their own positions and the respect they command are contingent upon their competence rather than ownership. " Management is the art of getting things done through other people. Management is the dynamic, life-giving element in every business. Without it the resources of production remain resources and never become production." (Hersey & Blanchard, 2002, p.211) This definition emphasizes that the managers achieve organizational objectives getting things done through the employees. Human resource Management is very essential for successful running of an enterprise. It ensures proper use of physical and human resources by deriving the best results. It leads to efficient performance and higher productivity. Human Resource Management is very essential for every organization to make productive use of human physical and financial resources or the achievement of the organizational goals. It helps in determination of objectives. No organization can succeed in tits mission unless its objectives an identified and well denied. Management helps in achieving these objectives by the efficient use of resources (Hersey & Blanchard, 2002, p.225) 2. Organizational Change Change is a part of life and provides opportunity for growth. It is conscious decision by the management of an organization. In any organization people engaged in production, research, development and, in managerial functions. The primary task of research and development is to optimize production. The task of managerial input is to give a dynamic leadership (Yvonne, 1999,p.35). The organizations in order to change should prepare a stock of the situation and should effect changes in their attitudes and style of functioning. There is a need for organization to change and adapt themselves to changing conditions corporate objectives and priorities. Without this the organization would not be able to grow and survive the process of continuous change and development. Change is quite complex and a difficult problem. Management of change involves four modules: Attitudes Individual Effective learning Cost achievement. Every member of an organization from top manager down to operator needs clearly spelled out-objectives. These objectives should be derived from the goals of the business enterprise (Yvonne, 1999, p.40). Thus there is a need for every manager to spell out his contribution to the attainment of organizational goals in all areas of the business. The managers must understand that business results depend on balanced efforts and results of a number of business areas. The objectives of all managers at all levels and in all areas should be a key to both short range and long-range considerations. ; Organizations like an organism must adopt themselves to their environment if they are to survive and grow. The pressure for such changes comes from within the organizational leadership or from some external force. A desirable form of change should be evolutionary rather than revolutionary (Buchanan & Huczynski, 2004, p.145). Good managers, therefore, must conceive of a communicate explicitly to their employees the need for a necessary change. Change is virtually the characteristic of an industrial enterprise. The rate of change in industry has increased markedly as the consequences of the scientific and technological revolution that is going on at an increasing rate. Organizational change is the number one problem of modern managers. Change is inevitable. Management of change certainly does not imply random and unplanned responses to a changing environment. An organization consists of inter-related and interacting systems, to perform complicated tasks. Principal among these are: (i) Authority and power system or the system of work flow and process, (ii) Re-organization of the tools and techniques used in the system involving provision of better equipments. (iii) Change in the attitudes and behaviors and inter-personal relationships of people working in the organization through systematic manpower planning. Reasons for Organizational Change There are a number of factors both external and internal, which affect organizational functioning. Any change in these factors necessitates changes in an organization. The more important factors are as follows: 3.1 Changes in Environment Every organization exists in some context. 'No organization is an island unto itself' (Silbiger, 2003,p.103). Each must continually interact with other organizations and individuals - the consumers, suppliers, unions, shareholders, government - and many more. Each organization has goals and responsibility related to others in its environment. Thus, not only must an organization deal with its environment in conducting its affairs, but it must also give consideration to the goals of others as it establishes its goals and conducts its operations. The present-day environment is dynamic and will continue to be dynamic. Changes in social, political, economic, technological, and legal environment force organizations to change themselves. Such changes may result in organizational changes like major functions, production ' process, labor-management relations, nature of competition, economic constraints, organization methods, etc. In order to survive in the changing environment, organization must change. 3.2 Change in Managerial Personnel Besides environmental changes there is a change in managerial personnel. New managers replace old managers, which is necessitated because of retirement, promotion, transfer or dismissal. Each manager brings his own ideas and way of working in the organization. The relationships, more particularly informal ones, change because of changes in managerial personnel. Moreover, attitudes of the personnel change even though there is no change in them. The result is that an organization has to change accordingly. 4. Importance Of Managing Behavior Within Organizations Under Change Sometimes, changes are necessary because of deficiency in the present organizational arrangement and process. These deficiencies may be in the form of unmanageable span of management, large number of managerial levels, lack in coordination between various departments, obstacles in communication, multiplicity of committees, lack of uniformity in policy decisions, lack of co-operation between line and staff, and so on. 4.1 To Avoid Developing Inertia In many cases, organizational changes take place just to avoid developing inertia of inflexibility. Conscious managers take into account this view that organization should be dynamic because any single method is not the best tool of management at every time. Thus, changes are incorporated so that the personnel develop liking for change and there is no unnecessary resistance when major change in the organization is, brought up (Hersey & Blanchard, 2002, p.231). In order cope up with the various factors necessitating change, organizations adopt the strategy for planned change. Planned change in organization relates to change attempt making suitable adjustment in all the related factors simultaneously 5. How managerial shifts can affect specific individual and organizational aspects of work Role of Group Dynamics Although agreement to a change can be obtained individually, it is more meaningful if it is done through group. Usually more than one person is involved in the change. Though each person interprets the change individually often he expresses it through a group. Thus, instead of solving the problem at the individual level, it is desirable at the group 1evel to get better acceptability of change. Group dynamics offers some basic helps in this regard (Yvonne, 1999, p.55). For using group as a means of overcoming resistance to change, its basic nature must be understood so that its effective use can be made. Nature of Group as a Means of Change The following characteristics of group are identified as a means of overcoming resistance to change: (a) If both change agent and the people target for change belong to the same group, the role of group is more effective. (b) If the people have more cohesiveness and strong belonging to the group, change is easier to achieve. (c) The more attractive the group is to the members, the greater is the influence of the group to accept or resist a change. (d) Group can exert more pressure on those factors of the members, which are responsible for the group being attractive to the members. Normally, attitudes, values, and behavior are more common factors determining the group attractiveness (Silbiger, 2003,p.110). (e) The degree of prestige of a group, as interpreted by the members, will determine the degree of influence the group has over its members. (f) If any attempt is made to change any individual or some individuals, which deviates the group norms, there is likelihood of the change attempt being resisted by the group. 5.3 Manager's Strategies Based on these characteristics of group as a means of change, the Managers can form strategies for overcoming resistance in the following manner: (i) Group Contact Any effort to change is likely to succeed if the group accepts that change. For this purpose, the group itself should be the point of contact. The group contact offers some specific advantages: (i) Through groups, one can communicate with more people per unit of time. (ii) In-group there may be some person who may support the idea for change even if others resist it if the change agent belongs to the same group. (iii) Group can get at the basic problem very rapidly as compared to the single individual. The same is true for problem solving (Yvonne, 1999, p.82). Through the group contact, many things about change can be made clear; such aspects as the reasons for change, benefits of change, and how the benefits of the change will be shared among organization and its members. For this purpose, meaningful and continuous dialogue is necessary. Free flow of information helps people to understand the real picture of the change and many misunderstandings may be avoided. Even if only some of the members are affected by the change, taking of whole of the group into confidence helps in maintaining a co-operative attitude. Research studies also support this aspect (Silbiger, 2003,p.123). (ii) Participation Participation helps to give people involved in the organizational change a feeling of importance. It makes people feel that the organization needs their opinions and ideas and is unwilling to go ahead without taking them into account. Those people who are directly affected by the change should be given opportunity to participate in that change before the final decisions are reached. However, mere participation may not help. The organization must regard the participation as meaningful and share the results of the change with its members. This is more important in the case of workers, who themselves treat a separate group and do not identify with the management. It would be prudent for management to take labor representatives into confidence before implementing any change. They must be made a party to the change rather than an agent for resistance to change (Silbiger, 2003,p.130). (iii) Group Dynamics Training for Change Group dynamics also helps providing various training programmes for accepting and implementing change. It purports to train group members to recognize which processes are suitable to the task, what the results are, and how members contribute. Such training techniques provide understanding of behavior, thereby the people can build up the climate based on mutual trust and understanding so essential for bringing organizational changes successfully (Yvonne, 1999, p.94). (iv) Training for Changing Environment Due to continuing change and speed of change, a continuous re-education and re-training has become essential. Training has an important role to play in preparing for the changing environment. One of the important characteristics of the changing, environment is neglected in raising expectations of the people (Yvonne, 1999, p.104). 6. CONCLUSION The entry of multinationals has also brought in fundamental changes in the work culture, work ethics and remunerating patterns in many countries, all of which have a clear bearing on the career growth path of individuals. Added to this are the rapid changes taking place on the technological front, flattening hierarchies and making people come together more than ever before. Amidst all this change, the high ethical standards of an individual, be it a workman on the shop floor or the Chief Executive Officer, matter more now than ever. The dual ethical standards often maintained by people front-often the exact opposites when it comes of the way they conduct business are counterproductive in the long run. The new authority is emerging and organizations are member led, officer driven, customer focused; a team environment where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts; a flat management structure where employees and managers are learning rather than blame; a clear since of direction and purpose (ICFAI Journal, 2004). Human Resource management plays an important role in the success, efficiency and soundness of an organization. The 'Team', its people, their caliber and their attitude to succeed and out perform determine success of any organization. Employees are the only resource, which is capable of self-propulsion and value addition. Unlike any machinery that gets devalued or depreciated with time and age, the human resource i.e. people appreciates with age and experience (Silbiger, 2003,p.141). So they are very special but this fruitful only if people are developed and kept satisfied. It is unlikely that any improvement can be made in terms of production, productivity, quality or customer service until people are developed. References Buchanan D & Huczynski A, Organizational Behavior - An Introductory Text, Prentice Hall, 2004, p.145-146 ICFAI Journal Of Organizational Behavior, ICFAI University Press. April 2004 Hersey P& Blanchard K, Management of Organizational Behavior, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 2002, p.211- 231 Silbiger Steven. A Ste By Step Guide to Mastering The Skills Taught in Top Business Schools. Piatkus Books. London, 2004, Pp 103-141 Tennenbam Robbert & Warren & Schmidt H, How to Choose a Leadership Pattern, 1999, P.177-179 Yvonne Mc Laughhlin. Business Management: A Practical guide for Managers, Supervisors and Administrators. Business Information Books, 1999. Pp 35-112 Read More