Organizational Behavior - Twentieth-Century Management Theories - Assignment Example

Organizational Behavior Contents Task1 3 Task 2 5 Task 3 7 Maslow 8 Herzberg 8 Alderfer 9 Adams’ Equity Theory 10 Victor H. Vroom 10 Task 4 11 References 15 Task1 The present era of rapid globalization & instant communication is gradually turning the world into a fast paced & competition oriented place. In every field of life we go through tough competition especially in the corporate world. Every business house wants to get ahead of their rivals & therefore their offering to the market has also increased simultaneously. In accomplishing the activities of the organization the managers spend a significant time in making decisions. Decision making is something that keeps the organization active and flourishing while adapting the uncertainties in the environment. The process of Decision making gets heavily influenced by the rate at which the information travels and the number of members it can reach inside an organization. These two factors are generally considered as less positive in a hierarchical structure of an organization. Today the trend of participation of the workers in the decision making process is significantly dominating the markets. According to Frederick Winslow Taylor who is regarded as the Father of Scientific Management, the management of the firm should organize the work in a manner which will make optimum use of the workers, by dividing the work and introducing efficient methods for making a product. Taylor’s concept focused mainly on hierarchic organization structures and task specialization. Taylorism states that there is a best way for each task and it can be learnt through proper training and development. (Asseldonk & Vos, 2007, pp. 1-3) The theory of Taylorism represents a mass production system. This theory views the workforce simply as machineries which can be made efficient by the reduction of wastage. However, this theory completely neglects the usual complications that happen within a normal human being. Hawk Car company continuously followed conventional production methods as was proposed by Taylor’s theory. The workers used to follow an assembly line production process where each one had to perform a specific job. Job specialization created frustration among the workers. Their job became monotonous. For example, the worker who used to fit lights into the vehicles, continued to fit lights for his whole work life. He never knew how to fix the seats in a car. As a result the workers felt lazy and de-motivated with their work. Also the hierarchical system in the management treated the workers as costs. Their opinion or suggestion was not at all considered to be important. Due the hierarchy structure of the organization, the workers felt uncomfortable speaking to their managers about their discomfort. The relationship between the manager and the workers followed the authoritative style where two way communications was never entertained. The higher level employees only used to give directions to the workers and the supervisors only had a close watch on their works. No one bothered about the grievances of the employees. (tiplady.org.uk. n.d, pp.1-2) also the standardized form of production failed to meet the market demands. Taylorism way of management prescribed the organization to separate the planning and execution activities. It recommended division of labor and too much hierarchy into the management. However, the management of Hawk Car Company realized soon that too many levels in the organization makes the functions too much complicated. For the betterment, management opted for participative style of management where the layers of hierarchy were reduced putting emphasis on the participation of each member in the decision making and planning process. It also trained the employees in such a manner so that they can gain knowledge about the entire production system. The workers were provided scope to grow in their position by better performance. The training focused on the worker’s personal issues as well which were addressed with care. The aim of this remodeling decision was making the workforce efficient about the making of the whole car and not just on specialized functions. This new style of the management motivated the employees as their work became more interesting and also they were given full liberty to approach their seniors in any case of difficulty so that any issue arising regarding the work gets solved with full attention. The concepts of team work, worker’s participation in management, training and development, and job rotation, were introduced in the modified form of the functioning of the organization. (Malsch & Dohse, 1993, p.5) Task 2 Douglas McGregor used to be the student of Abraham Maslow, the eminent person responsible for the Motivation Pyramid. McGregor got influenced by his theories and introduced a different form of motivation theory for the organizations (Gitman & McDaniel, 2008, p.240). His Theory X and Theory Y, two opposing styles of management portray two opinions of the people who are associated with some work. The theories are discussed below- Theory X In general, human beings tend to detest work and they always try to avoid responsibility whenever possible. Consequently most of them feel the need of being controlled and forced by their superiors for achieving the organizational goals. This style of management therefore involves a detailed monitoring with clearly defined tasks in combination with the financial "carrot and stick" method as the motivating factor. Under this theory the managers will engage in a detailed and autocratic control system which can give rise to mistrust and bitterness from the part of the workers. Theory Y This theory believes that the average human beings like their work and they will happily take up any responsibility. Work may become a source of achievement for this category of people. Employees in this case take the initiative, exercise extreme level of commitment, self-control and self-direction in the achievement of the goals of the organization. Here the motivational factors like satisfaction of ego, success, and self-actualization makes the individual to reach the organizational goals with a long-term goal of satisfying their own objectives. Here the incidents of lacking ambition and avoiding responsibility are generally associated with negative experiences, for example not receiving the proper appreciation or rewards for their hard work and effort. The potential and ability to innovate and produce is broadly allocated among the people. Creation of the proper working conditions to allow this capability is the main challenge faced by the leadership and management. In the case of Hawk Car Company, the management approach that was followed previously adapted the Theory X style of McGregor’s proposed management style. The management used to be extremely autocratic and they used to put pressure on workers regarding completing the work on time and enhancing the volume of production. This gradually started to lower the quality of the products. Soon the management found that the employees of the organization are totally de-motivated and frustrated with their work and the working conditions. The management realized that workers are the strongest force of the organization which can lead to higher revenues and greater sales volume only if they are provided with adequate facilities and sufficient training and knowledge. After implementing the necessary changes the management approach got converted into Theory Y style of management. While exercising this style, the organization succeeded in motivating the employees by making them work in a team where each one learnt about the whole system and their works became interesting. Monotony was removed efficiently from their works and the employees were paid better wages which was also a reason for increased motivation. It is obvious that the Theory Y proved to be a better approach for handling the employees of Hawk Car Company. Task 3 Content theories Content theories try to enlighten those things which actually inspire the people at work. These theories are related to identifying employee’s needs and their respective strong points, and the objectives they follow for satisfying their needs (goldsmithibs.com, n.d, pp. 3-4). Content theories put stress on the nature of needs of the employees and what exactly motivates them. It is assumed that every individual responds in more or less the same way to the pressures of motivation and therefore, there is only one best approach to motivate everyone. The Content theories include the theories presented by Maslow, Herzberg, and Alderfer. These theories have been discussed as follows- Maslow A clinical psychologist, Abraham M. Maslow suggested a pyramidal structure of needs ranking them as lower order needs also called as deficiency needs (the needs at the base of the pyramid) & higher order needs also known as growth needs (needs at the top layers of the pyramid). The deficiency needs are considered as the ones needed for the existence & survival of human being while growth needs indicated personal development & overall welfare of the mind & body. The bottom of the pyramid exhibits the physiological needs that contain the need to satisfy natural necessities for food, shelter, air, and water. Next come the safety needs. It’s the need for a protected and secure surroundings and the nonexistence of pain, illness and threat. Belongingness involves the need for love, care, affection and the feeling of belonging to a particular group. Esteem implies self-esteem through the means of personal accomplishment at the same time social esteem by the way of appreciation and respect from the other members. At the top of the pyramid is self-actualization that refers to the need for self-satisfaction, a feeling that the individual’s talent has been realized. Maslow identified that a worker’s performance is motivated mostly by several need levels, but attitude is motivated majorly by the lowest unsatisfied need. While the individual satisfies a lower-order need, the next higher-order need in the hierarchy pyramid acts as the primary motivator. This theory is recognized as the satisfaction-progression process. Herzberg American psychologist Frederick Irving Herzberg presented a two – factor theory, which focuses on motivators and hygiene factors. He presented that work satisfaction and dissatisfaction appear to be the effect of different factors (Miner, 2007, p.48). Presence of motivators in the work environment caused significant levels of increased motivation within the staffs but their absence never causes dissatisfaction. Hygiene factors on the other hand create a satisfactory workplace but it never contributes towards the motivation of employees. Their absence however is responsible for job dissatisfaction. The various motivator and hygiene factors have been listed below: Motivators Responsibility Promotion Intrinsic elements of the job Achievement Recognition Hygiene Factors Salary Organizational policies Work environment Supervision Interaction with colleagues Alderfer Clayton Paul Alderfer an American Psychologist proposed that an individual’s need be classified as: 1. Existence needs- It comprise the basic requirements for living. (At work place this would refer to good pay and proper conditions.) 2. Relatedness needs- It involves the needs that are met through social relationships particularly with friends and family and at work with co-workers (Hoffmann, 2007, pp.32-33). 3. Growth needs- These needs reflect the aspiration for a person’s self and psychological developments. Process theories A process theory discusses motivation as a logical cognitive process that occurs within the individual. This approach tries to explicate and portray how an individual begin, maintain and direct their behavior which is aimed at the satisfaction of wants or the decrease of inner tension. The major elements in this model are drive, incentive, expectancy and reinforcement. This category includes theories like Adams’ Equity Theory and Victor H. Vroom’s Expectancy Theory. Adams’ Equity Theory John Stacey Adams developed this motivation approach in 1963. Equity Theory proposes that if the employees recognize that the rewards received by them are similar and just in relation with those received by others in equal positions within the organization, then the individual feels satisfied. Adams suggested that employees look for maintaining equity between the inputs that they contribute towards a job and the results that they obtain from it in comparison to the distinguished inputs and outputs of other employees (ofs.edu.sg, n.d). Victor H. Vroom Victor H. Vroom proposed the expectancy theory in the year 1964, exhibiting an organized descriptive theory of office motivation. The theory states that the motivation to act in a certain approach is determined by a worker’s expectation that behavior will direct to a specific result, multiplied by the fondness that the individual has for that specific outcome. Three constituents of the Expectancy theory are: 1. Expectancy: E -> P. The idea of the individual that his/her efforts (E) will result in realization of desired act (P) goals. 2. Instrumentality: P -> R. The certainty of the individual that he/she will obtain a reward (R) if the performance (P) expectation is achieved. 3. Valence: The worth of the reward according to the individual. (E.g. is the reward motivating the person?) Hawk Car Company introduced several changes in their management style that included improving the working conditions, increasing the wages and other benefits of the workers, providing them with proper training and skill enhancement sessions and encouraging them to work in teams. These changes were influenced by both the process and content theories of motivation. Theories of content theories focus on satisfying the basic needs of a person, this part of motivation theory were applied by the management. While the content theory was applied, the process theory followed it encouraging the employees to work better and to learn new concepts. The production method was remodeled keeping in mind the approach which will prove to be interesting to the workers. Thus mostly the usage of content theories like Maslow’s and Herzberg’s were identified in the restructuring process of the management with an addition of the process theories of Vroom’s and Adam’s. Task 4 A team is defined as a cluster or combination of two or more individuals, who share a connection in the form of a social or a work related relationship. It is very important to state that the team is often dependent on a variety of characteristics. The general characteristics of a team comprises of goal orientation, interdependence of the team members, occurrence of interpersonal interaction, perception of membership, individual motivation as well as mutual influence (Levi, 2011, p. 3). In contrast, the theory of individualism is a political, ethical and psychological concept. From a political point of view, individualism is hugely associated with the superiority of personal rights and from an ethical and psychological outlook, individualism is the concept that people should think, act, and judge autonomously on the basis of their own thoughts. Organizations that emphasize individualism amongst their workers cooperate to their aspiration to realize personal accomplishment as opposed to communal achievement. This involves the businesses in providing employees with great levels of individual responsibility and freedom, as well as presenting them with the chance to follow their individual initiative. Teamwork advantages and disadvantages Advantages Disadvantages Allow employees to complete projects proficiently that are too difficult in nature. Too many perception gives rise to conflicts and confusions Allow a team to explore a difficulty from several perspectives via brainstorming that promotes a team in incorporating diverse viewpoints and ideas.  Team involves a lot of people participating in the production process which becomes difficult at times to manage efficiently. Also motivation is a relative factor which varies from one person to another, therefore it’s also critical to motivate every member of the team at the same time Individualism Advantages and Disadvantages Advantages Disadvantages The search for personal achievement and contentment is an influential motivational force that enables an individual to work dedicatedly. Individualism makes it troublesome for the employees to keep their flow of ideas intact, as because once the thought process gets interrupted, it makes a considerable amount of time to bring the person back to his work. Individualism has a strong association with innovation and creativity It takes a lot of time to complete the work when done alone. Hawk Car Company introduced the concept of teamwork in its management which helped the employees to learn new technologies. The production system introduced in the organization the concept of workshops. This involves the members to learn the making of car at once and not in parts. The idea of doing small, repetitive tasks was replaced by the procedure of learning as a team. Each team and its members had the know-how of doing all the tasks their team is responsible for. The teams worked together in analyzing the work done by them hence reducing the chances of errors. In case of any fault, the team co-operated towards its rectification. The team members who faced difficulty in learning were taken care of by the whole team, they were guided at each step and their mistakes were corrected with a positive attitude which was not at all humiliating. This approach helped the team to get self motivated. The leadership style was changed to transformational from transactional style (Northouse, 2010, chapter9). In this style the leader guides and transforms the staff. The leader makes continuous efforts to address the grievances of the employees and motivate them for improved performance. Here open communication between the staff and the leader is always encouraged and the leader follows participative style of management. Also the culture of the organization was changed from strict and directive to informal and friendly. Conflicts started to reduce with the implementation of these concepts of organizational behavior hence reforming Hawk cars as one the leading car makers of the industry. References Asseldonk, T.G.M & Vos, E. 2007. Process Hierarchies: Beyond the limitations of Taylorism. [Pdf] The Netherlands: TVA Developments. Available at: http://www.chaosforum.com [Accessed 22 June 2013] tiplady.org.uk. n.d. An overview of twentieth-century management theories. [Pdf] Available at: http://www.tiplady.org.uk [Accessed 22 June 2013] Malsch, T & Dohse, K. 1993. Breaking from Taylorism: Changing Forms of Work in the Automobile Industry. Great Britain : Cambridge University Press Gitman, L.J. & McDaniel, C.D. 2008. The Future of Business: The Essentials. USA: Cengage Learning goldsmithibs.com, n.d. Motivation. [Pdf] Available at: http://www.goldsmithibs.com [Accessed 22 June 2013] Miner, J.B. 2007. Organizational Behavior Four: From theory to practice. USA: M.E. Sharpe Hoffmann, S. 2007. Classical Motivation Theories - Similarities and Differences Between Them. Germany: GRIN Verlag ofs.edu.sg, n.d. Process theories of motivation. [Online] Available at: http://www.ofs.edu.sg [Accessed 22 June 2013] Levi, D. 2011. Group Dynamics for teams. UK: Sage Publications Ltd Northouse, P. G. 2012. Leadership: theory and practice. UK: SAGE. Read More