Positive Behaviours in an Organization - Essay Example

?Organisational Behaviour Management “All of the individual differences that characterize any specific person serve to make that individual unique from everyone else”(Griffin 2011:477).The fact that each human being is an individual and even the most common of experiences could be interpreted differently. Moreover, though individuals tend to function and learn in a collective sense, each person still retains a sense of individuality or being unique – an undeniable fact that cannot be escaped. This uniqueness that sets one person apart from the group or each other may affect an organization either in a positive or a negative way. By gaining a deeper understanding of individual differences an organisation will be able to proactively address organisational issues (Pearn 2002). In times when individual differences produce tension and conflict in an organization, the most viable solution entails the identification of a common ground where in spite of the differences, there is a possibility of a compromise. Therefore, performing a thorough analysis is the key ingredient in finding this common ground. The main argument of this paper is that individual differences bring about a variety of behaviours in the organization. Hence, managing organizational behaviour would require synergy of a plethora of concepts and principles to generate potent strategies towards organizational effectiveness. In order to identify the common ground among individuals in an organization, the following key points condensed from the theme of the researches included in the annotated bibliography should serve both as a guide in this discussion: (1) positive organizational behaviours should be cultivated; (2) organizational citizenship complements positive organizational behaviours; (3) moods, emotions, and diversity are significant factors influencing organizational behaviour; (4) organizations can benefit from recognizing emotional intelligence as scaffolds in forging healthy relationships in an organization; and (5) researchers need to sustain their exploits in discovering how the management of organizational behaviour can enhance the effectiveness of organizations. Positive behaviours should be cultivated in an organization. Youssef and Luthans (2007) revealed that hope, optimism, and resilience share a positive relationship with job performance, job satisfaction, work happiness, and organizational commitment. Optimism is a key factor in attaining occupational success. Optimists are observed to be: motivated to work harder; more satisfied; experience high levels of morale and aspiration; persistent in the face of obstacles and difficulties; views personal setbacks as temporary and not as personal inadequacy; and more likely to feel good and invigorated. Meanwhile, hope provides individuals with willpower and waypower. On the other hand, resiliency allows individuals to bounce back from stressful situations (Hoffmann, Farrell, Lilford, Ellis & Cant 2007). Meanwhile, Giachetti and So (2009) posited that: (1) the impact of positive organizational behaviours on strategy implementation may be mediated by organizational culture and leadership strategy articulation; and (2) positive management impacts organizational strategy and performance through collaborative management. In addition, the authors suggested the evaluation of the relationship between employee behaviour and capabilities on implementation of organizational strategies by managers on future researches. Luthans and Youssef (2007) emphasized the need for employees to capitalize on their strengths and improving on their weakness. Though significant progress has been observed in the research and practice of positive organizational behaviour, the authors suggested further research on enhancing POB understanding and utilization with the aim of affecting work performance. Organizational citizenship complements positive organizational behaviours. Based on the analysis of LePine, Erez, and Johnson (2002) a strong association was uncovered among most of the dimensions of organizational citizenship behaviour which include: altruism, civic virtue, conscientiousness, courtesy, and sportsmanship. Moreover, organizational citizenship behaviour dimensions also exhibit a relationship between job satisfaction, organizational commitment, fairness, trait conscientiousness, and leader support. A more profound understanding of moods, emotions and diversity will be instrumental in bringing out positive behaviour in the workplace. Brief and Weiss (2002) evaluated existing literature on organizational behaviour to determine how affective dimensions of organizational behaviour exerts its influence on the organization. The review also  involve the identification of how moods and emotions are created in the workplace, as well as how moods and emotions experienced can affect an individual in an organization. However the authors expressed their concern on the limited and narrow scope of existing studies. The review of literature revealed how existing researches focused primarily on moods and the dearth of studies concerning discrete emotions. Meanwhile, Ashkanasy, Hartel, and Daus (2002) showed the concept of integrating diversity, mood and emotions and its implications on management research was also reviewed. The authors concluded that mood theory, emotional labour, affective events theory, and emotional intelligence have important contributions to organisation research. Ashkanasy, et al. (2002) also brought to the fore that organisational behaviour research plays a crucial role in creating workplace environments which foster positive and healthy feelings towards work as a whole. Organizations can benefit from recognizing emotional intelligence as scaffolds in forging healthy relationships in an organization. Daus and Ashkanasy (2005) argued that emotional intelligence possesses robust psychometric properties which are supported by predictive and incremental validity in forecasting organizational results. Moreover, emotional intelligence is identified as a useful construct in terms of developmental past and future research. Lastly, researchers need to sustain their exploits in discovering how the management of organizational behaviour can enhance the effectiveness of organizations. Boudreau’s (2004) review of developments in organizational research for the past 50 years revealed that studies on management of organization behaviour are more likely to be found in behavioural science journals rather than those concerning management science. Researchers should take this into consideration for future research since management science research can contribute so much to the management of organizational behaviour. Organizational behaviour researches focus on creating a positive work atmosphere. Organisational behaviour management has evolved into a driving force in the promotion of positive behaviours, taking advantage of individual contributions for the benefit of the organisation. In terms of the role in emotional behaviour in organisational behaviour management, individual differences remain as the biggest challenge. In conclusion, it is safe to assume that the number of personnel involved in an organisation carry just about the same number of different behaviours. While multiplicity of characteristics is a primary feature of diversity, it does not necessarily follow that individual differences in organisations engender reduced productivity and compromised profitability. Effective leadership strategies can be formulated to translate diversity as a positive influence in the organisation. In fact, according to Greenhaus, Callanan and Godshalk (2010), “diversity is a part of the process to leverage the talent to build capabilities throughout the firm to compete in the marketplace” (p. 406). This is where organisational behaviour management comes in handy. The main theme of the researches included in the annotated bibliography all fall under organisational behaviour management. There were, however, a variety of sub-themes which need to be integrated into one coherent whole to identify the “common ground” which will solve the enigma of individual differences in the organisation. Positive behaviours alone will not be adequate to address all behavioural issues in the organisation; nor will organisational citizenship in isolation do the trick.  The sub-themes constitute the pieces which will complete the jigsaw puzzle of managing organisational behaviour. Lest it be forgotten, no single panacea is yet available. The solution of the problem posed by a multiplicity of individual behaviour constitutes the synergy of a range of related themes.   References Ashkanasy, N. M., Hartel, C. E. J. & Daus, C. S. (2002). Diversity & emotion: The new frontiers in organisational behaviour research. Journal of Management, 28(3), 307-338. Brief, A. P. & Weiss, H. M. (2002). Organisational behaviour: Affect in the workplace. Annual Review of psychology, 53(1), 279-307. Boudreau, J. W. (2004). Organisational behaviour, strategy, performance and design in management science. Management Science, 50(11), 1-14. Daus, C.S. & Ashkanasy, N. H. (2005). The case for the ability-based model of emotional intelligence in organisational behaviour. Journal of Organisational Behaviour, 26(4), 453-466. Giachetti, C., & So, T. (2009). Positive organisational behaviour (POB) in managerial decision making. Ticonzero, 96, 212-219. Greenhaus, JH, Callanan, GA and Godshalk, VM (2010), Career management, 4th ed, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA. Griffin, RW (2011). Management (10th ed), South-Western / Cengage Learning, Mason, OH. Hoffmann, E, Farrell, D, Lilford, N, Ellis, M & Cant, M (2007). Operations and management principles for contact centres, Juta & Co., Cape Town, ZAF. LePine, J. A., Erez, A. & Johnson, D. E. (2002). The nature and dimensionality of organisational citizenship behaviour: A critical review and meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 57(1), 52-65. Luthans, F. & Youssef, C. M. (2007). Emerging positive organisational behaviour. Journal of Management, 33(3), 321-349. Pearn, M (2002). Individual differences and development in organizations, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ. Youssef, C. M. & Luthans, F. (2007). Positive organisational behaviour in the workplace: The impact of hope, optimism, and resilience. Journal of Management, 33(5), 774-800. Read More