Managing Public and Private Organizations - Research Paper Example

?Q1. Describe leadership traits and skills and how they relate to power and leadership.  (Chap10) Leadership is important social phenomena that is linked with followers and serves as major motivation for people to change. Leadership traits and skills become pertinent factors within organizations as they facilitate in bringing about changes across the workforce so as to meet new challenges of contemporary times (Dressler, 2007). Effective communication skills, integrity, decisive, dependable, alert to social environment and ready to assume responsibilities are critical traits of a leader that help inculcate confidence amongst the followers and empower people with knowledge so that they are better equipped to handle changes. Most importantly, effective leadership significantly reduces power distances across people by building constructive relationship based on mutual respect and cross-cultural understanding. This motivates the workforce to work on common goals with greater sense of responsibility and accountability. Q2. Discuss the factors that influence individual behavior. (Chap 11) The major factors that influence individual behaviour are personal value system, cultural paradigms, self-efficacy and hierarchy of needs. Personal value system is important issue that serves as guideline for individual behaviour. The ethical considerations and moral code of actions influence and guide one’s actions and general behaviour. In the era of rapid globalization, diversity has become a key issue and cultural paradigms have emerged as pertinent factors that not only give distinct identity to individuals but also provide them with unique cultural identities. Hierarchy of needs vis-a-vis physiological, social security, self-esteem and self-actualization, of individuals motivates them to change their behaviour and work towards achievement of their desired goals. Q3. Discuss how behavior management can be utilized to motivate employees. (Chap 11) Behaviour management is crucial psychological tool used within management funda that helps to streamline and encourage right attitude and behaviour across employees in an organization. Behaviour management relies on the code of conduct and in creating a facilitating environment of motivation and re-enforcement with regard to the various needs and requirements of the employees (Dessler, 2007). Thus, merit based performance, incentives, reward and punishment etc. become key ingredients of behaviour management within an organization. SMART goals comprising specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely, are set by individuals to achieve their short term and long term personal and professional goals. Q4. Describe the communication process and how barriers to communication can be overcome.  (Chap 12) Effective communication facilitates in developing mutual respect and cross-cultural understanding that helps to resolve workplace conflicts and promote efficient, goal based teamwork to achieve organizational goals and objectives (Bateman & Snell, 2009). The major barrier to communication is the lack of cross-cultural values and psychological barriers like low self- esteem of people who may belong to diverse culture, race, colour and ethnicity. Understanding of cross-cultural values helps build strong relationship based on trust and mutual respect. Thus, overcoming the barriers of communication has emerged as powerful tool to develop cohesive work environment that motivates workforce to work for common goals collectively. Q5. Discuss how technology can be utilized to improve an organization’s informal communication.  (Chap 12) Technology has significantly redefined communication (Reynolds, 2010). The computer, internet and other technological gizmos like smart phones have become important facilitators of communication. Through the use of electronic boards, email, video-conferencing etc. organizations promote informal communication across the workers. The electronic boards have become popular platforms for sharing information and solving queries. Encouraging workers for informal chat through electronic boards helps to understand the problems of the workers and the view points of the management regarding different issues, thereby promoting greater understanding between management and workforce. Q6. Narrate the leader’s role in creating and leading a self-managing team.  (Chap 13) Leaders are important links for creating and leading a self-managing team as they are better equipped to empower team members and motivate them for higher productivity. Through effective communication skills, power equation and their abilities to influence people, leaders are able to inculcate self-confidence amongst the workers and team members for higher achievement and considerably improve their morale. Most importantly, leaders are able to exploit human competencies and therefore they involve members into the team activities easily and promote flexibility with minimum direct supervision. Thus leadership empowers employees so that they are able participate in self-managing teams with more confidence. Q7. How does an organization effectively use groups to make better decisions?  (Chap 13) Developing groups in organization helps to bring together like-minded people who influence each other and share information. The groups promote informal code of conduct that regulate and regularise group members’ behaviour. Group cohesiveness become powerful factor that is exploited by management in improving and improvising organizational capabilities and performance (Grant, 2007). The group members are better informed and therefore can make effective decisions based on informed choices. Q8. Discuss the challenges entrepreneurs face in leading, motivating and controlling an organization and its employees. (Chap 16) Entrepreneurship firms tend to work under conditions of risks and uncertainty for growth and higher productivity. They have flexible approach and treat their workers as human capitals who have huge capacity to not only bring about changes for better outcome but also treat adversities as new opportunities of growth. Thus, the major challenges faced by entrepreneurs are how to identify best opportunities and constantly motivate its workers. They have job descriptions for employees’ recruitment and provide constant learning environment for them to keep abreast of changes. The have proper checks and control regarding financial transactions, inventory, performance of employees through regular feedback etc. This helps the entrepreneurs to monitor their work and progress with higher efficiency. Q9. Discuss the economic, legal and political, and technological environment of conducting business internationally. (Chap 17) In the highly competitive environment of global businesses, organizations expand internationally to exploit business potential and maintain their niche market position globally. In expanding business interests across the countries, firms need to take into considerations various issues like economic, legal, political and technological environment. The market liberalization and legal barriers and political constraints significantly influence business outcome. Countries which are politically instable or countries that do not have liberal market policies adversely impact the prospects of the firms in foreign soil. The technology is another key issue that influence firms’ performance. Thus, countries that have open market and are politically stable, tend to promote foreign investment through greater legal and market flexibility. Q10. Relate how a manager conducts the planning, organizing and controlling functions in a global environment. (Chap 17) In a global environment, a manager needs to be better informed about the legal, political and economic parameters of the host nations. The human resource compulsions and legal constraints like federal and local employment laws become critical issues that may adversely impact firm’s performance internationally. Thus information about the market needs and compulsions, financial and legal paradigms help managers in global environment to better plan, organize and control the myriad areas of the organization. Reference Bateman and Snell. (2009). Management: Leading and Collaborating in a Competitive World. 8th ed. London: McGraw hill. Cameron, Kim S. (2008). Leading Change: Relying on fixed points. Leadership Excellence, 25: 12. Dessler, Gary. (2007). Management: Principles and Practices for Tomorrow’s Leaders. 3rd ed. London: Houghton Miffin. Grant, Robert M. (2007). Contemporary Strategic Analysis, 6th ed. London: Blackwell. Reynolds, George W. (2010). Information Technology for Managers. London: Cengage Learning. Yukl, G.A. (2002). Leadership in Organizations. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ, Prentice-Hall. Read More