Organizational Behaviour - Impact on Customer Retention - Coursework Example

Oct 3- Organizational Behaviour; Impact On Retention by Bruce Mayhew In this article, Bruce Mayhew focuses on how optimal satisfaction can be achieved by optimally tuning the behaviour of the employees. The article interested me mainly because it focuses on the key aspect of customer satisfaction, which is a relevant topic any anytime. As customers are the Kings of any business, they have to be catered effectively. For that, the employees need to know how to serve them, and to aid them, apt training, based on organizational behavioural concepts has to be given to the employees. The author states that 68% of customers leave any business mainly because they are upset with the treatment they have received from the customer service. “In other words, poor organizational behaviour is pushing clients out the door.” (Mayhew, 2011). To correct this situation, the author recommends organizations to conduct surveys of both the exiting and old clients, and based on the results, train the employees accordingly. Oct 3-10: More Information Makes You More Confident, If Not More Accurate By Art Markman This article discusses how information given during the decision making process, will make the decision maker more confident, but not more accurate. This article interested me because it focuses on how the key aspects of confidence and information could play a major role in the decision making processes in an organization. Importantly, the article also provides insights about how decision makers behave, when they confidence and information. The author discusses a study covering experts in college football and how they are able to “predict the outcomes of a number of games” based on the quantity as well as quality of information they have. (Markman, 2011). From this study, the authors opine, if the decision maker gets more information, they will pick the information that will be consistent with the decision, they have somewhat formalized already. More information will make the decision maker validate his/her decisions, instead of helping in getting accurate decisions. Oct 10-17: Nasty co-workers can have impact at home by Newswise This article featured in Chicago Tribune points out how the employees could take their workplace incivility and stress to their homes, affecting their family life including its members. The article gained my interest because it focuses on unexplored connections between workplace and home, that too in the current tough economic times. The article spells out the findings of the Baylor University study, which states that if the employees takes their stress and incivility to their homes, it will affect their partners, who “in turn will takes the stress to his/her workplace.” (Newswise, 2011). The article also provides organizational behaviour based solution to this, by stating that the employees should acknowledge and immediately correct their problems through assistance programs at their workplace, instead of taking to their homes Oct 17-24: Closing the Gender Gap at Business School by Louise Loftus This article focuses on how women are not represented sizably in the top tiers of business, and for that, how bottom-up method of encouraging more women to enrol in MBA programs, could do the trick. This article interested me because it also points out how the students doing management programs can be educated about the importance of diversity and the roles for women in top tiers. As academic education could influence the organizational behaviour of any employee or leader, steps can be taken at that level itself. The article first states how organizations are correcting the gender gap through “tactics like increasing child-care options, offering flexible working hours and instituting boardroom quotas.” (Loftus, 2011). Then discusses about the bottom-up method of getting more women into the M.B.A. programs, and thereby making them optimally equipped to enter and shine in the top tiers of business. The article also points out certain impediments that might block the women students to complete their programs like taking care of their family, pregnancy, raising of young children, etc. Oct 24-Oct 31: Dont Dismiss Office Politics—Teach It This article written by Jeffrey Pfeffer focuses on the topic of Office Politics in an interesting and positive light. The long held perspective is Office Politics is something that should not be practiced by the employees, as it might lead to ethical issues, and not playing the political game is often seen as a good thing, even a badge of honor. (Pfeffer, 2011). However, this article points out how Office Politics should not be viewed negatively, and instead should be taught, and this interested me to the article The article provides many behaviors that employees can follow as part of Office politics, so that they can achieve professional growth. According to the author, employees can do office politics to build networks or relationships with fellow employees and other stakeholders. Oct 31-Nov 6 Bullying in the Schoolyard Is Not the Same as Workplace Bullying In this article, Janice Harper compares workplace bullying and school bullying, even while focusing on mobbing in organization. According to the author, the instigators of school bullying are children themselves, and there will be school administrators to prevent those bullying. However, in organizations, the instigators are very often people in positions of organizational leadership, and so that puts the worker at risk, without an option of airing their complaints to anyone. (Harper, 2011) The author points out, when this workplace bullying goes unabated, it will lead to mobbing in which group of fellow employees would indulge in aggressive actions. This article interested me because, the author provides good suggestions on how to tackle this, like by orienting organizational behaviors related to bullying in a positive direction. Nov 6-13 Labor Pains Continue at Maruti Suzuki This article written by Ritu Tripathi and featured in the Knowledge Wharton Today is about the workers’ strike that happened for months at the Japanese auto major Suzuki’s Indian subsidiary, Maruti Suzuki. According to the author, the workers indulged in strike at the Manesar plant “demanding the reinstatement of employees who were suspended during previous agitations” and for the establishment of an independent workers’ union. The second issue is the key one because it implies the challenges; the MNCs could face in their foreign operations, if the employees are not managed properly. As the author discusses important perspectives of the Trade Union movement, it helped me understanding the behaviors of workers in a key market like India. Nov 13-20 Speaker Says Motivation is a Key in Effective Leadership This article written by Nicole Dales focuses on the presentation done by Eddleman, who was the former CEO of Centra Southside Community Hospital, about the traits that can make an effective leader. The author lists out various traits, and how that trait would impact the leader’s functioning in the work place, and even in their homes. The article interested me because it gave a list of optimum traits, which will be visible in effective leaders, or can be absorbed by the individuals who want to be effective leaders. Among the traits, the author particularly focuses on the trait of motivation, and how the motivated leaders can be effective in all the processes or tasks, he/she leads. Nov 20-27 How managers can resolve workplace conflicts effectively In the article, the author Mark Schnurman focuses on the conflicts that may arise in the workplace. The reason, why the article interested me is because, instead of focusing on the causes of conflicts, it mainly focuses on how it can be resolved by providing a list of effective tips. According to the author, when a conflict happens it could negatively impact employees’ morale and productivity and so it is the responsibility of the managers to solve it quickly. Although, disagreement is a healthy way to assess and resolve issues, only if it is managed aptly by focusing on the behaviors of employees, it can lead to positive end results. Nov 27-Dec 5 Abusive Boss May Harm Workers Home Life, Too This article featured in the website U.S. News and World report focuses on how abusive bosses, who hurl tantrums and make public criticism against his/her employees, could negatively affect not only the employees’ motivation and performance within an organization, but also the employees’ home life. That is, when the bosses do that, the employees will become distressed and that could reflect in their family life. This article interested me because it focuses on how employees work life could also have impacts his/hers personal life particularly their families. This being the case, the article suggests that employees facing the brunt from their bosses should supported through apt counseling and support programs. Dec 5-12: Making a change? Start in right place This article written by Harvey Schachter focuses on managing change, and how effective change initiatives can be brought about, if the employees are maximally focused. The author states that, in line with the organizational behavior concepts, employees from the lower level has to be focused, rather than involving every stakeholder as part of the change, because they have “the most influence over the daily work that needs to be modified,” (Schachter, 2011). This article interested me greatly because many organizations wanting to undergo organizational change would view it broadly, instead of going in-depth into the basic component of employees. The article features ideas by three McKinsey & Co consultants namely Marco Gardini, Giovanni Giuliani, and Marco Marricchi. The consultants point out how a national bank in Europe failed to implement organizational change, because instead of focusing primarily on the employees, they “used the traditional approach of mass communications to staff” (Schachter, 2011). They further state how in utility plants, maintenance supervisors are the people to focus on during change and in retail apparel, store managers has to be focused Dec 12-19: Thanking People You Lead Makes Them More Helpful The author Bret L. Simmons in the article focuses on a rarely discussed organizational behavior topic of gratitude and thanking. That is, Simmons states that when people in management or supervisory position say “thank you” to people who perform well and also express gratitude for their contribution, it will surely act as a motivation and morale booster for the employees. This article interested me, because it focused on a human emotion of gratitude and the responses to it, and how it applicable in an organizational context. The author discuss the power of gratitude by focusing on a 2010 study conducted by Adam Grant and Francesca Gino, who “proposed that when we express gratitude, people are more motivated to be helpful because it increases their feelings of self-efficacy (capability and competence) and social worth (appreciated for making a difference).” (Simmons, 2011). When leaders express gratitude to their employees, it will make feel valued, which will positively impact the mindset and importantly elevate their motivation levels to contribute even more to the organizations. References “Abusive Boss May Harm Workers Home Life, Too” (2011, Dec 2). U.S. News and World report. Retrieved from: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2011/12/02/abusive-boss-may-harm-workers-home-life-too Dales, N. (2011, Nov 15). Speaker Says Motivation is a Key in Effective Leadership. Retrieved from: http://www.therotundaonline.com/news/speaker-says-motivation-is-a-key-in-effective-leadership-1.2700847#.TtVdevJ5cbo Harper, J. (2011, Nov 3). Bullying in the Schoolyard Is Not the Same as Workplace Bullying. Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/janice-harper/workplace-bullying_b_1073916.html Loftus, L. (2011, Oct 19). Closing the Gender Gap at Business School. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/20/education/20iht-SReducWomen20.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=organizational+behavior&st=nyt Markman, A. (2011, Oct 5). More Information Makes You More Confident, If Not More Accurate. Retrieved from: http://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2011/10/05/more-information-makes-you-more- confident-if-not-more-accurate/#more-32473 Mayhew, B. (2011, Oct 3). Organizational Behaviour; Impact On Customer Retention. Retrieved from: http://brucemayhew.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/organizational-behaviour-impact-on- customer-retention/ Newswise. (2011, Oct 11). Nasty co-workers can have impact at home. Retrieved from: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-10-11/features/sc-fam-1011-workplace-effect- 20111011_1_stress-ripple-effect-incivility Pfeffer, J. (2011, Oct 24). Dont Dismiss Office Politics—Teach It. Retrieved from: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904060604576570574190457198.html?KEYWORDS=%22organizational+behavior%22 Schnurman, M. (2011, Nov 27). How managers can resolve workplace conflicts effectively. Retrieved from: http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2011/11/resolving_workplace_conflicts.html Schachter, H. (2011, Dec 11). Making a change? Start in right place. Retrieved from: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/management/morning-manager/making-a-change-start-in-right-place/article2267289/ Simmons, B. L. (2011, Dec 12). Thanking People You Lead Makes Them More Helpful. Retrieved from: http://www.bretlsimmons.com/ Tripathi, R. (2011, Nov 7). Labor Pains Continue at Maruti Suzuki. Retrieved from: http://knowledgetoday.wharton.upenn.edu/2011/11/labor-pains-continue-at-maruti- suzuki/ Read More