International Dimensions of Organizational Behaviour - Example

Organisational behaviour Name Grade course Tutor Institution Date Introduction In modern times, organisations are faced by the advent of globalisation. Organisations have to stay competitive and relevant so that they can survive the cut throat competition. Modern day managers find themselves in a very precarious situation since their decisions could prove to be the difference between an organisation making it big or failing altogether. Management is one aspect that any organisation cannot afford to be lax about. Management involves bringing people together so that they can attain the objectives that the organisation has set. In meeting the goals of the organisation there is need to utilize resources in an effective and efficient manner (Gemov 2000, p. 150). Management could perhaps be considered to be the most critical aspect of any organisation without which any organisation would falter no matter how much resources it has or how great the talent pool it has. The management aims at meeting the needs of a number of interested parties. Therefore, where there are shareholders involved, such shareholders are concerned about the return on their investments. The organisation also endeavours to have quality products for its clientele at prices which are competitive. Finally, the work force should also feel appreciated to be productive and hence the need to ensure that their experience at the work place is rewarding. The paper is premised upon two very important aspects of management which are central to the success of any organisation. For any organization to achieve its objectives the teams at the workplace ought to be effective teams at the work place. The decision making in the organization should be flawless and so should be the communication of such decisions to everyone who is affected by them (Gemov 2000, p. 153). The report seeks to take an in depth analysis of the important aspect of management. The analysis focuses on Millennium Convenience Stores which is a chain of supermarkets which supply domestic goods most of which are required on a day to day basis by various households and which is listed at the stock exchange. Effective teams in the work place Teamwork refers to action which is taken by a group of people jointly and interests of the individuals are put aside for the interest of the group as a whole. What counts most in such a situation is having the group being united and also efficient. In as much as the individual is still important, he is not the main focus. When each employee puts aside his self interest and all them aim for a common goal and work in harmony with others, it becomes much easier to achieve the organisations goals. Teamwork is a very critical in the working environment. During evaluation of whether a person is suitable for employment, employers are concerned whether such a person is able to work as part of a team. Teams help the organization to be empowered since each member of the team plays a complementary role. Creating teams which are up to the task is not an easy task but it one challenge that a good manager should not shy away from. If the perfect team is achieved, the organisation is likely to reap very handsomely (Adler & Gundersen 2008, p. 201). One of the theories which deal with teamwork is the management theory. The theory states that a team consists of at least three people who take on an opportunity and create ranks and relations between themselves. The management theory identifies three types of teams. The first is the organic team. Such a team gains its support from the structure of the organization. There also non organic teams. These teams are brought together to accomplish a certain task. A project team come up to deal with a given project. A team manager is tasked with guiding the team as to the procedure they should follow and also guides the members professionally. The effectiveness of a team is judged based on the target set and also the amount of resources at the disposal of such a team (Griffin & Moorhead 2010, p 128). Synergy sets apart a team which is effective from one which is not. For an effective team to be attained a manager should ensure that advantages which result from a team are realized. An effective manager in a team is supposed to utilize the unique knowledge that each member of a team has. The diverse knowledge that the team members have as a whole outstrips that of an individual (Adler & Gundersen 2008 p. 213). An ideal manager should provide room for differences of opinion among the members of the group. The importance of this is that every team member has gone through a different experience thus employ different methods of solving problems (Cole 2004, p. 216). A good manager should ensure that every team member feels accepted and as a part of the team. Every team should have good relations and interactions with the other team members. A team leaders should not feel threatened by disputes by the team members but should see them as an opportunity to provide guidance and hence growth in the team. Bruce Tuckman provides a very well known teamwork theory which is known as team stages model. The significance of Tuckman's model is the recognition that groups never start as well organized and cohesive entities. Therefore, a team develops from individuals and finally they become teams which focus on given tasks (Mullins et. al. 2007, p. 67). Through extensive and intensive research, Tuckman identified the four stages through which a group goes through before becoming a team. The first stage is known as the testing phase. This results in some amount of disagreements and conflicts. After this there is a stage which is more cohesive. The other stage is known as the functional phase whereby team members are concerned about the role or the task that each member plays in the team. During the formation of a team, the different members are usually unfamiliar with each other and hence they have not created bonds between themselves. At this stage, each member of the group tries to determine what role suits him in the team. After the end of this stage, there comes the storming stage. This is where people recognize themselves as belonging to the team. This phase is characterized by a few challenges (Adrian & Hancock 2006, p. 547). The individuals at times tend to be unsure of what exactly the team's functions and roles are. The differences of opinion results in differences fomenting. At this stage the output of the team plummets. The third stage can be described as norming. At this stage, the members of the team are more cohesive, set up rules as to how they are going to be engaging with each other. They also set out the roles that each should play and how the different tasks should be carried out. This stage is also characterized by a feeling of solidarity between the team members. The last stage comes where the team is more focused on performing the task at hand. The model however, could be said to be misleading due to the reason that a team building appear to move along a straight line while this is further from the truth. Decision making in the organisation Decision making is a critical aspect of any business. The success of a business is determined by the quality and timing of the decisions that are made and which are critical to the operations of the organisation (Reddy 2004, p. 320). It is vital that people understand how good decisions are made. For any decision to be made there should be information and relevant information for that matter. The person receiving the information should have the necessary knowledge and experience so as to make the relevant conclusions and hence make the relevant decision. The ability to admit one's mistakes and accepting correction is a pointer to a characteristic few have but that is what defines a great decision maker. Training also comes in handy in aiding managers to improve on their decision making capabilities (Buchanan & Huczynski 2004, p. 163). A supportive environment also enhances the chances of success of a manager since it is important to recognize that at times people do make mistakes and managers are no exception. At such instances managers require supportive superiors and also their colleagues. In a working environment where criticism is the order of the order, managers are more likely than not to make decisions which they consider safe. By struggling to be safe every time, managers become risk averse and hence cannot decisions which can enable the business to strike it big. At times managers would be looking around for scape goat rather than ensuring smooth running of the business operations. Decision making is a critical aspect of any business. The success of a business is determined by the quality and timing of the decisions that are made and which are critical to the operations of the organisation. It is vital that people understand how good decisions are made. For any decision to be made there should be information and relevant information for that matter (Diefenbach 2007, p.132). The person receiving the information should have the necessary knowledge and experience so as to make the relevant conclusions and hence make the relevant decision. The ability to admit one's mistakes and accepting correction is a pointer to a characteristic few have but that is what defines a great decision maker (Adrian & Hancock 2006, p. 545). Training also comes in handy in aiding managers to improve on their decision making capabilities. A supportive environment also enhances the chances of success of a manager since it is important to recognize that at times people do make mistakes and managers are no exception (Buchanan & Huczynski 2004, p. 167). At such instances managers require supportive superiors and also their colleagues. In a working environment where criticism is the order of the order, managers are more likely than not to make decisions which they consider safe. By struggling to be safe every time, managers become risk averse and hence cannot decisions which can enable the business to strike it big. At times managers would be looking around for scapegoat rather than ensuring smooth running of the business operations. How the Organization should be managed Millennium Convenience Stores should employ the different styles of management espoused by the different theories. The process of the decision making should be more open and inclusive (Saka 2003, p.483). This means that the top management should take into account the opinions of almost everyone who plays a role in the running of the business or other stakeholders. Gathering all the relevant information means that the managers are able to make the decision which results in the greatest advantage to the organization that they serve. It is important for the management to make use of technology in order to get make decisions with more precision and hence be assured of a more predictable income. Communication of the decisions which have been made should be made in a timely manner. The language used in passing across the decisions of the organisation should be courteous and in a form that is easily comprehensible by everyone person who requires to know the nature of the operations of the company. Managers should work as part of a team and they should not look down upon anyone regardless of the position that such a person holds (Robbins, Odendaal & Roodt 2003, p.63). Teamwork is the only way through which an organisation can optimally make use of its human resources. Where the team members have a cohesive working relationship, they are able to share ideas and hence come up with better ways of solving problems which might be affecting the specific organisation in which they are serving. Teams should not be stagnant and hence the issues of upgrading of the skills of each member of the team should be taken seriously. This could be achieved through workshops, in house training or even getting facilitated while one advances his skills in a different institution altogether (Griffin & Moorhead 2010, p 129). Differences of opinion should not be frowned upon but should be seen as a healthy way of bringing out the differences of opinion. The end result should be that a team should emerge stronger since no one is afraid to air their opinion and they know that their ideas count. When everyone feels part of the process of making the decision, he is more likely to offer his all to the given task. Millennium Convenience Stores does to some extent conform to the different theories espoused above. The company seeks feedback from its shareholders, clientele as well as the employees on how it can improve its operations. The company uses different approaches for the different categories of stakeholders. The company has efficient channels through which information flows from the top management to the person who is expected to ultimately make use of such information. The company employs clearly laid out hierarchy which means that the chain of reporting is evident to every person who serves. A board of directors holds the ultimate authority but delegates the day to day running of the organisation to a Chief Executive Officer who bears the great burden of ensuring that the day to day operations run without hitches. However, it is worth noting that difference abounds between the theories and actual practice. The top management rarely takes criticism and taking an opinion which is considered to be at odds with the managements position would definitely to the affected person facing sanctions. The company is yet to fully embrace technology and hence many decisions have to be made through the old fashioned way which removes the competitive advantage that the company has over its competitors. Recommendations Millennium Convenience Stores should embrace the latest and cutting edge technology which would make decision making easier since a computerized system would only require the correct data to be keyed in and the best cause of action is found at the touch of a button. The company should have the employee as the central focus and ensure that teams thrive. All members of the team should have sessions of brainstorming with everyone person having an opportunity to make a contribution. When every person feels to be part of the company then they are likely to give their all towards achieving the organisation's objectives. Ways should be sought through which the customer experience can be enhanced by providing value added services and recognizing the patrons who are faithful through some form of a loyalty program. Reference List: Adler, NJ, & Gundersen, A 2008, ‘International dimensions of organizational behaviour’, Mason, Ohio, Thomson South-Western. Adrian, NC, & Hancock, P 2006, ‘Space and time in organizational change management’, Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 19 Iss: 5 pp. 545 - 557 Buchanan, DA, & Huczynski, A 2004, ‘Organizational behaviour: an introductory text’, Harlow, Financial Times/Prentice Hall. Cole, GA, 2004, Organisational behaviour: theory and practice, London, Thomson. Diefenbach, T 2007, ‘The managerialistic ideology of organisational change management’, Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 20 Iss: 1 pp. 126 – 144. Griffin, RW, & Moorhead, G 2010, ‘Organizational behavior: managing people and organizations’, Australia, South-Western/Cengage Learning. Mullins, L. J., Christy, G., Carter, L., & Scott, P 2007, ‘Management and organisational behaviour’, Harlow (Essex), Pearson Education. Reddy, RJP 2004, ‘Organisational behaviour’, New Delhi, A.P.H. Publishing Corporation. Robbins, SP, Odendaal, A, & Roodt, G 2003, ‘Organisational behaviour: global and Southern African perspectives’, Cape Town, Pearson Education South Africa Saka, A 2003, ‘Internal change agents' view of the management of change problem’, Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 16 Iss: 5 pp. 480 - 496 Appendix MILLENIUM CONVENIENCE STORES Read More