Assignment : 30%

Professional Diploma in Management, Engineering, Plantation And

OSHA

Organizational Behavior

Answer ALL of the questions below.

1. a) List and explain 2 types of motivation theories how each one is applied in the context
of organizational behavior. 10 marks

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

According to Smith & Cronje (1992), the way Maslow’s theory is explained relies on the fact
that people want to increase what they want to achieve in life and their needs are
prioritized according to their importance. Deriving from the hierarchy of needs by Maslow,
content theories of job satisfaction revolve around employees’ needs and the factors that
bring them a reasonable degree of satisfaction (Saif et al., 2012). Based on the basic
physical, biological, social and psychological needs of human beings, Maslow came up with
a five-stage theory that places the needs of the individual in different categories and
prioritizes their attainment. These categories, in order of decreasing priority, are:

• physiological needs (food, shelter, clothing);

• safety and security needs (physical protection);

• social needs (association with others);

• esteem needs (receiving acknowledgement from others); and

• self-actualisation needs (the desire for accomplishment or to leave behind a legacy).

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs forms the basis of theories that try to explain job satisfaction.
Teachers, like all people, have needs that have to be satisfied. Besides the basic needs for
food, shelter and clothing, safety from physical, harm, and social interaction, they also need
the recognition and appreciation of students, colleagues, and parents.theories of
motivation.

McGregor’s X and Y Theories

McGregor’s (1960) Theory X and Y models categorize employees as belonging to one of two
groups based on two sets of assumptions. Theory X assumptions take a negative perspective
of people: People can have “an inherent dislike for work and avoid it if possible; because of
this, they must be coerced, controlled, directed and threatened with punishment to make
them work. They prefer to be directed, avoid responsibility, have little ambition, and want
security” (Saif et al. 2012, p.138). Theory Y assumptions take the opposite view: the mental
and physical inputs expended at the workplace are equated and par with those rest or play.
External factors or any threats from outside may not be the sole influence for exerting
effort. Workers or people can exercise caution and discipline to have objectives achieved,
but the hunger in their desire to commit to objectives is dependent on how big are the
rewards as assigned to that kind of achievement. Under normal circumstances, people can
adapt to seek responsibility and not only accept it. Applying these assumptions to a school
environment, one could argue that two of the main causes of dissatisfaction among
teachers are having to deal with problem students and a strict and inconsiderate
management, for example a principal who is coercive and does not appreciate the efforts of
teachers, or an overly directive principal who never delegates or allows teachers to make
independent decisions. Conversely, a supportive principal may be a source of job
satisfaction to teachers.
References

https://researchleap.com/theories-motivation-application-organizations-risk-analysis/

b) Describe the 5 stages in the model of group development by Tucker. 10 marks

A team cannot be expected to perform well right from the time it is formed. Forming a team
is just like maintaining a relationship. It takes time, patience, requires support, efforts and
members often go through recognizable stages as they change from being a collection of
strangers to a united group with common goals.

Bruce Tuckman presented a model of five stages Forming, Storming, Norming, and
Performing in order to develop as a group.

Orientation (Forming Stage)

The first stage of group development is the forming stage. This stage presents a time where
the group is just starting to come together and is described with anxiety and uncertainty.

Members are discreet with their behavior, which is driven by their desire to be accepted by
all members of the group. Conflict, controversy, misunderstanding and personal opinions
are avoided even though members are starting to form impressions of each other and gain
an understanding of what the group will do together.

Typical consequences of the forming stage include achieving an understanding of the

group's purpose, determining how the team is going to be organized and who will be
responsible for what, discussion of major milestones or phases of the group's goal that
includes a rough project schedule, outlining general group rules that includes when they will
meet and discovery of what resources will be available for the group to use.
At this stage, group members are learning what to do, how the group is going to operate,
what is expected, and what is acceptable.

Power Struggle (Storming Stage)

The second stage of group development is the storming stage. The storming stage is where
dispute and competition are at its greatest because now group members have an
understanding of the work and a general feel of belongingness towards the group as well as
the group members.

This is the stage where the dominating group members emerge, while the less
confrontational members stay in their comfort zone.

Questions around leadership, authority, rules, policies, norms, responsibilities, structure,

evaluation criteria and reward systems tend to arise during the storming stage. Such
questions need to be answered so that the group can move further on to the next stage.

Cooperation and Integration (Norming Stage)

In this stage, the group becomes fun and enjoyable. Group interaction are lot more easier,
more cooperative, and productive, with weighed give and take, open communication,
bonding, and mutual respect.

If there is a dispute or disruption, it’s comparatively easy to be resolved and the group gets
back on track.

Group leadership is very important, but the facilitator can step back a little and let group
members take the initiative and move forward together.

Synergy (Performing Stage)

Once a group is clear about its needs, it can move forward to the third stage of group
development, the norming stage. This is the time where the group becomes really united.
At this stage, the morale is high as group members actively acknowledge the talents, skills
and experience that each member brings to the group. A sense of belongingness is
established and the group remains focused on the group's purpose and goal.

Members are flexible, interdependent, and trust each other. Leadership is distributive and
members are willing to adapt according to the needs of the group.

Closure (Adjourning Stage)

This stage of a group can be confusing and is usually reached when the task is successfully
completed. At this stage, the project is coming to an end and the team members are moving
off in different directions.

This stage looks at the team from the perspective of the well-being of the team instead of
the perspective of handling a team through the original four stages of team growth.

References

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/individual_and_group_behavior/five_stage_model_group_
development.htm

2. a) You are likely to be promoted to a senior manager’s position. What type of

leadership styles you are going to apply? What situations do you think the styles be
advantageous to you? 10 marks
The Cooperative Style of Leadership

Employees' opinions play an important role in this approach. They are allowed to
participate in important decision-making processes that affect the company. The supervisor,
however, still has the opportunity to delegate and issue work instructions to his
subordinates.

Leadership styles based on collaboration between superiors and their subordinates have
many advantages. Empirical research has shown that the motivation of employees who
have been integrated into the decision-making processes of a business was much higher
than that of employees who were only allowed to execute the orders of their supervisors.
The supervisor promotes the creativity of his subordinates in this cooperative nature of
leadership. In addition, the involvement of employees in the decision-making process
provides some relief for the company management. In practice, a pleasant operating and
working environment can be attested. In addition, companies that prefer the cooperative
leadership style achieve far better business results than competitors that specialize
exclusively in authoritarian leadership.

Reference

https://www.landsiedel.com/en/coaching/leadership-styles.html

b) Explain the different types of conflict that occur in an organization. 10 marks

Task Conflict

The first of the three types of conflict in the workplace, task conflict, often involves concrete
issues related to employees’ work assignments and can include disputes about how to
divide up resources, differences of opinion on procedures and policies, managing
expectations at work, and judgments and interpretation of facts.
Of the three types of conflict discussed here, task conflict may appear to be the simplest to
resolve. But task conflict often turns out to have deeper roots and more complexity that it
appears to have at first glance. For example, coworkers who are arguing about which one of
them should go to an out-of-town conference may have a deeper conflict based on a sense
of rivalry.

Task conflict often benefits from the intervention of an organization’s leaders. Serving as de
facto mediators, managers can focus on identifying the deeper interests underlying parties’
positions. This can be done through active listening, which involves asking questions,
repeating back what you hear to confirm your understanding, and asking even deeper
questions aimed at probing for deeper concerns. Try to engage the parties in a collaborative
problem-solving process in which they brainstorm possible solutions. When parties develop
solutions together, rather than having an outcome imposed on them, they are more likely
to abide by the agreement and get along better in the future.

Relationship Conflict

The second of our three types of conflict, relationship conflict, arises from differences in
personality, style, matters of taste, and even conflict styles. In organizations, people who
would not ordinarily meet in real life are often thrown together and must try to get along.
It’s no surprise, then, that relationship conflict can be common in organizations.

Suppose you’ve felt a long-simmering tension with a colleague, whether over work
assignments, personality differences, or some other issue. Before turning to a manager, you
might invite the colleague out to lunch and try to get to know him or her better. Discovering
things you have in common—whether a tie to the same city, children the same age, or
shared concerns about problems in your organization—may help bring you together.

If you feel comfortable, bring up the source of the tension and focus on listening to the
other person’s point of view. Resist the urge to argue or defend your position. When you
demonstrate empathy and interest, he or she is likely to reciprocate. If the conflict persists
or worsens, enlist the help of a manager in resolving your differences.
Value Conflict

The last of our three types of conflict, value conflict, can arise from fundamental differences
in identities and values, which can include differences in politics, religion, ethics, norms, and
other deeply held beliefs. Although discussion of politics and religion is often taboo in
organizations, disputes about values can arise in the context of work decisions and policies,
such as whether to implement an affirmative action program or whether to take on a client
with ties to a corrupt government.

According to MIT professor Lawrence Susskind, disputes involving values tend to heighten
defensiveness, distrust, and alienation. Parties can feel so strongly about standing by their
values that they reject trades that would satisfy other interests they might have.

Susskind recommends that instead of seeking to resolve a values-based dispute, we aim to

move beyond demonization toward mutual understanding and respect through dialogue.
Aim for a cognitive understanding in which you and your coworker reach an accurate
conceptualization of one another’s point of view. This type of understanding doesn’t
require sympathy or emotional connection, only a “values-neutral” ability to describe
accurately what someone else believes about the situation, write Robert Mnookin, Scott R.
Peppet, and Andrew S. Tulumello in Beyond Winning: Negotiating to Create Value in Deals
and Disputes (Harvard University Press, 2004).

In addition, you may be able to reframe a values-based dispute “by appealing to other
values that you and your counterpart share,” writes Susskind in an article in the Negotiation
Briefings newsletter, “including universal beliefs such as equal rights or nonviolence, rather
than focusing on the differences in beliefs that precipitated the dispute.”

Reference

https://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/conflict-resolution/types-conflict/
3. a) Groups are an essential feature of the work patterns organizations. Explain how do
you increase the cohesiveness of a group structure. 10 marks

1. Encourage communication

A cohesive team thrives on open communication. If you want to increase team

cohesiveness, begin implementing good communication practices. Provide the necessary
resources needed for team members to communicate with each other and encourage
active and open communication. Several communication channels promote team
engagement, including online messaging platforms and remote team meeting software.

Open communication encourages team members to voice their concerns, ideas and efforts
and resolve conflict more quickly and efficiently. It also helps foster trust among team
members and supports connections that will ultimately increase the team's effectiveness as
a whole.

2. Practice team-building activities

It's important to focus not only on the goals the team needs to reach but also on the
relationships among team members that contribute to achieving those goals. Team-building
activities help boost members' self-esteem and overall morale and encourage team
members to build bonds with each other to support the team's success.

Examples of team-building activities to try include:

 Volunteer work

 Monthly team outings

 Scavenger hunts

 Circle of appreciation

 Team games

 Team lunches
Consider implementing a team-building activity at least once a month to support team
member relationships and provide the opportunity for members to establish relationships
with one another.

3. Structure goals

Structuring goals in an easy-to-understand manner ensures all team members understand

their responsibilities and role for each goal. A common way to structure goals is by creating
a goal pyramid that outlines each set of goals at a different level. For example, you could
structure goals as company goals, team goals and individual goals. This type of goal pyramid
clearly shows the section that each particular goal falls under beginning with company-wide
goals and ending with individual goals. This approach also provides transparency for your
team and allows them to have a clear grasp of the hierarchy of goals and the purpose
behind each goal.

Additionally, goal pyramids also make it easier to establish clear objectives at every level
and provide a viable way to measure success and keep the big-picture goals at the forefront
of your team's mind.

4. Provide training and development

Team members who feel confident in their abilities are more likely to interact with their
team members in a more productive manner and complete their tasks more efficiently.
Offering training and development opportunities is a great way to encourage team
members to take control of their skills and abilities and give them confidence when
performing tasks. This will ultimately help to improve their work and overall contribution to
the team as a whole.

5. Celebrate successes as a team

Celebrating success as a team can have a powerful effect on overall team cohesiveness.
Rather than focusing on a person's success within the team, use that success to celebrate
the team as a whole. Thank your team members for their work and recognize that all
members plan an important role in meeting goals.

6. Focus on building trust

Trust plays a major role in a team's ability to work well together and in a cohesive manner.
While focusing on enhancing and improving communication supports the building of trust,
there are other steps you can take to further the trust within your team. To build trust, the
team leader must set a precedent and be as transparent as possible with their team. When
a team feels that their leader keeps secrets or isn't being honest and open, team members
are more likely to lose trust and feel they can't communicate in a safe and productive
manner.

As a team leader, you should communicate your ideas and provide updates as they come.
Share successes and issues with the team and encourage the team to work together to find
solutions with your help. Celebrate successes together as a team as well as missteps and
ensure that team members are singled out for either.

7. Define the values of the company and team

Team members who clearly understand the values of the organization they work for and of
the team they are part of are more likely to want to contribute to the team's success. When
your team is first formed, ensure all members are aware of the organization's goals and
values. Then, establish the team's values and goals as well as the purpose of the team and
what it's working towards. You can also ask team members how they currently interpret the
team and its goals and work to ensure that all team members have a common
understanding of them.

8. Empower members of the team

Giving team members responsibilities and even authority in particular areas will empower
team members, ultimately increasing overall team cohesion. When team members feel they
have ownership over the activities, tasks and issues of the group, they are more likely to
work together as a team to handle these situations and take responsibility for their role in
them.

9. Resolve conflicts as a group

Even the best teams experience conflict at some point. It's how teams resolve conflict that
ultimately determines the team's overall cohesiveness. Constructive conflicts make great
opportunities to strengthen team cohesion and intra-team relationships. When conflicts
arise, the team should work together to come to a viable solution as quickly as possible.
Encourage team members to work together to develop and implement solutions and ensure
they have the resources available to work towards conflict resolution.

10. Choose team members with care

Not everyone will be able to work together as a cohesive team. When deciding who will be
a part of your team, taking into consideration their abilities, personality and ability to work
within a group setting. Choosing the right people to work as a team will promote team
cohesion and make working together much easier and more productive.

Reference

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/team-cohesiveness

b) Give THREE (3) reasons why employees resist to change. 10 marks

Loss of status or job security in the organization

It is not our nature to make changes that we view as harmful to our current situation. In an
organizational setting, this means employees, peers, and managers will resist administrative
and technological changes that result in their role being eliminated or reduced. From their
perspective, your change is harmful to their place in the organization!
Forcing a change on others has its place. Over time, however, when this is the only
approach that you use to make change, you’ll find that your change results suffer. If you
overuse this approach, you will harm your effectiveness over the long term as others will
find direct and indirect ways to resist you. Without a thoughtful change strategy to address
resistance to change, you will trigger strong resistance and organizational turnover.

Poorly aligned (non-reinforcing) reward systems

Confused Manager There is a common business saying that managers get what they
reward. Organizational stakeholders will resist change when they do not see any rewards.

When working with managers, I will ask them, Where is the reward to employees for
implementing your change?

Without a reward, there is no motivation for your team to support your change over the
long term. This often means that organizational reward systems must be altered in some
way to support the change that you want to implement. The change does not have to
always be major or costly. Intrinsic rewards are very powerful motivators in the workplace
that are non-monetary.

(3) Surprise and fear of the unknown

The less your team members know about the change and its impact on them, the more
fearful they will become. Leading change also requires not springing surprises on the
organization! Your organization needs to be prepared for the change.
In the absence of continuing two-way communication with you, grapevine rumors fill the
void and sabotage the change effort. In fact, ongoing communication is one of your most
critical tools for handling resistance to change. But, it’s not just telling! The neglected part
of two-way communication — listening — is just as powerful.

Reference

https://managementisajourney.com/organizational-change-8-reasons-why-people-resist-
change/