Q1. My recommendations with respect to the different structural variables would be as follows (1) with respect to hierarchy of authority, the company should adopt a flat hierarchy as opposed to a tall hierarchy because a flat hierarchy of authority will promotes the division of the company into functional units which will be entirely undertake their responsibilities of the behalf of the company. Flat hierarchy of authority will further enhance top-down and bottom-up communication and feedback process within the company as a result of reduced hierarchical levels promote efficiency and facilitate supervision. Specialized division of labor will be better suited for the company than generalized knowledge because the company is still in its initial stages of growth where it must harness specialized knowledge to benefit from both tacit and explicit knowledge of employees. The wide span of control will be more suitable to the company than narrow span of control because the companys employees are not physically dispersed. A wide span of control will enable many employees to report to fewer managers thereby eliminating unnecessary levels of management. A high degree of centralization will be more appropriate for the company than a decentralized degree of control so as to facilitate convenience in administration processes, unified control of activities, fixed responsibility and accountability and effective discipline.
Q2. The company should departmentalize on the basis of task and output (matrix structure) because it is a good model of organic design suited for complex and dynamic environment. Considering the fact that a software company is characterized by a highly technical environment, flexibility and dynamism will be important in managing the activities of the company. The matrix structure provide the advantage of multiple command system, where one command chain is functional and exhibiting vertical flow of authority while the other chain of command is horizontal. The matrix structure therefore provides the necessary coordination to satisfy dual environmental demands leads to better control of tasks and greater security of work processes achieves functional integration of skills development and ignites higher employee moral and customer satisfaction.
Q3. Given the companies highly organic characteristics, I would recommend an organic organizational design because of its flexibility and ability to adjust rapidly to change. The organic organizational design will provide the company with the following unique characteristics de-emphasis on status and rank differences thereby achieving enhanced interpersonal relationships emphasis on horizontal and lateral communication and relationships as opposed to vertical relationships holders of higher positions is not necessarily assumed to be more informed than the staff in the lower cadres and optimized utility of employee knowledge and skills by their participation in decision making and problem-solving processes.
Q4. Besides the new operating procedures, the other planned and unplanned changes responsible for the employees negative responses may likely have been caused by (a) technological changes in the form of adoption of new equipments, automation of work processes, and revised information processing and (b) people focused changes affecting issues such as upgraded requirements of employee skills and performance, changes in appraisal methods, organizational development attitudes and expectations, and requirements for employees to upgrade their skills.
Q5. Some of the barriers to change encountered in this situation include lack of tact when introducing change whereby the new changes demonstrate insensitivity towards employees personality conflicts within change agents peer pressure among employees fear for loss of statues and job security to new technologies being adopted fear of the unknown climate of mistrust and fear of failure among employees as a result of intimidating change processes. The necessary steps that need to be undertaken to overcome this change include (1) encouraging participation by offering invitations to employees to actively participate in change efforts at all levels and phases to honor employees with a feeling of ownership in the change process (2) improve communication by way of informing employees about the nature, timing and significance of the intended changes (3) educating and training employees to adjust to the new work procedures, techniques and qualifications requirements (4) provision of emotional and technical facilitation to employees in the process of adjusting to the new work environments and (5) enter negotiations and agreements with employees through dialogue to get them accept and to subscribe to the new ways of doing things in the company.
Q6. Yes, an OD will intervene in this case and I would propose change management OD. Change management OD emphasizes on the need to align individual aspirations to the overall organizational structures as a means for bolstering effective employee performance. Indeed, the persistence of variance between individual and organization aspirations portends negative impact on the formulation and implementation of strategies in organizations. Change management further acknowledges the significance working groups and teams in organizations as effective tools that streamline individual aspirations towards the general objectives of organizations through the gradual application of working and co-operation strategies designed to achieve flexibility, free flow of information, empowerment and ultimately, improved performance.
Ten Point Essay Question My answer to my golfing partner will be that hisher assumptions are wrong because organizations are complex organic evolving entities with unlimited capacities to learn, create, and pursue their own processes and objectives. As such, organizations are increasingly required to demonstrate sensitivity, cohesiveness, identity and tolerance to the varying implications and challenges posed by internal and external environmental factors. The external and internal environments portend either positive or negative impact on the strategic plans of any organization. The organizational abilities to build relationships and create community with sense of purpose and vision are wholly pegged on the leadership strengths and goodwill. Emphasis and continuous pursuit of knowledge, perception of the organization as community of people and perpetual endurance are the characteristics that define learning organizations. Therefore conflicts of interpersonal, intercultural, personality, resistance to change and motivations are always bound to occur as the organization goes through the different phases of growth.
Bonus Question I would respond that monetary rewards alone are not adequate motivation for employees. As much as money is an important motivator, it is not the only motivator and it is not always the motivator because after satisfying the primary and secondary needs of an individual by raising the living standards, it ceases to work as a motivator. Indeed, non-financial incentives are very effective motivational tools that should be applied side by side to the monetary incentives in a complimentary fashion.
To this end, managers should adopt a combination of some of the following non financial incentives (1) competition whereby the organizational management creates an atmosphere of healthy competition among employees as incentives for achieving personal or group goals (2) praise whereby the managers seek to satisfy the ego need of employees by acknowledging their good work (3) participation of employees in management through consultations during decision making processes (4) promotions on the basis of skills, merits, abilities, efficiency and deserved qualifications (5) delegation of authority (6) entrusting employees with higher levels of responsibility (7) providing employees wit opportunities for individual advancements (8) stability of tenure for employees and (9) use of suggestion schemes for improving efficiency.
Part Two Case Analysis
The questions addressed to the management processes in the organization demonstrate the significance of the personality element in organizational management processes, considering that leadership is a purposeful relationship through which employees help each other to overcome difficult situations. There exist serious problems of personality conflicts, attitudes and power struggles among Marian and Dave and the rest of the team under her. The element of ego, as illustrated by Sigmund Freud, explores the specific elements of individual behaviors with particular emphasis to the elements id, super ego and ego. Each of these elements is considered to initiate consequence of precedence for each other in human thought with id serving as the precedence for ego and superego.
The psychoanalytic theories focus on the significance of the psychological conflicts that are unconscious and dynamic in nature. The id responds according to the principle of pleasure with demands for immediate attention for its needs the external environment not withstanding the ego then must be initiated to meet the demands of the id within the limits of the prevailing environment and the superego finally initiates a judgmental perspective on the element of ego, ensuring that the demands portrayed by the id element are met in an realistic and moral manner. As such, it is imperative to seeking appropriate solutions to the interpersonal conflicts among the staff by a way of relating and responding to each other so that the other persons are guided to explore their thoughts, behavior and feelings, to reach to a clear self understanding and then to identify the use of their strengths, draw resources so that they can cope more effectively with their life making appropriate decisions by taking relevant actions.
The situation therefore calls for the application of the suggestions put forward by the attribution theory whereby managers and the subordinates use the information about the behavior of others with inference to the realities that they possess specific traits that would be stabilized over time. This seems a deceptively simple thing to do, but the process is not all that clear-cut. In order to gain useful information for an inference about stable traits to be made, three factors should be considered by Marian and Dave as follows. Behavior should be voluntary such that if someone is forced to behave in a certain way, it reveals very little about them as person. Behavior should produce non-common effects such that consequences would be produced by a particular behavior and not others. For example, if an employee recommended as being knowledgeable and professional when he performs a duty anonymously but to not get similar recognitions when he or she does so amidst adequate publicity, where there are other possible consequences as would be the case of rewards for the management team. In this example, the acknowledgement of the worker as being knowledgeable may only come about if there may be nothing else in return. Furthermore, actions that are low in social desirability tell us more about a person than actions that conform to a social norm. Therefore, if someone is loud and argumentive during a departmental meeting, fellow employees are more likely to see this as a stable trait of the person than if he or she were quiet and agreeable.
Therefore the Marian should act as a team leader leading a team that listens to each others experiences and feelings. This way, team members get to learn a great deal about their own conditions. Some of the advantages associated to team work approach by experiencing the success of others in the group, individuals in the team are given hope that they might also conquer their own problems team members come to recognize that they are not the only ones facing particular problems, therefore making them feel less isolated team members are given the opportunity to help others and experience the positive effects of their role in that help and positive interpersonal interactions are developed, as deficiencies in social interactions are common in many workplace conflicts. As such, the general idea that can be drawn from this case that may have an application elsewhere is that workplace conflicts between new employees and the existing employees are bound to occur especially when the existing employees feel the new employees came to fill in higher positions that are capable of filling.
Q1. In this particular situation in the bank personality played the role of igniting spontaneous defensive reactions by both Marian and Dave as provoked by diagnostic inaccuracies in the form of improper interpretation of cases, wrong assessment of problems, deviation from recommended procedures, absence of empathy or faulty prescription behaviors between the two bank officials. Neuroticism is one of the Big Five personality traits that most clearly influenced Marian and Dave because instead of pursuing the preference for calmness and satisfaction they were more inclined towards feelings of anxiety and job insecurity. The aspect of cognitive distortions played a role in the conflict between Marian and Dave because their emotions and behaviors were heavily influenced by the way they reasoned about their experiences.
Q2 Marian should have continuously adapted her colleagues to change as a strategy used in streamlining professional aspirations towards the achievement of the ultimate objectives of gradual team cooperation through flexibility, free flow of information, empowerment and improved performance. Indeed, the successful implementation of current and visionary strategies is dependent on the strengths and demonstration of leadership which focus on eliminating likely functional lapses in the environment that portend failure in achievement overall growth objectives.
Q3 Now that the situation has become very difficult, Marian should adopt urgent strategies designed to correct the operational anomaly within her department. Given that the top management of the organization has confidence in Dave, Marian should seek cooperative strategies with Dave and the entire team because his sacking may worsen the situation. She should therefore implement her work strategies in integrative and complimentary fashion out of recognition of the reality that knowledge cannot always be assumed to be perfect, subject to the prevailing conditions in the organizational environment.
Q2. The company should departmentalize on the basis of task and output (matrix structure) because it is a good model of organic design suited for complex and dynamic environment. Considering the fact that a software company is characterized by a highly technical environment, flexibility and dynamism will be important in managing the activities of the company. The matrix structure provide the advantage of multiple command system, where one command chain is functional and exhibiting vertical flow of authority while the other chain of command is horizontal. The matrix structure therefore provides the necessary coordination to satisfy dual environmental demands leads to better control of tasks and greater security of work processes achieves functional integration of skills development and ignites higher employee moral and customer satisfaction.
Q3. Given the companies highly organic characteristics, I would recommend an organic organizational design because of its flexibility and ability to adjust rapidly to change. The organic organizational design will provide the company with the following unique characteristics de-emphasis on status and rank differences thereby achieving enhanced interpersonal relationships emphasis on horizontal and lateral communication and relationships as opposed to vertical relationships holders of higher positions is not necessarily assumed to be more informed than the staff in the lower cadres and optimized utility of employee knowledge and skills by their participation in decision making and problem-solving processes.
Q4. Besides the new operating procedures, the other planned and unplanned changes responsible for the employees negative responses may likely have been caused by (a) technological changes in the form of adoption of new equipments, automation of work processes, and revised information processing and (b) people focused changes affecting issues such as upgraded requirements of employee skills and performance, changes in appraisal methods, organizational development attitudes and expectations, and requirements for employees to upgrade their skills.
Q5. Some of the barriers to change encountered in this situation include lack of tact when introducing change whereby the new changes demonstrate insensitivity towards employees personality conflicts within change agents peer pressure among employees fear for loss of statues and job security to new technologies being adopted fear of the unknown climate of mistrust and fear of failure among employees as a result of intimidating change processes. The necessary steps that need to be undertaken to overcome this change include (1) encouraging participation by offering invitations to employees to actively participate in change efforts at all levels and phases to honor employees with a feeling of ownership in the change process (2) improve communication by way of informing employees about the nature, timing and significance of the intended changes (3) educating and training employees to adjust to the new work procedures, techniques and qualifications requirements (4) provision of emotional and technical facilitation to employees in the process of adjusting to the new work environments and (5) enter negotiations and agreements with employees through dialogue to get them accept and to subscribe to the new ways of doing things in the company.
Q6. Yes, an OD will intervene in this case and I would propose change management OD. Change management OD emphasizes on the need to align individual aspirations to the overall organizational structures as a means for bolstering effective employee performance. Indeed, the persistence of variance between individual and organization aspirations portends negative impact on the formulation and implementation of strategies in organizations. Change management further acknowledges the significance working groups and teams in organizations as effective tools that streamline individual aspirations towards the general objectives of organizations through the gradual application of working and co-operation strategies designed to achieve flexibility, free flow of information, empowerment and ultimately, improved performance.
Ten Point Essay Question My answer to my golfing partner will be that hisher assumptions are wrong because organizations are complex organic evolving entities with unlimited capacities to learn, create, and pursue their own processes and objectives. As such, organizations are increasingly required to demonstrate sensitivity, cohesiveness, identity and tolerance to the varying implications and challenges posed by internal and external environmental factors. The external and internal environments portend either positive or negative impact on the strategic plans of any organization. The organizational abilities to build relationships and create community with sense of purpose and vision are wholly pegged on the leadership strengths and goodwill. Emphasis and continuous pursuit of knowledge, perception of the organization as community of people and perpetual endurance are the characteristics that define learning organizations. Therefore conflicts of interpersonal, intercultural, personality, resistance to change and motivations are always bound to occur as the organization goes through the different phases of growth.
Bonus Question I would respond that monetary rewards alone are not adequate motivation for employees. As much as money is an important motivator, it is not the only motivator and it is not always the motivator because after satisfying the primary and secondary needs of an individual by raising the living standards, it ceases to work as a motivator. Indeed, non-financial incentives are very effective motivational tools that should be applied side by side to the monetary incentives in a complimentary fashion.
To this end, managers should adopt a combination of some of the following non financial incentives (1) competition whereby the organizational management creates an atmosphere of healthy competition among employees as incentives for achieving personal or group goals (2) praise whereby the managers seek to satisfy the ego need of employees by acknowledging their good work (3) participation of employees in management through consultations during decision making processes (4) promotions on the basis of skills, merits, abilities, efficiency and deserved qualifications (5) delegation of authority (6) entrusting employees with higher levels of responsibility (7) providing employees wit opportunities for individual advancements (8) stability of tenure for employees and (9) use of suggestion schemes for improving efficiency.
Part Two Case Analysis
The questions addressed to the management processes in the organization demonstrate the significance of the personality element in organizational management processes, considering that leadership is a purposeful relationship through which employees help each other to overcome difficult situations. There exist serious problems of personality conflicts, attitudes and power struggles among Marian and Dave and the rest of the team under her. The element of ego, as illustrated by Sigmund Freud, explores the specific elements of individual behaviors with particular emphasis to the elements id, super ego and ego. Each of these elements is considered to initiate consequence of precedence for each other in human thought with id serving as the precedence for ego and superego.
The psychoanalytic theories focus on the significance of the psychological conflicts that are unconscious and dynamic in nature. The id responds according to the principle of pleasure with demands for immediate attention for its needs the external environment not withstanding the ego then must be initiated to meet the demands of the id within the limits of the prevailing environment and the superego finally initiates a judgmental perspective on the element of ego, ensuring that the demands portrayed by the id element are met in an realistic and moral manner. As such, it is imperative to seeking appropriate solutions to the interpersonal conflicts among the staff by a way of relating and responding to each other so that the other persons are guided to explore their thoughts, behavior and feelings, to reach to a clear self understanding and then to identify the use of their strengths, draw resources so that they can cope more effectively with their life making appropriate decisions by taking relevant actions.
The situation therefore calls for the application of the suggestions put forward by the attribution theory whereby managers and the subordinates use the information about the behavior of others with inference to the realities that they possess specific traits that would be stabilized over time. This seems a deceptively simple thing to do, but the process is not all that clear-cut. In order to gain useful information for an inference about stable traits to be made, three factors should be considered by Marian and Dave as follows. Behavior should be voluntary such that if someone is forced to behave in a certain way, it reveals very little about them as person. Behavior should produce non-common effects such that consequences would be produced by a particular behavior and not others. For example, if an employee recommended as being knowledgeable and professional when he performs a duty anonymously but to not get similar recognitions when he or she does so amidst adequate publicity, where there are other possible consequences as would be the case of rewards for the management team. In this example, the acknowledgement of the worker as being knowledgeable may only come about if there may be nothing else in return. Furthermore, actions that are low in social desirability tell us more about a person than actions that conform to a social norm. Therefore, if someone is loud and argumentive during a departmental meeting, fellow employees are more likely to see this as a stable trait of the person than if he or she were quiet and agreeable.
Therefore the Marian should act as a team leader leading a team that listens to each others experiences and feelings. This way, team members get to learn a great deal about their own conditions. Some of the advantages associated to team work approach by experiencing the success of others in the group, individuals in the team are given hope that they might also conquer their own problems team members come to recognize that they are not the only ones facing particular problems, therefore making them feel less isolated team members are given the opportunity to help others and experience the positive effects of their role in that help and positive interpersonal interactions are developed, as deficiencies in social interactions are common in many workplace conflicts. As such, the general idea that can be drawn from this case that may have an application elsewhere is that workplace conflicts between new employees and the existing employees are bound to occur especially when the existing employees feel the new employees came to fill in higher positions that are capable of filling.
Q1. In this particular situation in the bank personality played the role of igniting spontaneous defensive reactions by both Marian and Dave as provoked by diagnostic inaccuracies in the form of improper interpretation of cases, wrong assessment of problems, deviation from recommended procedures, absence of empathy or faulty prescription behaviors between the two bank officials. Neuroticism is one of the Big Five personality traits that most clearly influenced Marian and Dave because instead of pursuing the preference for calmness and satisfaction they were more inclined towards feelings of anxiety and job insecurity. The aspect of cognitive distortions played a role in the conflict between Marian and Dave because their emotions and behaviors were heavily influenced by the way they reasoned about their experiences.
Q2 Marian should have continuously adapted her colleagues to change as a strategy used in streamlining professional aspirations towards the achievement of the ultimate objectives of gradual team cooperation through flexibility, free flow of information, empowerment and improved performance. Indeed, the successful implementation of current and visionary strategies is dependent on the strengths and demonstration of leadership which focus on eliminating likely functional lapses in the environment that portend failure in achievement overall growth objectives.
Q3 Now that the situation has become very difficult, Marian should adopt urgent strategies designed to correct the operational anomaly within her department. Given that the top management of the organization has confidence in Dave, Marian should seek cooperative strategies with Dave and the entire team because his sacking may worsen the situation. She should therefore implement her work strategies in integrative and complimentary fashion out of recognition of the reality that knowledge cannot always be assumed to be perfect, subject to the prevailing conditions in the organizational environment.
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