What effect, if any, do you expect that workforce diversity has on a group’s performance and satisfaction?

What effect, if any, do you expect that workforce diversity has on a group’s performance and satisfaction?

A workforce that's more heterogeneous in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, age and other characteristics that reflect differences. One of the major challenges facing managers in the twenty-first century will be coordinating work activities of diverse organizational members in accomplishing organizational goals. Today's organizations are characterized by workforce diversity- a workforce that's more heterogamous in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, age and other characteristics that reflect differences. A report on work and workers in the twenty-first century called workforce 2020 stated that the United States labour force would continue its ethnic diversification although at a fairly slow pace. Throughout the early years of the twenty-first century minority will account certainly more than one half of the net new entrants in the United States.

The fastest growth is of Asian and Hispanic workers. However this report also stated that a more significant demographic force affecting workforce diversity during the next decade will be ageing of the population. This trend will significantly affect the United States work force in three ways first these ageing individual may choose to continue full time work, part time work or retire completely. Think of an organization, when an individual who is employee of that organization with vast knowledge and experience want to leave, it will cause problem for the organizations.

Basically workforce diversity can impact the performance of a group both positively as well as negatively. Firstly, workforce diversity increases the skills available to a specific group and the group shows more productive results as compare to the group which has individuals from the same set of mind. Workforce diversity also increases the capability of the individuals to work with people of different nature and habits. Moreover, it creates a motivation among the individuals. On the other hand, it can creates a lot of problems like linguistic problems, cultural issues and communication problems.

Workforce diversity is fast becoming something more acceptable , desired as well as inevitable.

Top companies all over the world can be found to have a fine "unity in diversity" in their workforce.

It undoubtedly gets tough to manage a culturally different workforce.It however, can be done easily when the group is driven by a common objective and the universal management principles.

Identify five roles you play in your organization. What behaviors do they require? Are any of these Roles in conflict? If so, in what way? How do you

Identify five roles you play in your organization. What behaviors do they require? Are any of these Roles in conflict? If so, in what way? How do you resolve these conflicts?

Following are the five roles that an individual can play in an organization:

- Figure head: A Figurehead is a role that is played by an employee during a ceremonial activity when he represents his company. There is no decision making in it and very little serious communication.

- Liaison: A Liaison is a role that is used for making and maintaining contact with people outside the organization. It requires strong communication skills but very little authority.

- - Leader: A Leader is involved in control and coordination of work.

- - Monitor: In a monitor role, an employee is responsible for continuous scanning of the external and internal environment.

- - Disseminator: A disseminator is involved in transmittal of information. This involves high analytical and communication skills.

None of these roles are in conflict with each other.

B. What can you do, as a manager, to increase the likelihood that your employees will exert a high level of effort?

What can you do, as a manager, to increase the likelihood that your employees will exert a high level of effort?Equal treatment of all and discipline or reward when it is warranted. This is a small sampling of factors but important ones I believe.

1. Conduct job analysis audits to provide realistic job previews. Conduct job analysis audits with behavioral assessments, cognitive reasoning assessments, job simulations, and hard skills assessments (e.g., computer skills, etc.) to objectively define the core competencies required for success in each role (competency modeling). This helps in providing a realistic job preview for candidates and managers. Oftentimes what managers think they need for a certain role is different from that they actually need.

2. Implement a well-designed assessment and selection process. Include behavioral assessments and structured behavioral interviewing techniques to increase the likelihood of hiring people that can, and will, do the job at a high level in your environment and for your managers (job fit assessment).

3. Provide good employee orientation. The people you hire today are potentially your greatest resource for corporate success in the years ahead. As a senior leader, your participation in new employee orientation sends a vital cultural and leadership message: "We’re all involved here in the drive toward what we want to be in the future." Everyone—even the newest employee—has value.

4. Implement programs for employee training and development. Provide ongoing professional development to show your willingness as an organization to develop your greatest asset—your people.

5. Improve manager and employee relationships. Concentrate on the people that stay with you to learn what makes them happy … then give them more of it! "People leave managers, not companies. If you have a turnover problem, look first at your managers," Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman write in First, Break All the Rules.

6. Provide an equitable or fair pay system. Be competitive!

7. Encourage succession planning. Identify roles for which employees may be suited in the future and work with them on designing their succession plan within the organization. Invest in cross-training, job shadowing, coaching, mentoring, and cross-experience.

Contrast job based and skill based pay

Contrast job based and skill based pay

Variable-pay involves paying the employees a form of compensation for performance in addition to the fixed base salary paid. It is a technique opted for by companies to increase the productivity of their staff. It is seen used on a large scale in the Information Technology sector. Skill based pay on the other hand refers to pay that is paid to employees who are willing to undergo a learning or training program to increase the level of their skills. It is pay that reflects the organisations appreciation of the employee acquiring additional skills and training. Both of these are progressive models of remuneration that are adapted to increase productivity by organisations, but that target distinct areas of an employees character. Both seek to motivate an employee through monetary incentives to perform better.

1. Can an individual be too motivated, so that his or her performance declines as a result of excessive effort? Discuss.

Can an individual be too motivated, so that his or her performance declines as a result of excessive effort? Discuss.

Answer – Students’ responses may vary but should consider the following elements from the text. McClelland found that high achievers differentiate themselves from others by their desire to do things better. If a high achiever sets too high goals for him/herself, he/she could end up demotivating him/herself because of the failure to achieve the goals. According to cognitive evaluation theory, when extrinsic rewards are used by organizations as payoffs for superior performance, the intrinsic rewards, which are derived from individuals doing what they like, are reduced. The popular explanation is that the individual experiences a loss of control over his/her own behavior so that the previous intrinsic motivation diminishes. Furthermore, the elimination of extrinsic rewards can produce a shift—from an external to an internal explanation—in an individual’s perception of causation of why he/she works on a task.

Contrast distributive and procedural justice. What implications might they have for designing pay systems in different countries?

Contrast distributive and procedural justice. What implications might they have for designing pay systems in different countries?

Distributive justice, or economic justice, is concerned with giving all members of society a "fair share" of the benefits and resources available. However, while everyone might agree that wealth should be distributed fairly, there is much disagreement about what counts as a "fair share." Some possible criteria of distribution are equity, equality, and need. (Equity means that one's rewards should be equal to one's contributions to a society, while "equality" means that everyone gets the same amount, regardless of their input. Distribution on the basis of need means that people who need more will get more, while people who need less will get less.) Fair allocation of resources, or distributive justice, is crucial to the stability of a society and the well-being of its members. When issues of distributive justice are inadequately addressed and the item to be distributed is highly valued, intractable conflicts frequently result.

Procedural justice is concerned with making and implementing decisions according to fair processes that ensure "fair treatment." Rules must be impartially followed and consistently applied in order to generate an unbiased decision. Those carrying out the procedures should be neutral, and those directly affected by the decisions should have some voice or representation in the decision-making process. (See the essay on public participation.) If people believe procedures to be fair, they will be more likely to accept outcomes, even ones that they do not like. Implementing fair procedures is central to many dispute resolution procedures, including negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and adjudication.

Historically, equity theory focused on distributive justice or “the perceived fairness of the amount and allocation of rewards among individuals.” Equity should also consider procedural justice, “the perceived fairness of the process used to determine the distribution of rewards.” The evidence indicates that distributive justice has a greater influence on employee satisfaction than procedural justice. Procedural justice tends to affect an employee’s organizational commitment, trust in his or her boss, and intention to quit. By increasing the perception of procedural fairness, employees are likely to view their bosses and the organization as positive even if they are dissatisfied with pay, promotions, and other personal outcomes.

What is the rational decision-making model? Under what conditions is it applicable?

What is the rational decision-making model? Under what conditions is it applicable?

Rational decision making models involve a cognitive process where each step follows in a logical order from the one before. By cognitive, I mean it is based on thinking through and weighing up the alternatives to come up with the best potential result.

There are different types of rational models and the number of steps involved, and even the steps themselves, will differ in different models.

Some people assume that decision making is equivalent to problem solving. Some decisions however are not problem oriented and I've taken this into consideration when describing the general outline of a rational model below.

Steps in a rational decision making model

· Define the situation/decision to be made
· Identify the important criteria for the process and the result
· Consider all possible solutions
· Calculate the consequences of these solutions versus the likelihood of satisfying the criteria
· Choose the best option

Rational Decision making model is basically the process which is used for making logically sound decisions. This model is applicable in a condition where it is important to follow an orderly and systematic path.

It has the following steps:

- Identify and define the problem
- - Generate possible solutions
- - Generate assessment criteria
- - Choose the best solution from the possible solutions.
- - Implement the best solution.
- - Monitor and evaluate the results.
- Feedback

The method of making the decision depends upon its importance. The more important the decision, the more time consuming it would be and you would need more information for making the decision. While making the decision, you need to see its objective and importance, the people who would be affected by it and also the organizational aspects that would be involved. The most important thing is to analyze your resources and different alternatives. You would also have to gather the necessary information needed to make the decision. You also need to keep in mind the time frame in which you have to reach a result. You should also discuss the situation with you other managers so that all points are covered and they get to participate in the decision making process and this is very important these days. Always remember that whatever you decide should have a rationale to it and you should be able to communicate it to the other people working in the organization.

A. What, if anything, can managers do to manage emotions?

What, if anything, can managers do to manage emotions?

Answer – They cannot control the emotions of their colleagues and employees. Emotions are a natural part of an individual’s makeup. Where managers err is if they ignore the emotional elements in organizational behavior and assess individual behavior as if it were completely rational. Managers who understand the role of emotions will significantly improve their ability to explain and predict individual behavior.

What are effectiveness and efficiency, and how are they related to organizational behavior?

What are effectiveness and efficiency, and how are they related to organizational behavior?

An organization is productive if it achieves its goals (effective) and does so by transferring inputs to outputs at the lowest cost (efficiency). As such, productivity implies a concern for both effectiveness and efficiency. Hospital example—effective when it successfully meets the needs of its clientele. It is efficient when it can do so at a low cost. Business firm example — effective when it attains its sales or market share goals, but its productivity also depends on achieving those goals efficiently. Achieving productivity through effectiveness and efficiency involves all three levels of an organization, the individual, the group, and the organizational system. OB provides the tools, insights, and ability to predict outcomes needed to balance these two elements.

A. If job satisfaction is not a behavior, why is it considered an important Dependent Variable?

If job satisfaction is not a behavior, why is it considered an important Dependent Variable?

Job satisfaction is the difference between the amount of rewards workers receive and the amount they believe they should receive. Unlike the other dependent variables, job satisfaction represents an attitude rather than a behavior. It became a primary dependent variable for two reasons: 1) demonstrated relationship to performance factors and 2) the value preferences held by many OB researchers. Managers have believed for years that satisfied employees are more productive. Much evidence questions that assumed causal relationship. However, it can be argued that advanced societies should be concerned with the quality of life. Ethically, organizations have a responsibility to provide employees with jobs that are challenging and intrinsically rewarding.

A. What contingency factors can improve the statistical relationship between Attitudes and Behavior?

.
.
.
What contingency factors can improve the statistical relationship between Attitudes and Behavior?

Wealth, Living environment, family environment, success in ventures. Just about any factor that affects one's self-worth. The better one feels about themselves, the encouragement they receive will affect the attitude and as such their behavior. People usually misbehave in order to get attention. Some will take attention in any form good or bad just to be noticed and recognize. Bad behavior is usually a cry for attention so when someone is acting bad a lot of time they are seeking to be noticed and recognized.

What are the three levels of analysis in our OB model? Are they related? If so, how?

.
.
.
Q: What are the three levels of analysis in our OB model? Are they related? If so, how?

Answer – Individual, group, organization. The three basic levels are analogous to building blocks—each level is constructed upon the previous level. Group concepts grow out of the foundation laid in the individual section; we overlay structural constraints on the individual and group in order to arrive at organizational behavior.

What are the three levels of Analysis in our OB model? Are they related? If so, how?

A field of study that investigates the impact of individuals, groups, and structure on behaviour within organizations; the aim is to apply such knowledge toward improving organizational effectiveness.

Organizational Behavior (OB) is the study and application of knowledge about how people, individuals, and groups act in organizations. It does this by taking a system approach. That is, it interprets people-organization relationships in terms of the whole person, whole group, whole organization, and whole social system. Its purpose is to build better relationships by achieving human objectives, organizational objectives, and social objectives