assignment mb0038

7/30/2019 Assignment MB0038

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Name

Roll No.

Program MBA

SubjectSpring 2012-Semester I-MB0038- ManagementProcess and Organization Behaviour

Learning Centre


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Assignment Set- 1

Q1. State the characteristics of management.

Management is a distinct activity having the following salient features or characteristics:

1. Goal-oriented: Management is a purposeful activity. It co-ordinates the efforts of employees to achieve the goals of theorganization. The success of management is measured by the extent to which the organizational goals are achieved. It isimperative that the organizational goals must be well-defined and properly understood by the mangers at various levels.

2. Economic Resource: Management is one of the factors of production together with land, labour and capital. It is the mostcritical input in the success of any organized group activity. It is the force which assembles and integrates other resources,namely, labour, capital and materials. These factors do not by themselves ensure production, they require the catalyst ofmanagement to produce goods and services required by the society. Thus, management is an essential ingredient of anorganization.

3. Distinct Process: Management is a distinct process consisting of such functions as planning, organizing, staffing, directingand controlling. These functions are so interwoven that it is not possible to lay down exactly the sequence of various functionsor their relative significance. In essence, the process of management involves decision-making and putting of decisions intopractice.

4. Integrative Force: The essence of management is integration of human and other resources to achieve the desiredobjectives. All these resources are made available to those who manage. Managers apply knowledge, experience andmanagement principles for getting the results from the workers by the use of non-human resources. Managers also seek toharmonize the individuals goals with the organizational goals for the smooth working ofthe organization.

5. Intangible Force: Management has been called an unseen force. Its presence is evidenced by the result of its efforts-orderliness, informed employees, buoyant spirit and adequate work output. Thus, feeling of management is result-oriented.One may not see with the naked eyes the functioning of management but its results are apparently known. People oftenremark of the effectiveness (or ineffectiveness) of management on the basis of the end results, although they cant observe itduring operation.

6. Results through Others: The managers cannot do everything themselves. They must have the necessary ability and skillsto get work accomplished through the efforts of others. They must motivate the subordinates for the accomplishment of thetasks assigned to them.

7.A Science and an Art: Management has an organized body of knowledge consisting of well-defined concepts, principlesand techniques which have wide applications. So it is treated as a science. The application of these concepts, principles andtechniques requires specialized knowledge and skills on the part of the manager. Since the skills acquired by a manager are hispersonal possession, management is viewed as an art.

8. System of Authority: Management as a team of managers represents a system of authority, a hierarchy of command andcontrol. Managers at different levels possess varying degrees of authority. Generally, as we move down in the managerialhierarchy, the degree of authority gets gradually reduced. Authority enables the managers to perform their functionseffectively.

9. Multi-disciplinary Subject: Management has grown as a field of study (i.e. discipline) taking the help of so many otherdisciplines such as Engineering, Anthropology, Sociology and Psychology. Much of the management literature is the result ofassociation of these disciplines. For instance, productivity orientation drew its inspiration from Industrial Engineering andhuman relations orientation from Psychology. Similarly, Sociology and Operations Research have also contributed to thedevelopment of management science.

10. Universal Application: Management is universal in character. The principles and techniques of management are equallyapplicable in the fields of business, education, military, government and hospital. Henri Fayol suggested that principles ofmanagement would apply more or less in every situation. The principles are working guidelines which are flexible and capableof adaptation to every organization where the efforts of human beings are to be co-ordinated.

Q2. What are the 14 principles of management of Henri Fayol?

According to Fayol management functions are as follows1. Planning

2. Organizing

3. Commanding

4. Coordinating

5. Controlling

However, in recent time, management functions have been regrouped into four categories, since the managerial tasks havebecome highly challenging a fluid in nature making distinctions redundant to a certain extend. The four functions are asfollows:


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1. Planning

2. Organizing

3. Leading

4. Controlling

PlanningIt involves the process of defining goals, establishing strategies for achieving these goals, and developing plans to integrateand coordinate activities. Every organization needs to plan for change in order to reach its set goal. Effective planning enablesan organization adapt to change by identifying opportunities and avoiding problems. It provides the direction for the otherfunctions of management and for effective teamwork. Planning also enhances the decision-making process. All levels ofmanagement engage in planning in their own way for achieving their preset goals.Planning in order to be useful must be linked to the strategic intent of an organization. Therefore, planning is often referred toas strategic in nature and also termed as strategic planning.Strategic Planning: Top level managers engage chiefly in strategic planning or long range planning Strategic planning is theprocess of developing and analyzing the organization's mission, overall goals, general strategies, and allocating resources.The tasks of the strategic planning process include the following steps:1. Define the mission:A mission is the purpose of the organization. Thus, planning begins with clearly defining the mission of the organization. Themission statement is broad, deconcise, summarizing what the organization does. A mission statement should be short andshould be easily understood and every employee should ideally be able to narrate it from memory. An explicit mission guidesemployees to work independently and yet collectively toward the realization of the organization's potential. The mission

statement may be accompanied by an overarching statement of philosophy or strategic purpose designed to convey a visionfor the future as envisaged by top management.2. Conduct a situational or SWOT analysisThe SWOT Analysis is one of several strategic planning tools that are utilized by businesses and other organizations to ensurethat there is a clear objective defined for the project or venture, and that all factors related to the effort, both positive andnegative, are identified and addressed. In order to accomplish this task, the process of SWOT involves four areas ofconsideration: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It should be noted that when identifying and classifyingrelevant factors, the focus is not just on internal matters, but also external components that could impact the success of theproject3. Set goals and objectivesStrategic goals and objectives are developed to fill the gap between current capability and the mission. They are aligned withthe mission and form the basis for the action plans of an organization. Objectives are also called performance goals. Generally,organizations have long-term objectives for factors such as, return on investment, earnings per share, etc. It also helps insetting minimum acceptable standards or common-sense minimums.Develop related strategies (tactical and operational)

Tactical plans are based on the organization's strategic plan. In turn, operational plans are based on the organization's tacticalplans. These are specific plans that are needed for each task or supportive activity comprising the whole. Strategic, tactical,and operational planning must be accompanied by controls to ensure proper implantation of the plans, necessary to maintaincompetitive advantage in the said market.Monitor the planA systematic method of monitoring the environment must be adopted to continuously improve the strategic planning process.To develop an environmental monitoring procedure, short-term standards for key variables that will tend to validate andsupport the long-range estimates must be established. Feedback is encouraged and incorporated to determine if goals andobjectives are feasible. This review is used for the next planning cycle and review.OrganizingIt involves designing, structuring, and coordinating the work components to achieve organizational goal. It is the process ofdetermining what tasks are to be done, who is to do, how the tasks are to be grouped, who reports to whom, and wheredecisions are to be made. A key issue in accomplishing the goals identified in the planning process is structuring the work ofthe organization. Organizations are groups of people, with ideas and resources, working toward common goals. The purpose ofthe organizing function is to make the best use of the organization's resources to achieve organizational goals. Organizationalstructure is the formal decision-making framework by which job tasks are divided, grouped, and coordinated. Formalization isan important aspect of structure. It is the extent to which the units of the organization are explicitly defined and its policies,procedures, and goals are clearly stated. It is the official organizational structure conceived and built by top management. Theformal organization can be seen and represented in chart form. An organization chart displays the organizational structure andshows job titles, lines of authority, and relationships between departments.The steps in the organizing process include:1. Review plans

2. List all tasks to be accomplished

3. Divide tasks into groups one person can accomplish - a job

4. Group related jobs together in a logical and efficient manner

5. Assign work to individuals

6. Delegate authority to establish relationships between jobs and groups of jobs.LeadingAn organization has the greatest chance of being successful when all of the employees work toward achieving its goals. Since

leadership involves the exercise of influence by one person over others, the quality of leadership exhibited by supervisors is acritical determinant of organizational success.


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Supervisors can learn about leadership through research. Leadership studies can be classified as trait, behavioral, contingency,and transformational. Earliest theories assumed that the primary source of leadership effectiveness lay in the personal traits ofthe leaders themselves. Yet, traits alone cannot explain leadership effectiveness. Thus, later research focused on what theleader actually did when dealing with employees. These behavioral theories of leadership sought to explain the relationshipbetween what the leader did and how the employees reacted, both emotionally and behaviorally. Yet, behavior can't alwaysaccount for leadership in different situations. Thus, contingency theories of leadership studied leadership style in differentenvironments. Transactional leaders, such as those identified in contingency theories, clarify role and task requirements for

employees. Yet, contingency can't account for the inspiration and innovation that leaders need to compete in today's globalmarketplace. Newer transformational leadership studies have shown that leaders, who are charismatic and visionary, caninspire followers to transcend their own self-interest for the good of the organization.Leading involves the following functions:1. TeambuildingRigid department boundaries and fixed teams are giving way to ad hoc squads whose membership changes with every project.Flexible networks of team-based structures are occurring within and between companies, as well as across national borders.Competitive arenas require quick decisions by knowledgeable employees who work close to the source of problems. Teamsenable knowledge-based and innovative decision making. This collaboration is a revolution in the workplace.2. Consensus BuildingTop performance demands the joint effort of many people, working together toward a common goal. When an individual workstogether with others, effectiveness grows, creating greater productivity for all involved. Together, employees can do more thanthe collective efforts of each individual working alone.3. SelectingSelecting competent, high-performing employees capable of sustaining their performance over the long run is a competitiveadvantage. The selection process consists of forecasting employment needs, recruiting candidates, interviewing applicants, and

hiring employees.4. TrainingAfter employees are selected, they enter an orientation program to be formally introduced to their jobs. Orientation sets a tonefor new employees' work by describing job-related expectations and reporting relationships. Employees are informed aboutbenefits, policies, and procedures. Specific duties and responsibilities and performance evaluation are clarified. Duringorientation, the supervisor has the opportunity to resolve any unrealistic expectations held by the employee. Training refers toimproving an employee's knowledge, skills, and attitudes so that he or she can do the job. All new employees (or currentemployees in new jobs) should be trained. Cross training prepares an employee for a job normally handled by someone else.Also, training is advisable when new processes, equipment or procedures are introduced into the workplace.Training starts with an organization analysis. By focusing on strategy and examining sales forecasts and expected changesin production, distribution and support systems, employers can determine which skills will be needed and to what degree. Acomparison with current skill levels is used to estimate staff and training needs. Task analysis identifies the elements ofcurrent or future tasks to be done. Personal needs analysis involves asking employees and managers, either in an interviewor in a self-administered questionnaire, to analyze their training needs. In general, agreement between managers andemployees tends to be low, so it is important that both parties agree to decisions about the training of employees.

ControllingIt involves monitoring the employees behaviour and organizational processes and take necessary actions to improve them, ifneeded. Control is the process through which standards for performance of people and processes are set, communicated, andapplied. Effective control systems use mechanisms to monitor activities and take corrective action, if necessary.There are four steps in the control process. They are as follows:Step 1. Establish Performance Standards. Standards are created when objectives are set during the planning process. Astandard is any guideline established as the basis for measurement. It is a precise, explicit statement of expected results froma product, service, machine, individual, or organizational unit. It is usually expressed numerically and is set for quality,quantity, and time. Tolerance is permissible deviation from the standard.Step 2. Measure Actual Performance. Supervisors collect data to measure actual performance to determine variation fromstandard. Written data might include time cards, production tallies, inspection reports, and sales tickets. Personal observation,statistical reports, oral reports and written reports can be used to measure performance. Management by walking around, orobservation of employees working, provides unfiltered information, extensive coverage, and the ability to read between thelines. While providing insight, this method might be misinterpreted by employees as mistrust. Oral reports allow for fast andextensive feedback. Computers give supervisors direct access to real time, unaltered data, and information. On line systemsenable supervisors to identify problems as they occur. Database programs allow supervisors to query, spend less timegathering facts, and be less dependent on other people.Step 3. Compare Measured Performance Against Established Standards. Comparing results with standards determines variation.Some variation can be expected in all activities and the range of variation - the acceptable variance - has to be established.Management by exception lets operations continue as long as they fall within the prescribed control limits. Deviations ordifferences that exceed this range would alert the supervisor to a problem.Step 4. Take Corrective Action. The supervisor must find the cause of deviation from standard. Then, he or she takes action toremove or minimize the cause. If the source of variation in work performance is from a deficit in activity, then a supervisor cantake immediate corrective action and get performance back on track.Types of ControlControls are most effective when they are applied at key places. Supervisors can implement controls before the process begins(feed forward), during the process (concurrent), or after it ceases (feedback).Feed forward controls focus on operations before they begin. Their goal is to prevent anticipated problems. An example offeed forward control is scheduled maintenance on automobiles and machinery.Concurrent controls apply to processes as they are happening. Concurrent controls enacted while work is being performedinclude any type of steering or guiding mechanism such as direct supervision, automated systems (such as computers

programmed to inform the user when they have issued the wrong command), and organizational quality programs.


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Feedback controls focus on the results of operations. They guide future planning, inputs, and process designs. Examples offeedback controls include timely (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual) reports so that almost instantaneous adjustments can bemade.

Q3. Distinguish between internal and external forces of change.

Forces for change are of two types:

Internal forces

Any change in organizations internal factors may also necessitate change. Such a change is required because of two reasons:change in managerial personnel and deficiency in existing organizational practices.Change in the top management: Change in the top management and consequent change in the ideas to run theorganization also leads to change in the system, structure and processes. Old managers are replaced by new managers whichare necessitated because of retirement, promotion, transfer or dismissal. Each new manager brings his own ideas and way ofworking into the organization. The formal or informal relationships may change because of changes in top management.Moreover, attitudes, ideology, leadership style of the person may be different from the earlier one, this will reflect in theiractions and decisions. The result is that an organization has to change accordingly.Change in size of the organization: Change in the organization's size leads to change in the internal structure andcomplexity of the operations in the organization.Performance gaps: When a gap between set target and actual results (in terms of market share, employee productivity andprofit) is identified, organizations face the forces to change and reduce the gap.Employee needs and values: With changing needs and values of the employees, organizations change their policies. For

example, attractive financial incentives, challenging assignments, vertical growth opportunities and autonomy at work may beprovided in an organization to attract and retain its effective employees.Deficiency in existing organization: Sometimes, changes are necessary because of deficiency in the present organizationalarrangement and process. These deficiencies may be in the form of unmanageable span of management, large number ofmanagerial levels, lack of co-ordination between various departments, obstacles in communication, multiplicity of committees,lack of uniformity in policy decisions, lack of co-operation between line and staff and so on.External forcesEach organization has goals and responsibility related to others in its environment. Thus, an organization must not only dealwith its environment in conducting its affairs, but also give consideration to the goals of others, as it establishes its goals andconducts its operations. The present-day environment is dynamic and will continue to be dynamic. Changes in social, political,economic, technological, and legal environment force organizations to change themselves. Such changes may result inorganizational changes like major functions, production process, labour-management relations, nature of competition,economic constraints, organization methods, etc. In order to survive in the changing environment, organization must change.Technology: Technological changes are responsible for changing the nature of the job performed at all levels in anorganization. When there is a change in technology in the organization's environment and other organizations adopt the newtechnology, the organization under focus becomes less cost-effective and its competitive position weakens. Therefore, it has to

adopt new technology. When the organizations adopt a new technology, its work structures are affected and a new equilibriumhas to be established. We have seen that technology has impact on organization structure, organizational processes, andbehaviour of people. For example, computers and automation have made significant impact on organizational functioning.Business scenario: Due to rapid changes in the business scenario with increasing competition and global economy, the needsand demands are also changing among the customers, suppliers and other stakeholders. Organizations are, therefore, forcedto change their operational methods to meet the demands of the stakeholders. Since every organization exports its outputs tothe environment, an organization has to face competition in the market. There may be two types of forces which may affectthe competitive position of an organization other organizations supplying the same products and, buyers who are buying theproduct. Any change in these forces may require suitable changes in the organization. For example, when Indian economy wasliberalized (the process still continues), there were many foreign organizations which entered the Indian market. This forcedmany Indian organizations to re-align themselves with the new situation. The result is that there have been many cases ofdivesting the business and concentrating on the core business, acquiring core business, and developing competitivecompetence to face competitive threats. Similarly, there may be changes in buyers in terms of their needs, liking-disliking, andincome disposal for a product. These changes force the organizations to bring those products which meet buyersrequirements.

Environmental and National factors: Environmental factors such as economic, political and demographic and legal factorsplay a vital role in devising organizational policies and strategy. Any change in these political and legal factors may affect theorganizational operation. For example, organizations may have to change their employment policies in accordance with thegovernment policy, demand of the non-government organizations and changing economic conditions of a country.Social changes: Social changes reflect in terms of peoples aspirations, their needs, and their way of working. Social changeshave taken place because of the several forces like level of education, urbanization, feeling of autonomy, and internationalimpact due to new information sources. These social changes affect the behaviour of people in the organization. Therefore it isrequired to make adjustment in its working so that it matches with people.

Q4. Define emotional intelligence. Explain Golemans model of emotional intelligence.

Emotional Intelligence is increasingly relevant to organizational development and developing people, because the EI principlesprovide a new way to understand and assess people's behaviours, management styles, attitudes, interpersonal skills, andpotential. Emotional Intelligence is an important consideration in human resources planning, job profiling, recruitmentinterviewing and selection, management development, customer relations and customer service, and more.Emotional intelligence can be defined as the capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivatingourselves, for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships.


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Golemans Model of Emotional Intelligence

Daniel Goleman and the Hay Group have identified a set of competencies that differentiate individuals with EmotionalIntelligence. The competencies fall into four clusters:

-Awareness: Capacity for understanding one's emotions, one's strengths, and one's weaknesses.

-Management: Capacity for effectively managing one's motives and regulating one's behavior.

nagement: Capacity for acting in such a way that one is able to get desired results from others and reachpersonal goals.

The most popular and accepted mixed model of emotional intelligence is the one proposed by Goleman (1995). He viewedemotional intelligence as a total of personal and social competences. Personal competence determines how we manageourselves, whereas social competence determines how we handle our interpersonal relationships.Personal competenceIt comprises of three dimensions of emotional intelligence, such as, self-awareness, self-regulation and motivation. Self-awareness is the ability of an individual to observe him/herself and to recognize 'a feeling as it happens' (Goleman, 1995). Thehallmarks of this ability are self-confidence, self- assessment and openness to positive criticism. Self-regulation is the ability tocontrol emotions and to redirect those emotions that can have negative impact. Trustworthiness, integrity, tolerance ofambiguity and attitude to accept change are some characteristics of this ability. Motivation is the ability to channelize emotionto achieve a goal through self-control and by moderating impulses as per the requirement of the situation. The people whohave this ability are optimistic and committed towards organizational as well as individual goals.Social competenceIt comprises of two dimensions namely, empathy and social skills. Empathy is the ability to feel and get concerned for others,take their perspective and to treat people according to their emotional reactions. People with this ability are experts ingenerating and motivating others. Social skills are the ability to build rapport and to manage relationships with people. Peoplehaving this skill are very effective in persuasiveness and team management. Social skill is the culmination of all othercomponents of emotional intelligence assuming that people can effectively manage social and work relationships only whenthey can understand and control their own emotion and can emphasize with the feelings of others.

Q5.Explain the different leadership styles as per Managerial Leadership Grid Theory.

The Managerial and Leadership GridThe Ohio studies led to two dimensions of leadership behaviour-concern for tasks and concern for relations. Almost in the samestyle, the Michigan University studies made the distinction between job-centred and production- centred leaders.Blake and Mouton rated these concepts in a framework called the Managerial Grid. They interpreted the concepts in a broadway. Blake and Mouton have used "Concern for Production"and "Concern for People'"in their Managerial Grid on horizontaland vertical axes respectively. Managers may be concerned for their people and they also must also have some concern for thework to be done. The question is, how much attention do they pay to one or the other? This is a model defined by Blake andMouton in the early 1960s.It included

-compliance


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The Managerial Grid was the original name; the modifications were made by Robert R Blake and Anne Adams McCanse.1 Afterthe modifications it was named as Leadership Grid.

Leadership Gridan approach to understanding a leaders concern for results (production) and concern for people1. The impoverished style (1, 1). The indifferent Leader (Evade & Elude)In this style, managers have low concern for both people and production. Managers use this style to avoid getting into trouble.The main concern for the manager is not to be held responsible for any mistakes, which results in less innovative decisions. Aleader uses a "delegate and disappear" management style. Since they are not committed to either task accomplishment or

maintenance; they essentially allow their team to do whatever it wishes and prefer to detach themselves from the teamprocess by allowing the team to suffer from a series of power struggles.Features1. Does only enough to preserve job and job seniority.2. Gives little and enjoys little.3. Protects himself by not being noticed by others.Implications1. Tries to stay in the same post for a long time.Examples of Leader speak:I distance myself from taking active responsibility for results to avoid getting entangled in problems.If forced, I take a passive or supportive position.2. The country club style (1, 9). The accommodating Leader (Yield & Comply)This style has a high concern for people and a low concern for production. Managers using this style pay much attention to thesecurity and comfort of the employees, in hopes that this would increase performance. The resulting atmosphere is usuallyfriendly, but not necessarily that productive.This person uses predominantly reward power to maintain discipline and to encourage the team to accomplish its goals.Conversely, they are almost incapable of employing the more punitive coercive and legitimate powers. This inability resultsfrom fear that using such powers could jeopardize relationships with the other team members.Examples of Leader speak:I support results that establish and reinforce harmony.I generate enthusiasm by focusing on positive and pleasing aspects of work.

3. The produce or perish style (9, 1). The Controlling Leader (Direct & Dominate)This believes in the authority-obedience. With a high concern for production, and a low concern for people, managers usingthis style find employee needs unimportant; they provide their employees with money and expect performance back. Managersusing this style also pressure their employees through rules and punishments to achieve the company goals. This dictatorialstyle is based on Theory X of Douglas McGregor, and is commonly applied by companies on the edge of real or perceivedfailure. This is used in case of crisis management.People who get this rating are very much task-oriented and are hard on their workers (autocratic). There is little or noallowance for co-operation or collaboration. Heavily task-oriented people display these characteristics: they are very strong onschedules; they expect people to do what they are told without question or debate; when something goes wrong they tend tofocus on who is to blame rather than concentrate on exactly what is wrong and how to prevent it; they are intolerant of what

they see as dissent (it may just be someone's creativity), so it is difficult for their subordinates to contribute or develop.Examples of Leader speak:I expect results and take control by clearly stating a course of action.


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I enforce rules that sustain high results and do not permit deviation.4. The middle-of-the-road style (5, 5). The Status Quo Leader. (Balance & Compromise)It is Organization - man management approach,which believes that the adequate organization performance is possible throughbalancing the necessity to get out wprk with maintaining morale of people at satisfactory level. Managers using this style try tobalance between company goals and workers' needs. By giving some concern to both people and production, managers whouse this style hope to achieve acceptable performance.Examples of Leader speak:

I endorse results that are popular but caution against taking unnecessary risk.I test my opinions with others involved to assure ongoing acceptability.5. The team style (9, 9). The Sound / Team Leader (Contribute & Commit)This is based on the aspect that work accomplishment is from committed people; interdependence through a common stake inthe organization purpose leads to relationships of trust and respect. In this style, high concern is paid both to people andproduction. As suggested by the propositions of Theory Y, managers choosing to use this style encourage teamwork andcommitment among employees. This method relies heavily on making employees feel as a constructive part of the company.This type of person leads by positive example and endeavours to foster a team environment in which all team members canreach their highest potential, both as team members and as people. They encourage the team to reach team goals aseffectively as possible, while also working tirelessly to strengthen the bonds among the various members. They normally formand lead some of the most productive teams.

Q6. Mr. Suresh Kumar is the VP- HR of a leading Financial services company. He is having a meeting with Ms. RejaniChandran leading HR consultant. Mr. Suresh is concerned about creating an environment that helps in increasing the job

satisfaction amongst employees. Assume that you are Ms. Rejani, the HR consultant. What suggestions you will give toMr. Suresh, for creating an environment that increases job satisfaction?

Below are the suggestions for creating an environment with increased jobsatisfaction from an HR perspective:

Provide workers with responsibility-and then let them use itShow respectProvide a positive working environmentReward and recognitionInvolve and increase employee engagementDevelop the skills and potential of your workforce Evaluate and measure job satisfaction


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Name

Roll No.

Program MBA


Learning Centre


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Name Mohammed Asif

Roll No. 511232906

Program MBA


Learning Centre Master Mind Institute. Centre Code: 00094.


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Assignment Set- 2

Q1.Explain sensitivity training.

Sensitivity training (also known as T-group, T standing for training).

This approach evolved from the group dynamics concept of Kurt Lewin and the first sensitivity training session was held in1946 in State Teachers College, New Britain, USA. Since then, it spread to numerous training centers in USA and othercountries. Sensitivity training is a small-group interaction process in the unstructured form which requires people to becomesensitive to others feelings in order to develop reasonable group activity.The objectives of sensitivity training are as follows:1. To make participants increasingly aware of, and sensitive to, the emotional reactions and expressions in themselves andothers.2. To increase the ability of participants to perceive, and to learn from, the consequences of their actions through attention totheir own and others feelings.

3. To stimulate the clarification and development of personal values and goals consonant with a democratic and scientificapproach to problems of personal and social decisions and actions.4. To develop achievement of behavioural effectiveness in participants.5. To develop concepts and theoretical framework for linking personal values and goals to actions consistent with these innerfactors and situational requirements.Process of Sensitivity TrainingSensitivity training focuses on small group (T-group) with number of members ranging from ten to twelve. T-groups aredesigned to provide members with experiential learning about group dynamics, leadership and interpersonal relationships. Thebasic T-group training or sensitivity training is to change the standards, attitudes and behavior of individuals by usingpsychological techniques and programs. Based on the sources from where these members are drawn, there may be threetypes of T-group: stranger-lab, cousin-lab, and family-lab. In the stranger-lab, all participants are from different organizationsand they are strangers to each other. In cousin-lab, all participants are from the same organization but from different units.

Q2.Describe the bases of power.

Power can be categorized into two types: Formal and informalA. Formal Power:


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It is based on the position of an individual in an organization. Formal power is derived from either ones ability to coerce orreward others or is derived from the formal authority vested in the individual due to his/ her strategic position in theorganizational hierarchy. For example, a manager may threaten to withhold a pay raise, or to transfer, demote, or evenrecommend the firing of a subordinate who does not act as desired. Such coercive power is the extent to which a manager candeny desired rewards or administer punishments to control other people. The availability of coercive power also varies acrossorganizations. The presence of unions and organizational policies on employee treatment can weaken this power basesignificantly. Formal power may be categorized into four types which are as follows:

1. Coercive Power:The coercive power base is being dependent on fear. It is based on the application, or the threat of application, of physicalsanctions such as the infliction of pain, the generation of frustration through restriction of movement, or the controlling byforce of basic physiological or safety needs. In an organization one can exercise power over another if they have the power todismiss, suspend, demote another assuming that the job is valuable to the person on whom power is being unleashed.2. Reward Power:The opposite of coercive power is reward power. Reward power is the extent to which a manager can use extrinsic andintrinsic rewards to control other people. Examples of such rewards include money, promotions, compliments, or enriched jobs.Although all managers have some access to rewards, success in accessing and utilizing rewards to achieve influence variesaccording to the skills of the manager.3. Legitimate Power:The third base of position power is legitimate power, or formal authority .It stems from the extent to which a manager canuse subordinates internalized values or beliefs that the boss has a right of command to control their behavior. For example,the boss may have the formal authority to approve or deny such employee requests as job transfers, equipment purchases,personal time off, or overtime work. Legitimate power represents a special kind of power a manager has because subordinatesbelieve it is legitimate for a person occupying the managerial position to have the right to command. The lack of this is

legitimacy will result in authority not being accepted by subordinates. Thus this type of power has the following elements:wer a person receives as a result of his/her position in the formal hierarchy.

of a position by members of an organization.

4. Information Power:This type of power is derived from access to and control over information. When people have needed information, othersbecome dependant on them. (For example, managers have access to data that subordinates do not have). Normally the higherthe level, the more information would be accessed by managers.B. Personal PowerPersonal power resides in the individual and is independent of that individuals position. Three bases of personal power areexpertise, rational persuasion, and reference.Expert poweris the ability to control another persons behavior by virtue of possessing knowledge, experience, or judgment

that the other person lacks, but needs. A subordinate obeys a supervisor possessing expert power because the boss ordinarilyknows more about what is to be done or how it is to be done than does the subordinate. Expert power is relative, not absolute.However the table may turn in case the subordinate has superior knowledge or skills than his/ her boss. In this age oftechnology driven environments, the second proposition holds true in many occasions where the boss is dependent heavily onthe juniors for technologically oriented support.Rational persuasionis the ability to control anothers behavior, since, through the individuals efforts, the person accepts thedesirability of an offered goal and a viable way of achieving it. Rational persuasion involves both explaining the desirability ofexpected outcomes and showing how specific actions will achieve these outcomes.Referent poweris the ability to control anothers behavior because the person wants to identify with the power source. In thiscase, a subordinate obeys the boss because he or she wants to behave, perceive, or believe as the boss does. This obediencemay occur, for example, because the subordinate likes the boss personally and therefore tries to do things the way the bosswants them done. In a sense, the subordinate attempts to avoid doing anything that would interfere with the pleasing bosssubordinate relationship. Followership is not based on what the subordinate will get for specific actions or specific levels ofperformance, but on what the individual represents a path toward lucrative future prospects.Charismatic Poweris an extension of referent power stemming from an individuals personality and interpersonal style. Othersfollow because they can articulate attractive visions, take personal risks, demonstrate follower sensitivity, etc.

Q3.What are the hindrances that we face in perception?

Individuals have a tendency to use a number of shortcuts when they judge others. An understanding of these shortcuts can behelpful toward recognizing when they can result in significant distortions.1. Selective Perception

Any characteristic that makes a person, object, or event stand out will increase the probability that it will be perceived. It isimpossible for an individual to internalize and assimilate everything that is seen .Only certain stimuli can be taken in selectively.Selectivity works as a shortcut in judging other people by allowing us to speed-read others, but, not without the risk ofdrawing an inaccurate picture. The tendency to see what we want to see can make us draw unwarranted conclusions from anambiguous situation.2. Halo Effect

The halo effect (Murphy & Anhalt, 1992) occurs when we draw a general impression on the basis of a single characteristic. For

example, while appraising the lecturer, students may give prominence to a single trait, such as, enthusiasm and allow theirentire evaluation to be tainted by how they judge the instructor on that one trait which stood out prominently in theirestimation of that person. Research suggests that it is likely to be most extreme when the traits to be perceived are ambiguous


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in behavioral terms, when the traits have moral overtones, and when the perceiver is judging traits with which he or she hashad limited experience.3. Contrast Effects

Individuals do not evaluate a person in isolation. Their reaction to one person is influenced by other persons they haveencountered recently. For example, an interview situation in which one sees a pool of job applicants can distort perception.Distortions in any given candidates evaluation can occur as a result of his or her place in the interview schedule.

4. Projection

This tendency to attribute ones own characteristics to other people which is called projection can distort perceptions madeabout others. When managers engage in projection, they compromise their ability to respond to individual differences. Theytend to see people as more homogeneous than they really are.5. Stereotyping

Stereotypingjudging someone on the basis of our perception of the group to which he or she belongs. Generalization is notwithout advantages (Hilton & Hippel, 1996). It is a means of simplifying a complex world, and it permits us to maintainconsistency. The problem, of course, is when we inaccurately stereotype. In organizations, we frequently hear comments thatrepresent stereotypes based on gender, age, race, ethnicity, and even weight. From a perceptual standpoint, if people expectto see these stereotypes, that is what they will perceive, whether or not they are accurate.6. First-impression error

Individuals place a good deal of importance on first impressions. First impressions are lasting impressions. We tend toremember what we perceive first about a person, and sometimes we are quite reluctant to change our initial impressions. First-

impression error means the tendency to form lasting opinions about an individual based on initial perceptions. Primacy effectscan be particularly dangerous in interviews, given that we form first impressions quickly and that these impressions may be thebasis for long-term employment relationships.

Q4.What are the consequences of conflict in organisations?

Conflict is behaviour by a person or group that is purposely designed to inhibit the attainment of goals by another person orgroup. This 'purposeful inhibition may be active or passive. Not all conflicts are bad. In fact, some types of conflict encouragenew solutions to problems and enhance the creativity in the organizations. In these cases, managers will want to encouragethe conflicts. Functional conflicts are conflicts that support the goals of the group and improve its performance. There are alsoconflicts that hinder group performance. These are dysfunctional or destructive forms of conflict. Therefore, managers should

stimulate functional conflict and prevent or resolve non-dysfunctional conflict. This is the key to conflict management. Theconsequences of conflict can be positive or negative, as shown below:

Positive Consequences Negative Consequences1.. Leads to new ideas.

1.Diverts energy fromwork.

2.. Stimulates creativity.2.

Threatenspsychological well-being.

3.. Motivates Change.3.

Wastes resources.

4.. Promotesorganizational vitality. 4.

Creates a negativeclimate.

5. Helps individuals andgroupsestablish identities

5.Breaks down groupcohesion.

6.. Serves as a safetyvalve to indicateproblems.

6. Can increase hostilityand aggressivebehaviours

Functional vs. Dysfunctional ConflictFunctional, constructive forms of conflict support the goals of the group and improve its performance. Conflicts that hindergroup performance are dysfunctional or destructive forms of conflict. Task conflict relates to the content and goals of the work.Low-to-moderate levels of task conflict are functional and consistently demonstrate a positive effect on group performancebecause it stimulates discussion, improving group performance.Dysfunctional Conflict: There are conflicts that hinder group performance, and are therefore known as dysfunctional ordestructive forms of conflict. Dysfunctional conflict is an unhealthy, destructive disagreement between two or more people. A

key for recognizing a dysfunctional conflict is that its origin is often emotional or behavioural. Disagreements that involvepersonalized anger and resentment directed at specific individuals rather than specific ideas are dysfunctional. In dysfunctionalconflict, the losses to both parties may exceed any potential gain from the conflict.


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Q5. Explain the four processes of Social Learning Theory.

The social learning theory was proposed by Bandura. It recognizes the importance of observing and modeling the behaviors,attitudes, and emotional reactions of others. According to Bandura (1977), most human behavior is learned observationallythrough modeling: from observing others one forms an idea of how new behaviors are performed, and on later occasions this

coded information serves as a guide for action. Social learning theory explains human behavior in terms of continuousreciprocal interaction between cognitive, behavioral, and environmental influences.Learning would be exceedingly laborious, not to mention hazardous, if people had to rely solely on the effects of their ownactions to inform them what to do. Fortunately, most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling: fromobserving others one forms an idea of how new behaviors are performed, and on later occasions this coded information servesas a guide for action.Social learning has four processes:1.Attention processesPeople learn from a model only when they recognize and pay attention to its critical features. Inorder to learn, it is required to pay attention. Anything that detracts the attention is going to have a negative effect onobservational learning. If the is model interesting or there is a novel aspect to the situation, it is more likely to dedicate the fullattention to learning.

2. Retention processesA models influence will depend on how well the individual remembers the models action after theit is no longer readily available. The ability to store information is also an important part of the learning process. Retention canbe affected by a number of factors, butthe ability to pull up information later and act on it is vital to observational learning.

3. Motor reproduction processesAfter a person has seen a new behavior by observing the model, the watching must beconverted to doing. The ability to store information is also an important part of the learning process. Retention can be affectedby a number of factors, but the ability to pull up information later and act on it is vital to observational learning.

4. Reinforcement processesIndividuals will be motivated to exhibit the modeled behavior if positive incentives or rewardsare provided. Finally, in order for observational learning to be successful, you have to be motivated to imitate the behavior thathas been modeled. Reinforcement and punishment play an important role in motivation. While experiencing these motivatorscan be highly effective, so can observing other experience some type of reinforcement or punishment. For example, if you seeanother student rewarded with extra credit for being to class on time, you might start to show up a few minutes early eachday.

Principles of social learning are as follows:1. The highest level of observational learning is achieved by first organizing and rehearsing the modeled behavior symbolicallyand then enacting it overtly. Coding modeled behavior into words, labels or images results in better retention than simply

observing.2. Individuals are more likely to adopt a modeled behavior, if it results in outcomes they value.

3. Individuals are more likely to adopt a modeled behavior, if the model is similar to the observer and has admired status andthe behavior has functional value.

Q6.Ms.Chanchal Das Gupta is a recruitment specialist. For the post of QC Manager, she interviews threecandidates. Given below are the physical characteristics of the candidates.

From the above descriptions, what personality traits can Ms. Chanchal derive out of the candidates as perSheldons theory of personality?

Per Sheldon`s theory of personality, below are the traits that Ms. Chanchalcan derive:Mr. Ravi represents Mesomorph body type. He is well-proportioned.Psychologically he isAdventurous, Courageous,Indifferent to what othersthink or want, Assertive/bold, Zest for physical activity, Competitive, Witha desire for

power/dominance, And a love of risk/chanceMr. Gineesh represents Ectomorph body type. Psychologically he is Self-conscious, Private, Introverted, Inhibited, Sociallyanxious, Artistic,Intense, Emotionally restrained, Thoughtful


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Mr. Ramgopal represents Endomorph body type. Psychologically he isSociable, Fun-loving, Love of food, Tolerant, Even-tempered, Goodhumoured, Relaxed, With a love of comfort, And has a need for affection

assignment mb0038

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