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Spring 2010 (Jan-June)

1. Write a note on the characteristics of Management.[10]

Answer:

The characteristics of Management are goal-oriented, economic resource, distinctprocess, integrative force, intangible force, a science and an art, result throughothers, system of authority,multidisciplinary subject and Universal application.

Goal-oriented management is a purposeful activity. It co-ordinates the efforts of employees toachieve the goals of organization. It aims to achieve maximum results based on clear andmeasurable agreements made upfront. It is primarily based on the thought that people will

work with more enthusiasm and fun if:1. They clearly know what is expected of them,2. Are involved in establishing these expectations,3. Are allowed to determine themselves how they are going to meet these expectations,4. And obtain feedback about their performance.

Economic resource The economist's view of management is that it is a factor ofproduction just like entrepreneurship, capital and labour. The managerial resource, to alarge extent, determines organizational effectiveness and efficiency. Hence in a dynamicenvironment managerial development is more important and its use must be moreintensive.

Distinct process management is a distinct process consistingof such functions as planning, organizing, staffing,leading/directing and controlling. These functions are sointerwoven that it is not possible to lay down exactly theconsequence of various functions or their relative significance.

Integrative force Management is a process of organizedactivities. Groups of people cannot be involved in theperformance of activities without organized activities.Management comes into existence where a group of people areinvolved in achieving a common objective. The organizedactivities may take a variety of forms ranging from a tightly

structured organization to a loosely-knit organization. Intangible force Management is intangible. It is an unseen

force. Its presence can be felt everywhere by the results of itseffort which comes in the form of orderliness, adequate workoutput, satisfactory working climate, employees satisfaction etc.

A science and an art Management is both an art and science. Almost anyone can learnhow to be a manager but the art of it is to become a great manager. Anyone can see theresults of a bad manager easy enough but what happens when you have a good manager incircumstances that heavily tax his ability to manage? What happens when the goodmanager under too much stress for too long has a bad day? The answer may be that hebecomes a bad manager. What happens to a great manager when he faces hardships thatwould crush most managers? He innovates; he takes the weaknesses of his situation andtries to make them strengths. In the hardest times is when you find the greatest managersand these managers bring this science to an art form

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Result through others Management involves working with people and gettingorganizational objectives achieved through them. Working through people is interpreted interms of assigning activities to subordinates.

System of authority Management is a system of authority in the sense that it consists of

a team of managers who are responsible for making decisions and supervising the work ofothers. Managers at different levels possess varying degree of authority. Higher levelmanagers manage managers at middle levels. Middle and lower level managers superviseand control their subordinate managers and workers.

Multidisciplinary subject Management has grown as a field of study (i.e. discipline)taking the help of so many other disciplines such as Engineering, Anthropology, Sociologyand Psychology. Much of the management literature is the result of association of thesedisciplines.

Universal application Management is a universal phenomenon in the sense that it iscommon and essential element in all enterprises. Managers perform more or less the same

functions irrespective of their position or nature of the organization. The basic principles ofmanagement can be applied in all managerial situations regardless of the size, nature andlocation of the organization. Universality of managerial tasks and principles also implies thatmanagerial skills are transferable and managers can be trained and developed.

2. Discuss intellectual abilities in detail.[10]

Answer:Intellectual abilities are those required to perform mental activities.IQ tests are designed to ascertain ones general intellectual abilities. Examples of such testsare popular college admission tests such as, the SAT, GMAT, and LSAT. The seven most

commonly cited dimensions making up intellectual abilities are: number aptitude, verbalcomprehension, perceptual speed, inductive reasoning, deductive reasoning, spatialvisualization, and memory (Dunnette, 1976).

The abilities are categorized in the following table:Dimension Description Job example

Number aptitude Ability to do quick arithmetic Accountant

VerbalCommunication

Read, write, speaking ability Senior Managers

Perpetual Speed Identify similarities and differences quickly and

accurately.

Investigators

InductiveReasoning

Logical sequence drawing Market Researcher

DeductiveReasoning

Ability to use logic and assess the implications of theargument

Supervisors

SpatialVisualization

Ability to imagine Interior decorator

Memory Ability to retain and recall past experiences Sales Person rememberingcustomers name,preferences, etc.

Jobs differ in the demands they place on incumbents to use their intellectual abilities. Areview of the evidence demonstrates that tests that assess verbal, numerical, spatial, andperceptual abilities are valid predictors of job proficiency at all levels of jobs.

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In this regard, the theory of multiple intelligences was developed by Gardner (1983, 1993).

This theory suggests eight different intelligences to account for a broader range of humanpotential in children and adults. It has been claimed that our intelligence or ability tounderstand the world around us is complex. Some people are better at understanding somethings than others. For some, it is relatively easy to understand how an automobile works, but

it is immensely difficult for some to understand and use a musical instrument. For othersmusic might be easy but playing football is difficult.

The several different intelligences are listed below:

1. Linguistic intelligence ("word smart"):2. Logical-mathematical intelligence ("number/reasoning smart")3. Spatial intelligence ("picture smart")4. Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence ("body smart")5. Musical intelligence ("music smart")6. Interpersonal intelligence ("people smart")7. Intrapersonal intelligence ("self smart")

8. Naturalist intelligence ("nature smart")

Advantages

Highly reliable.

Verbal reasoning and numerical tests have shown high validity for a wide range of jobs.

The validity rises with increasing complexity of the job.

Combinations of aptitude tests have higher validities than individual tests alone.

May be administered in group settings where many applicants can be tested at thesame time.

Scoring of the tests may be completed by computer scanning equipment.

Lower cost than personality tests.

3. Explain the classification of personality types given by Sheldon.[10]

Answer:

William Sheldon (1940, 1942, cited in Phares, 1991) classified personality according to bodytype. He called this a persons somatotype.

Sheldon identified three main somatotypes:

The following table categorizes Sheldons Classification of Personality Types.

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Somatotypes: In the 1940s, Sheldon proposed a theory about how there are certain bodytypes ("somatotypes") that are associated with certain personality characteristics. WilliamSheldon (1898-1977) was an American psychologist who devoted his life to observing thevariety of human bodies and temperaments. He taught and did research at a number of U.S.universities and is best known for his series of books on the human constitution. He was a

keen observer of animals and birds as a child, and he turned this talent to good effect bybecoming an avid people-watcher, and out of his observations he gradually elaborated histypology. He claimed that there are three such somatotypes: - endomorphy, mesomorphy,and ectomorphy.

Endomorphy: focused on the digestive system, particularly the stomach (endoderm); hasthe tendency toward plumpness, corresponds to Viscerotonia temperament tolerant, love ofcomfort and luxury, extravert.Mesophorphy: focused on musculature and the circulatory system (mesoderm), has thetendency towards muscularity, corresponds to the Somatotonia temperament courageous,energetic, active, dynamic, assertive, aggressive, risk taker.

Ectomorphy: focused on the nervous system and the brain (ectoderm) the tendencytowards slightness, corresponds to Cerebrotonia temperament artistic, sensitive,apprehensive, introvert.

On this basis, Sheldon created his very interesting Atlas of Men (Macmillan Pub Co; 1970) inwhich all possible body types are graded in a scale from 1 (low) to 7 (high), based on thedegree to which they matched these types; with 4 as average). Each type is represented by aseries of photos, and is given a comical or descriptive name, like "saber tooth tiger" forextreme mesomorph, "Baluchitherium" (the largest prehistoric land mammal) for mesomorphand endomorph, "Male Mosquito" for the extreme ectomorph, and so on. On this scale, theextreme or pure mesomorph has a score of 1-7-1, the pure endomorph 7-1-1, and the pureectomorph 1-1-7. Most people of course are a combination of these types.

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a.Endomorphic Body Type:

soft body

underdeveloped muscles

round shaped

over-developed digestive system

Associated personality traits:

love of foodtolerant

evenness of emotions

love of comfort

sociable

good humoured

relaxed


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Sheldon measured the proportions of hundreds of juvenile delinquent boys and concludedthat they were generally mesomorph (Ornstein, 1993).

Body types have been criticized for very weak empirical methodology and are not generallyused in psychology. The use of somatotyping (using different taxonomies) is used more oftenin alternative therapies and Eastern psychology and spirituality.

4. What are the different barriers to perception?[10]

Answer:

Individuals have a tendency to use a number of shortcuts when they judge others which ineffect become barriers to perception. An understanding of these shortcuts can be helpfultoward recognizing when they can result in significant distortions.

Selective Perception: - Any characteristic that makes a person, object, or event stand outwill increase the probability that it will be perceived. It is impossible for an individual tointernalize and assimilate everything that is seen .Only certain stimuli can be taken inselectively. Selectivity works as a shortcut in judging other people by allowing us to speed-read others, but, not without the risk of drawing an inaccurate picture. The tendency to seewhat we want to see can make us draw unwarranted conclusions from an ambiguoussituation.

Halo Effect: - The halo effect (Murphy & Anhalt, 1992) occurs when we draw a generalimpression on the basis of a single characteristic. For example, while appraising the lecturer,

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b. Mesomorphic Body Type:

hard, muscular body

overly mature appearance

rectangular shaped

thick skin

upright posture


adventurous

desire for power and dominance

courageous

indifference to what others think orwant

assertive, bold

zest for physical activity

competitive

love of risk and chance

c. Ectomorphic Body Type:

thin

flat chest

delicate build

young appearance

tall

lightly muscled

stoop-shouldered

large brain


self-conscious

preference for privacy

introverted

inhibited

socially anxious

artistic

mentally intense

emotionally restrained


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students may give prominence to a single trait, such as, enthusiasm and allow their entireevaluation to be tainted by how they judge the instructor on that one trait which stood outprominently in their estimation of that person. Research suggests that it is likely to be mostextreme when the traits to be perceived are ambiguous in behavioral terms, when the traitshave moral overtones, and when the perceiver is judging traits with which he or she has had

limited experience.

Contrast Effects: - Individuals do not evaluate a person in isolation. Their reaction to oneperson is influenced by other persons they have encountered recently. For example, aninterview 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 theinterview schedule.

Projection: - This tendency to attribute ones own characteristics to other people which iscalled projection can distort perceptions made about others. When managers engage inprojection, they compromise their ability to respond to individual differences. They tend tosee people as more homogeneous than they really are.

Stereotyping: - Stereotypingjudging someone on the basis of our perception of the groupto which he or she belongs. Generalization is not without advantages (Hilton & Hippel, 1996).It is a means of simplifying a complex world, and it permits us to maintain consistency. Theproblem, of course, is when we inaccurately stereotype. In organizations, we frequently hearcomments that represent stereotypes based on gender, age, race, ethnicity, and even weight.From a perceptual standpoint, if people expect to see these stereotypes, that is what they willperceive, whether or not they are accurate.

First-impression error: - Individuals place a good deal of importance on first impressions.First impressions are lasting impressions. We tend to remember what we perceive first abouta 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 oninitial perceptions. Primacy effects can be particularly dangerous in interviews, given that weform first impressions quickly and that these impressions may be the basis for long-termemployment relationships.

Q 5. Mr. Batra is the General Manager, HR of a leading Automobile company.He is having a meeting with Mr. Chandan, a leading HR consultant. Mr. Batra isconcerned about creating an environment that helps in increasing jobsatisfaction among employees. Assume that you are Mr. Chandan, the HRconsultant. What suggestions will you give to Mr. Batra, for creating anenvironment that increases job satisfaction?

[10]

Answer:

Job satisfaction is the sense of fulfillment and pride felt by people who enjoy their work and doit well. For an organization, satisfied work force ensures commitment to high qualityperformance and increased productivity Job satisfaction helps organizations to reducecomplaints and grievances, absenteeism, turnover, and termination. Job satisfaction is alsolinked to a healthier work force and has been found to be a good indicator of longevity. Andalthough only little correlation has been found between job satisfaction and productivity, ithas also been found that satisfying or delighting employees is a prerequisite to satisfying ordelighting customers, thus protecting the "bottom line (Brown, 1996).

The most important factors conductive to job satisfaction are:

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i. Mentally Challenging Work: Employees tend to prefer jobs that give them opportunities

to use their skills and abilities and offer a variety of tasks, freedom and feedback on howwell they are doing. Under conditions of moderate challenge, most employees willexperience pleasure and satisfaction.

ii. Personality-Job Fit: People with personality types congruent with their chosen vocationsshould find they have the right talents and abilities to meet the demands of their jobs; andbecause of this success, they have a greater probability of achieving high satisfaction fromtheir work. It is important, therefore to fit personality factors with job profiles.

iii. Equitable Rewards: Employees want pay systems and promotion policies that theyperceive as being just, unambiguous, and in line with their expectations. When pay is seenas fair based on job demands, individual skill level, and industry pay standards,satisfaction is likely to result. Similarly, employees seek fair promotion policies andpractices. Promotions provide opportunities for personal growth, more responsibilities andincreased social status. Individuals who perceive that promotion decisions are made in afair and just manner are likely to experience job satisfaction.

iv. Supportive working conditions: Employees prefer physical conditions that arecomfortable and facilitate doing a good job. Temperature, light, noise and otherenvironmental factors should not be extreme and provide personal comfort. Further,employees prefer working relatively close to home, in clean and relatively modern facilitiesand with adequate tools and equipment.

v. Supportive Colleagues: Employees have need for social interaction. Therefore, havingfriendly and supportive co-workers and understanding supervisors leads to increased jobsatisfaction. Most employees want their immediate supervisor to be understanding andfriendly, those who offer praise for good performance, listen to employees opinions andshow a personal interest in them.

vi. Whistle blowing: Whistle-blowers are employees who inform authorities of wrongdoingsof their companies or co-workers. Whistle blowing is important because committedorganizational members sometimes engage in unethical behaviour in an intense desire tosucceed. Organizations can manage whistle blowing by communicating the conditions thatare appropriate for the disclosure of wrongdoing. Clearly delineating wrongful behaviourand the appropriate ways to respond are important organizational actions.

vii. Social Responsibility: Corporate social responsibility is the obligation of an organizationto behave in ethical ways in the social environment in which it operates. Sociallyresponsible actions are expected of organizations. Current concerns include protecting theenvironment, promoting worker safety, supporting social issues, investing in the

community, etc. Managers must encourage both individual ethical behaviour andorganizational social responsibility.

6. Given below is the HR policy glimpse of iMagine, an advertising company1. It offers cash rewards for staff members2. It promotes the culture of employee referral and encourages people to referpeople they know, maybe their friends, ex. colleagues, batch mates andrelatives.3. It recognizes good performances and gives fancy titles and jackets to the

people who perform well and also felicitates them in the Annual Day of thecompany.

What all aspects does it take care of, according to Maslows Need Hierarchy?

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[10]

Answer:

According to Maslows Hierarchy of Needs theory, human beings have wants and desires

which influence their behaviour; only unsatisfied needs can influence behavior, satisfiedneeds cannot. The needs are arranged in order of importance, from the basic to the complex.The person advances to the next level of needs only after the lower level need is at leastminimally satisfied. The further they progress up the hierarchy, the more individuality,humanness and psychological health a person will show.

Maslows Need Hierarchy Pyramid

The five needs are:

Physiological

Safety

Social

Esteem Self-actualization

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Physiological Needs

Physiological needs are those required to sustain life, such as:

air

waternourishmentsleep

According to Maslow's theory, if such needs are not satisfied then one's motivation will arisefrom the quest to satisfy them. Higher needs such as social needs and esteem are not feltuntil one has met the needs basic to one's bodily functioning.

Safety

Once physiological needs are met, one's attention turns to safety and security in order to befree from the threat of physical and emotional harm. Such needs might be fulfilled by:

Living in a safe areaMedical insurance

Job securityFinancial reserves

According to Maslow's hierarchy, if a person feels that he or she is in harm's way, higherneeds will not receive much attention.

Social Needs

Once a person has met the lower level physiological and safety needs, higher level needsbecome important, the first of which are social needs. Social needs are those related tointeraction with other people and may include:Need for friendsNeed for belongingNeed to give and receive love

Esteem

Once a person feels a sense of "belonging", the need to feel important arises. Esteem needsmay be classified as internal or external. Internal esteem needs are those related to self-esteem such as self respect and achievement. External esteem needs are those such as socialstatus and recognition. Some esteem needs are:Self-respectAchievementAttentionRecognitionReputation

Maslow later refined his model to include a level between esteem needs and self-actualization: the need for knowledge and aesthetics.

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Self-Actualization

Self-actualization is the summit of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. It is the quest of reachingone's full potential as a person. Unlike lower level needs, this need is never fully satisfied; asone grows psychologically there are always new opportunities to continue to grow.

Self-actualized people tend to have needs such as:TruthJusticeWisdomMeaning

Self-actualized persons have frequent occurrences of peak experiences, which are energizedmoments of profound happiness and harmony. According to Maslow, only a small percentageof the population reaches the level of self-actualization.Maslow separated the five needs into higher and lower orders. Physiological and safety needsare described as lower-order. Social, esteem, and self-actualization are classified as higher-

order needs. Higher-order needs are satisfied internally, whereas, Lower-order needs arepredominantly satisfied, externally. HR policy glimpse ofiMagine, does the following:

1. It offers cash rewards for staff members. Satisfies the Self-actualization need.

2. It promotes the culture of employee referral and encourages people to refer people theyknow, maybe their friends, ex. colleagues, batch mates and relatives. Satisfies the Socialneed

3. It recognizes good performances and gives fancy titles and jackets to the people whoperform well and also felicitates them in the Annual Day of the company. Satisfies the

esteem need.

Q 1. What is emotional intelligence? Explain Golemans model of emotionalintelligence. [10]

Answer:

Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage ourselves and our relationship effectively. Eachcapability is composed of a set of competencies. Emotional intelligence skills and cognitiveskills are synergistic top performers have both? The more complex the job, the moreemotional intelligence matters Emotional competencies cluster into groups each is basedon a common underlying emotional intelligence capacity. The underlying emotionalintelligence capacities are vital if people are to successfully learn the competencies necessaryto succeed in the workplace. (For example) if they are deficient in social skills, they will beinept at persuading or inspiring others, at leading teams or catalyzing change. If they havelittle self-awareness, they will be oblivious to their own weaknesses and lack the self

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confidence that comes from certainty about their strength. None of us is perfect in using all ofthe emotional competencies. We inevitably have a profile of strengths and limits. However,the ingredients for outstanding performance require only that we have strengths in a givennumber of these competencies (at least six or so), and that the strengths are spread acrossall four areas of emotional intelligence.

Emotional Intelligence EI is a relatively recent behavioural model, rising to prominencewith Daniel Golemans 1995 Book called Emotional Intelligence. Emotional Intelligence isincreasingly relevant to organizational development and developing people, because the EIprinciples provide a new way to understand and assess peoples behaviors, managementstyles, attitudes, interpersonal skills, and potential. Emotional Intelligence is an importantconsideration in human resources planning, job profiling, recruitment interviewing andselection, management development, customer relations and customer service, and more.

Daniel Goleman has identified a set of competencies that differentiate individuals withEmotional Intelligence. The competencies fall into four clusters:

1) Self-awareness: examining how your emotions affect your performance; using your values

to guide decision-making; self-assessment - looking at your strengths and weaknesses andlearning from your experiences; and being self-confident and certain about your capabilities,values and goals.

2) Self-regulation: controlling your temper; controlling your stress by being more positiveand action-centred; retaining composure and the ability to think clearly under pressure;handling impulses well; and nurturing trustworthiness and self-restraint.

3) Motivation:enjoying challenge and stimulation; seeking out achievement; commitment;ability to take the initiative; optimism; and being guided by personal preferences in choosinggoals.

4) Empathy:the ability to see other people's points of view; behaving openly and honestly;avoiding the tendency to stereotype others; and being culturally aware.

5) Social skills: the use of influencing skills such as persuasion; good communication withothers, including employees; listening skills; negotiation; co-operation; dispute resolution;ability to inspire and lead others; capacity to initiate and manage change; and ability to dealwith others' emotions - particularly group emotions.

Q 2. Discuss the five stage model of group development proposed by Tuckman.[10]

Answer:

The Five-Stage Model: The Five-Stage Model of group development was proposed by BruceTuckman in 1965 (initially it was a four stage but later he added a fifth stage, Adjourning, inthe 1970).

1. Forming: In this stage the members are entering the group. The main concern is tofacilitate the entry of the group members. The individuals entering are concerned withissues such as what the group can offer them, their needed contribution the similarity interms of their personal needs, goals and group goals, the acceptable normative andbehavioral standards expected for group membership and recognition for doing the workas a group member.

2. Storming: This is a turbulent phase where individuals try to basically form coalitions andcliques to achieve a desired status within the group. Members also go through the process

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of identifying to their expected role requirements in relation to group requirements. In theprocess, membership expectations tend to get clarified, and attention shifts towardhurdles coming in the way of attaining group goals. Individuals begin to understand andappreciate each others interpersonal styles, and efforts are made to find ways toaccomplish group goals while also satisfying individual needs.

3. Norming: From the norming stage of group development, the group really begins tocome together as a coordinated unit. At this point, close relationships develop and thegroup shows cohesiveness. Group members will strive to maintain positive balance at thisstage.

4. Performing: The group now becomes capable of dealing with complex tasks andhandling internal disagreements in novel ways. The structure is stable, and members aremotivated by group goals and are generally satisfied. The structure is fully functional andaccepted at this stage. Group energy makes a transition from members focus on gettingto know and understand each other to performing. For permanent work groups, performingis the last stage in their development.

5. Adjourning: A well-integrated group is able to disband, if required, when its work isaccomplished, though in itself it may be a painful process for group members, emotionally.

The adjourning stage of group development is especially important for the manytemporary groups that are rampant in todays workplaces. Members of these groups mustbe able to convene quickly, do their jobs on a tight schedule, and then adjourn often toreconvene later, whenever required.

Groups do not always proceed clearly from one stage to the next. Sometimes several stagesgo on simultaneously, as when groups are storming and performing. Groups may at timesregress to earlier stages. Another problem is that it ignores organizational context. Forinstance, a study of a cockpit crew in an airliner found that, within ten minutes, threestrangers assigned to fly together for the first time had become a high-performing group. Therigid organizational context provides the rules, task definitions, information, and resourcesrequired for the group to perform, effectively.

Q 3. What are the possible sources of organizational conflict? Explain.[10]

Answer:

Sources of Organizational Conflict:Prominent among the sources of conflict in organizations are:

1. Line and Staff Competition: The growth of highly specialized, creative, well-educatedstaff poses unique problems for line managers. Faced with a growing dependence on staff,line managers must adjust to a reduction in organizational power and prestige. Conflict inmost organizations persists between line and staff because it is virtually impossible to defineprecisely the responsibility and authority relationships between the two.

2. Organization-Individual Disagreements: Organizational conflict stems from a disparitybetween the existing organizational culture (the way we do things around here) and theorganizations written mission and value statements. A written value statement, forexample, might applaud risk-taking; however, people find themselves in trouble if the riskresults in failure. An open door policy is proclaimed, but management is inaccessible.

Leaders are perceived as not walking their talk. In reviewing the Old Perspectives aboutConflict, multiple sources of authority, a bureaucratic mindset, and a rigid chain ofcommand were mentioned as frequent sources of conflict.

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3. Informational Conflict: Informational conflict stems from poorly used, formal channels of

communication. New regulations are heard about through the grapevine, creatinguncertainty and unease about their implementation. Changes in rules affecting budgetscome after the financial planning process is complete. Information is distorted andambiguous, leaving competing groups to interpret it themselves to their advantage. People

withhold information from each other so as to maintain power and influence. The rumormill is very active, causing ill will among the groups affected.

4. Overlapping Responsibilities: Organizations constantly change in response topersonnel turnover, expansion or contraction, the adoption of new policies, changes inexternal environment, and so on. As a result, it is impossible to establish job responsibilitiesonce and for all. Another facet of personal conflict has to do with the multiple roles peopleplay in organizations. Behavioral scientists sometimes describe an organization as a systemof position roles. Each member of the organization belongs to a role set, which is anassociation of individuals who share interdependent tasks and thus perform formally definedroles, which are further influenced both by the expectations of others in the role set and byone's own personality and expectations. For example, in a common form of classroom

organization, students are expected to learn from the instructor by listening to him,following his directions for study, taking exams, and maintaining appropriate standards ofconduct. The instructor is expected to bring students high-quality learning materials, givelectures, write and conduct tests, and set a scholarly example. Another in this role set wouldbe the dean of the school, who sets standards, hires and supervises faculty, maintains aservice staff, readers and graders, and so on. The system of roles to which an individualbelongs extends outside the organization as well, and influences his functioning within it. Asan example, a man's roles as husband, father, son, and church member are all intertwinedwith each other and with his set of organizational roles.

As a consequence, there exist opportunities for role conflict as the various roles interact withone another. Other types of role conflict occur when an individual receives inconsistent

demands from another person; for example, he is asked' to serve on several time-consuming committees at the same time that he is urged to get out more production in hiswork unit. Another kind of role strain takes place when the individual finds that he isexpected to meet the opposing demands of two or more separate members of theorganization. Such a case would be that of a worker who finds himself pressured by his bossto improve the quality of his work while his work group wants more production in order toreceive a higher bonus share.

These and other varieties of role conflict tend to increase an individual's anxiety andfrustration. Sometimes they motivate him to do more and better work. Other times they canlead to frustration and reduced efficiency.

5. Functional Interdependence: Interest-based conflict stems from clashes betweendifferent departments, units, and/or functions. Divisions clash because of different needsand priorities and styles. For example, Operations is concerned about meeting deadlinesthat conflict with pre-selling strategies of the Sales department; the Research andDevelopment and Marketing departments clash over issues such as release dates for newsoftware; Finance tends to be detail-oriented, whereas Marketing is big picture focused.Silo perspectives exist when each department thinks of itself as a separate entity wherebyif one department gains, the others will automatically lose.

6. Personality Clashes: Individual differences in such personal qualities as values,attitudes, abilities and personality traits are often the cause of conflict. Two managers maylearn to despise each other thoroughly for reasons totally unrelated to their work, but their

performance on the job may suffer because of it.

7. Disagreement over Goals: Conflict among managers is often caused by the fact that

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there is poor agreement over goals. Perhaps, an even more common source of conflict is theclash of the personal goals of managers and employees with the goals of the organization.

8. Bottlenecks in the Flow of Work: Line supervisors in manufacturing must meetproduction deadlines, but they are dependent upon production schedules, warehousingshipping, and others for effective performance. A bottleneck at any point can prevent theline supervisors from being effective and is quite naturally an occasion for interpersonalconflict.

Q 4. The environmental stressors have a great impact on work performance andadjustment of the individual in an organization. Discuss the different categoriesof environmental stressors. [10]

Answer:

Environmental and internal conditions that lie beyond an individuals control are calledenvironmental stressors. Such stressors can have a considerable impact on work performance

and adjustment. We can organize environmental stressors into the following categories:

1. Task Demands: Task demands are factors related to a persons job. They include thedesign of the individuals job, working conditions, and the physical work layout. Changes andlack of control are two of the most stressful demands people face at work. Change leads touncertainty, a lack of predictability in a persons daily tasks and activities and may be causedby job insecurity related to difficult economic times. Technology and technological innovationalso create change and uncertainty for many employees, requiring adjustments in training,education and skill development.

Lack of control is a second major source of stress, especially in work environments that aredifficult and psychologically demanding. The lack of control may be caused by inability toinfluence the timing of tasks and activities, to select tools or methods for accomplishing thework, to make decisions that influence work outcomes, or to exercise direct action to affectthe work outcomes.

2. Role Demands: The social-psychological demands of the work environment may be everybit as stressful as task demands at work. Role demands relate to pressures placed on aperson as a function of the particular role he or she plays in the organization. Role conflictscreate expectations that may be hard to reconcile or satisfy. Role conflict results frominconsistent or incompatible expectations communicated to a person. The conflict may be aninter-role, intra-role or person-role conflict.

a. Inter-role Conflict: is caused by conflicting expectations related to two separate roles,such as employee and parent. For example, the employee with a major sales presentation on

Monday and a sick child at home is likely to experience inter-role conflict,

b. Intra-role Conflict: is caused by conflicting expectations related to a single role, such asemployee. For example, the manager who presses employees for both very fast work andhigh-quality work may be viewed at some point as creating a conflict for employees.

c. Person-role Conflict: Ethics violations are likely to cause person-role conflicts. Employeesexpected to behave in ways that violate personal values, beliefs or principles experienceconflict.

The second major cause of role stress is role ambiguity. Role ambiguity is created when roleexpectations are not clearly understood and the employee is not sure what he or she is to do.Role ambiguity is the confusion a person experiences related to the expectations of others.Role ambiguity may be caused by not understanding what is expected, not knowing how to doit, or not knowing the result of failure to do it.

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3. Inter-personal Demands: are pressures created by other employees. Lack of socialsupport from colleagues and poor interpersonal relationships can cause considerable stress,especially among employees with a high social need. Abrasive personalities, sexualharassment and the leadership style in the organization are interpersonal demands for peopleat work.

a. The Abrasive Person: May be an able and talented employee, but one who createsemotional waves that others at work must accommodate.

b. Sexual Harassment: The vast majority of sexual harassment is directed at women in theworkplace, creating a stressful working environment for the person being harassed, as well asfor others.

c. Leadership Styles: Whether authoritarian or participative, create stress for differentpersonality types. Employees who feel secure with firm, directive leadership may be anxiouswith an open, participative style. Those comfortable with participative leadership may feel

restrained by a directive style.4. Physical Demands: Non-work demands create stress for people, which carry over into thework environment or vice versa. Workers subject to family demands related to marriage, childrearing and parental care may create role conflicts or overloads that are difficult to manage.In addition to family demands, people have personal demands related to non-workorganizational commitments such as religious and public service organizations. Thesedemands become more or less stressful, depending on their compatibility with the personswork and family life and their capacity to provide alternative satisfactions for the person.

Q 5. Given below are certain instances observed by a summer trainee Ritu, whiledoing an observational study at Phoenix consultants - An organization which

deals with recycling of plastic products waste etc. She makes the followingobservations about two key people in the organization.

1. Mr. Shah He is a very friendly person and encourages his team members bygiving them recommendations and appreciation. This helps HR to decide aboutgiving a bonus or promotion to employees.2. Mr. Parhi- He is an aggressive person. He frequently loses his temper. Rituobserves that he frequently punishes the non-performers and also gives themwarnings regarding suspension etc.Now explain what base of power Mr. Shah and Mr. Parhi belong to. Explain the

type of power they use often. [10]

Answer:

Power can be categorized into two types: Formal and informalFormal power may again 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 theapplication, or the threat of application, of physical sanctions such as the infliction of pain, thegeneration of frustration through restriction of movement, or the controlling by force of basicphysiological or safety needs. In an organization one can exercise power over another if theyhave the power to dismiss, suspend, demote another assuming that the job is valuable to theperson on whom power is being unleashed.

2. Reward Power: The opposite of coercive power is reward power. Reward power is theextent to which a manager can use extrinsic and intrinsic rewards to control other people.Examples of such rewards include money, promotions, compliments, or enriched jobs.

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Although all managers have some access to rewards, success in accessing and utilizingrewards to achieve influence varies according to the skills of the manager.

3. Legitimate Power: The third base of position power is legitimate power, or formalauthority .It stems from the extent to which a manager can use subordinates internalized

values or beliefs that the boss has a right of command to control their behavior. Forexample, the boss may have the formal authority to approve or deny such employee requestsas job transfers, equipment purchases, personal time off, or overtime work. Legitimate powerrepresents a special kind of power a manager has because subordinates believe it islegitimate for a person occupying the managerial position to have the right to command. Thelack of this is legitimacy will result in authority not being accepted by subordinates.

4. Information Power: This type of power is derived from access to and control overinformation. When people have needed information, others become dependant on them. (Forexample, managers have access to data that subordinates do not have). Normally the higherthe level, the more information would be accessed by managers.At Phoenix consultants

1. Mr. Shah uses Reward Power very often with encouragements like promotions,favorable recommendations etc.

2. Mr. Parhi uses Coercive Power with threats of dismissal, suspension etc.

Q 6. Window to Truth is a famous and old magazine. The top managementdecides to start the e- edition of the magazine. They also decide the redefinethe policies and culture of Window to Truth. To start implementing thischange, they frequently call meetings of employees. They have also formed

groups at different levels to clarify doubts and explain the perspective ofchange. Analyze the situation in the context of organizational change andelaborate why the top management is following the discussed practices andwhat approach is most evident in the context. [10]

Answer:The approach most evident in this context is overcoming resistance to change. Some of itssalient features are: -

Education and communication: Some managers have a tendency to communicate changeon what is termed a "need to know" basis. That is, people who must have the information getit, but those that are not directly involved do not. (Actually they will eventually throughinformal channels). While this makes some sense, generally it doesn't work, resulting in

feelings of being left out, not being valued, etc. The basic rule of thumb is that communication should take place directly between themanager and employees when employees NEED TO KNOW OR WANT TO KNOW.

In other words, except for situations that involve confidential information, even those peoplewho are indirectly affected will likely want to know what is going on, and how it may affectthem. Also, keep in mind that it is rare that any change in an organization will not have aneffect, directly or indirectly, upon all members of the organization.

Better, far better, for the manager to err on the generous side of communication than on theskimpy.

WHAT: Again, a basic rule of thumb. In change situations, communicate as much informationabout the change as is available to you. While this sounds simple, sometimes judgement willhave to be exercised regarding confidential information, and information which is based on

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speculation or rumour. Clearly there will be some information which is not appropriate forrelease. Speculation and rumour about impending change have the potential for generating agreat deal of anxiety. There may be situations where passing on speculative information maynot be appropriate. However, if that information has already reached the grapevine, andemployees will hear about it anyway, better to have it on the table and in context.

Finally, keep in mind that not only must you communicate facts/information butcommunicating some of your own feelings and fears about the change will generally make it"legal" for employees to do likewise. As a manager it is better to have people's reactions andfeelings on "the table". Otherwise it is very difficult to both help employees, and deal withresistance. So, stating your own feelings honestly is a good starting point for opening upthese lines of communication.

In summary, communicate as much as you can, and communicate your own feelings andconcerns. This will help you be perceived as part of the team.

WHEN:

In general, communicate as early on as possible about change, but do not assume that onceyou have done this that the job is over. Communication should occur in anticipation ofchange, during the implementation, and after to assess its value to employees. Do it early, doit often.Keep in mind that, depending on the hierarchy or structure in your organization, that you mayneed to think through the order in which things are communicated to people at differentlevels. Ordinarily, one's boss should be informed prior to major changes, but again that willdepend on the climate of the organization.

HOW:

Should you use oral or written communication? Below are some guidelines for making this

decision.

Oral face-to-face when:

1. Receiver is not particularly interested in getting the message. Oral provides moreopportunities for getting and keeping interest and attention.2. It is important to get feedback. It's easier to get feedback by observing facial expressionsand asking questions3. Emotions are high. Oral provides more opportunity for both sender and receiver to let offsteam, cool down, and create a suitable climate for understanding.4. Receiver is too busy or preoccupied to read oral provides a better opportunity to getattention.

5. Criticism of receiver is involved. Oral provides more opportunity to accomplish this withoutarousing resentment. Also, oral is less threatening because it has not been formalized inwriting. Written communication is not private (at least as receiver sees it) even though itmight be marked personal and confidential.6. Sender wants to persuade or convince. Oral provides more flexibility, opportunity foremphasis, chance to listen and opportunity to remove resistance, and change attitudes.7. Oral is more natural. For example, in most cases it is more natural to give instructionsorally rather than writing them out. Likewise it is more natural to communicate orally withsomeone who has a desk next to you or who is in an office a few feet away from your own.8. Discussion is needed. A complicated subject frequently requires discussion to be sure ofunderstanding.9. Receiver can't read language of the sender. Some people can understand a spoken

language but can't read it.

Use written communication when:

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1. Sender wants a record for future references.2. Receiver will be referring to it later.3. Message is complex and requires study by receiver.4. Message includes a step-by-step procedure.5. A copy of the message should go to another person

Employee participation and involvement: Participation is the third key to the changeprocess. When we speak of participation we are talking about employee opportunity to haveinput, and where possible, control, related to the change process which is to affect them.Apart from participation being critical to building commitment to a particular change, there isa side benefit. When changes are being considered it is often the people on the line that canpoint out why these changes might not be advisable, or, more importantly, how proposedchanges can be improved so they will work.

Participation and input should be solicited (asked for, not demanded) as early as possible inthat change process, and through implementation and evaluation.

TIPS FOR STRUCTURING PARTICIPATION:

1. ASK FOR INPUT2. SERIOUSLY CONSIDER IT AND OBJECTIVELY EVALUATE IT.3. USE THOSE IDEAS THAT ARE GOOD.4. REJECT THOSE THAT AREN'T PRACTICAL.5. GIVE CREDIT AND OTHER APPROPRIATE REWARDS TO THOSE WHO CONTRIBUTED IDEAS

THAT WERE USED.6. CONVINCE THOSE, WHOSE IDEAS WERE REJECTED, THAT THEIR IDEAS WERE CONSIDERED,AND EXPLAIN WHY THEY WERE NOT USED.

To start implementing this change, they frequently call meetings of employees.They have also formed groups at different levels to clarify doubts and explain the

perspective of change. This shows that they have implemented the process ofcommunicating freely with the employees about the change and getting their feedback alongwith education about process of the change.

Facilitation and support: If we recall from the Step-by-Step Model for Change Initiators, oneof the critical steps involves analyzing probable reactions to the change. By doing so it willenable the change manager to anticipate, and be prepared for resistance or other difficulties.

People's reactions to change are generally NOT logical from an outsider's (ie. manager's)perspective. People react according to their own needs at the time. As discussed earlierpeople differ in the value they place on satisfying different needs, so people's reactions to anychange will differ between person to person (or even within one person).

Empathy refers to the ability to "walk in another person's shoes", and to have insight into thethoughts, and, more importantly the emotional reactions of individuals faced with change.

Empathy requires that you suspend judgement of another's actions or reactions, while you tryto understand them. Sometimes, this will mean reading between the lines of statementsmade, and almost always it will involve gentle questioning and probing, to clarify what isgoing on. The goal here again, is to UNDERSTAND, and not judge.

Of course, knowing your employees, understanding their concerns, and developingempathetic relationships with your employees should be NORMAL procedure for all managers.During periods of change, though, it is even more critical.

What is the payoff to the manager for developing empathetic relationships with employees?First, it enables the manager to better anticipate what resistance will occur, and to try toreduce this resistance. Second, it is the manager's basic tool to support the employee and

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make him/her feel valued by the organization in times where stability is lost. Third,understanding where employees are coming from will help you plan out the degree ofparticipation needed from them, and will give some clues as to how change should becommunicated to them. Fourth, building empathetic relationships, builds commitment andloyalty.

In short, showing empathy means listening, listening, listening, asking the right questions,and suspending judgement of the person's fears or concerns. By understanding employeesduring the change process, the manager should be able to reduce resistance, counter lowermorale, and generally face fewer major problems.

Finally, empathy and listening build employees' commitment to the organization, to themanager personally, and, ultimately, to the change, itself.

They have also formed groups at different levels to clarify doubts and explain theperspective of change. The company has been empathetic in its approach and hasconsidered fully well that there might be people in the company who may feel reluctant orinsecure to change.

Negotiation and agreement: Organizations which have a fair chance to face potentialresistance from the union representatives, can defuse the resistance by involving themdirectly in the change process. They should be properly briefed about the need and value ofchange. However, this can be a costly proposition when there is more than one dominantunion in the organization, as all the contending parties would fight for power and recognition.

As no unions are found in this example, the management forms employees groups forbrainstorming sessions to get feedback.

org behavior mb0038-22 mba1 nupur

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