HBO 6 - Lecture notes 6 PDF

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A number of people or things that are located close together or are considered or classed together....

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HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN ORGANIZATION THE ORGANIZATION SYSTEM What Is Organization Structure? It defines how job tasks are formally divided, grouped, and coordinated Key elements to be addressed Work specialization Departmentalization Chain of command Span of control Centralization Decentralization Formalization Organizational structure depicts how job tasks are formally divided, grouped and coordinated. The key elements of organizational structure include work specialization, departmentalization, and chain of command, span of control, centralization, decentralization and formalization. 

ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE

Organizational culture is an important concept in studying how organizations behave. Culture is defined as a common perception held by the members of the organization or a sense of shared meaning.

satisfaction, in contrast, is evaluative in nature and gets at how employees respond to certain factors in their work context.

Organizational Culture Organizational culture: A system of shared meaning held by members that distinguishes the organization from other organizations Seven Characteristics of Organizational Culture 1. Innovation and risk taking 2. Attention to detail 3. Outcome orientation 4. People orientation 5. Team orientation 6. Aggressiveness 7. Stability

Do Organizations Have Uniform Cultures?

Most large organizations have both a dominant culture and several subcultures. The dominant culture reflects the core values that are shared by the majority of employees in the organization. Subcultures reflect common problems or experiences shared by employees in the same department or location.

Culture Is a Descriptive Term Culture is concerned with the way employees perceive their culture, not whether they like it or not. Job

v The dominant culture expresses the core values that are shared by a majority of the organization’s members

v Subcultures tend to develop in large organizations to reflect common problems, situations, or experiences of members v Subcultures mirror the dominant culture but may add to or modify the core values Creating an Ethical Organizational Culture A strong culture with high risk tolerance, low-to-moderate aggressiveness, and a focus on means as well as outcomes is most likely to shape high ethical standards     

Managers must be visible role models Communicate ethical expectations Provide ethical training Visibly reward ethical acts and punish unethical ones Provide protective mechanisms

As cultures are created, it is important to incorporate ethics into cultural norms early on. Certain

characteristics will help develop high ethical standards such as a high tolerance for risk so people are not afraid to make mistakes; low to moderate in aggressiveness so that unethical behaviors are avoided, and a focus on the means as well as the outcomes so that ethics is embedded in both. Managers must be visible role models and communicate ethical expectations. Training on ethical behavior and guidelines must be done and ethical acts must be rewarded while unethical acts need to be punished. In addition, protective mechanisms must be in place to assist the workers in behaving ethically.

the culture. Material symbols such as dress codes, formal or informal, office size or style and perks for key employees can denote who is important in an organization. Language is another way to learn about organizational culture as employees will express themselves in certain ways to indicate membership in the organization.

How Employees Learn Culture Employees learn the organizational culture through a number of avenues. They can gain an understanding of culture by hearing stories that present the past and provide explanations for current practices. Rituals, or repetitive sequences of activities, can reinforce the key values of the organization and provide insight into

Creating a Positive Organizational Culture A positive organizational culture is one that builds on employee

strengths so that employees can develop and grow. It also rewards more than it punishes, so employees are not afraid to try new things and feel good about what they are contributing. Finally it emphasizes individual vitality and growth so that employees are operating at full potential. 

IMPLICATION FOR MANAGERS

 Structural relationships impact attitude and behavior  Structure constrains employee behaviors  Changing organizational culture is not easy, expect it to take years  Hire people who “fit”  Ensure that employees know the right way to do their job  Work to create an ethical culture...