MuddleG-MGT87500-2: The World of Organizational Behavior 1

Essay

The World of Organizational Behavior

Grant Muddle

California Southern University

MGT 87500

08 March 2018

Dr Stephanie Hoon
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The World of Organizational Behavior

Review of Subject

Organizational behavior (OB) is the study and application of knowledge regarding the

manner in which groups of people behave within organizations. The interdisciplinary field of OB

explores human behavior within work environments and examines its implications on job

performance, structure, communication, leadership, and motivation (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013).

Additionally, OB seeks to analyze human resource management and utilize the findings for

management improvements. OB can be analyzed from the individual (micro), group (meso), and

organizational (macro) levels (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013).

Conventionally, the study of people working within various organizations is essential in

enhancing the understanding of OB, and draws upon various disciplines including sociology,

physiology, social psychology, management, statistics, organization theory, anthropology,

information technology, and economics, among other fields (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). The

managerial context of OB can be viewed from internal and external perspectives. The internal

perspective or theory maintains that the behavior of employees is mainly based on their personal

feelings, thoughts, interactions, and experiences (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). On the contrary, the

external perspective entails external events and environmental factors that affect the behavior

and job performance of individuals (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). The ethical context of OB entails

values and principles used to govern decisions made by individuals within organizations. Having

good ethical conduct in workplaces is an indication that employees are proud of their

organization’s ethical standards, and have respect among themselves and their stakeholders

(Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013).

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Discussion

Chapter two offers insight into the concept of workplace diversity, including barriers and

challenges of managing diversity, and ways of effectively managing diversity at work.

Organizational diversity includes similarities and differences existing among people working

together, as well as the understanding and acceptance of those differences (Kreitner & Kinicki,

2013). Workplace diversity is significant because it provides various perspectives, particularly

during decision-making (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013).

Gardenswartz & Rose (as cited in Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013) discuss the four layers of

diversity being personality, internal diversity, external diversity, and organizational diversity.

The personality layer represents features responsible for people’s identity. Conversely, internal

dimensions comprise of factors that strongly influence people’s attitudes and behaviors towards

others, and are beyond individual control. Some of the factors include age, race, ethnicity,

physical ability, gender, and sexual orientation (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). On the contrary,

external dimensions include individual differences that can be easily controlled. Such differences

include marital status, parental status, work experience, appearance, personal habits, income,

religion, recreational habits, and educational background (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). The final

layer of diversity is the organizational dimensions, which is composed of factors such as

management status, work content, union affiliation, work location, seniority, and the unit group.

Managing diversity in the workplace is a complex issue faced by various organizational

leaders. Some challenges of diversity management include poor communication, resistance, and

disorganization (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). Poor communication between employees is mainly

due to the existence of different communication styles within organizations, which are in turn

influenced by representation of people from varied ethnicities, religions, and age-groups

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(Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). Poor communication fosters poor office relationships. Resistance to

diversity and change due to diversity by employees also poses as a significant challenge to

organizations. Negative attitudes towards workplace diversity mainly results in decreased

productivity. Disorganization within workplaces also acts as a barrier to diversity management

because it influences implementation of unorganized diversity plans, which negatively affect the

performance of organizations.

Better communication strategies should be implemented within the work environment in

order to effectively manage diversity in workplaces (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). Organizational

leaders should encourage their staff to learn about various communication methods and styles so

as to promote better communication. Having regular office retreats, diversity seminars, and

meetings would improve communication and ensure effective diversity management (Kreitner &

Kinicki, 2013). Similarly, managers should be encouraged to effectively communicate the

diversity plan with the staff. Managers should regularly hold organizational diversity training

sessions to review plans and areas of ramifications (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013).

Chapter three discusses organizational culture and socialization. Organizational culture is

comprised of a system of shared assumptions, values and beliefs that define the behavior of

people within organizations. Organizational cultures create a common understanding among

members regarding appropriate and meaningful behavior (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013).

Organizational culture guides the manner in which people behave in particular organizations.

Ostroff, Kinick and Tamkins’ (as cited in Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013) three levels of

organizational culture include artifacts, espoused values, and basic assumptions and values.

Artifacts comprise of aspects that may be easily discerned, yet hard to understand; where,

espoused values are conscious philosophies, goals, and strategies, while the basic assumptions
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and values layer entails values that cannot be easily discerned due to their existence in the

unconscious level. The values and assumptions subsist within deeper human existence

dimensions, including, human nature, relationships, truth, and reality (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013).

Smircich (as cited in Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013) discussed the main functions of organizational

cultures to include creation of a distinction between organizations, enhancing social system

stability, providing a control mechanism that shapes employee’s attitudes and behavior, and

provision of a sense of identity for members in an organization.

Encouraging socialization among employees is an essential element that ensures

increased productivity. Some of the tactics used to socialize employees include providing real

time communication, orientation of new employees, and reducing the role of hierarchy (Kreitner

& Kinicki, 2013). Provision of real time communication by encouraging instant exchange of

information assists employees in becoming part of the organization’s social network (Kreitner &

Kinicki, 2013). Similarly, orienting new workers assists them in quick adjustment to the

organization’s culture. Also, reducing the role of hierarchy facilitates socialization among

employees because it ensures equal casual involvement in various organizational decisions

(Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013).

Chapter four examines the impact of culture in current internationalized organizations.

The chapter guides through the development of cultural intelligence, and provides the main

dimensions of societal culture, with the aim of improving cross cultural awareness. Cultural

intelligence is the ability of relating to various culturally diverse situations. People with high

cultural intelligence levels are able to accomplish goals in a more effective manner regardless of

the cultural context (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). Cultural intelligence enhances teamwork,

cooperation, communication, and performance. The process of developing cultural intelligence

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entails increasing insight into ways in which various cultures operate in order to enhance

problem-solving approaches (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). Development of cultural intelligence

increases compassion among employees because it boosts corporate reputation. The main

dimensions of societal culture include Confucian dynamism, uncertainty avoidance, power

distance, and masculinity (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013). Confucian dynamism seeks to establish if

culture perceives things in the long term or short term goals. On the contrary, the uncertainty

avoidance dimension describes the extent to which members of a culture can manage ambiguity.

Power distance refers to the distribution of equality among people in a particular society.

Conversely, masculinity and femininity refers to gender roles in the society (Kreitner & Kinicki,

2013).

Conclusion

The world of organizational behavior is extensively explored various aspects of the

concept discussed. Chapter one was aimed at explaining the relevance of OB, and discussing its

historical, managerial, and ethical contexts. Chapter two offered insights into the concept of

workplace diversity, including barriers and challenges of managing diversity, and ways of

effectively managing diversity at work. Some challenges of diversity management identified in

the chapter include poor communication, resistance, and disorganization.

In chapter three, the concepts of organizational culture, and socialization were discussed.

Organizational culture is comprised of a system of shared assumptions, values and beliefs that

describe the behavior of people within organizations. The levels of organizational culture

identified include artifacts, espoused values, and basic assumptions and values. Tactics used to

socialize employees include providing real time communication, orientation of new employees,
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and reducing the role of hierarchy. Chapter four extensively examined the impact of culture in

the current internationalized organizations.

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References

Kreitner, R. & Kinicki, A. (2013). Organizational behavior (10th ed.). New York, NY:

McGraw-Hill Publishing Company