Organizational Behaviour and Organisational Structure - Coursework Example

?Organizational Behaviour Organizational structure An organizational structure of Siemens comprises of activities like coordination, task allocation and supervision. This will determine the styles in which it operates and perform its activities. An organizational structure allows the indication of responsibility, allocation of duties and responsibilities to different departments, branches, individuals and workgroups. Organizational structure has an effect to an organization in two ways; it offers a foundation on which standard operating routines and procedures are set and also determines the individuals who are going to take part during decision making process and the way their views affect the organization’s actions. Siemens adopts the following organizational structure and culture as compared to other organization. Divisional structure-it configures the organization and breaks down the organization into various divisions which are self-contained. In order to increase the flexibility within an organization, employees responsible for a certain type of products are placed in divisional structure (Argyris C. , 2005). The company adopts this divisional structure since it delegates authority to each group which in turn increases the morale of the employees. There is also more flexibility in coordinating various divisions thus leading to efficiency especially when there is change in the market. Matrix structure- this type of structure groups the employees by both the product and the functions. It focuses on the use of teams so as to complete certain work. Since Siemens Company produces different products, it allows different departments to share information more easily and also allows specialization that can increase knowledge in a certain segment. Hierarchy-Community Phenotype Model of Organizational Structure-unlike other organizations, Siemens confers to its employees a sense of belonging where everyone is made to be part of the organization. With the evolution of technology and dynamism in the market, firms do not just exist to make only profits, but it also has some other responsibilities to the community and other stakeholders. This phenotype structure combines both informal and formal hierarchal society participation therefore viewing an organization as influencing and also being influenced by the environment (Argyris C. a., 2009). The relationship between an organization’s structure and culture and its impact on the performance of the organization Organizational structure and culture depends on how different activities are allocated, coordinated and supervised. It also determines on how an organization performs and operates its duties. Good organizational structure delegates authority to employees and improves employees’ efficiency and morale. Organizational culture outlines the way in which employees interact with one another and the way tasks are to be done within the organization. The cultural paradigm of Siemens consists of several values, beliefs, rituals and symbols that direct the operating styles of the employees within the organization. As in the structure and culture adopted by Siemens Company, collaborative structure offers a decentralized workforce with incorporates different units to work together for achievement of the intended objectives Organizational structure and culture have different impacts on the motivational level and performance of employees within the organization (Bennis, 2002). In most cases, employees put more efforts to achieve the goals of the organization if they consider themselves as part of the organizational structure and culture. Diverse cultures and structure operating within a company can have an effect on the way employees are performing their duties. Effective organizational culture enhances clear and open communication which in turn increases the organizational effectiveness. Great organization culture allows knowledge sharing within the organization which improves personal development of employees therefore enhancing loyalty to the organization In the case of matrix structure where there is less formality; the organization offers an environment where teamwork is promoted. Employees work very hard to achieve certain goals since there is a reward as a result of group entrepreneurial spirit and creativity. Nevertheless, there may be lots of conflicts in a team environment if at all employees resist diverse management style of others from outside the departments Effectiveness of different leadership styles in different organisations Leadership is a process of influencing and supporting others so as to accomplish a certain work (Bennis, 2002). Sources of power in an organization There are different sources of power Reward power-this kind of power is based on the ability of an individual to access a reward for instance, a person may comply to something or somebody else so as to get a reward e.g. promotion Information power-this is the ability to influence due to amount of knowledge an individual has and that the other person does not have prior knowledge Expert power-this is based on an individual’s expertise on a certain field: the other person has to obey because of the power holder has more knowledge Reference power-this is basically based on a person’s attractiveness to the other people; others obey because they respect and adore the power holder Coercive power-this built on the ability of an individual to punish and others have to comply because of the fear of being punished. Rational persuasion-this involves the ability to convince others, to lead others to your own opinion, to use facts and logics in making others believe in you Position power-this a formal power given to a position and is indicated in the organizational structure Political power-it is power given to an elective position i.e. senatorial or gubernatorial position Group power- team of leader devoting themselves to build collaboration, connection and teamwork in the organization Different leadership styles Autocratic leadership It is the kind of leadership style that allows mangers to make decisions by themselves without any input of other people. The managers have total authority and ensure that employees follower every instruction to the latter. Mostly used for employees who require maximum supervision (Cohen). Participative/democratic This kind of leadership values the inputs of others but the final decision making rests on the participative leader. The leader boosts the morale of employees by allowing them to take part during the decision making process as they feel that their opinions matter. Laissez-Faire It is a kind of leadership style where the leader does not have direct control over the employees and does not offer constant feedback to those being supervised (Bennis, 2002). It is mostly used when employees are highly trained and do not require any supervision. This kind of leadership may lead to poor production since it does not require any leadership or supervision efforts from those in managerial positions. Transformational leadership This kind of leadership depends on constant communication from the management to meet the intended goals. Transformational leaders inspire their employees and enhance their efficiency and productivity through high visibility and communication. The leaders look at the bigger picture of the organization and delegate smaller tasks to the team so as to achieve the intended goals As it can be seen this case study, Siemens Company practices different leadership styles within the organization. for instance, employees are involved during the decision making process and their opinions are welcomed for the betterment of the organization Managers delegate smaller tasks to the employees and focuses on the bigger picture of the organizations (Perrow, 2011). On the contrary, there are some other instances where the managers could make decisions alone without consultations with the employees. For instance, Chief Operating Officer can make some decisions that can only be implemented by the employees without prior consultations Factors which influence individual behaviour at work 1. Abilities and skills This entails the ability of an individual to perform a certain task. The performance of an in an individual in the place of work depends on one’s ability and skills. In most cases, an employee can perform better if his skills and abilities are congruent to the job requirements and specifications. 2. Personality This involves the distinctiveness and characteristics of an individual and shows how one responds and adjusts to others in an organization. Since an individual is influenced by his or her personality, one’s behavior affects how he or she interacts and respond to people in the place of work. Since a person’s personality is shaped by family, society and situation, the way he interprets issues may have an effect on the performance within the organization (March, 2009). 3. Attitude It is a tendency to respond either favorably or unfavorably to certain persons, objects or situations. A person’s attitude can be affected by such factors like culture, society and family. An employee’s performance in the place of work can be affected by the attitude towards 4. Organizational culture Organizational culture provides a blue print on how employees are supposed to do certain work and interact with others. Highly bureaucratic organizations adhere to strict rules and regulations and may not offer employees opportunity to participate during the decision making process (Weick K. S., 2011). On the other hand, collaborative culture makes the employees to be part of the organizations. Those employees who feel they are part of the organization are more likely to perform better than those who follow strict rules and regulations. 5. Stress This may be fatigue from the job or outside the working environment. An employee who has worked for a long period of time without having a rest may likely not perform well in the place of work. Other factors like home issues may stress an individual to extent of not delivering quality work in place of work. 6. Personal well-being A person’s health determines the level of output at the place of work. When an individual is sick, the level of performance at the place of work is likely to be low. 7. Social relationship in the place of work Interaction in the place of work is one of the powerful tools to enhance productivity. The relationship between employees, employees and the management affects the performance within an organization. For instance, good relationship between the manager and employees enhances knowledge sharing which in turn motives the employees to work with a lot of enthusiasm (Torbert, 2005). On the contrary, bad employee-employee relationship may lead to hatred which may hinder the spirit of unity therefore deteriorating the performance at the place of work How organizational theory underpins the practice of management Organizational theory and practice of management has been used in various aspects of businesses. Several people endeavor to adhere to the theory so as to have good jobs and be successful in life even though it requires some personal sacrifices so as to be successful. Organizational theory may underpin the personal values of an individual in an organization. For instance, a manager may disagree with a particular rule or a regulation introduced by the company in order to carry out their job professionally and efficiently as a manager, they need to deviate from the laid principles so as to do their job. It is hard to execute both organizational and management theories as a psychological contract between the employees and the employer still need to be kept (Weick K. E, 2011). This requires a consideration on how fairly the employees are treating the company and how fairly the company is treating the employees, i.e. are either of the sides putting 100% effort into what they are doing? Any other changes to management or organization may affect the entire company Approaches to management as used by Siemens Human relation approach i. This approach aims at giving support to its employees. This aid may be in form of finance, moral and even psychological. ii. It facilitates open and transparent communications with the organization. iii. It ensures collective teamwork and cooperation of the employees for attaining the objectives of the organization Scientific management approach Rational economic model- this is principle takes an assumption that people usually make logical and prudent decisions that will satisfy them. This approach assumes that human being is “machine”. It attempts to overwork the man’s efforts and expect too much output more than can be produced. Open system approach This approach analyses the organization structure, people as well as the technology within the surrounding environment. The organization has to reduce the influence of the changes associated to this environment. Internal process approach This approach mainly focuses on the health of the organization of Siemens Company. It puts into consideration the satisfaction of employees, conflict levels, production efficiency and coordination of activities among various departments (Maslow, 2011). Contingency approach This approach takes an assumption that there is no universal management theory that is specific to any organization but any theory is applicable depending on the circumstances. For instance, if Siemens company has an issue to solve, the issue should be understood first then addressed in a way that it depends on the context and environment in which the occurred. Impact of leadership styles Effects of Autocratic style It facilitates easy decision making without employee involvement. Leaders are very comfortable and confident with the responsibility of decision-making for the company. However, it brings in-contentment of employees who are not comfortable with decisions reached. This style also cultivates fear among the workers thus workers may be ill-motivated and repulsive to change. Effects of Democratic style It gives room for the management team to offer guidance to its members and appreciate the individual members. Leaders have the right to make the final decisions but also encourage the other members of staff to air their views, ideas and feedback. Democratic leaders are flexible to accept new change and encourage self-esteem (Cohen, 2009). However, this style requires a lot of consultative time at the expense of organization’s productivity. Effects of laissez-faire style Decisions are rarely reached due to a lot of freedom. This may hinder the organization from making solid decisions due to high freedom. Workers are rarely motivated. Furthermore, the leaders are neither interested in giving guidance nor delegating duties to other members. The job descriptions in this style are blurred and very confusing, and loss of positivity and motivation usually accompanies the confusion of the team members (Argyris C. a., 2009). Application of motivational theories within the organization Motivation theory Where applicable in the work place  Intrinsic Motivation Theory Is used by the management staff to motivate employees with the intrinsic rewards. The workers have a desire to work whole heartedly since they are proud of their work and wish to be associated with good results. For instance, an employee of Siemens company feels good when he/she creates a new riding style. The theory of Scientific Management This theory is applicable when there is need to increase the productivity of the organization. It cultivates a spirit of hard work to strive towards high productivity at any given time. It works best in organizations where a lot of productivity is required. The theory will do well in leading the employees who feel dissatisfied, especially when they see each other as more of machines than human beings. Motivation-Hygiene Theory This theory works best when motivating employees to be proud of their hygiene and physical appearance. It attempts to promote worker benefits provided by how tidy a person is. When there is need to enhance high standards of cleanliness, this theory is very applicable. Usefulness of motivational theory for managers 1. Assists to put human resources into action For every concern, there is a need for financial, physical and human resources so as to accomplish the set goals. It is only via motivation that the resources can be made useful. In order to achieve this, it is worth building willingness in the workers to work. Managers will apply this principle to drive their employees to work for the betterment of the organization (Maslow, 2011). 2. To improve effectiveness and efficiency of worker The productivity level of the workers is not only dependent on their abilities and qualifications but also some external influence. Motivation helps the managers to inspire the workers to produce more than the qualifications and abilities. For good performance, managers should motivate its workers. The overall outcome will be: i. Increased productivity ii. Low operation cost iii. High efficiency 3. Attainment of the organization goals It is the duty of the managers to ensure that the organization works to achieve its goals. Through motivation, managers will mobilize their workers to ensure that: i. There is proper utilization of resources ii. There is favorable work environment iii. Workers are target-oriented 4. Building up cordial relationship Motivation is a fundamental factor that brings both the employer and employee together. To keep a friendly relation, managers should make use of the motivation principles to befriend the workers for the success of the organization. Motivation therefore will curb the vices of unrest, theft, strikes and other related malpractices. 5. Improve employee morale The use of various motivational theories by the managers, such as Maslow’s hierarchy, may boost the morale of the workers thus improving the productivity. Employees have vast working reasons. What he/she needs has a direct effect on employee morale, quality of life and employee motivation. Motivation strategy helps the managers to implement correct measures to uphold the standards of the organization (Bolman, 2005). Nature of groups and group behaviour Siemens has well established group system with good interacting levels. They have two different groups: formal and informal Formal groups have been created with the aim of achieving the organizational goals and objectives and have core responsibilities (Argyris C. a., 2009). These groups are mainly working teams. They include project teams and call center teams. Informal groups have alliances without any formal structure. They have been formed to provide employees with social interactions e.g. social clubs. The groups are formed under acceptable standards of behaviour common to all members. Factors that may promote/inhibit effective teamwork development Diversity Diversity in talents, culture and personality greatly influence the development of teamwork of Siemens. Diversity promotes creativity and innovation raise awareness and upholds respects for various members thus supporting teamwork. On the other hand, lack of appreciation to diversity kills morale of workers and finds it hard to solve some problems. Communication Open and clear communication facilitates effective teamwork. All the team members must sail on the same boat with due respect, timelines and the set targets. This cohesiveness can only be attained by effective communication. Effective communication will allow members to share ideas, ask questions and seek clarifications on the job responsibilities. When any challenge comes on the way, all members will sit in a team and discuss (Weick K. S., 2011). Poor communication will encourage gossip and shift-of-blame which will split the spirit of the organization. Leadership Good leadership supports teamwork. All the team members will benefit from good leadership and will get a sense of direction. Good leadership brings the members to work together and appreciate the efforts of every member. Bad governance and leadership kills team spirit and encourages individualism. Team-Building Exercises Shared experiences and practices develop effective teamwork. The avoidance/use of teambuilding activities is very important in determining the development of very effective teams. Team building exercises improve the team performance such as problem-solving, communication or creativity. It boosts morale and encourages mutual understanding (Weick K. S., 2011). Lack of teambuilding lead may lead to isolationism. Impact of technology on team functioning within Siemens The invention of new technology has been a means of increasing profit margins of most companies. New development in the field of ICT has led to increase in mobile workforce. The invention of mobile phones, Siemens, has been as a result of new technology. Siemens Company is no longer tied to their desk to stay within the information loop. They have mobile offices as a result of technological inventions. Siemens’ phones as well as ultra-mobile personal computers allow people to access data products and mails at various locations. Furthermore, Siemens’ businesses are easily accessible due to faster communication, high efficiencies and capacity to work away from their offices. New technology has increased opportunities within the company (Torbert, 2005). As technology advances, most people have realized the benefits including high productivity, reduced employee turn-over costs and reduced absenteeism. For most of the workers, telecommuting has offered more flexible workplace policies such as formal office hours and code of dressing. Finally, technology has allowed Siemens company new teams to emerge. Virtual teams have been formed to bring together people from various places regardless of distance. This is done through video conferencing, e-mail and teleconferencing. However, technology has brought some concerns. There is low interaction level between the peers. People are primarily concerned with the affairs of the organization. This has affected the customer relations (March, 2009). New technology has rendered most employees jobless. The work initially done by the people is done by machines. Furthermore, personal evaluation has not been easy. People are more of machine-like than human beings. References Argyris, C. a. (2009). Organizational learning. NY: Addison-Wesley. Argyris, C. (2005). Interpersonal competence and organizational effectiveness. Irwin: Homewood, IL:. Bennis, W. (2002). On becoming a leader. Cambridge: Perseus. Bolman, L. &. (2005). Modern approaches to understanding and managing organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Cameron, K. a. (2009). Diagnosing and changing organizational culture. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. Cohen, M. &. Leadership and ambiguity. New York: McGraw-Hill. Deal, T. &. (2002). Corporate cultures: The rites and rituals of corporate life. Cambridge : MA: Perseus. Hammer, M. &. (New York:). 2007. NY: HarperCollins. March, J. A. (2009). Organizations. New York: Wile. Maslow, A. (2011). (1954). Motivation and personality. 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