Organizational Behavior - General Hospital Case - Term Paper Example

Organizational Behavior - General Hospital Case The organization behavior in any establishment largely dictates the success of the organization meeting its operations; as the behaviors inherent in a culture that focuses on attaining specific objectives or goals in a time frame. Therefore, it follows that organizations where there are no indicated or expected behavioral and operational culture have many disputes and challenges in their operations. The lack of a harmonized approach in handling operations makes individualized behaviors to be utilized, and this has a direct effect on the overall performance of the organization due to differences in individual behaviors. Therefore, there is a strong link between the individual –organization interface in any institution and since each individual brings about unique personalities and experiences (Griffin & Moorhead, 2010), there is a need to have a harmonized way of operations in organization behavior. This is the typical problem that is being experienced at the General Hospital. i. Discuss the conflict that is occurring at General Hospital. Hellringer & Slocum (2011) elaborate that conflict occurs when one group or a party feels that their interests and opinions are being ignored or opposed to by another party. The differences in personalities, experiences and lack of harmonization of the two in an organization set up as Griffin & Moorhead (2010)argues plays a large part of these conflicts to occur. In the General hospitals doctors are interested in achieving personal ends through colluding unethically with the employees of pharmaceutical companies that serve the hospital. This makes the doctors to leave their duties of attending to patient as they concentrate on their personalized benefits, and this also becomes a complicated issue in pharmaceutical companies as employees find ways of serving the doctors with the pharmaceutical products for personal ends. Hammer on the other hand as the chief executive office in the hospital feels that the doctors are not delivering on their servicers, and that the doctors were the major cause behind the escalating costs in the hospital. They are the stabling block towards managing the costs. Hammer also believes that the doctors have much allegiance to their professions compared to their duties, and this was affecting the services to patients (Hellringer & Slocum, 2011). Harding supports Hammer, and together decides to fire Doctor Boyer, in a move that was believed to aid in saving the hospital from the escalating costs. However, Doctor Boyer is the leading cardiologist and is responsible for all EKG readings in the hospital, while Doctor Williams’s goal was to ensure that the EKG was read and given in time. This brought about much conflict in the hospital between the doctors and the management. While Hammer and Harding believes that they could save costs by firing doctor Boyer, this creates much distrusts and conflict between groups in the hospital, and as Hellringer & Slocum (2011) further elaborates, there is much reluctance and lack of motivation in the hospital. These conflicts and lack of motivation therefore seriously affects the objectives of the hospital to offer quality and reliable services to patients. ii. Discuss the conflict management styles that are evident in the case Though there are evidently conflicts in the general hospital the management; that is Harding and Hammer tried to use several conflict resolution methods to quell these conflicts. Hellringer & Slocum (2011) argue that on several occasions, Hammer had tried to talk with Williams about these issues affecting the hospital in general. This portrays that as the chief executive in the hospital, Hammer recognized that he had a duty to quell the tensions and tried to initiate dialogue among the parties involved to end the conflict. On the other hand, the management on several occasions reminded the doctors concerning their allegiance to service delivery to patients. Mannix & Trochim (2008) explain that the process of managing conflict can help in reducing the negative impact of all types of conflict is restoring fairness, resource efficiency, process effectiveness, working relationships and the satisfaction by the parties. These were the main aims of Hammer initiating dialogue with Dr Williams, in a move to ensure that doctors were more effective in terms of costs and operations, to ensure fairness in decision making, resource efficiency through cutting the unnecessary costs that were making the operation costs at the hospital to soar and ensure that good working environment in the hospital prevailed for reliability in service delivery to patients. iii. Discuss how General Hospital could have used teams to address the cost reductions needed to stay competitive. Donald & Cushman (2008) explains that one aspect that makes Toyota, the Japanese automotive giant to lead in the market is the team work on production lines. The objectives of the elaborate team work in Toyota are to reduce cost as well as enhancing efficiency in the entire line process. To ensure this is achieved, Toyota family is required to contribute to the development and welfare of the company and the country by working together as a team regardless of their team or positions in the company. This is the aspect that the General Hospital ahs to initiate to ensure both cost reduction and competitiveness. It is necessary to the doctors and the entire workers in the hospitals to form part of decision making in the company and feel that their opinions and contributions are necessary and treasured. This would enhance creativity in finding new ways of doing things as well as motivating workers to achieve more. The costs incurred in the current suctions would therefore be reduced and the competitiveness soft h hospital in the service delivery would be enhanced. iv. Describe how Hammer can use negotiation skills to get buy-in for the cost reductions. Groffin & Moorhead (2010) describes acceptance, cohesiveness and composition as the main aspects that dictate the effectiveness of dialogue in the organization when well implemented. These factors seek to establish a higher rapport among the workmates and team members in the organization. For the Hammer to use dialogue, he must create the necessary rapport that will ensure that there is effective cohesiveness in the organization. This requires Hammer to improve and enhance the communication skills and the rapport between the doctors and other hospital staff and the managements. Through this rapport doctors will understand the objectives of the hospital better and thus appreciate the efforts of Hammer to cut the costs as well as enhancing the effectiveness in service delivery. v. Recommend a strategy for Hammer to resolve the problem. For Hammer to resolve the above problem there has to be better conflict resolution methods and an organizational Doherty & Guyler (2008) argues that among the factors that contribute to conflict the workplace are the level and rate of change and the level of internal and external control experienced by those involved in the situation of change. The above factors lead to stress in the workplace and this results to conflict. To resolve the above conflicts, the stresses involved in change have to be minimized. As argued above, there has to be stronger organization culture that stresses on team work approach in decision making and in initiating necessary changes, where each party has to be part of the decision and the necessary actions to be taken as per the decisions. If the doctors are made part of the decision making process in reducing costs. This would make them to innovate new ways of doing things in a bid to cut costs and ensure that each one in the hospital is geared towards meeting the objectives of the hospital of which they are part of. The organizational behavior in an organization in general has a large impact on the operations of the organization, and the level of support and cohesiveness that exists between the team members in the organization. Conflict solution largely depends on the level of cohesiveness and the rapport developed among the team members in an organization, and with the management. Effective communication in such a case plays a large role in solving these conflicts. References Doherty, N., & Guyler, M., (2008). The essential guide to workplace mediation & conflict resolution, London: Kogan Pages Griffin, W.R. & Moorhead, G. (2010). Organizational behavior. OH: Cengage Learning Hellriegel, D., & Slocum, J. W. (2011). Organizational Behavior 13ed OH: Cengage Learning. Mannix E.A., & Trochim M.K.W., (2008) The Critical Role of Conflict Resolution in Teams: A Close Look at the Links Between Conflict Type, Conflict Management Strategies, and Team Outcomes. Journal of Applied Psychology 93(1), 170–188 Read More