Analysis of Organisational Psychology - Essay Example

 Analysis of Organisational Psychology Introduction The Mudgee Film Festival is a branch of the Mudgee Arts program, (MAP). MAP is a group that has been operating for the past fifteen years. The Mudgee Film Festival, however, has been in operation for only two years. MAP aims at making arts and culture a part of the Mudgee brand (Janet & Buitendach, 2013). The organisation requires a consultant in organisational psychology that will help the new manager make decisions on the organisation (COFA, n.d). Effective management and understanding of the people working in organisations is a core problem when it comes to human resource management. Organisational psychology is a science of behaviour, as well as, other human variables at places of work and in organisations. There are several theories applied in organisational psychology (COFA, n.d). The theories include controlling human behaviour, motivation, cognition and social behaviours that are used to explain, describe, predict, and manage the behaviour of humans at places of work or organisations (Niclas, 2004). The theoretical concepts are crucial in solving practical issues especially where human resource management is involved (COFA, n.d). Psychological theories that evolve around work motivation, for instance, are used to generate job analysing techniques that help diagnose motivational scopes of work. With the help of the above theories, interventional concepts that will help re-design jobs to better the motivation in workplaces have been optimistically evaluated and formed (Janet & Buitendach, 2013). In organisational psychology, the greatest achievement would be the practicability of a good theory at a place of work (COFA, n.d). The success of the implementation of the theory requires extensive research before it is applied. How theoretical advances in organisational psychology could make approaches in human resource management tangible is somehow tricky (COFA, n.d). Usually, the answer will require evaluating several psychological concepts that prove useful in applied organisational frameworks to support human management issues. One could set potential theories or approaches of organisational psychology that are justified under certain views on defined criteria (COFA, n.d Competency-oriented psychological techniques apply better to human resource management in an organisation like Mudgee. The manager can use these to manage her employees and to create a successful working environment (Niclas, 2004). The Mudgee organisation seems to suffer, especially with its staff and volunteers. It requires means to coordinate its staff and volunteers to take up the activities in the organisation. This requires that the manager should possess human resource management skills related to organisational psychology. This will help her allocate duties and achieve short- term goals that will come in handy in developing the organisation (Janet & Buitendach, 2013). Human resource management in mudgee Human resource management involves working in dynamic organisational surroundings (COFA, n.d). Several elements affect management of personnel issues especially. These forces have features such as market dynamics, technological dynamics, globalisation and value dynamics. Where technology is involved, employees and their companies faced shorter product cycles and partial periods of technological know- how. This causes progressive alteration of job requirements (COFA, n.d). The application of internet and computer knowledge additionally imposes continual developmental demands on employees (Niclas, 2004). Market dynamics are featured by a shift from creating products to the provision of services. This calls for complex social competencies of the employees to satisfy the needs of customers (COFA, n.d). The increased competition between companies working under the same field as Mudgee requires that a company puts in more effort to attract customers. Even in the case of MAP, which is an emerging company, there will be economic pressure and adaptations on their employees if the company is to grow and flourish in the competitive environment. A manager should consider making continuous organisational changes. Such changes may involve re-engineering of the Mudgee organisation or loosening its organisational boundaries (COFA, n.d). On an individual level, the organisational changes accelerate the level of responsibility of employees. This is important since it will make the employees take up responsibility of the activities in the organisation. In an organisation, values such as discipline, obedience and self- control have become of less importance. Values such as freedom, independence and self- realisation are becoming important (Janet & Buitendach , 2013). Work self-drive and organisational commitment depends on the correspondent individual values and the culture of the company (COFA, n.d). While running the company, the manager should ensure that the employees she chooses are compatible to the culture of the company. Globalisation is another factor that compels application of new requirements. The requirements are such as managing a larger spectrum of cultural diversity, supporting and managing personnel work at locations other than the workplace (Niclas, 2004). Organisations should also consider changing to organisation dynamics. A manager should ensure that change in an organisation come as a result of development from a vocation. Teaching job- specific qualifications the development of self- management and social competencies is important in a workplace (COFA, n.d). The manager should, therefore, encourage her employees to become more self- dependent in controlling their learning demands on a job. In relation to the shift of content, learning should take place in course and job- integrated learning arrangements. Certifying informal learning processes and managing the quality of functions of a personnel developer is crucial (COFA, n.d). Action Theory Perspective The action theory is an important psychological theory that implies that competence is crucial (Niclas, 2004). The action theory is a work behaviour theory, which implies that competence is the capability to act self- responsibly when countered by complex situations at places of work (COFA, n.d). In order to act competently, an employee is required to develop behaviour that is oriented towards goal making. This implies that a learner has to grow behavioural capabilities that are synchronized by action goals, feedback processes and well- articulated plans of action (Janet & Buitendach, 2013). The action theory is cognitive. It therefore lays its focus on the redefinition of work tasks as goals, the implications for action planning and levels of regulation (COFA, n.d). The social aspects of goal-oriented behaviour have also been theoretically modelled. The action theory offers proven concepts of how to acquire the principle of complete action, where an employee can plan and control, and not just implement actions. The principles involved in coaching and teaching the development of competence under this perspective stress mostly work and transfer-oriented kind of learning (COFA, n.d). The learner of the principle is, therefore, involved in real- life task oriented experiences. The manager should also teach the employee to evaluate and reflect his learning actions in comparison to the effective strategies of action regulation (COFA, n.d). Self- Organisation Theory The theory focuses on the demands that concern learning and working in modern organisational structures. Such work situations are usually uncertain and complex. Goals that have to be accomplished or the framework conditions are usually unclear in this working context (Niclas, 2004). The theorists of self-organisation believe that another type of competence is crucial if such a situation is to be managed (COFA, n.d). Adding to the capacity of the action regulation, competencies are supposed to behave and think in a self- organised way. Concepts of the self- organisation theory also explain the strategies required to control such complex situations (COFA, n.d). The strategies include identifying cooperatively which criteria and results are enough to meet the goals, optimising solution procedures and trying out new solutions (Janet & Buitendach, 2013). As factors affecting development of competence are discussed, a climate of sufficient communication, openness, error tolerance and efficient communication are created. These elements are altogether, a characteristic of a supportive learning tradition. Psychological capital is a major aspect in optimistic organisational behaviour (COFA, n.d). Positive organisational behaviour is referred as the application and study of positively- oriented human resource strengths and psychological resources capacities that can be weighed and efficiently managed to improve the performance of the workplace today (COFA, n.d). If a positive organisational behaviour is to be achieved in Mudgee, a positive organisational psychology has to be planted in the employees. An organisation with positive employees is likely to do well (Janet & Buitendach, 2013). Implications of the self-organisation theory for human resource management are two- fold. For starters, they cover the question how to diagnose competencies of dispositions of self- organised actions. The proponents of the theory advocate for a pluralism of methodological approaches (COFA, n.d). This draws a conclusion that apart from objective tests of competence, ideographic methods should also be used. Secondly, the implications define recommendations of how to help competencies (Niclas, 2004). To develop them for self- acting cultural instructional techniques is not adequate because the competencies cannot be taught in exercises or lectures. It is instead crucial to organise learning vicinities that enhance active problem-oriented learning where learners come to contact with challenging and authentic tasks (COFA, n.d). In summary, the self- organisation theory offers interesting concepts for the analysis of requirements, developmental questions and diagnostic issues (COFA, n.d). This approach usually, is mainly objected towards performance potential and self-concept based variables. Its importance in substantiating human resource management is essentially developed from culture and work oriented perspectives. Competency Modelling Approach Perspective This kind of perspective contrasts the above two. The competency modelling aims at analysing and diagnosing issues facing human resource management (COFA, n.d). The primary objective of this perspective mainly involves identifying the crucial skills, personal characteristics and knowledge that are needed for good performance in a job and to ascertain that resource management aims at developing them. Under this perspective, a competence is an underlying feature of a person that causes effectual and better-quality performance in the workplace (Janet & Buitendach, 2013). Job relevant personnel characteristics are described competency models. The models are derived from two analytical approaches; an empirically acquainted bottom- up approach and a tactically oriented top- down approach. The bottom- up approach lays its focus on the empirical analysis of efficient and superior job performance by interviewing job incumbents. In the so-called interviews, they are questioned on how they manage difficult and typical job situations (COFA, n.d). Top and low performers are then compared to figure out the differences between non-effective and effective behavioural indicators of job competencies. In the top- down approach, the focus is placed on job competencies that will become significant in future and are required to achieve the strategic goals of the company. The competencies are made in planned workshops with affiliates of the top and higher administration (COFA, n.d). The aim of this method is to align the competency model on the company’s major competencies and the future business goals. A competency model is not necessarily used for selection purposes (Niclas, 2004). They instead serve as a generalised framework for human resource management. A variety of human resource management activities can therefore be sourced from competency models (Janet & Buitendach, 2013). It also becomes likely to coordinate and match activities like recruiting, retention and promotion by means of this method (COFA, n.d). This model, conclusively, is directed towards the development of an individual in the organisation, as well as the accomplishment of business goals. Conclusion Of the mentioned organisational psychology approaches, the manager of Mudgee should consider implementing the competency approach if she is to achieve better results in her company (COFA, n.d). The action and self-organising theories offer theoretical concepts that help to explain and understand what competencies are, and how they affect work and organisational behaviour. In the two theories, the results of human development activities are partially well developed, and leave many unanswered questions (COFA, n.d). The competency modelling approach, however, supports a more systematic design and considers the strategic aspects of human resource management activities. The competency approach however, is disadvantaged by its focus on the methodological questions of diagnosing, analysing and effecting performance level competencies (Janet & Buitendach, 2013). The Mudgee Company should plant attributes such as hope, which will construct an individual’s waypower and willpower (Niclas, 2004). Willpower will help the individual to achieve goals and the way power aspect will help the individual devise ways suitable for achieving goals. Optimism is another positive energy that should be cultivated since it is associated to positive psychology (COFA, n.d). Employees with optimistic ways of looking at things take advantage of challenging situations and convert them to workable solutions. The manager should also plant the aspect of resilience as the ability of people to convert their environment in order to divert the negative consequences of the negative events (COFA, n.d). Finally, self-efficacy, which is the individual’s conviction regarding the capability to mobilise the cognitive resources and courses of action is essential to accomplish specific tasks. This psychological resource capacity can be developed within the employees, making it an important tool in the development of Mudgee (COFA, n.d). References COFA. (n.d). saht 9126 organisational psychology. Lecture notes COFA. (n.d). Leadership in the 20th Century . lecture notes COFA. (n.d). Critical Leadership Theory. lecture notes COFA. (n.d). Are Cultural Leaders Disruptors?. lecture notes COFA. (n.d). Leading for Social Impact. lecture notes Janet S. C., & Buitendach, J. H., (2013). Psychological capital, work engagement and organisational commitment amongst call centre employees in South Africa. Journal of Psychology, 39 (2), Niclas, S., (2004). Theoretical Substantiation of Human RESOURCE Managemnt from the Perspective of Work and Organisational Psychology, Mering: Germany. COFA. (n.d). motivation & Learning. Lecture notes Read More