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Cardiff Metropolitan University

UNIVERSAL BUSINESS SCHOOL

Karjat, Mumbai

PEOPLE & ORGANIZATIONS

ASSIGNMENT- 1

Module: People & Organizations (MBA7000)

Module Leader: Dr. Ginlianlal Buhril

Name: Chirag Sankeshwari

Student Id: ST20095348

Date of Submission: 2nd April 2016

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Sr. No. Title Page No.

1. Critically assess Individual Personality with special emphasis 3

on the best practices in the 21st Century

2. Critically analyze Motivational Theories with special emphasis 5

on the best practices in the 21st Century

3. Critically analyze Group Behavior with special emphasis 7

on the best practices in the 21st Century

4. Critically analyze Management of Change with special emphasis 9

on the best practices in the 21st Century

5. Critically assess Organizational Design with special emphasis 12

on the best practices in the 21st Century

6. Bibliography 15

Table of Contents

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Critically assess Individual Personality with special emphasis on Best

Practices in the 21st Century

Every individual have their unique way of thinking and acting in the environment. Personality is

the set of characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings and behavior that form an individual’s

distinctive nature. Personality is about predicting behavior of individuals in the long term.

"Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems

that determine his characteristics behavior and though." (Allport, G., 1961)

DETERMINANTS OF PERSONALITY

BIG FIVE PERSONALITY DIMENSIONS

Many psychologists use big five personality dimensions to describe human personality & psyche.

The big five personality traits are described as follows:

EXTRAVERSION: Individuals with high extraversion tend to gain energy from interaction with

others while those with low extroversion tend to be reserved and gain energy within themselves.

Extraversion includes Excitability, Sociability, Talkativeness, Assertiveness & Positive emotions.

AGREEABLENESS: Individuals with high agreeableness tend to be cooperative and

compassionate rather than antagonistic and suspicious than others. Agreeableness includes Trust,

Altruism, Cooperation, Modesty, Affectionate & Sympathetic.

Figure 1.1 Factors affecting Personality

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CONSCIENTIOUSNESS: Individuals have a tendency to be organized and dependable, Self-

discipline, Achievement striving, Dutifulness & Self-efficiency. Individuals with high

conscientiousness are stubborn and obsessive while with low conscientiousness are flexible and

spontaneous.

NEUROTICISM: Neuroticism includes Anxiety, Anger, Depression, Self-consciousness,

Immoderation & Vulnerability. Individuals with high neuroticism have mood swing, anxiety,

moodiness, irritability & sadness and those with low neuroticism are more stable and emotional

resilient.

OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE: Openness includes Imagination, Artistic Interests,

Emotionality, Adventurousness & Intellect. Individuals score high on this trait who tend to be

Adventurous and creative and those who score low tend to be Conservative, Practical, Traditional

& Down-to-earth.

MYERS-BRIGGS TYPE INDICATOR (MBTI)

Myers-Briggs type Indicator psychometric questionnaire assessment which is designed to measure

psychological preferences for perceiving information. On the basis of their results individuals are

divided into extraverted or introverted, sensing or intuitive, thinking or feeling and judging or

perceiving. These dimensions are explained as:

EXTRAVERTED/INTROVERTED: Extraverts are outgoing, sociable, talkative & assertive.

Introverts are quite, shy & cautious. They feel comfortable being alone whereas extroverts like

being social.

SENSING/INTUITIVE: Individuals with sensing type tend to collect information through their

five senses. Sensing types focus on the here and now. Intuition types tend to collect information

from patterns and big pictures. Intuition types focus on future possibilities.

THINKING/FEELING: Individuals with thinking types tend to make decisions based on logic

and on objective analysis of cause and effect. Feeling types tend to make decisions based on their

personal values and emotions

JUDGING/PERCEIVING: Individuals with judging types tend to prefer planned and organized

approach and like to have things settled. Perceiving types tend to be flexible and spontaneous

and like to keep their options open.

The research shows that only Big Five Personality model is followed in an organization. Therefore,

it is recommended to follow both the personality traits for better job performance.

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Critically analyze the Motivation Theories with special emphasis on

the Best Practices in the 21st Century

Motivation is a psychological process that arouse and direct goal oriented behavior. Motivation

involves emotional, social, biological and cognitive forces that activates behavior.

“Motivation is defined as the processes that account for an individual’s intensity, direction and

persistence of effort toward attaining a goal.” (Robbins, Judge and Vohra, 2012)

HIERARCHY OF NEEDS THEORY

Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is well-known theory of motivation. The theory assumes

that human needs are arranged in a hierarchy of importance. Maslow’s believes that within every

human being there exists a hierarchy of five needs:

1. PHYSIOLOGICAL: Includes food, sex, air and sleep.

2. SAFETY: Safety and Security from physical & emotional harm.

3. SOCIAL: Belongingness, love and affection.

4. ESTEEM: Self-respect, achievement, status, recognition and attention.

5. SELF-ACTUALIZATION: Interest of fulfilling their potential includes growth, self-aware

and self-fulfillment.

However, motivation is not required for a fully satisfied as each needs becomes satisfied the next

one tend to be dominant.

Figure 2.1 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Source: www.brilliantnurse.com

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Maslow divided the five needs into higher order needs and lower order needs. Psychological and

safety needs form lower order needs these are internally satisfied. Self-esteem & self-

actualization form higher order needs which are externally satisfied. Although there is little

evidence about Maslow’s theory of needs are well organized and are in hierarchical order. It was

discovered that fulfillment of needs is correlated with happiness and people from all the cultures.

MCCLELLAND’S THEORY OF NEEDS

The theory proposed by David McClelland states that individuals are motivated to fulfill three

needs which explains:

NEED FOR ACHIEVEMENT: The individuals with high need of achievement are highly

motivated by challenging and realistic work. They urge for strong feedback on their achievement.

These individuals value more for achievement & recognition as rewards than financial rewards.

These people look for promotional opportunities in job.

NEED FOR POWER: The individuals with high need for power are likely to be influential and

controlling. They want their views and ideas to be dominant and they like to lead. They are loyal

and determined to the organization they are working. They should to have positive effect on the

organization in order to achieve goals.

NEED FOR AFFILIATION: The individuals are motivated in a friendly environment as they

prefer to spend time to maintain social relationships. These are effective performers in a team.

Such individuals are not good to accept challenging tasks but prefer manageable tasks. Generally,

they are not effective managers or leaders because they find hard to make tough decisions and they

have no worries of being disliked by other people.

Hence, Maslow’ and McClelland theories need to be applied in an organization which keeps

employees motivated and attain a desired performance and personal satisfaction.

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Critically analyze Group Behavior with special emphasis on the Best

Practices in the 21st Century

“All teams are groups but all groups are not teams.”

A group is defined as when two or more interacting individuals come together to achieve specific

objectives. Groups can be classified as:

Formal Groups: Groups which are formed by organization to accomplish certain tasks. Command

and task groups are formal groups.

Informal Groups: Groups that are formed naturally in work environment to come in social

contact. Friendship and interest groups are informal groups.

WHY DO PEOPLE JOIN GROUPS?

1. Power

2. Status

3. Security

4. Affiliation

5. Goal Achievement

6. Self-Esteem

HOW GROUPS INFLUENCE INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR?

Individual behavior and decision making are influenced by existence of others. Positive and

negative impact on individual behavior. There are multiple ways a group can influence group

behavior which focus on groupthink, group shift and de-individualization. (Boundless.com)

GROUP THINK: Groupthink is a phenomenon which occurs in a clutch of people where desire

of conformity in the group results in an indecent decision making outcome. Members in the group

attempt to minimize conflict reach a harmony decision without critical evaluation of unusual ideas

or views. Groupthink requires people to evade elevating controversial issues, loss of individual

creativity and individualistic thinking and group must know the illusion of invulnerability. A

classic group lacks neutral leader and is under high pressure to make a decision. These factors lead

a group to make terrible bad decision.

GROUP SHIFT: Group shift is a phenomenon in which initial positions of group members tend

to overstate toward more ultimate position. At times decisions are more conservative and more

frequently they slender to a greater risk. A group of modest liberals might shift from moderate to

strongly tolerant views when in a group. The theory behind is that dynamic group allows its

members to feel their position is precise and they feel to be comfortable on risky views as other

member’s support on their views. This idea slightly relates to basic principles of groupthink which

is intensely involved in a cohesive group when people are busy in thinking mode.

DE-INDIVIDUALIZATION: De-individualization is a concept of loss of self-awareness in a

group which means that people will do what all thing group is doing. Some individuals suggest

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that people know a sense of anonymity in a group. Even though is examined in negative behaviors

which are mob violence and genocide de-individualization experiences positive behavior. De-

individualization differentiates from obedience, compliance and conformity. There still occurs

some discrepancy to understand the role of de-individualization in generating anti normative

behaviors. De-individualization highlights the part of internal psychological processes which are

more anxious about social, historic, economic and political issues that inspire events in the society.

Essential conditions for a group effectiveness trust among members, sense of identity and sense of

ability which shows performance of the group.

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Critically analyze the Management of Change with special emphasis

on the Best Practices in the 21st Century

“In a changing world the only constant is change.”

Change management is the applying tools, techniques and process to make change and attain

business strategy. Management of change can be successfully implemented only if there is positive

improvement towards leadership, employees and organization.

LEWIN’S CHANGE MODEL

Kurt Lewin developed three stage change model which described about initiating, stabilizing and

managing the change process. Three stages of change are unfreezing, changing and refreezing.

(Newstrom, J.W., 2006)

UNFREEZING: It is the process where individuals become conscious about the necessity for

change. If individuals are satisfied with existing practices and procedures, they might have low or

no curiosity to make changes. The key issue in unfreezing is to make employees know the

significance of change and to know how their get affected. The employees who are most affected

by change must be aware why there is a need to get motivated. To create awareness about necessity

for change in the employees is the duty of leader of an organization.

CHANGING: Individuals are in unfreeze stage so they can move now. Change is the process

where organization should move from doing things in old mode to new mode. During this stage

individual’s start to learn new behaviors, methods and different ways of thinking. Thus, employees

need to know how they will be benefited change once they are executed.

REFREEZING: This is the final stage of change which makes new behavior somewhat resilient

and permanent after change. Refreezing are the changes that are accepted as new rule such as firm

organization chart, constant job description, etc. Refreezing is important because individuals forget

Figure 3.1 Forces for Change

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their old ways of thinking. Learning theory and reinforcement theory play an essential role in

refreezing stage. Along with a new sense of solidity employees in an organization feel contented

and self-assured with working in a new way.

KOTTER’S EIGHT STEP CHANGE MODEL

John Kotter projected eight step model to make more comprehensive approach to execute change.

It is further extension of Lewin’s three step model. It may be a failure to create urgency among the

people for their need to change, to create comparison to manage change, to be visionary of change

with effective communication, to eliminate obstructions that could hamper the vision’s

achievement, to generate short term and realistic goals and to initiate changes in work culture. Also

victory might be declared in very short duration. Kotter build eight consecutive steps to counter

these problems. Kotter established four steps mainly to finalize Levin’s unfreezing stage.

Movement is represented from steps 5 to 7 and the last step talks about refreezing. Kotter’s

achievement is mainly providing managers with a comprehensive guide for implementing change

successfully.

Figure 4.1 Lewin’s Change Model Source: www.catalog.flatworldknowledge.com

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According to the research organization is very conservative and disinclined to integrate the

changes. International issues should be considered and top management support is required to

manage change in the organizations.

Figure 5.1 Kotter’s Eight Step Change Model Source: www.solitaireconsulting.com

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Critically assess Organizational Design with special emphasis on the

Best Practices in the 21st Century

Organizational structure is the system of interactions and parts that exists during an organization.

Organizational design is a way where managers change and evolve the organization’s structure. It

is a process which implicates decisions about six elements of organizational structure. (Robbins,

Judge and Vohra, 2012)

WORK SPECIALIZATION: It explains how tasks in an organization are subdivided in discrete

jobs. This was mainly designed so that an individual should not do entire job. It is separated into

different phases where every individual completes each phase. Individuals focus in undertaking

part of activity instead of entirety. Managers can increase their efficiency by expanding the scope

of job activities.

DEPARTMENTALIZATION: After jobs are separated with work specialization they can be

clustered into shared tasks. Each organization has their own method to categorize work activities.

There are five shared procedures of departmentalization:

1. Functional Departmentalization is the most shared method where similar jobs are assembled

together in a communal department. These are grouped according to the functional

performance.

2. Product Departmentalization categorized upon product line. Each manager will be liable of

a specific zone in an organization which relay upon his specialty.

3. Geographical Departmentalization is bunched on the basis of territory or region. Large

organizations find it valuable to manage activities performed in a large zone.

4. Process Departmentalization works on products as well as customer flow. This is helpful in

managing big and compound tasks in a well-organized and fruitful manner.

5. Customer Departmentalization is the final step of departmentalization which categorize

organization’s activities based upon customers. It is beneficial to meet customer needs.

CHANGE OF COMMAND: This is different organizational design which interrupts line of

power and authority which spreads from top organizational level to lowermost organizational

level. It also elucidates duties and accountabilities for every employee at all the levels.

SPAN OF CONTROL: Span of control is essential to analyze the number of employees working

in an organization can managed proficiently and commendably by a manager. It is believed that

the more extensive the span, the more proficient the organization.

CENTRALIZATION AND DECENTRALIZATION: Centralization is the level where

decision making is unilateral in the organization. In centralized organizations decisions are made

by top level managers and lower level managers follow their instructions. In decentralized

organization managers distributes decision making power among his subordinates. Organizational

efforts to companies more receptive and responsive toward unilateral decision making.

FORMALIZATION: Formalization is the level to which work inside organization is uniform and

the level to which performance of employee is conducted by rules and procedures. In high

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formalization there are clear job descriptions, several organizational rules, transparent techniques

that cover work procedures in organizations. Low formalization has work behaviors which are

unorganized and employees have a great responsibility to maintain privacy about their job.

Therefore, these six elements mentioned above will eventually help to build business and attain its

objectives and goals.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOKS

1. Pareek, U. (2008) Understanding Organizational Behavior, 2nd Edition, New Delhi: Oxford

University Press.

2. Luthans, F. (2011) Organization Behavior: An evidence based Approach, 12th Edition, New

Delhi: McGraw Hill Education Private Limited.

3. Robbins, S.P, Judge, T.A and Vohra, N. (2012) Organizational Behavior, 14th Edition, New

Delhi: Dorling Kindersley (India) Private Limited.

4. Robbins, S.P, Judge, T.A and Sanghi, S. (2009) Organizational Behavior, 13th Edition, New

Delhi: Dorling Kindersley (India) Private Limited.

5. Buttler, M. and Rose, R. (2011) Introduction to Organizational Behavior, Mumbai: Jaico

Publishing House.

6. McShane, S.L., Glinnow von, M.A. and Sharma, R.R. (2008) Organizational Behavior, 4th

Edition, New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill Education Private Limited.

7. Kreitner, R. and Kinicki, A. (2009) Organizational Behavior, 8th Edition, New Delhi: Tata

McGraw Hill Education Private Limited.

8. Newstrom, J.W. (2006) Organizational Behavior: Human behavior at work, 12th Edition,

New Delhi: McGraw Hill Education Private Limited.

9. Parikh, M. and Gupta, R. (2010) Organizational Behavior, New Delhi: McGraw Hill

Education Private Limited.

10. Veluri, S.V.S. (2010) Organizational Behavior: An Interactive Learning Approach, Mumbai:

Jaico Publishing House.

11. Hersey, P., Blanchard, K.H. and Johnson, D.E. (2008) Management of Organizational

Behavior: Leading Human Resources, 9th Edition, New Delhi: PHI Learning Private Limited.

12. Mukherjee, K. (2009) Principles of Management and Organizational Behavior, 2nd Edition,

New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill Education Private Limited.

13. Aswathappa, K. (2012) Organizational Behavior: Text and Cases, 10th Edition, Mumbai:

Himalaya Publishing House.

14. Harris, J.O. and Hartman, S.J. (2006) Organizational Behavior, 1st Edition, Mumbai: Jaico

Publishing House.

15. Dessler, G. and Varkkey, B. (2011) Human Resource Management, 11th Edition, New Delhi:

Dorling Kindersley (India) Private Limited.

16. Hughes, M. (2011) Change Management in Organizations, 2nd Edition, Mumbai: Jaico

Publishing House.

17. Jones, G.R. and Methew, M. (2011) Organizational Theory, Design and Change, 6th Edition,

New Delhi: Dorling Kindersley (India) Private Limited.

18. Slocum, J.W. and Hillrigal, D. (2008) Judgmentals of Organizational Behavior, Indian

Edition, South Western Cengage Learning.

19. Colquitt, J.A., Lepine, J.A. and Wesson, M.J. (2013) Organizational Behavior: Improving

Performance and Commitment in the Workplace, 3rd Edition, McGraw Hill Education Private

Limited.

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20. Houldsworth, E., Balkin, D.B. and Cardy, R.L. (2010) Managing Human Resources, New

Delhi: PHI Learning Private Limited.

JOURNALS

1. Hurtz, G.M and Donovan, J.J (2000) Personality and Job Performance: The Big Five

Revisited, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 85, No. 6, pp. 869-879.

2. Latham, G.P. and Pinder, C.C. (2005) Work Motivation Theory and Research at the Dawn of

the Twenty First Century, Annual Review of Psychology, Vol. 56, pp. 485-516.

3. Kerr, N.L. and Tindale, R.S. (2004) Group Performance and Decision Making, Annual

Review of Psychology, Vol. 55, pp. 623-655.

4. Oreg, S. (2006) Personality, Context and Resistance to Organizational Change, European

Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 73-101.

5. Sy, T. and Annunzio, L.S.D. (2005) Challenges and Strategies of Matrix Organizations: Top

Level and Mid Level Managers Perspectives, Human Resource Planning, Vol. 28, No. 1, pp.

39-48.

6. Zatzick, C.D. and Inversion, R.D. (2006) High-Involvement Management and Workforce

Reduction: Competitive Advantage or Disadvantage, Academy of Management Journal, Vol.

5, pp. 999-1015.

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