Module 11: Chapter 8 (Social Influence), Chapter 15 (Organizational Change) Flashcards
Define Information Dependence, Social information process theory, and Effect dependence
Information Dependence: reliance on others for information about how to (I should) think, feel, and act
* Others can solve questions like “how much work should I take home?”
Social information process theory: information from others is used to develop expectations about appropriate and acceptable attitudes and behaviours
* Thus, organizational members turn to others for information and cues about how they should behave
Effect dependence: reliance on others due to their capacity to provide rewards and punishment
* Individuals are dependent on the effects of their behaviour as determined by the rewards and punishments provided by others
○ They seek approval of the group and the group relies on their behaviour to achieves goals
Explain the three-step Social Influence Process and Conformity
The Social Influence Process and Conformity
-
Compliance: conformity to a social norm prompted by the desire to acquire rewards or avoid punishment
○ Complying to perform certain work that you don’t necessarily want to do -
Identification: conformity to a social norm prompted by perceptions that those who promote the norm are attractive or similar to oneself
○ Worker begins to identify with his boss because they are in a position of controlling rewards that are important to the worker
○ Worker has to be like one of them -
Internalization: conformity to a social norm prompted by true acceptance of the beliefs, values, and attitudes, that underlie the norm
○ Conformity occurs because it is seen as right, not because it achieves rewards or avoids punishment, or pleases others
Organizational Socialization: Define Socialization
Socialization: the process by which people learn attitudes, knowledge, and behaviours, that are necessary for a person to function in a group/organization
Ex. For new members to reduce their levels of uncertainty
Organizational Socialization: define Uncertainty reduction theory
Uncertainty reduction theory: Newcomers are motivated to reduce their uncertainty so that the work environment becomes more predictable and understandable
* Through the provision of information and interactions with co-workers, it can help reduce newcomers’ uncertainty and facilitate socialization
Organizational Socialization: define Person—Job Fit, Person—Organization Fit, and Person—Group Fit, and Organizational identification
Person—Job Fit: the match between an employee’s knowledge skills, and abilities, and the requirements of a job
Person—Organization Fit: the match between an employee’s personal values and the values of the employee’s organization
Person—Group Fit: the match between an employee’s values and the values of the employee’s work group
Organizational identification: the extent to which individuals define themselves in terms of the organization and what it is perceived to represent
* New employee should understand the key beliefs and values of the organizational culture
State the three stages of Socialization
Anticipatory Socialization
* A considerable amount of socialization occurs even before a person becomes a worker of an a organization
○ Ex. Skills and attitude acquisition that occurs by being taught a university or summer jobs
Encounter
* The newcomer is armed with little expectations about organizational life, encounters day-to-day reality of this life
* Ex. Orientation programs and rotation through various parts of the organization
Role Management
* Now having acquired basic role behaviours, attention shifts to fine-tuning and managing their new role in the organization
explain the Unrealistic Expectations (also ‘reality shock’) and the Psychological Contract
Unrealistic Expectations
* People entering organizations hold many expectations that are inaccurate and often unrealistically high
Reality shock: when the reality of a new job is inconsistent with and does not meet one’s expectations
Psychological Contract
beliefs held by employees regarding the reciprocal obligations and promises between them and their organization
* The expectations about what they will receive from their organization in return for what service they provide
define the Socialization resources theory
Socialization resources theory: providing newcomers with resources throughout the organizational socialization process to facilitate their adjustment and a successful socialization
* Includes feedback, orientations, supervisor support, etc.
what are the three Methods of Organization Socialization?
Realistic Job Previews: the provision of a balanced, realistic picture of the positive and negative aspects of a job to applicants
Employee orientations programs: programs designed to introduce new employees to their job and their co-workers
Mentoring
Socialization Tactics: the manner in which organizations structure the early work experiences of newcomers and individuals who are in transition from one role to another
* Collective vs Individual tactics
* Formal vs. Informal tactics
* Sequential vs. Random tactics
* Fixed vs. Variable tactics
* Serial vs. Disjunctive tactics
* Investiture vs. Divestiture tactics
Difference:
Institutionalized (collective, formal, etc.) is more formalized and structured program of socialization that reduces uncertainty and follows the status quo
Individualized (individual, informal, etc.) reflects an absence of structure that creates ambiguity and encourages new hires to question the status quo and develop their approach to their role
Define Organizational Culture and Subcultures
Organizational Culture: the shared beliefs, values, and assumptions, that exist in an organization
- Represents a “way of life” for organizational members
Subcultures: smaller cultures that develop within a larger organizational culture and are based on differences in training, occupation, or departmental goals
* Ex. Dividing employees into “hardware types” and “software types” each group has their own values
State the “Strong Culture” Concept
and its pros/cons
(Culture Clash and Pathology)
Strong culture: an organizational culture with intense and pervasive beliefs, values, and assumptions
* They are strongly supported by the majority of their members
○ Ex. Google
Weak cultures are less widely shared across the organization
Culture Clash
Strong cultures from two companies badly mix together
○ Ex. Mergers
Pathology
Some cultures can threaten organizational performance because their cultures are pathological (behaving in an extreme manner, unable to control people’s behaviour)
Ex. Promoting cheating in company
Who/What are the two contributors to the Culture
The Founder’s Role
* Strong cultures tend to reflect the values of the company’s founder
○ Ex. Walt Disney’s imprint on the Walt Disney Company
Socialization
* is one of the primary means by which individuals can learn a culture’s beliefs, values, and assumptions.
What are the three ways to diagnose a culture?
Symbols
* Ex. IBM’s respect for individual
Rituals
* Rites and ceremonies can covey the essence of a culture
Stories
* Organizations communicate their culture through stories (ex. Past organizational events)
Why Organizations Must Change
All organizations face two basic sources of pressure to change — External sources and Internal sources
(explain them)
External sources- can be increased competition by globalization and advanced technology .. Causes businesses to change
Internal sources - low productivity, conflict, high absenteeism, and turnover … are some factors for a business to change
What Organizations Can Change
Name a few, People is key!
What Organizations Can Change
* Goals and Strategies
* Technology
* Job design
* Structure
* Processes - by which work is accomplished is changed
* Culture
* Branding
* People - can be changed by two ways
○ The actual content of the membership can be changed through the hiring process
○ The existing membership can be changed in terms of acquiring new skills and attitudes
