Lecture 4: Organisation Behaviour

Question 1

What are 3 skills managers need?

Answer 1

• Human Skills: the ability to work well with other people
• Conceptual Skills: the ability to analyse and solve complex problems
• Technical Skills: the ability to perform specialised tasks

Question 2

What makes an effective manager?

Answer 2

• Task orientation: quality and quantity
• People orientation: attraction and maintenance

The effective manager can make a team perform at high levels sustainably.

Question 3

What are the 4 key elements in the learning about behaviour cycle?

Answer 3

• Theory Building
• Experimentation
• Experience
• Reflection

Question 4

Individual performance =

Answer 4

Individual performance =

individual attributes * work effort * organisational support

Question 5

What are individual attributes that impact performance?

Answer 5

• Biographic characteristics (gender, age, etc.)
• Competency characteristics (ability, aptitude)
• Personality characteristics (initiave, creative, etc.)

Question 6

What is organisational support that affects individual performance?

Answer 6

• Situational opportunity

i. e. enough time, clear instructions, help from others, adequate tools, budgets, control

Question 7

What is work effort?

Answer 7

The motivation to work.

Willingness to expand effort toward an organisational goal, while satisfying personal needs.

Question 8

What are the 5 levels of the pyramid of Mazlow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

Answer 8

• Self Actualisation (morality, creativity, etc.)
• Esteem (self esteem, confidence, respect)
• Social (friendship, family, sexual intimacy)
• Safety (security of: body, employmen, resources)
• Physiological (breathing, food, water)

Question 9

What are 3 motivational theories?

Answer 9

• Mazlow’s Hierarchy of needs
• Alderfelds ERG theory
• Equity theory

Question 10

In the ERG Theory, name the 3 types of needs that impacts an individual’s drive.

Answer 10

• Existence needs
• Relatedness needs
• Growth needs

Question 11

What are the 2 main components of the Equity Theory?

Answer 11

• Individual rewards and inputs

- Others’ rewards and inputs

Question 12

Explain self serving bias.

Answer 12

Our sucess comes from our traits and disposition, our failure from factors external to us.

Question 13

Explain attribution error.

Answer 13

Others’ failure comes from their traits and dispositions, their success comes from external factors.

Question 14

List managers’ skills that impact motivation.

Answer 14

• seek information from various sources
• be able to see a situation as perceived by others
• avoid common perceptual distortions
• be aware of the attribution theory
• influence the perception of others
• recognise attitudes and understand the antecedents and implications

Question 15

What is the impact of job satisfaction?

Answer 15

• It influences whether an individual stays a member of the group
• It influences the decision to perform, work to realise goals.
• low job satisfaction costs money in the form of labour turnover, absenteeism, tardiness and ultimately mental and physical health

Question 16

What 4 types of theories make up the situational theory?

Answer 16

• Contingency theories
• Path-goals theories
• Life cycle theory
• blanchard’s situational leadership

Question 17

Explain key idea behind contingency theories

Answer 17

Based on traits, these theories assume that a leader’s effectiveness is dependant on the situation

Question 18

Explain the key idea behind path-goals theories

Answer 18

Leaders clear the path in order for employees to achieve their goal

Question 19

In situational leadership list the 4 supportive behaviour/ directive behaviour combinations.

Answer 19

• Beginner… led by… Directing style
• Learner…led by… Coaching style
• Contributor… led by… Supporting style
• Achiever… led by… Delegating style

Question 20

Identify characteristics of the beginner/ directing situational leadership style.

Answer 20

Beginner: little, if any, prior experience. Low competence level but enthusiastic
Directing: decisions made by the leader and communication is largely one way

Question 21

Identify characteristics of the learner/ coaching situational leadership style.

Answer 21

Learner: competence and commitment fluctuate when people learn the task is more difficult or less interesting than they thought it would be.
Coaching: Define tasks, but seeks ideas and suggestions from follower. Decisions sill made by leader, but communication is more two way.

Question 22

Identify characteristics of the contributor/ supporting situational leadership style.

Answer 22

Contributor: Competence is improved, boss may think they are competent but they have self doubt whether they can perform the task on their own.
Supporting: The leader decides task allocation and processes, also facilitates and takes part in decisions, but control is with the follower.

Question 23

Identify characteristics of the achiever/ delegating situational leadership style.

Answer 23

Achiever: high levels of competence and commitment. Decides when and how the leader will be involved.
Delegating: Leaders are still involved in decisions and problem solving, but control is with the follower.

Question 24

What are the values and work ethics of veterans? (73-94 y/o)

Answer 24

• Dedication and sacrifice
• Hard work
• Respect for authority
• Adherence to rules
• Duty before pleasure
• Work as a privilege
• Work ethic influenced by manufacturing economy
• Obedience and conformity over individualism
• Seniority and age directly correlated
• Tend to respond well to directive leadership

Question 25

What are the values and work ethics of baby boomers? (53-72 y/o)

Answer 25

• Optimism
• Position, perks, prestige
• Personal gratification
• Involvement
• Hardworking
• Uncomfortable with conflict
• Can be overly sensitive to feedback
• Can be judgemental of those who see things differently

Question 26

Management style for the baby boomers?

Answer 26

• Start of orginizational behavioural modifications, but largely respond well to a directive style of leadership
• Start of a more referent leadership models (follower believes the leader has desirable qualities which they identify with and admire)
• As a workaholic generation they believe that gen-x and gen-y should pay their dues and also conform to a culture of overwork

Question 27

What are the values and work ethics of generation x? (36-52 y/o)

Answer 27

• reactive
• think globally
• balance
• techno- literacy
• fun
• informality
• self-reliance
• job hopping
• just a job
• flexible hours, informal work environment, just the right amount of supervision
• multi tasking
• want lots to do and freedom to do it their way

Question 28

Management style for generation x?

Answer 28

• Understanding the need for conformity, and respect of legitimate authority, but expect referent power in action
• Free agents, ‘distrusting’ corporate motives

Question 29

What are the values and work ethics of generation y? (35 y/o and younger)

Answer 29

• optimism
• civic duty
• confidence
• achievement
• sociability
• morality
• street smarts
• diversity
• collective action
• tenancity
• heroic spirit
• multi tasking
• technological savvy

Question 30

What makes Y-gen’s tick?

Answer 30

• they love a challenge
• they function well as team members
• they want to be heroes
• they want to be surrounded by bright, creative people
• they want it - right now

Question 31

How to reach y-gen’s?

Answer 31

• create a clear, realistic picture of the work environment - good and bad
• spell out expectations and goals
• take the time to find out their goals and help them define a strategy for meeting them

Question 32

How do we keep y-gen’s?

Answer 32

• retention scholorships - in exchange for employment, reimbursement for tuition, books and a couple of coins towards living expenses
• involve them in the department and give feedback to their contribution towards meeting organisational goals
• rotating opportunities, like being part of a peer interviewing group