Major Challenges of Organizational Behavior

by hosstheboss (student)

University Degree Business and Administrative studies

Module: Organization Behavior

1st assignment

Major Challenges of Organizational Behavior

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INTRODUCTION

Organizational Behavior (OB) is the study and application of knowledge about how people, individuals, and groups act in organizations. It does this by what you call a system approach. This is, it interprets people-organization relationships in terms of the whole person, whole group, whole organization, and whole social system. Its purpose is to build better relationships by achieving human objectives, organizational objectives, and social objectives...

Side by side with that is Organizational Development or OD. This is the systematic application of behavioral science knowledge at various levels, such as group, inter-group, organization, etc., to bring about planned change. Its objectives are a higher quality of work-life, productivity, adaptability, and effectiveness. It accomplishes this by changing attitudes, behaviors, values, strategies, procedures, and structures so that the organization can adapt to competitive actions, technological advances, and the fast pace of change within the environment.

To look at it in a more simple perspective, organizational behavior is more on the study and organizational development is more on the application side.

Snapshot for major Challenges facing my organization

1- Globalization challenge

We can define globalization as when two or more countries joins together by economically, through education, society and politically and view the people or nation of that country as their national identity as well as part of the world.

We can also say that globalization brings peoples from all nations closer through a common medium i.e. internet, economy, education, etc.

Process of globalization is mutual actions and act among people, government, companies and nations around the world motivated by international trade and investments and influenced by information technology.

A lot of countries include famous auto manufacture can export their vehicles into Egypt, which cause an immediate effect on Aboulfotouh market share and yearly target sale volumes.

*So it is very important as an automotive assembler to reduce cost, increase local parts component and quality to hold market share position.

*Invest more in R&D to be able in producing import parts with local resources

2-Improving Ethical Behavior challenge

Company is in business to make a profit. Strategic managers must consider the ethical, economic, legal, and discretionary social responsibilities of the business in the planning process. Recognizing the legitimate rights of stockholders, employees, and stakeholders is crucial when defining the company mission and strategic plan. The challenge facing any company is coordinating the demands of stakeholder groups with the principle set of the company’s operating philosophy to optimize economic success. The role of ethics and social responsibility in strategic planning and the evolution of my ethical perspectives in the master’s of business

*A company’s mission, ...

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2-Improving Ethical Behavior challenge

*A company’s mission, vision, and philosophy statements distinguish the ethical stance of the company is very important.

*Ethical responsibilities reflect the company’s notion of right and proper business behavior and are obligations that transcend legal requirements, top management must lead the employees' direction, purpose, and understanding of a company’s expectation to ensure everyone makes good ethical decisions and confirm everyone will strictly adhere to the company’s beliefs and values.

*The ability for a company to link an individual’s natural moral judgment, arrive at a general principle to form an ethical decision, and adhere to the social responsibilities are unequivocal actions of a company

3-Workforce Diversity challenge

Workforce diversity is of the upmost importance in order for a business to build success. Today, generally, women are equal with men, more women in management, foreign with their own customs and beliefs, minority groups and an ageing population. These are just some of the much diversity that is in our workplace today. Having variety gives a much broader spectrum to problem solving skills and a competitive advantage in business.

*To use diversity management at workplace to provide for and encourage the continued development of a diverse workforce by melding these actual and perceived differences among workers to achieve maximum productivity.

*Diversity management involves creating a supportive culture where all employees can be effective. In creating this culture it is important that top management strongly support workplace diversity as a company goal and include diversity initiatives in their companies' business strategies

* It has grown out of the need for organization to recognize the changing workforce and other social pressures that often result.

4-Advances in IT Technology challenge

A modern example is the rise of communication technology, which has lessened barriers to human interaction and, as a result, has helped spawn new subcultures; the rise of cyber culture has, at its basis, the development of the Internet and the computer.

There can be little doubt that computers, robotic technologies and other forms of job automation have been getting far more capable and that as this trend continues, more workers are certain to be displaced in the relatively near future. Most economists dismiss any concern that this might lead to long-term structural unemployment.

All of these technological advances sound great; however, there is a down side to all this technology. Competition between companies can sometimes make lives for humans even worse. In this case the company is forced into buying the new technology just so they can stay in business. This has a negative result on the workforce who will be replaced by the new technology. Through all of this employees can lose their sense of common purpose, because this will not do the jobs anymore but assisting the technology achieving the goals. We must be careful not to injected technology at an exponentially rate into the workplace at over a short time. The cost of that can sometimes be positive and very much negative, although many businesses see new technology as the means to increase profit and to remain their competitive advantage.

*In Aboulfotouh plant, we try to use technologies which improve quality more than productivity, not to reduce manpower, but to rely on higher quality standard with measuring apparatus and tools.

5-Changes in the work environment & employment relationship challenge

Scientific management theories have been around for many years, the basics are the same it is just how they make or envision their style to adapt, to gain success. With time these styles have changed but generally all the basics are still present. By having a culture inside the organization that is cohered to and understood by all current and incoming staff, each individual personality adds to this culture. It grows with the person and the organization, keeping the workplace enthusiastic, inspired, and excited and followed by all.

Depending upon an organization and its structure, managers need to emphasize different roles. With regard to the Titans, a professional sporting organization, experts must work in teams and strong successful leadership and effective planning are essential especially at the group level. The level of competitiveness associated with this industry affects decision making and this needs to be considered when leading and planning.

“Motivation and inspiration energize people, not by pushing them in the right direction as control mechanisms do but by satisfying basic human needs for achievement, a sense of belonging, recognition, self esteem, a feeling of control over one’s life, and the ability to live up to one’s ideals. Such feelings touch us deeply and elicit a powerful response.

* Staff recognition and reward where due which will build better trust and in turn empowerment through the ranks and maintain high motivation.

* Listening to all levels of staff and customer feedback with changes or problems will only help sustainability and growth.

* To put in place practices for Eco efficiency, managing for sustainability.

* Maintaining a culture inside the company which is unique to the organization.

Conclusion:

Some common strategies of Organizational Development include survey feedback like the employee satisfaction survey and the climate survey, teambuilding, coaching, counseling, problem-solving, process consultation, goal-setting, job design, structural change, strategy development, conflict management, performance management, stress management, career management, total quality management, business process redesign, and management by objectives.

Moving on, here are some major objectives of Organizational Development:

1- To create an open, problem-solving climate throughout the organization so that problems can be confronted, rather than fought about or fled from
2- To build trust among individuals and groups throughout the organization, between and among different ranks and job levels, and create and sustain an atmosphere of cooperation and interdependence
3- To establish decision-making and problem solving responsibilities, as close to the information sources as possible; develop the attitude of treating organizational problems created by competition as challenges to eventually do better
4- To develop and implement a rewards system which recognizes individual and group effort; nurture a sense of ownership of objectives and business results among everyone in the organization
5- To increase self-control and self-direction among everyone in the organization, as well as develop and sustain everyone's conflict management abilities
6-To increase awareness levels of the individual and the group, regarding organizational processes as well as its consequences for effective and remarkable performance.

With that, here are some assumptions underlying the above-mentioned objectives of Organizational Development:
A- Organized and responsive work tends to produce the highest levels of productivity and quality
B- most individuals seek challenging work and desire responsibility for accomplishing organizational objectives
C- Individuals and work groups which learn to work in a constructively open way (ex. Via feedback) are able to profit from their experiences and become more capable of optimizing their resources
D- Professional and personal growth of the employees is facilitated by relationships which are open, supportive, and trusting
E- Employees' sustained commitment is assured where there is active participation of everyone in the planning and implementation of any change intervention

To conclude, change is truly an essential part of creativity and innovation in organizations. It is inevitable in order to constantly adapt to the environment to survive competition and prosper. From a business' standpoint, change is normally associated with Organizational Development. Change is a fact of life within human systems, and is taken as the only thing constant in a business.