Assignment - MB0022 Management Process and Organizational Behaviour

MB0022

Management Process
&
Organizational Behaviour

Submitted by:
Sreeja .T

Submitted By: Sreeja. T Page 1 of 11

Assignment - MB0022 Management Process and Organizational Behaviour

Today’s Managers need to perform various functions”: Elaborate the

statement.

Managers perform certain activities or duties as they effectively and efficiently

coordinate the work of others. A manager's job is varied and complex. Manager who
occupies different positions in different situations plays different roles because
people in each situation have different expectations of him concerning his functions.
Managers just don't go out and haphazardly perform their responsibilities. In the
early part of the twentieth century, a French industrialist named Henri Fayol first
proposed that all managers perform five functions: planning, organizing,
commanding, coordinating, and controlling.

Later In 1937 social scientists Luther Gulik and L Urwick described seven “major
actives and duties of any chief executive. Since then the acronym POSDCORB is
used to describe the 7 functions of managers: planning, organizing, staffing,
directing or leading, coordinating, reporting and budgeting.

Budgeting

Reporting Planning

Creative
Coordinati Problem
Organizing
ng Solving

Controlling Staffing
Directing /
Leading

Planning is the ongoing process of developing the business' mission and objectives
and determining how they will be accomplished. Planning includes both the broadest
view of the organization. Planning should be performed by managers at all levels—
top, middle and supervisory. In this step we have to map out exactly how to achieve
a particular goal. Say, for example, that the organization's goal is to improve
company sales. The manager first needs to decide which steps are necessary to
accomplish that goal. These steps may include increasing advertising, inventory, and
sales staff etc. When the plan is in place, the manager can follow it to accomplish the
goal of improving company sales.

Submitted By: Sreeja. T Page 2 of 11

Assignment - MB0022 Management Process and Organizational Behaviour

Organizing is establishing the internal organizational structure of the organization.

The focus is on division, coordination, and control of tasks and the flow of
information within the organization. It is in this function that managers distribute
authority to job holders. Assigning work and granting authority are two important
elements of organizing.

Staffing is filling and keeping filled with qualified people all positions in the business.
Staffing success depends heavily on the planning and organizing functions of
management. A manager in a large organization often works with the company's
human resources department to accomplish this goal. After plans have been made
and the organization has been established and staffed, the next step is to move
towards its defined objectives.

Directing is influencing people's behavior through motivation, communication,

group dynamics, leadership and discipline. The purpose of directing is to channel the
behavior of all personnel to accomplish the organization's mission and objectives
while simultaneously helping them accomplish their own career objectives. A
manager needs to do more than just plan, organize, and staff her team to achieve a
goal. He/She must also lead. Leading involves motivating, communicating, guiding,
and encouraging. It requires the manager to coach, assist, and problem solve with
employees.

Controlling is a four-step process of establishing performance standards based on

the firm's objectives, measuring and reporting actual performance, comparing the
two, and taking corrective or preventive action as necessary. After the other
elements are in place, a manager's job is not finished. He/She needs to continuously
check results against goals and take any corrective actions necessary to make sure
that his area's plans remain on track.

Coordinating is the all-important duty of interrelating the various parts of the work.

Reporting is keeping those to whom the executive is responsible informed as to

what is going on, which thus includes keeping himself and his subordinates informed
through records, research and inspections

Budgeting, with all that goes with budgeting in the form of fiscal planning,
accounting and control

All managers at all levels of every organization perform these functions, but the
amount of time a manager spends on each one depends on both the level of
management and the specific organization. Each of these functions involves creative
problem solving, choice making or decision making. It extends from analysis of the
environment within which the business is functioning to evaluation of the outcomes
from the alternative implemented.

1. Skills are the tool for performance"- Explain various management

skills.

Not everyone can be a manager. A manager's job is varied and complex .Certain
skills to perform the duties and activities associated with being a manager. What

Submitted By: Sreeja. T Page 3 of 11

Assignment - MB0022 Management Process and Organizational Behaviour

type of skills does a manager need? Research by Robert L. Katz found that managers
needed three essential skills essential skills.

Technical skill is the ability to process the technical side of a job or part of your
work. It includes knowledge of and proficiency in a certain specialized field, such as
engineering, computers, financial and managerial accounting, or manufacturing.
Proficiency in the technical knowledge of your job and company is critical if your job
requires you to be more "hands on" with your work. Many managers find themselves
less educated on the technical side of the job than the rest of their employees and
upon losing their managerial position they are forced to come to the reality that
there are far more people educated in technical work than they are and slowly fall
down the ladder. In order to not let this happen, Managers must stay up to date with
the technical aspects of your job in order to assure your bosses and your company
that you are the right person for the position. These skills are more important at
lower levels of management since these managers are dealing directly with
employees doing the organization's work.

Human: This skill demonstrates the ability to work well with other people both
individually and in a group. This is a skill that 99% of all companies look for in a
manager because if you do not possess the ability to correspond with other
employees then you will not work out in a manager position .Human skills emerge in
the workplace as a spirit of trust, enthusiasm, and genuine involvement in
interpersonal relationships. A manager with good human skills has a high degree of
self-awareness and a capacity to understand or empathize with the feelings of
others. Some managers are naturally born with great human skills, while others
improve their skills through classes or experience. No matter how human skills are
acquired, they're critical for all managers because of the highly interpersonal nature
of managerial work. Learning how to effectively communicate with people is a key
principle of management that you will need in order to be successful in your position.
These skills are equally important at all levels of management

Conceptual skills : Ability to use information to solve business problems,

identification of opportunities for innovation, recognizing problem areas and
implementing solutions, selecting critical information from masses of data,
understanding the business uses of technology, understanding the organization's
business model. It involves the formulation of ideas, conceptualization about abstract

Submitted By: Sreeja. T Page 4 of 11

Assignment - MB0022 Management Process and Organizational Behaviour

and complex situations. Managers understand abstract relationships, develop ideas,

and solve problems creatively. Using these skills, managers must be able to see the
organization as a whole. They have to understand the relationships among various
subunits, and visualize how organization fits into its broader environment. This form
of management will give your company the edge it needs against its competitors if
you can formulate groundbreaking concepts for your company that will push them
ahead of the competition. These skills are most important at the top management
levels.

Managers also have duties no matter what their skill level is. While successful
managers must possess a high level of expertise in technical, human, and conceptual
skills, it is also true that each skill will vary in importance according to the level at
which the manager is located in the organization. Generally, technical skills become
least important at the top level of the management hierarchy, replaced with a
greater emphasis on conceptual skills. Technical skills are most pronounced at lower
levels of management because first-line managers are closer to the production
process, where technical expertise is in greatest demand. Human skills are equally
necessary at each level of the management hierarchy. Human skills can be
developed through an understanding of human and group behavior. Conceptual skills
are critical for top managers because the plans, policies, and decisions developed at
this level require the ability to understand how a change in one activity will affect
changes in other activities and can be developed through knowledge of the various
factors that influence organizational activities.

2. What is negotiation? Explain the process of negotiation.

Negotiation

Negotiation is something that we do all the time and is not only used for business
purposes. For example, we use it in our social lives perhaps for deciding a time to
meet, or where to go on a rainy day. Negotiation is usually considered as a
compromise to settle an argument or issue to benefit ourselves as much as possible.

According to Robbins Negotiation is a “process in which two or more parties

exchange goods or services and attempt to agree upon the exchange rate for them

Why Negotiate?

If your reason for negotiation is seen as 'beating' the opposition, it is known as

'Distributive negotiation'. This way, you must be prepared to use persuasive tactics
and you may not end up with maximum benefit. This is because your agreement is
not being directed to a certain compromise and both parties are looking for a
different outcome.

Should you feel your negotiation is much more 'friendly' with both parties aiming to
reach agreement, it is known as 'Integrative negotiation'. This way usually brings an
outcome where you will benefit highly. Negotiation, in a business context, can be
used for selling, purchasing, staff (e.g. contracts), borrowing (e.g. loans) and
transactions, along with anything else that you feel are applicable for your business.

There are two general approaches to negotiation: distributive bargaining and

integrative bargaining.

Submitted By: Sreeja. T Page 5 of 11

Assignment - MB0022 Management Process and Organizational Behaviour

Distributive bargaining

When engaged in distributive bargaining, one’s tactics focus on trying to get one’s
opponent to agree to one’s specific target point or to get as close to it as possible.
“Hard” distributive negotiation takes place when each party holds out to get its own
way. The hard approach may lead to a win–lose outcome in which one party
dominates and gains. “Soft” distributive negotiation, takes place when one party is
willing to make concessions to the other to get things over with. A soft approach
leads to accommodation in which one party gives in to the other, or to compromise
in which each party gives up something of value in order to reach agreement.

Integrative bargaining

This strategy is adopted to create a win-win solution. Integrative bargaining builds

long-term relationships and facilitates collaborative work. Following conditions are
necessary for this type of negotiation to succeed (Robbins, 2003):

Parties who are open with information and candid about their concerns

• A sensitivity by both parties to the other’s needs

• The ability to trust one another
• A willingness by both parties to maintain flexibility

Negotiation Process

A model of the negotiation process is as follows:

Preparation and planning:

• At this stage, homework needs to be done in regard to the nature, history,

concerned parties of the conflict. Based on the information, a strategy is
developed. Both the parties Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement
(BATNA) needs to be determined. BATNA determines the lowest value
acceptable to you for a negotiated agreement for both the parties.

Definition of ground rules:

• At the stage, the venue, the negotiators, time will be decided.

Clarification and justification:

• When initial positions have been exchanged, the origin demands of both the
party’s need to be explained and justified. Proper documentation is required
at this stage to support each of the party’s position.

Submitted By: Sreeja. T Page 6 of 11

Assignment - MB0022 Management Process and Organizational Behaviour

Bargaining and problem solving:

• The essence of the negotiation process is the actual give and take in trying to
hash out an agreement. Concessions will undoubtedly need to be made by
both parties.

Closure and implementation:

• This is the final step, where the agreement is formalized and procedures to
implement the agreement will be developed.
3. Explain Classical Conditioning Theory?

In today’s competitive and dynamic marketing world, where companies are thriving
hard to attract maximum number of consumers, it has become very hard to survive
for smaller companies, even huge ones, without innovation and new developments.
If we see our daily lives, advertisements rule our life from every aspect. They dictate
the brand of tea we drink in the morning and the laxatives we take before going to
bed. Free choice has almost become a relic of past. Under such circumstances,
classical conditioning has now become a major focus of marketing, by large number
of companies and brands

Classical Conditioning Theory was revealed by Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov,

while doing research on the digestive process in dogs. Ivan Pavlov conducted
experiments by teaching a dog to salivate in response to the ringing of a bell. When
Pavlov presented meat (unconditioned stimulus) to the dog, he noticed a great deal
of salivation (conditioned response). But, when merely bell was rung, no salivation
was noticed in the dog. What Pavlov did next was to link the meat and the ringing of
the bell. He did this several times. Afterwards, he merely rang the bell without
presenting the meat. Now, the dog began to salivate as soon as
the bell rang. After a while, the dog would salivate merely at the sound of the bell,
even if no meat were presented. In effect, the dog had learned to respond, i.e., to
salivate at the sound of bell, since it was conditioned to link the sound of the bell
with the offering of meat.

Classical conditioning is one of the simplest forms of learning and the first type of
learning to be discovered and considered within the behaviorist tradition. Classical
conditioning starts with a general response, an inborn, spontaneous behavior. Under
the phenomena of classical conditioning, an individual learns to correlate one
incentive or item with another. The individual learns that the first item is an
indication for the second one, realizing the interconnection between both the items.
The connecting item can be a visible or even audible one.

Classical conditioning is modifying behavior so that a conditioned stimulus is paired

with an unconditioned stimulus and elicits an unconditioned Behaviour. It introduces
a simple cause-and-effect relationship between one stimulus and response. It also
makes the response reflective or involuntary after the stimulus-response relationship
has been established. This leaves no ground for making choices, which factor
differentiates human beings from dogs. Under certain situations, classical
conditioning does explain human behavior. For example, if a student is always
reprimanded by his Principal when he is summoned to the principal's office, he may
become nervous whenever asked to come to the principal's office because of this
association.

Submitted By: Sreeja. T Page 7 of 11

Assignment - MB0022 Management Process and Organizational Behaviour

The Elements and Processes in Classical Conditioning:

Reflex: A reflex is an involuntary response to a particular stimulus. There are two

kinds of reflexes:
i) Conditioned Reflex: This is a "learned" reflex rather than a
naturally occurring one.
ii) Unconditioned Reflex: This is a "unlearned" reflex. Example,
salivation in response to food. Unconditioned reflexes are built
into the nervous systems of most vertebrates.

The Conditioned and Unconditioned Stimulus and Response: Pavlov continued to

investigate the circumstances under which a conditioned reflex is formed. Any
stimulus (such as food) that without learning will automatically elicit (bring forth) an
unconditioned response is called an unconditioned stimulus (US). A reflex is made up
of both the stimulus and response. Following is a list of some common unconditioned
reflexes, showing their two components – the unconditioned stimulus and
unconditioned response.

Factors Influencing Classical Conditioning

There are four major factors that affect the strength of a classically conditioned
response and the length of time required for conditioning:

i) The number of pairings of the conditioned stimulus and the unconditional

stimulus. In general, the greater the number of pairings, the stronger the
conditioned response.
ii) The intensity of the unconditioned stimulus. If a conditioned stimulus is
paired with a very strong unconditioned stimulus, the conditioned
response will be stronger and will be acquired more rapidly than if it is
paired with a weaker unconditioned stimulus.
iii) The most important factor is how reliably the conditioned stimulus
predicts the unconditioned stimulus. Classical conditioning does not occur
automatically just because a neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with an
unconditioned stimulus. The neutral stimulus must also reliably predict the
occurrence of the unconditioned stimulus. For example, a tone that is

Submitted By: Sreeja. T Page 8 of 11

Assignment - MB0022 Management Process and Organizational Behaviour

always followed by food will elicit more salivation than one that is followed
by food only at times.
iv) The temporal relationship between the conditioned stimulus and the
unconditioned stimulus. Conditioning takes place faster if the conditioned
stimulus occurs shortly before the unconditioned stimulus. It takes place
more slowly or not at all when the two stimuli occur at the same time.
Conditioning rarely takes place when the conditioned stimulus follows the
unconditioned stimulus.

Limitations

Classical conditioning has real limitations in its acceptability to human behavior in

organizations for at least three reasons:

i) Human beings are more complex than dogs but less amenable to Simple
cause-and-effect conditioning.
ii) The behavioral environment in organizations is also complex.
iii) The human decision making process, being complex in nature, makes it
possible to override simple conditioning.

5. How are culture and society responsible to built value system?

In a society the value of things is considered according to the attitude of the society
towards a specific thing. When the attitude and desire of the people increases
automatically the value increases. It is concluded that the value is directly related to
the cultural status of the society.

Culture is a complex set of beliefs, values and techniques for dealing with the
environment, which are shared among contemporaries and transmitted from one
generation to the next. Culture requires both conformity and acceptance from its
members. The personality of an individual to a marked extent is determined by the
culture in which he is brought up.

Society was defined as “a grouping of humanity and was distinguished from

community as being larger, in that it may contain various groups of communities;
more diffused and pluralistic in its components; more specific in its goals as the
central motive of its component parts; and more progressive as it can be linked with
the formation of larger modern political entities

Values

Values represent basic convictions that “a specific mode of conduct or end-state of

existence is personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse mode of
conduct or end-state of existence” (Rokeach, 1973). When the values are ranked in
terms of their intensity, i.e., when the value are prioritized in terms of their intensity,
it is called value system. Types of values include ethical/moral values,
doctrinal/ideological (political, religious) values, social values, and aesthetic values.

Values have both content and intensity attributes.

Submitted By: Sreeja. T Page 9 of 11

Assignment - MB0022 Management Process and Organizational Behaviour

• The content attribute signifies that a mode of conduct or end-state of

existence is important.
• The intensity attribute specifies how important it is.
• Ranking an individual’s values in terms of their intensity equals that person’s
value system.

Values build the foundation for the understanding of attitudes and motivation of
an individual, since; value has a great impact on perceptions. Values shape
relationships, behaviors, and choices. The more positive our values, more
positive are people’s actions. A significant portion of the values an individual
holds is established in the early years from parents, teachers, friends, and others

A value system is a set of consistent ethic values (more specifically the personal
and cultural values) and measures used for the purpose of ethical or ideological
integrity. A well defined value system is a code. One or more people can hold a
value system. Likewise, a value system can apply to either one person or many.

• A personal value system is held by and applied to one individual only.

• A communal or cultural value system is held by and applied to a

community/group/society. Some communal value systems are reflected in the
form of legal codes or law.

As a member of a society, group or community, an individual can hold both a

personal value system and a communal value system at the same time. In this case,
the two value systems (one personal and one communal) are externally consistent
provided they bear no contradictions or situational exceptions between them.

A value system in its own right is internally consistent when

• its values do not contradict each other and

• its exceptions are
o abstract enough to be used in all situations and
o Consistently applied.

Conversely, a value system by itself is internally inconsistent if:

• its values contradict each other and

• its exceptions are
o highly situational and
o Inconsistently applied.
4. Write short notes on
• Locus of Control
• Machiavellianism

 Locus of Control

Some people believe they are masters of their own fate. Other people see
themselves as pawns of fate, believing that what happens to them in their lives is

Submitted By: Sreeja. T Page 10 of 11

Assignment - MB0022 Management Process and Organizational Behaviour

due to luck or chance. An individual's generalized belief about internal (self) versus
external (situation or others) control is called locus of control.

a. Internals: Those who believe they control their destinies have been labeled
internals. Internals (those with an internal locus of control) have been found to have
higher job satisfaction, to be more likely to assume managerial positions, and to
prefer participative management styles. In addition, internals have been shown to
display higher work motivation, hold stronger beliefs that effort leads to
performance, receive higher salaries and display less anxiety than externals (those
with an external locus of control).
b. Externals: Externals are those individuals who believe that what happens to
them are controlled by outside forces such as luck or chance. Externals prefer a
more structured work setting and they may be more reluctant to participate in
decision-making. They are more compliant and willing to follow directions.

So they perceive themselves as having little control over those organizational

outcomes that are important to them. Knowing about locus of control can prove
valuable insights to managers. Because internals believe that they control what
happens to them, they will want to exercise control in their work environment.
Allowing internals considerable voice in how work is performed is important.
Internals will not react well to being closely supervised. Externals, in contrast, may
prefer a more structured work setting, and they may be more reluctant to participate
in decision-making. Therefore, internals do well on sophisticated tasks - which
includes most managerial and professional jobs – that require complex information
processing and learning. Additionally, internals are more suited to jobs that require
initiative and independence of action. In contrast, externals should do well on jobs
that are well structured and routine and where success depends heavily on
complying with the directions of others.

 Machiavellianism

Machiavellianism is the term that some social and personality psychologists use to
describe a person's tendency to deceive and manipulate others for personal gain.
The concept is named after Renaissance diplomat and writer Niccolò Machiavelli, who
wrote Il Principe (The Prince). In the 1960s Richard Christie and Florence L. Geis
developed a test for measuring a person's level of Machiavellianism. This eventually
became the MACH-IV test, a twenty-statement personality survey that is now the
standard self-assessment tool of Machiavellianism. People scoring above 60 out of
100 on the MACH-IV are considered high Machs; People scoring below 60 out of 100
on the MACH-IV are considered low Machs;

Low Machs tend to take a more personal, empathic approach in their interaction with
other people. They tend to be more trusting of others and more honest. They believe
humans are essentially good natured. At the extreme, low Machs tend to be passive,
submissive, highly agreeable, dependent and socially inept; in contrast with those
who are more Machiavellian, they also tend to believe that everyone has a good and
bad side.

Submitted By: Sreeja. T Page 11 of 11