Organisation free essay sample

The subject matter of Organizational Behaviour is complex. Organizational Behaviour is not a homogeneous subject, but the result of a mingling of other disciplines such as psychology, sociology, politics, philosophy and economics. The fact that a subject called Organizational Behaviour exists in Business and Management courses is due to the need of those with managing people and systems at work to inform their thinking as they address the underlying social and behavioural issues that confront them. Since the study of Organizational Behaviour is composed of a blending of various social sciences, it will involve, to a certain extent, the approach of behavioural science – a collective term for the grouping of all the social sciences concerned with the study of people’s behaviour[1]. Three main disciplines are: Psychology:Study of human behaviour, traits of the individual (perception, attitudes and motives), and membership of small social groups. Sociology:Study of social behaviour, relationships among social groups and societies, and the maintenance of order (e. We will write a custom essay sample on Organisation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page g. he relationship between the behaviour of leaders and followers). Anthropology:More concerned with the science of mankind and the study of human behaviour as a whole – cultural system: the beliefs, customs, ideas and values within a group or society. Organization There is also the problem of defining what is an ‘organization’. Morgan, G. (1986), Sage Publications (â€Å"†¦organizations are complex and paradoxical phenomena that can be understood in many ways. Many of our taken-for-granted ideas about organizations are metaphorical†¦For example, we frequently talk about organizations as if they were machines†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It is because the concept of organization is so difficult to understand that other metaphors, apart from machines, are used to understand its nature. Therefore organization is variously described as organisms, brains, cultures, etc. Machines (the mechanistic or classical view)Organizations can be designed as if they are machines giving relations between clearly defined parts. This can provide the basis for efficient operation in a routine, reliable and predictable way. Organizations viewed as machines function better in a stable and protected environment. Organisms (the organic view)In this regard the organization is considered as behaving like a living system. Biological mechanisms adapt to changes in their environment, so do organizations, as open systems, adapt to the changing external environment. Brains(the cybernetic view)Brains are inventive and rational. The challenge is to create organizations capable of intelligent change and therefore able to disperse brainlike capabilities. Cultures (a product of their dominant values)The collective interest and unity of an organization is built up through shared beliefs, habits and traditions. Handy (1993), Understanding Organisations (4th Edn), Penguin Business â€Å"†¦ anyone who has spent time with any variety of organizations, or worked in more than two or three, will have been struck by the differing atmospheres, the differing ways of doing things, the differing levels of energy, of individual freedom, of kinds of personality. For organizations are as different and varied as th e nations and societies of the world. They have differing cultures – sets of values and norms and beliefs – reflected in different structures and systems† Psychic Prisons (sources of stress)The way the organizations are designed and structured and the methods and procedures of work, etc are likely sources of stress to the workers. The above metaphors, though providing a broader view of the dynamics of organizational behaviour, are not fixed. An organization can be a mix of each, and predominantly a combination of two or three metaphors, which may change over a period of time. Whatever definition taken, an organization is a means to an end rather than an end in itself. Organizations in these circumstances are usually structured in a formal way that recognizes individual responsibilities and yet circumscribes them at the same time. The more junior the position held in the organization, the more restricted is the scope for decision-making. The higher the position the greater the freedom of discretion. There are organization theories that insist that people must be controlled if organization goals are to be achieved. There are also other theories, which suggest that individuals perform better if allowed freedom and responsibility, and therefore should be subject to fewer controls. A fuller definition of an organization could thus be: A work organization consists of a group (large or small) or groups of people who collaborate in a structured and relatively permanent way in order to achieve one or more goals, which they could not achieve by acting on their own. Such an organization is structured in a manner, which formally recognizes, and places, the tasks and roles that individuals are expected to fulfil. The operation of work organizations implies a considerable degree of control over individual members, especially those most junior in the task structure. The predominant values and standards of the members of an organization develop over time to form an organization culture, which is a preferred way of doing things. The particular form and culture adopted by an organization is considerably affected by technological and environmental factors[2] For an organization to be successful the importance of achieving productivity through the effective management of people, and their commitment to, and involvement with the organization has to be stressed. Some people may well have a set motivation to work, whatever the nature of the work environment. But work situations may also influence the individual’s orientation to work. It is through the process of management that the efforts of members of the organization are directed and guided towards the achievement of organizational goals. The Meaning of Organizational Behaviour (The behaviour of People) Organizational Behaviour is concerned with the study of the behaviour of people within an organizational setting. It involves the understanding, prediction and control of human behaviour. Common definitions of organizational behaviour (OB) are generally along the lines of: the study and understanding of individual and group behaviour, and patterns of structure in order to help improve organizational performance and effectiveness (Laurie J Mullins, page 14). There is a close relation between organizational behaviour and management theory and practice. Some writers seem to suggest that organizational behaviour and management are synonymous. But this is an over simplification. Organizational behaviour does not encompass the whole of management; it is more accurately described in the narrower interpretation of providing a behavioural approach to management. The Framework of Study The behaviour of people, however, cannot be studied in isolation. It is necessary to understand interrelationships with other variables, which together comprise the total organization. This will involve consideration of interactions among the formal structure, the tasks to be undertaken, the technology employed and methods of carrying out work, the process of management and the external environment. The study of organizational behaviour, hence embraces an understanding of: o The behaviour of people; o The process of management; o The organizational context in which the process of management takes place; o Organizational processes and the execution of work; and o Interactions with the external environment of which the organization is part. A number of interrelated dimensions such as the individual, the group, the organization and the environment (which collectively influence behaviour in work organizations) can be identified by the above variables. The Individual Individuals make up organizations. Hence individual is a central feature of organizational behaviour whether the individual is acting alone or in a group in response to expectations of the organization, or as a result of the influences of the external environment. Where the needs of the individual and the demands of the organization are incompatible, this can result in frustration and conflict. It is the task of management to provide a working environment, which permits the satisfaction of individual needs as well as the attainment of organizational goals. The Group Groups are found in all organizations. They are essential to the working and performance of the organizations. Such groups (commonly referred to as informal groups) arise from the social needs of people within the organization. Members of the groups influence each other and may develop their own hierarchies and leaders. Group pressures can have a major influence over the behavior and performance of individual members. An understanding of group structure and behaviour complements knowledge of individual behaviour and adds a further dimension to organizational behaviour. The Organization An organization is structured to establish relationships between individuals and groups, to provide order and systems and to direct the efforts of the organization into goal-seeking activities. It is through the formal structure that people carry out their organizational activities in order to achieve aims and objectives. Behaviour is affected by patterns of organization structure, technology, styles of leadership and systems of management through which organizational processes are planned, directed and controlled. The focus of attention, therefore, is on the impact of organization structure and design, and patterns of management, on the behaviour of people within the organization. The Environment The organization is part of the broader external environment. The external environment affects the organization through technological and scientific development, economic activity, social and cultural influences and governmental actions. The effects of the operation of the organization within its environment are reflected in terms of the management of opportunities and risks and the successful achievement of its aims and objectives. The increasing rate of change in environmental factors has highlighted the need to study the total organization and the processes by which the organization attempts to adapt to the external demands placed upon it. Organizational Behaviour and Management Theory and Practice As discussed in the previous page Organizational Behaviour also encompasses Management Theory. Management Theory is especially concerned with issues of goal setting, resource deployment, employee motivation, teamwork, eadership, control and coordination, and performance measurement. Like Organizational Behaviour, it is an eclectic subject, which draws on the social sciences for most of its material. The difference in emphasis between Organizational Behaviour and Management Theory is principally that the former is concerned with examining the behaviour of people at all levels in groups, whilst the latter is more focused on the control of people’s behaviour by their managers in the pursuit of organizational go als.