MB0039 Q2. What are the biggest barriers that prevent you from listening effectively?

Explain how you could overcome these barriers.

Feb

232011

Answer: Listening is not easy and there are a number of obstacles that stand in the way of effective listening, both within and outside the workplace. These barriers may be categorized as follows 1. Physiological Barriers This was discussed earlier under the barriers to communication. Some people may have genuine hearing problems or deficiencies that prevent them from listening properly. Once detected, they can generally be treated. Other people may have difficulty in processing information, or memory related problems which make them poor listeners. Another physiological barrier is rapid thought. Listeners have the ability to process information at the rate of approximately 500 words per minute, whereas speakers talk at around 125 words per minute. Since listeners are left with a lot of spare time, their attention may not be focused on what the speaker is saying, but may wander elsewhere.

2. Physical Barriers These refer to distractions in the environment such as the sound of an air conditioner, cigarette smoke, or an overheated room, which interfere with the listening process. They could also be in the form of information overload. For example, if you are in a meeting with your manager and the phone rings and your mobile beeps at the same time to let you know that you have a message; it is very hard to listen carefully to what is being said.

3. Attitudinal Barriers Pre-occupation with personal or work related problems can make it difficult to focus ones attention completely on what a speaker is saying, even if what is being said is of prime importance. Another common attitudinal barrier is egocentrism, or the belief that you are more knowledgeable than the speaker and that you have nothing new to learn from his ideas. People with this kind of closed minded attitude make very poor listeners.

4. Wrong Assumptions The success of communication depends on both the sender and the receiver, as we have seen in an earlier unit. It is wrong to assume that communication is the sole responsibility of the sender or the speaker and that listeners have no role to play. Such an assumption can be a big barrier to listening. For example, a brilliant speech or presentation, however well delivered, is wasted if the receiver is not listening at the other end. Listeners have as much responsibility as speakers to make the communication successful, by paying attention, seeking clarifications and giving feedback.

Another wrong assumption is to think that listening is a passive activity, in which a listener merely absorbs the thoughts of the speaker. On the contrary, real listening or active listening is hard work it requires speaking sometimes to ask questions, agree or disagree with the speaker, give feedback, etc.

Yet another barrier of this type is to assume that speakers are more powerful than listeners. Speakers are seen as being in command of things, whereas listeners are seen to be weak and lacking authority. According to communication experts however, the reverse is true. Listeners are as

important and as powerful as speakers. In fact David J. Schwartz, writer and management professor, emphasizes the importance of listening by saying Big people monopolize the listening. Small people monopolize the talking.

5. Cultural Barriers Accents can be barriers to listening, since they interfere with the ability to understand the meaning of words that are pronounced differently. The problem of different accents arises not only between cultures, but also within a culture. For example, in a country like India where there is enormous cultural diversity, accents may differ even between different regions and states. Another type of cultural barrier is differing cultural values. The importance attached to listening and speaking differs in western and oriental cultures. Generally, Orientals regard listening and silence as almost a virtue, whereas Westerners attach greater importance to speaking. Therefore this would interfere with the listening process, when two people from these two different cultures communicate.

6. Gender Barriers Communication research has shown that gender can be a barrier to listening. Studies have revealed that men and women listen very differently and for different purposes. Women are more likely to listen for the emotions behind a speakers words, while men listen more for the facts and the content.

Example A salesperson giving a demonstration of a new type of office equipment may be asked by two colleagues if the equipment will work without any problems and respond by saying Sure. A male user may take his answer at face value, whereas a female user may detect some hesitation in his voice. This is because the male user listens for the content of the message, whereas the female user listens for the tone of the message.

7. Lack of Training Listening is not an inborn skill. People are not born good listeners. They have to develop the art of listening through practice and training. Lack of training in listening skills is an important barrier to listening, especially in the Indian context. Lee Iacocca, former Chairman of the Chrysler Corporation in the US, was one of the first to recognize the need for organized training programs in listening skills. Today, many organizations both in India and abroad incorporate listening skills in their training programs.

8. Bad Listening Habits Most people are very average listeners who have developed poor listening habits that are hard to shed and that act as barriers to listening. For example, some people have the habit of faking attention or trying to look like a listener, in order to impress the speaker and to assure him that they are paying attention. Others may tend to listen to each and every fact and, as a result, miss out on the main point. Yet another habit is to avoid difficult listening and to tune off deliberately, if the subject is too technical or difficult to understand. Sometimes, the subject itself may be dismissed as uninteresting, because the listener does not want to listen.

Strategies for Effective Listening:

Although a number of barriers stand in the way of effective listening, these can be overcome through conscious efforts, training and practice. Some of the suggested methods are discussed in detail below

1. Create a Conducive Environment To an extent, you can try to control the environment in which communication takes place, so that listening can take place without any distractions. Ensuring a proper sound system and acoustics so that the speaker is audible, avoiding places with high levels of activity, loud noises from the outside environment and poor air conditioning systems, shutting off mobile phones and telephones, are some of the ways in which you can overcome some of the physical barriers to listening.

2. Select Face-to-face Channels Listening is less accurate in the absence of face-to-face communication. For example, listening to and understanding ideas correctly over the telephone are much harder than through a face-to-face meeting. Take the case of calling a restaurant and placing orders over the telephone for home delivery of a meal. The chances are that your orders may not be understood correctly. Therefore, as far as possible, arrange face-to-face contact to ensure more accurate listening.

3. Be Open-minded and Avoid Distractions Listening is an exhausting activity which requires the right attitude and mindset. You have to focus your attention completely on what the speaker is saying, without letting your mind wander. This kind of concentration can be developed through various techniques and through constant practice. In addition, it is also important to rid yourself of the notion that you have nothing new to learn from the other person. Even if it is a subject about which you may be knowledgeable, the speaker may offer a different perspective or point of view. Therefore it is important to listen actively.

4. Use Non-verbal Cues to Indicate Active Listening It is important to communicate to the speaker that you are listening actively to what he is saying. This can be done even without verbal communication. All the different aspects of non-verbal communication discussed earlier should be used for maximum effect. For example, maintaining steady eye contact with the speaker, sitting up with an erect posture, nodding now and then to show appreciation and understanding and appropriate facial expressions are some of the ways in which your non-verbal communication can indicate that you are involved in what the speaker is saying.

5. Use Verbal Communication to Indicate Active Listening While nonverbal behavior by itself can communicate that you are an active listener, it is also important to engage in verbal communication with the speaker. Silence is often interpreted as lack of understanding or attention. You need to seek clarifications, give feedback and suggestions, or just paraphrase in your own words what the speaker has said, in order to convey that you have understood his message.

6. Listen First Before Responding Always let yourself finish listening before you begin to speak. Avoid the tendency to formulate your own response, even before you have listened completely to the speakers words. If you are too busy thinking about what to say next, you may miss the main point that the speaker is trying to make. This also gives the speaker the impression that you are pre-occupied or rude.

7. Use the Speaker-listener Gap constructively It was pointed out earlier that listeners have the ability to absorb information faster than speakers rate of speech. This spare time available to listeners is often misused by letting the mind wander and is one of the physiological barriers to listening. One way of overcoming this barrier is to try to use this spare time to note down what the speaker has said, review what has been said so far and

anticipate what he may say next. Thinking ahead of the speaker and trying to guess where his talk is leading is a good strategy for effective listening. This is not easy, but can be learnt through proper training.

8. Focus on the Verbal and Non-verbal Message Listening involves not only hearing and understanding the meaning behind the words, but also being alert to the non-verbal behavior of the speaker. The importance of non-verbal cues has been emphasized throughout this book. It is important to watch for any positive or negative messages that may be conveyed through the speakers tone of voice, facial expressions, gestures and outward appearance.

9. Focus on the Content, rather than the Delivery In order to grasp the true meaning of what the speaker is saying, it is important to concentrate on the content of the message, rather than on how the message is delivered. For example, looking at the power point slides during a speakers presentation may distract your attention from the main point that he is trying to convey. Similarly, being over critical of the speakers accent or mannerisms may make you miss the essence of the message.

10. Ask Questions of Yourself and Make Notes In order to engage in active listening, you also need to ask certain questions to yourself while listening. For example, What is the key idea that the speaker is trying to convey?, How does this fit in with I already know on the subject? or How is this presentation organized?, are some possible questions that you could jot down along with the answers.
Posted by Sunita on February 23, 2011Add commentsTagged with: MB0039

16 Responses to MB0039 Q2. What are the biggest barriers that prevent you from listening effectively? Explain how you could overcome these barriers.

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ANANT says:
February 23, 2011 at 8:19 pm

Master of Business Administration-MBA Semester 1 MB0038 Management Process and Organization Behavior 4 Credits (Book ID: B1127) Assignment Set- 1 (60 Marks)

Q.1 Explain controlling and also discuss different types of control [10]

Ans. Controlling: It involves monitoring the employees behavior and organizational processes and take necessary actions to improve them, if needed. Control is the process through which standards for performance of people and processes are set, communicated and applied. Effective control systems use mechanisms to monitor activities and take corrective action, if necessary.

There are four steps in the control process. They are as follows:-

Step 1. Establish Performance Standards. Standards are created when objectives are set during the planning process. A standard is any guideline established as the basis for measurement. It is a precise, explicit statement of expected results from a product, service, machine, individual, or organizational unit. It is usually expressed numerically and is set for quality, quantity, and time. Tolerance is permissible deviation from the standard.

Step 2. Measure Actual Performance. Supervisors collect data to measure actual performance to determine variation from standard. Written data might include time cards, production tallies, inspection reports, and sales tickets. Personal observation, statistical reports, oral reports and written reports can be used to measure performance. Management by walking around, or observation of employees working, provides unfiltered information, extensive coverage, and the ability to read between the lines. While providing insight, this method might be misinterpreted by employees as mistrust. Oral reports allow for fast and extensive feedback. Computers give supervisors direct access to real time, unaltered data, and information. On line systems enable supervisors to identify problems as they occur. Database programs allow supervisors to query, spend less time gathering facts, and be less dependent on other people.

Step 3. Compare Measured Performance Against Established Standards. Comparing results with standards determines variation. Some variation can be expected in all activities and the range of variation the acceptable variance has to be established. Management by exception lets operations continue as long as they fall within the prescribed control limits. Deviations or differences that exceed this range would alert the supervisor to a problem.

Step 4. Take Corrective Action. The supervisor must find the cause of deviation from standard. Then, he or she takes action to remove or minimize the cause. If the source of variation in work performance is from a deficit in activity, then a supervisor can take immediate corrective action and get performance back on track.

Types of Control

Controls are most effective when they are applied at key places. Supervisors can implement controls before the process begins (feed forward), during the process (concurrent), or after it ceases (feedback).

Feed forward controls focus on operations before they begin. Their goal is to prevent anticipated problems. An example of feed forward control is scheduled maintenance on automobiles and machinery.

Concurrent controls apply to processes as they are happening. Concurrent controls enacted while work is being performed include any type of steering or guiding mechanism such as direct supervision, automated systems (such as computers programmed to inform the user when they have issued the wrong command), and organizational quality programs.

Feedback controls focus on the results of operations. They guide future planning, inputs, and process designs. Examples of feedback controls include timely (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual) reports so that almost instantaneous adjustments can be made. The following diagram represents an integrated model connecting all the abovementioned functions of management.

Q.2 Veer Prabhakar is the Vice President of web bazaar, online portal for shopping of various products. He has team of 100 people at different levels and departments. He is facing certain challenges.

Challenge 1 To maintain motivation levels of sales associated who are doing good sales Challenge 2 How to deal with the supply chain associates who are not following up properly for order delivery. (Currently, they are getting Cell Phone allowance for consistence follow-up after office hours) Challenge 3 To deal with the people who keep taking leaves without prior information. Suggest suitable methods to shape employee behavior.

Ans. Veer Prabhakar the Vice President of web bazaar, online portal should use sales contests, a popular tool used by business owners to encourage sales activities. Under these programs, sales personnel who meet certain sales goals are rewarded with cash bonuses, paid vacations, etc. But business experts contend that sales contests can have unintended consequences for organizations if they are poorly defined or structured so that only a small segment of the sales force is rewarded. Indeed, some organizations provide incentives only to a certain percentage of top-level performers. Such programswhether commissions or sales contestsare usually implemented in hopes of creating a competitive environment, but all too often they have the opposite effect. Sure, your top salespeople are thrilled about the programfor them, it most likely means another trip to Hawaii or Europe, wrote Melanie Berger in Sales and Marketing Management. But for the vast majority of your sales force, the incentive is yet another opportunity to do one thing: lose. And nobody feels good about losing. All too often, executives planning incentive programs for their sales forces assume they need to motivate and reward their top performersthe ones who already generate the bulk of their business. Less successfulshall we say, averageplayers are ignored, left to remain, well, average. In addition, increased emphasis on customer satisfaction and increasing market share with current customers is likely to broaden the responsibilities of salespeople, who will in turn expect to be compensated appropriately. Todays selling environment is frustrating and fascinating, said Marchetti. Technology is propelling us into a new way of thinking about business strategy and the way we define success. As always, though, salespeople will do what theyre rewarded for doing. Thats why compensation plans have to keep up with the changing selling methods. Mr. Veer Prabhakar must motivate their reps to build real relationships between customers and company, in order to increase the share of each customers business and to increase the value of each customer to the company. All the three challenge can be solved by analysis of individual level according to view of OB. Organizational Behavior emphasizes on intellectual capital as represented by the sum total of knowledge, expertise, and dedication of an organizations workforce. It recognizes that even in the age of high technology, people are the indispensable human resources whose knowledge and performance advance the organizations purpose, mission, and strategies. Only through human efforts can the great advantages be realized from other material resources of organizations, such as, technology, information, raw materials, and money. Mr Prabhakar needs to do Individual level of analysis. This level of analysis at individual level is more related to the study of aspects like learning, perception, creativity, motivation, personality, turnover, task performance, cooperative behavior, deviant behavior, ethics, and cognition. Remuneration of personnel: this may be achieved by various methods but it should be fair, encourage effort, and not lead to overpayment. Individuals will be motivated to exhibit the modeled behavior if positive incentives or rewards are provided. Finally, in order for observational learning to be successful, you have to be motivated to imitate the behavior that has been modeled. Reinforcement and punishment play an important role in motivation. While experiencing these motivators can be highly effective, so can observing other experience some type of reinforcement or punishment? For example, if you see another student rewarded with extra credit for being to class on time, you might start to show up a few minutes early each day. Through Individual level of analysis Mr. Prabhakar can shape employee behavior.

Q.3 Write a detailed note on Myers-Briggs type indicator.

Ans. The MyersBriggs Type Indicator: The MBTI classifies human beings into four opposite pairs (dichotomies), base on their psychological opposites. These four opposite pairs result into 16 possible combinations. In MBTI, Individuals are classified as (McCrae and Costa, 1989) :-

a. Extroverted or introverted (E or I). b. Sensing or intuitive (S or N). c. Thinking or feeling (T or F). d. Perceiving or judging (P or J). These classifications are then combined into sixteen personality types. For example: -

a. INTJs are visionaries. They usually have original minds and great drive for their own ideas and purposes. They are characterized as skeptical, critical, independent, determined, and often stubborn.

b. ESTJs are organizers. They are realistic, logical, analytical, decisive, and have a natural head for business or mechanics. They like to organize and run activities.

c. The ENTP type is a conceptualizer. He or she is innovative, individualistic, versatile, and attracted to entrepreneurial ideas. This person tends to be resourceful in solving challenging problems but may neglect routine assignments.

The big five model

Many researchers argue that five basic dimensions underlie all other personality dimensions (e.g; McCrae and Costa, 1990; Digman, 1997). The five basic dimensions are:

1. Extraversion. Comfort level with relationships. Extraverts tend to be gregarious, assertive, and sociable. Introverts tend to be reserved, timid, and quiet.

2. Agreeableness. Individuals propensity to defer to others. High agreeableness peoplecooperative, warm, and trusting. Low agreeableness peoplecold, disagreeable, and antagonistic.

3. Conscientiousness. A measure of reliability. A high conscientious person is responsible, organized, dependable, and persistent. Those who score low on this dimension are easily distracted, disorganized, and unreliable.

4. Emotional stability. A persons ability to withstand stress. People with positive emotional stability tend to be calm, selfconfident, and secure. Those with high negative scores tend to be nervous, anxious, depressed, and insecure.

5. Openness to experience. The range of interests and fascination with novelty. Extremely open people are creative, curious, and artistically sensitive. Those at the other end of the openness category are conventional and find comfort in the familiar. Research suggested important relationships between these personality dimensions and job performance (Barrick, & Mount , 1991). For example, conscientiousness predicted job performance for all occupational groups. Individuals who are dependable, reliable, careful, thorough, able to plan, organized, hardworking, persistent, and achievement oriented tend to have higher job performance. Employees higher in conscientiousness develop higher levels of job knowledge. For the other personality dimensions, predictability depended upon both the performance criterion and the occupational group. Extraversion predicted performance in managerial and sales positions. Openness to experience is important in predicting training proficiency.

Q.4 Explain the factors influencing perception

Ans. Factors Influencing Perception: Three factors shape perception of an individual:1. Perceiver 2. Target 3. Situation

Perceiver Refers to the most prevalent personal characteristics affecting perception of the perceiver, which are attitudes, motives, interests, past experiences, and expectations.

Target- Characteristics of the target can also affect what is being perceived. This includes, attractiveness, gregariousness, and an individuals tendency to group similar things together.

Situation- The context in which objects or events are seen by individuals also influence their attention. This includes time, heat, light, or other situational factors.

Perception is our sensory experience of the world around us and involves both the recognition of environmental stimuli and action in response to these stimuli. Through the perceptual process, we gain information about properties and elements of the environment that are critical to our survival. A number of factors operate to shape and sometimes distort perception These factors can reside:-

i) In the perceiver ii) In the Object or target being perceived or iii) In the context of the situation in which the perception is made.

1. Characteristics of the Perceiver: Several characteristics of the perceiver can affect perception. When an individual looks at a target and attempts to interpret what he or she stands for, that interpretation is heavily influenced by personal characteristics of the individual perceiver. The major characteristics of the perceiver influencing perception are:

a) Attitudes: The perceivers attitudes affect perception. For example, Mr. X is interviewing candidates for a very important position in his organization a position that requires negotiating contracts with suppliers, most of whom are male. Mr. X may feel that women are not capable of holding their own in tough negotiations. This attitude with doubtless affect his perceptions of the female candidates he interviews.

b) Moods: Moods can have a strong influence on the way we perceive someone. We think differently when we are happy than we do when we are depressed. In addition, we remember information that is consistent with our mood state better than information that is inconsistent with our mood state. When in a positive mood, we form more positive impressions of other. When in a negative mood, we tend to evaluate others unfavourably.

c) Motives: Unsatisfied needs or motives stimulate individuals and may exert a strong influence on their perceptions. For example, in an organizational context, a boss who is insecure perceives a sub ordinates efforts to do an outstanding job as a threat to his or her own position. Personal insecurity can be translated into the perception that others are out to get my job, regardless of the intention of the subordinates.

d) Self Concept: Another factor that can affect social perception is the perceivers self-concept. An individual with a positive self-concept tends to notice positive attributes in another person. In contrast, a negative self-concept can lead a perceiver to pick out negative traits in another person. Greater understanding of self allows us to have more accurate perceptions of others.

e) Interest: The focus of our attention appears to be influenced by our interests. Because our individual interests differ considerably, what one person notices in a situation can differ from what other perceive. For example, the supervisor who has just been reprimanded by his boss for coming late is more likely to notice his colleagues coming late tomorrow than he did last week.

f) Cognitive structure: Cognitive structure, an individuals pattern of thinking, also affects perception. Some people have a tendency to perceive physical traits, such as height, weight, and appearance, more readily. Cognitive complexity allows a person to perceive multiple characteristics of another person rather than attending to just a few traits.

g) Expectations: Finally, expectations can distort your perceptions in that you will see what you expect to see. The research findings of the study conducted by Sheldon S Zalking and Timothy W Costello on some specific characteristics of the perceiver reveal i) Knowing oneself makes it easier to see others accurately. ii) Ones own characteristics affect the characteristics one is likely to see in other. iii) People who accept themselves are more likely to be able to see favourable aspects of other people. iv) Accuracy in perceiving others is not a single skill. These four characteristics greatly influence how a person perceives other int he environmental situation.

2) Characteristics of the Target : Characteristics in the target that is being observed can affect what is perceived. Physical appearance pals a big role in our perception of others. Extremely attractive or unattractive individuals are more likely to be noticed in a group than ordinary looking individuals. Motions, sound, size and other attributes of a target shape the way we see it. Verbal Communication from targets also affects our perception of them. Nonverbal communication conveys a great deal of information about the target. The perceiver deciphers eye contact, facial expressions, body movements, and posture all in a attempt to form an impression of the target.

3) Characteristics of the Situation: The situation in which the interaction between the perceiver and the target takes place, has an influence on the perceivers impression of the target. The strength of the situational cues also affects social perception. Some situations provide strong cues as to appropriate behaviour. In this situation, we assume that + i.e individuals behaviours can be accounted for by the situation, and that it may not reflect the individuals disposition.

Q.5 Describe the leadership Grid with the help of the diagram.

Ans. The Leadership Grid: Robert Blake and Jane Mouton developed theory called the Leadership Grid, focusing on production/relationship orientations. They went a little further by creating a grid based on Leaders concern for people (relationships) and production (tasks). This theory suggest there is a best way to lead people the 9,9 way.

The Major Leadership Grid Styles 1,1 Impoverished management. Often referred to as Laissez-faire leadership. Leaders in this position have little concern for people or productivity, avoid taking sides, and stay out of conflicts. They do just enough to get by. 1,9 Country Club management. Managers in this position have great concern for people and little concern for production. They try to avoid conflicts and concentrate on being well liked. To them the task is less important than good interpersonal relations. Their goal is to keep people happy. (This is a soft Theory X approach and not a sound human relations approach.) 9,1 Authority-Compliance. Managers in this position have great concern for production and little concern for people. They desire tight control in order to get tasks done efficiently. They consider creativity and human relations to be unnecessary.

5,5 Organisation Man Management. Often termed middle-of-the-road leadership. Leaders in this position have medium concern for people and production. They attempt to balance their concern for both people and production, but they are not committed. 9+9 Paternalistic father knows best management. A style in which reward is promised for compliance and punishment threatened for non-compliance Opp Opportunistic whats in it for me management. In which the style utilised depends on which style the leader feels will return him or her the greatest self-benefit. 9,9 Team Management. This style of leadership is considered to be ideal. Such managers have great concern for both people and production. They work to motivate employees to reach their highest levels of accomplishment. They are flexible and responsive to change, and they understand the need to change.

Q.6 Given below are certain observations done by an OD consultant for an organization dealing with manufacturing of tyres. She makes the following observations about two key people in the organization. 1. Mr. Raovikram He is a very friendly person and encourages his team members by giving them recommendations and appreciation. This helps HR to decide about giving a bonus or promotion to employees. 2. Mr. Ranjan kumar- He is an aggressive person. He frequently loses his temper. Ritu observes that he frequently punishes the non-performers and also gives them warnings regarding suspension etc. Now explain what base of power Mr. Raovikram and Mr. Ranjan Kumar belong to. Explain the type of power they use often.

Ans. Power is the ability to make things happen in the way an individual wants, either by self or by the subordinates. The essence of power is control over the behavior of others (French & Raven, 1962). Managers derive power from both organizational and individual sources. These sources are called position power and personal power, respectively. In an organizational context leadership and power are related to each others. Power is used by leaders as a means to attain group goals. In other words, power is a means of facilitating their achievement of goals and objectives that they have set for themselves in view of organizational requirements. Power can be categorized into two types: Formal and informal. Formal Power: is based on the position of an individual in an organization. Formal power is derived from either ones ability to coerce or reward others or is derived from the formal authority vested in the individual due to his/ her strategic position in the organizational hierarchy. Formal power may be categorized into four types: Coercive Power, Reward Power, Legitimate Power, Information Power.

1. Coercive Power: The coercive power base is being dependent on fear. It is based on the application, or the threat of application, of physical sanctions such as the infliction of pain, the generation of frustration through restriction of movement, or the controlling by force of basic physiological or safety needs. In an organization one can exercise power over another if they have the power to dismiss, suspend, demote another assuming that the job is valuable to the person on whom power is being unleashed. Mr. Ranjan kumar as he is an aggressive person by nature frequently losing his temper and frequently punishes the non-performers and also gives them warnings regarding suspension etc creates fear and threat which generate frustration. So, Mr. Ranjan kumar power is based on coercive power

2. Reward Power: The opposite of coercive power is reward power. Reward power is the extent to which a manager can use extrinsic and intrinsic rewards to control other people. Examples of such rewards include money, promotions, compliments, or enriched jobs. Although all managers have some access to rewards, success in accessing and utilizing rewards to achieve influence varies according to the skills of the manager.

Reward Power can be gained from ones capacity to reward compliance. Reward power is used to support legitimate power. When someone is rewarded or might receive a potential reward such as through recognition, a good job assignment, a pay rise, or additional resources to complete a job, the employee may respond in kind by carrying

through with orders, requests and directions, according to Gibson et al. (1991:331). Rewards often comprises financial remuneration. They can also be intangible as well. Studies have revealed that verbal approval, encouragement and praise can very often be very positive substitutes in place of tangible rewards. Experiments involving positive reinforcement and behaviour modification in the classroom or work setting revealed that verbal rewards could consist of: extreme politeness, compliments, and praise for past behaviour. Non-verbal rewards might comprise: Giving individuals in the other party more space at the table Nodding of the head to signal your acceptance and that you approve; Eye contact to indicate attention and By using open and non-aggressive gestures to designate acceptance and respect. Rewards could also consist of verbal promises to gain financially by establishing a relationship. Ingratiation is occasionally referred to as the art of flattery. It is one example of the use of reward power in social settings. Friedman, Carlsmith and Sears (1974) provide a fascinating synopsis on the affect of ingratiation in interpersonal situations. Many of us realize that if other people like us, they will be more prepared to perform favours for us. On the other hand, we are also aware that they will be less likely or carry out actions if they dislike us. Individuals seeking to increase others liking of them can convince these persons that they share basic values or are similar in other ways. The most common tactic of ingratiation in negotiation is to complement the abilities of the people whom you wish to influence. This tactic, frequently referred to as other enhancement often entails the use of flattery the exaggerated praise of others. Such a tactic usually succeeds because people tend to like the flatterer who is praising them. It is common that the use of reward power seems to be very effective, particularly in the longer term. Reward power is occasionally combined with coercive power, although the two different forms of power can be subject to semantic confusion. It is important to understand coercive power before comparing it with and measuring it against reward power. Mr. Raovikram is a very friendly person and encourages team members by giving them recommendations and appreciation which helps HR to decide about giving a bonus or promotion to employees by using power based on reward power.

Master of Business Administration-MBA Semester 1 MB0038 Management Process and Organization Behavior 4 Credits (Book ID: B1127) Assignment Set- 2 (60 Marks)

Note: Each question carries 10 Marks. Answer all the questions.

Q.1 Write a detailed note on management theories developed during classical Era.

Ans. We see this trend to continue in what is called as the classical era which covers the period between 1900 to mid 1930s. the first general theories of management began to evolve and the main contributors during this era were Frederick Taylor, Henri Fayol, Max Weber, Mary parker Follet and Chester Barnard.

Frederick Taylors main emphasis was on finding one best way of doing each job. He stressed on selecting the right people for the job , train them to do it precisely in one best way. He favored wage plans to motivate the workers. His scientific principles of management stressed the following principles:-

1. Shift all responsibility for the organization of work from the worker to the manager; managers should do all the thinking relating to the planning and design of work, leaving the workers with the task of implementation. 2. Use scientific methods to determine the most efficient way of doing work; assign the workers task accordingly, specifying the precise way in which the work is to be done. 3. Select the best person to perform the job thus designed. 4. Train the worker to do the work efficiently. 5. Monitor worker performances to ensure that appropriate work procedures are followed and that appropriate results are achieved.

Taylor was one of the first to attempt to systematically analyze human behavior at work. He insisted the use of time and motion study as a means of standardizing work activities. His scientific approach called for detailed observation and measurement of even the most routine work, to find the optimum mode of performance. The results were dramatic, with productivity increasing significantly. With passing time, new organizational functions like personnel and quality control were created. Of course, in breaking down each task to its smallest unit to find what Taylor called the one best way to do each job, the effect was to remove human variability. Hence he lay the ground for the mass production techniques that dominated management thinking in the first half of the twentieth century.

Henri Fayol, a mining engineer and manager by profession, defined the nature and working patterns of the twentieth century organization in his book, General and Industrial Management, published in 1916. In it, he laid down what he called 14 principles of management. This theory is also called the Administrative Theory. The principles of the theory are:-

1. Division of work: tasks should be divided up with employees specializing in a limited set of tasks so that expertise is developed and productivity increased. 2. Authority and responsibility: authority is the right to give orders and entails enforcing them with rewards and penalties; authority should be matched with corresponding responsibility. 3. Discipline: this is essential for the smooth running of business and is dependent on good leadership, clear and fair arguments, and the judicious application of penalties. 4. Unity of command: for any action whatsoever, an employee should receive orders from one superior only; otherwise authority, discipline, order, and stability are threatened. 5. Unity of direction: a group of activities concerned with a single objective should be co-coordinated by a single plan under one head. 6. Subordination of individual interest to general interest: individual or group goals must not be allowed to override those of the business. 7. Remuneration of personnel: this may be achieved by various methods but it should be fair, encourage effort, and not lead to overpayment. 8. Centralization: the extent to which orders should be issued only from the top of the organization is a problem which should take into account its characteristics, such as size and the capabilities of the personnel. 9. Scalar chain (line of authority): communications should normally flow up and down the line of authority running from the top to the bottom of the organization, but sideways communication between those of equivalent rank in different departments can be desirable so long as superiors are kept informed. 10. Order: both materials and personnel must always be in their proper place; people must be suited to their posts so there must be careful organization of work and selection of personnel. The management function, Fayol stated, consisted of planning, organizing, commanding, co-coordinating and controlling. Many practicing managers, even today, list these functions as the core of their activities. Fayol was also one of the first people to characterize a commercial organizations activities into its basic components. He suggested that organizations could be subdivided into six main areas of activity:

1. Technical 2. Commercial 3. Financial 4. Security 5. Accounting 6. Management. In defining the core principles governing how organizations worked and the contribution of management to that process, Fayol laid down a blueprint that has shaped organization thinking for almost a century.

Max Weber developed a theory based on authority relations and was he a pioneer in looking at management and OB from a structural viewpoint. His theory is also known as bureaucratic theory in management. he described an ideal types of organization and called it a bureaucracy. This was a system marked by division of labor, a clearly defined hierarchy, detailed rules and regulations and impersonal relationships. He wanted this ideal types construct to be taken as a basis for creating organizations in real world.

Q.2. Write a short note on: (a) Contemporary work cohort (b) Alexithymia

Ans. (a) Contemporary work cohort Robbins (2003) has proposed Contemporary Work Cohort, in which the unique value of different cohorts is that the U.S. workforce has been segmented by the era they entered the workforce. Individuals values differ, but tend to reflect the societal values of the period in which they grew up. The cohorts and the respective values have been listed below:-

1. Veterans Workers who entered the workforce from the early 1940s through the early 1960s. They exhibited the following value orientations:They were influenced by the Great Depression and World War II 1. Believed in hard work 2. Tended to be loyal to their employer 3. Terminal values: Comfortable life and family security

2. Boomers Employees who entered the workforce during the 1960s through the mid1980s belonged to this category. Their value orientations were:1. Influenced heavily by John F. Kennedy, the civil rights and feminist movements, the Beatles, the Vietnam War, and baby boom competition 2. Distrusted authority, but gave a high emphasis on achievement and material success 3. Organizations who employed them were vehicles for their careers 4. Terminal values: sense of accomplishment and social recognition

3. Xers began to enter the workforce from the mid1980s. They cherished the following values:1. Shaped by globalization, two career parents, MTV, AIDS, and computers 2. Value flexibility, life options, and achievement of job satisfaction 3. Family and relationships were important and enjoyed team oriented work 4. Money was important, but would trade off for increased leisure time 5. Less willing to make personal sacrifices for employers than previous generations ? Terminal values: true friendship, happiness, and pleasure

4. Nexters most recent entrants into the workforce. 1. Grew up in prosperous times, have high expectation, believe in themselves, and confident in their ability to succeed 2. Neverending search for ideal job; see nothing wrong with jobhopping 3. Seek financial success 4. Enjoy team work, but are highly selfreliant 5. Terminal values: freedom and comfortable life

(b) Alexithymia emotional disorder Some people have difficulty in expressing their emotions and understanding the emotions of others. Psychologists call this alexithymia. People who suffer from alexithymia rarely cry and are often seen by others as bland and cold. Their own feelings make them uncomfortable, and they are not able to discriminate among their different emotions. People, suffering from alexithymia, may be effective performers in jobs where little or no emotional labor. Alexithymic symptoms may be seen in people who experience:

1. Posttraumatic stress disorder 2. Certain brain injuries 3. Eating disorders (i.e., bulimia, anorexia, or bingeeating disorder) 4. Substance use dependence 5. Depression 6. Other mental health conditions

A number of research findings supports the view that women are more emotional than men (e.g., Broverman, Vogel, Broverman, Clarkson, & Rosenkrantz, 1972; Widiger & Settle, 1987). Women are assumed to experience more frequent and intense emotions, whereas men are assumed to be emotionally inexpressive and to have less intense emotional experiences. However, researchers have argued that the stereotype of men as unemotional is more accurate for adult targets than for child targets because males learn to control their emotions as they get older (Fabes and Martin, 1991). Likewise, women and men may experience happiness in a similar way, but women have been taught that they can strongly express the emotion of happiness, whereas men have been taught to control it. The impact of socialization practices accumulate over time, and, thus, these stereotypes are likely to apply more strongly to adult populations (Geer and Shields, 1996).

Q.3 Mr. Khanna wants to improve his conflict management skills. He visits a consultant to help him. He gives the list of situations to the consultant. The situations are: 1. When quick, decisive action is vital (e.g., emergencies). 2. On important issues where unpopular actions need implementing (e.g., cost cutting, enforcing unpopular rules, discipline). 3. To merge insights from people with different perspectives.

4. When you perceive no chance of satisfying your concerns. 5. When issues are more important to others than to you to satisfy others and maintain cooperation.

6. To gain commitment by incorporating concerns into a consensus. 7. On issues vital to company welfare when you know you are right.

Suppose that you are the consultant, first suggest appropriate approach for each situation and then explain briefly the approaches. [10]

Q.4 Explain General Adaptation syndrome (GAS) [10]

Ans. Doctors call the bodys reaction to stress as General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS). There are three stages to GAS. In the first stage of GAS called alarm reaction, the body releases adrenaline and a variety of other psychological mechanisms to combat the stress and to stay in control. This is

called fight or flight response. The muscles tense, the heart beats faster, the breathing and perspiration increases, the eyes dilate, the stomach may clench. Believe it or not, this is done by nature to protect you in case something bad happens. Once the cause of the stress is removed, the body will go back to normal. If the cause for the stress is not removed, GAS goes to its second stage called resistance or adaptation. This is the bodys response to long term protection. It secretes further hormones that increase blood sugar levels to sustain energy and raise blood pressure. The adrenal cortex (outer covering) produces hormones called corticosteroids for this resistance reaction. Overuse by the bodys defense mechanism in this phase eventually leads to disease. If this adaptation phase continues for a prolonged period of time without periods of relaxation and rest to counterbalance the stress response, sufferers become prone to fatigue, concentration lapses, irritability and lethargy as the effort to sustain arousal slides into negative stress. The third stage of GAS is called exhaustion. In this stage, the body has run out of its reserve of body energy and immunity. Mental, physical and emotional resources suffer heavily. The body experiences adrenal exhaustion. The blood sugar levels decrease as the adrenals become depleted, leading to decreased stress tolerance, progressive mental and physical exhaustion, illness and collapse. The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) chain of command has served humans well as a means of survival for thousands of years. However, for those suffering from chronic anxiety and depression this process malfunctions. Continual stress early in life disrupts the cycle. Instead of shutting off once the crisis is over, the process continues, with the hypothalamus continuing to signal the adrenals to produce cortisol. This increased cortisol production exhausts the stress mechanism, leading to fatigue and depression. Cortisol also interferes with serotonin activity, furthering the depressive effect. Continually high cortisol levels lead to suppression of the immune system through increased production of interleukin-6, an immune-system messenger. This coincides with research findings indicating that stress and depression have a negative effect on the immune system. Reduced immunity makes the body more susceptible to everything from cold and flu to cancer. For example, the incidence of serious illness, including cancer, is significantly higher among people who have suffered the death of a spouse in the previous year. Fortunately, this immune-suppression process can be corrected with psychotherapy, medication, or any number of other positive influences that restore hope and a feeling of self-esteem. The ability of human beings to recover from adversity is remarkable. Thus, very often, those under severe, prolonged stress may contract diseases related to immune deficiency and may even die of these diseases. The death does not come from stress itself. What happens is that the body loses all its resistance in its effort to ward off the stress. Thus the persons die of immune deficiency causes such as infection, cancer etc. So, it is very important that we recognize the cause for stresses and remove the causes to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Another result of stress is the clogging of the arteries by the fat and cholesterol released by the body during the attempt to fight stress. This may result in a heart attack or you may suffer a stroke by losing blood supply to the brain. Many people start drinking to combat the stress. Stress can also manifest itself into a number of diseases depression, headaches, insomnia, ulcers, asthma, and more. When a person experiences stress, the brain responds by initiating 1400 different responses including the dumping of a variety of chemicals to our blood stream. This gives a momentary boost to do whatever needs to be done to survive. If left unchecked, however, the person can have a heart attack or stroke. Many people start drinking alcohol. They get depressed, find it difficult to sleep, experience chest pain. The body runs out of the immunity to fight diseases. So, very often, these persons die of disease such as cancer, pneumonia, etc. The stress will never be identified as the cause of the death. I call the stress the proxy killer. Some other disease always takes the blame for it. Q.5 What is groupthink what are its symptoms and also suggest measures to prevent groupthink. [10]

Ans. Groupthink, a term coined by social psychologist Irving Janis (1972), occurs when a group makes faulty decisions because group pressures lead to a deterioration of mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment (p. 9). Groups affected by groupthink ignore alternatives and tend to take irrational actions that dehumanize other groups. A group is especially vulnerable to groupthink when its members are similar in background, when the group is insulated from outside opinions, and when there are no clear rules for decision making.

Symptoms of Groupthink

Janis has documented eight symptoms of groupthink:-

1. Illusion of invulnerability Creates excessive optimism that encourages taking extreme risks. 2. Collective rationalization Members discount warnings and do not reconsider their assumptions. 3. Belief in inherent morality Members believe in the rightness of their cause and therefore ignore the ethical or moral consequences of their decisions. 4. Stereotyped views of out-groups Negative views of enemy make effective responses to conflict seem unnecessary. 5. Direct pressure on dissenters Members are under pressure not to express arguments against any of the groups views. 6. Self-censorship Doubts and deviations from the perceived group consensus are not expressed. 7. Illusion of unanimity The majority view and judgments are assumed to be unanimous. 8. Self-appointed mindguards Members protect the group and the leader from information that is problematic or contradictory to the groups cohesiveness, view, and/or decisions.

When the above symptoms exist in a group that is trying to make a decision, there is a reasonable chance that groupthink will happen, although it is not necessarily so. Groupthink occurs when groups are highly cohesive and when they are under considerable pressure to make a quality decision. When pressures for unanimity seem overwhelming, members are less motivated to realistically appraise the alternative courses of action available to them. These group pressures lead to carelessness and irrational thinking since groups experiencing groupthink fail to consider all alternatives and seek to maintain unanimity. Decisions shaped by groupthink have low probability of achieving successful outcomes.

Remedies for Groupthink

Decision experts have determined that groupthink may be prevented by adopting some of the following measures:-

a) The leader should assign the role of critical evaluator to each member

b) The leader should avoid stating preferences and expectations at the outset

c) Each member of the group should routinely discuss the groups deliberations with a trusted associate and report back to the group on the associates reactions

d) One or more experts should be invited to each meeting on a staggered basis. The outside experts should be encouraged to challenge views of the members.

e) At least one articulate and knowledgeable member should be given the role of devils advocate (to question assumptions and plans)

f) The leader should make sure that a sizeable block of time is set aside to survey warning signals from rivals; leader and group construct alternative scenarios of rivals intentions.

Q.6 Unique fashions is a textile company. it is undergoing a process of change and expanding its business. The company is facing several obstacles. There are lot of problems related to different departments. It needs some Intervention that may help the company to diagnose its problems and developing the action plan for problem solving. The company also expects that the intervention should help in improving the relationships amongst group members of different departments. [10]

Ans. The Unique fashions Development textile company should uses a variety of processes, approaches, methods, techniques, applications, etc., (these are often termed interventions) to address organizational issues and goals in order to increase performance. The following partial list of interventions is organized generally in the order presented by Cummings and Worley in their Organization Development and Change (West Publishing, 1993). The following types of interventions are often highly integrated with each other during a project for change.

How People Choose Organizational Development Activities There are no standard activities that always successfully address certain types of issues in organizations. Many times, the success of a project lies not with having selected the perfect choice of activities, but rather with how honest and participative people were during the project, how much they learned and how open they were to changing their plans for change. However, there are some basic considerations that most people make when selecting from among the many choices for organizational development, or capacity building, activities. Considerations include:1. First, does the change-management method (if one was used) suggest what organizational development activities to use now, for example, the method of strategic management might suggest that a SWOT analysis be done, strategic goals be established along with action plans for each goal, and then implementation of the action plans be closely monitored. 2. Is the activity most likely to address the findings from the discovery, that is, to solve the problems or achieve the goals? To find out, review any research about use of the activity, discuss the potential outcomes with experts and also with members of the organization. Consider posing your questions in online groups of experts about change. 3. Does the nature of the activity match the culture of the organization? The best way to find out is to discuss the activity with members of the organization. 4. Does the change agent and key members of the organization have the ability to conduct the activity? For example, technostructural and strategic interventions sometimes require technical skills that are not common to many people. 5. Does the activity require more time to conduct than the time available in which to address the problem or goal? For example, a cash crisis requires immediate attention, so while a comprehensive strategic planning process might ultimately be useful, the four to five months to do that planning is impractical. 6. Does the clients organization have the resources that are necessary to conduct the activity, considering resources such as funding, attention and time from people and facilities. Before you and your client select types of interventions for the project, be aware of your strong biases about how you view organizations. Without recognizing those biases, you might favor certain types of interventions primarily because those are the only ones you can readily see and understand, even if other types of interventions might be much more effective in your project. Human Process Interventions (Group and Individual Human Relations) With todays strong emphasis on humanistic values, the following interventions are getting a great deal of attention and emphasis during efforts for change. They focus on helping members of the organization to enhance themselves, each other and the ways in which they work together in order to enhance their overall organization. Although the types of interventions selected for a project depend on a variety of considerations and the interventions in a project often are highly integrated with each other, the following human process interventions might be particularly helpful during change projects in organizations where there is some combination of the following: many new employees, different cultures working together, many complaints among organizational members, many conflicts, low morale, high turnover, ineffective teams, etc. Technostructural Interventions (Structures, Technologies, Positions, etc.) The following are examples of activities that focus on improving the performance of organizations primarily by modifying structures, technologies, operations, procedures and roles/positions in the organization. Although the types of interventions selected for a project depend on a variety of considerations and the interventions in a project often are highly integrated with each other, the following techno structural interventions might be particularly helpful in the following kinds of situations: rapid growth but few internal

systems to sustain that growth, much confusion about roles, a new major technology or process has been introduced, many complaints from customers, etc. These interventions might also be useful in new organizations where internal operational systems must be developed and implemented.