PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA IN ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

QUESTION 1

Conformity.

Conformity defined as social influence involving a change in belief or behavior in

order to fit in with a group, which is any change in behavior caused by another person
or group, between a person’s behaviour and the standards of a particular group to
seeks and to adopt the same behaviour, beliefs, attitudes and practices of those in the
group. is when a person changes his behavior to align with the norms of the group
because he desires acceptance by the group.

Relationship that conformity has with deviant work behaviour, groupthink and
groupshift.

Conformity, often people will go against their better judgment, just to be a

member of a group. Conformity is the actions that are consistent with the value of a
society or particular culture, in order to be in agreement with the group. These values
may be more or less shared by members in the group. So, conformity is the adherence
to norms and value.

Deviant work behavior can be described as any activity that violates the rules and
regulations and norms of the particular organization that may cause bad effects.
Deviant work behavior can be a result of conformity pressure. The frequency of
deviant work behavior is established by the norms of the workplace and conformity
pressure. So, deviant is the departure from norm.

Groupthink and groupshift are two phenomena that has the potential to affect the
groups ability to appraise alternatives objectively and to arrive at quality decision
making.

But, when group decision-making processes in place, be on the lookout for signs
of Groupthink. Groupthink occurs when members of a group exert pressure on each
other to come to a consensus in decision making. One outcome of groupthink is the
tendency for groups to pursue unduly risky courses of action, making decisions more
extreme than the average members’ initial positions. Some individual in the group
PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA IN ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

who have a difference opinion remain silent. They keep quiet in order to avoid any
conflict among the group. Their silence is considerate as yes, although their silence is
mean no. This can harm decision making, as it decreases the diversity of ideas that are
advantageous for group decision making.

Groupshift is a phenomenon in which the initial positions of individual members

of a group are exaggerated toward a more extreme position. When people are in
groups, they make decisions about risk differently from when they are alone. In the
group, they are likely to make riskier decisions, as the shared risk makes the
individual risk less. When a manager makes any decision individual, the he is very
careful and avoid all risks, because in case of fail.
PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA IN ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

QUESTION 2

Five-stage model of group development.

Forming stage

The first stage of group development in which people join the group and then define
the group's purpose, structure, and leadership

Storming stage

The second stage of group development, characterized by intragroup conflict

Norming stage

The third stage of group development, characterized by close relationships and

cohesiveness
PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA IN ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

Performing stage

The fourth stage of group development when the group is fully functional and works
on group task

Adjourning stage

The final stage (and fifth stage) of group development for temporary groups during
which group members are concerned with wrapping up activities rather than task
performance

QUESTION 3

Four common classes of norm

Performance-related
PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA IN ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

Performance norms are centered on how hard a person should work in a given group.
It’s the most common class of norms which is applicable to all the groups. They are
informal cues, that tells a person or helps a person understand how hard they should
work and how to get the task done. Norms regulate the performance and productivity
of the individual members.

Appearance factors

This type of norm informs or guides us as to how we should look or what our physical
appearance should be. These include things like appropriate dress, loyalty to the work
group or organization. Some organizations have formal dress codes.

Informal social arrangement

These norms come from informal work groups and the coalition of primarily social
due to interactions within the group. This norm is centered on how we should act in
social settings. There are cues we need to pick up on when we are out with friends or
at social events that help us fit in and get a closer connection to the group.With whom
group members eat lunch, friendship on and off the job, social games and the like are
influenced by these norms.

Resource allocation

For this type of norm we're focusing on the allocation of resources in a business
environment. These norms can originate in the group or in the organization and cover
things like pay, assignment of difficult job and allocations of new tools and equipment.
This can include raw materials as well as overtime or any other resource found or
needed within an organization.
PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA IN ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

QUESTION 4.

Teams have become standard in any organization in the world. Naturally, most
organization leaders feel today’s problems are so complex as they require a teams to
provide effective solutions. Depending upon objective, teams can be classified into
Problem solving team, Cross-functional team, Self manage team and Virtual team.

Problem-solving teams, members share ideas or offer suggestions on how work

processes and methods can be improved. They meet for a few hours each week to
discuss ways of improving quality, efficiency, and the work environment. This
problem solving teams though suggest solution for problem but they are not
authorized to implement the suggestion. These types of teams are usually temporary
and focus on solving a specific issue.

Self-Managed Work Teams consists of volunteers who meet over a shared goal.
Unlike a working team, a self-managed team does not have a leader; team members
share responsibility, though it may not be equal. Although in structure is same like
Problem-solving team, but they are given authority to implement their suggestion for
solution of a problem. They are also held responsible for outcomes of the
implementation. Self-managed teams enjoy literally full autonomy as much as they
can choose their team members also. They are given task such as planning and
designing work schedules, making operating decision, handling various work related
problem and making operating decisions.

Cross Functional Work Teams. Sometimes teams need to be formed by combining

multiple functional teams into one. These cross-functional teams are composed of
experts from various functional areas and work cooperatively towards some
organizational goal. They are consisting of members at the same level of hierarchy in
the organization but serving in different departments or areas to accomplish a
PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA IN ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

particular objective. Task force and Committee are two example of cross functional
team. The members come together to share ideas, handle complicated projects and
solve various problem related to an issue. The team members take a bit long to settle
as the diversity and complexity takes time to settle between members.

Virtual work teams can be any type of team that communicates digitally rather than
in person. Easier communication tools allow managers to build teams based on
strengths and weaknesses rather than geography. They are geographically dispersed
coworkers who communicate using technologies. Virtual work teams are becoming
increasingly common in organization.
PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA IN ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

QUESTION 5

Effective teams are made up of members who have the skills necessary to accomplish
their goals. Everyone brings their own viewpoints and knowledge to the
group. Team effectiveness refers to the system of getting people in a company or
institution to work together effectively.

The key components making up effective teams can be subsumed into four

general categories.
PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA IN ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

a)The first category is work design. Work design characteristics enhance motivation
and increase team effectiveness. These characteristics motivate because they increase

members’ sense of responsibility and ownership over the work and because they

make the work more interesting to perform.

b)The second relates to the team’s composition. To perform effectively, a team

requires three different types of skills – technical expertise, problem-solving and
decision-making skills, and interpersonal skills. No team can achieve its performance
potential without developing all three types of skills.

c)Third is the resources and contextual influences that make teams effective. The four

contextual factors that appear to be most significantly related to team performance are
the presence of adequate resources, effective leadership, a climate of trust, and a

performance evaluation and reward system that reflects team contributions.

d)Finally, process variables reflect the things that go on in the team that influence

effectiveness. These include member commitment to a common plan and purpose,

establishment of specific team goals, team efficacy, establishment of mental models, a

managed level of conflict, and minimization of social loafing.