SECTION 5(M6): 15, 16 AND 17
1. Managers should prevent the flow of grapevine. Do you think this argument is valid? Explain your answer in scholarly detail!!
In an organization 80% of the information comes through the grapevine. The grape vine can be defined as the informal system of passing around information. The formal system includes memos, and written reports which are passed to the relevant individuals and groups. However, the grapevine is often the easiest way to reach each and every employee. For managers, the grapevine often poses some problems sometimes to the detriment of the organization.
Their main policy is to do away with the grape vine completely, however, as they soon discover this cannot be achieved as easily. Whereas in some cases it is important for managers to curb the growth and spread of grapevine rumors. In other cases, the grapevine may serve the purpose and benefit of the managers. In such a case, managers should not only participate in the grapevine, they should actually encourage the growth of the grape vine with caution of course. There are various management options available to the manager when it comes to the grapevine:
Instead of completely doing away with the grapevine, the manager can use the grape vine to ensure that the right information is given to the employees. This may mean actually controlling the grapevine. It is important to also note that majority of the grape vines are often fuelled by a lack of information. Grapevines are built on speculations rather than on right and true information. Managers therefore need to keep their employees within the loop in order to manage the grapevine.
A common misconception is that the grapevine is often simple lies and rumors based on complete untruths. However, the grapevine can clue in the manager into what is happening within his organization. Grapevine information is more than 80% the truth or at least has some element of the truth. It is important to heed the grapevine in order for the manager to keep n touch with the organization. Ignoring the grapevine could easily lead the manager into failure where he is caught by issues in surprise. The grape vine gives the manager, the opportunity to prepare for and find solutions to possible problems as per the rumors.
Despite the probability of grapevine information being true, there are many cases where the information being peddled is more of les than any truth. Many managers make the mistake of ignoring such rumors hoping that they will eventually fizz off and die. However when rumors are not addressed they take on a life of their own. Soon what began as a simple rumor is taken to be the hard truth and correction of the same becomes completely difficult. Managers need to act promptly when it comes to rumors, addressing them immediately and decisively to curb the spread.
Employees need to be aware of formal communication channels versus rumors. Managers can ensure that they are aware of ways through which they can confirm the information that they are receiving and through which they can get the truth not just information flowing through the grape vine.
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2. You are the CEO of a leading manufacturing company. You want to encourage greater upward communication in the organization. What are some ways in which you will be able to accomplish this? Discuss in scholarly detail!!
Managers spend majority of their time engaging employees and other stakeholders. In an organization communication is vital towards success of the same organization. Managers must be able to communicate goals to the employees; employees need to communicate to each other and to the customers. It is only through proper communication that all stakeholders can successfully engage each other ensuring growth of the organization. Poor communication often translates to conflict. Conflict can be detrimental to the survival of the organization. Managers can improve communication by:
Assessing the current communication level: this allows managers to be aware of the weakness in the current system and where improvements need to be made for improvement. Managers can request employees to rate the communication system within the organization. In addition, the managers can ask the employees which ways and tools can be used to improve the communication system within the organization.
Improve direct communication: organizations tend to rely heavily on memos and reports, ignoring the importance of direct communication. For employees, direct communication through one on one meetings and conversations may take time however; the subject matter is often ingrained into the employees. For example if a manager requires a specific task to be completed in a specific manner it often pays to communicate this directly to the employee responsible. In this manner, the employee can ask questions and seek clarification ensuring that the task is completed satisfactorily. Direct communication also highlights any possible challenges with the information being communicated.
Avoid assumptions: one weakness in communication is whereby one person assumes the other person knows or has the information they posses. It is important to do away with such assumptions as they minimize the effectiveness of communication in an organization. Assumptions often increase conflict and disagreements within an organization and also with its customers.
For example should an organization introduce new products with better benefits yet assume that the sales team is aware of the new improvements. The sales team might fail to market the product because they do not understand its benefits or do not understand the difference with other products. This assumption therefore creates great conflict with the managers and other stakeholders who expect the new products to perform well. The secret in building strong communications is to simply be open and discuss everything even matters that may seem like general knowledge
Training: many managers fail to completely understand the need of investing in excellent communications. It is often assumed that teams and individuals are aware and know how to communicate to each other. However, many employees may fail to communicate effectively simply because they do not know how exactly to communicate. Managers can invest greatly in trainings to ensure that employees posses the skills required for proper communications. When employees are aware and are confident in their own skills they are able to communicate more effectively. They can engage each other and the clients much more effectively simply because they are confident in their own skills and knowledge.
3. The trait approach to leadership assumes a good leader is born, not made. Do you agree with this view? Explain your answer in scholarly detail!!
The debate of leadership qualities has gone on for some time. Whereas traditional scholars have believed for a while that some individuals are born with the leadership nature and skills; modernists have often believed that the skills are gathered through training. Genetics indeed plays a role in bringing about leadership. There are individuals who by their own genetic disposition are inclined to become leaders. With training and experience such skills are sharpened and made more effective. Some characteristics such as openness to new experiences are inborn traits.
According to these theorists the young children sometimes exhibit the ability to lead even in their young age. For example, a young child in nursery school can become a leader in play school all the way to high school. Through the innate characteristics such as charisma and reliability this individual is most likely to continue in the path of leadership for a long time. Such inborn characteristics are easy to identify in early stages of life.
Once identified they can be developed so that the individual is sharpened in skill and talent enabling them to become better leaders and more effective in their own leadership.
Majority of the mangers indeed show some inborn characteristics that can be developed to ensure effective leadership. Without this innate characteristics and genetic disposition, it is quite difficult to train and develop a leader. In some cases it can actually become impossible to develop a leader where no genetics exist pre-disposing he individual towards leadership. Such talents must be identified at an early age.
On the other hand modernists insist that several people can show traits of charisma and also extroversion; however this does not immediately qualify them towards leadership. Were this the case, simple genetics would prove leadership qualities. However, individuals require to be trained in order to bring about and develop the said skills. Training sharpens and actually produces the leader. This is the reason why there are specific courses that are geared towards the development of specific leadership skills. In this assumption, it is assumed that leaders are not only about character but also about skills. It is through training that individuals are able to identify the skills they possess, sharpen them and perfect them to become excellent leaders.
Looking at many historical and effective leaders, much training and sharpening of their skills including the development of specific characteristics was put in place to make them exemplary. According to this theory traits that are thought to be innate such as patience and openness to change and also charisma can be developed through proper training. Leaders who have had particular weaknesses are often trained and sharpened to make them stronger in these aspects.
In conclusion therefore, individuals are often born with simple traits and mannerisms that could make excellent leaders. However, such genetics in themselves do not make an excellent leader. There is need to undergo training in order to master the actual skills and requirements that make an excellent leader. Such genetics only become a behavior and habit through proper and structured training.
4. What are the major forces in the situation that influence a manager’s determination of how to make decisions? Explain in scholarly detail!!
The decision making process is much more complex than many people imagine. For managers especially a simple decision could easily alter the track and path of a business; affecting a number of employees and other stakeholders in the organization. Before a manger makes a decision such as increasing the price of a product or reducing the human resource within the organization, he must take several factors into account. In addition, he is often influenced by several factors such as:
The system: decisions are not made in a vacuum. Often managers are required to work within a particular system which influences their decision. Organizations operate within particular structures and system and the managerial decision must adhere to these structures. For example when considering price, if the organization is one that works towards price reduction and increase in price would not be met with support from all stakeholders. In this case, the manager can take advantage of the system to reduce the alternatives available in the decision making process and increase the chances of succeeding with a particular decision.
Competition: perhaps, the biggest influence to decision making is the competitor. The decisions made by the manager need to reduce the threat to the business by the completion. For example again in price setting, if the market is price sensitive and increase in price is likely to lead to a loss in the market share to the competition. All decision need to be influenced by this factor. (Hoang 2007) indicates that benchmarking often occurs when organizations are trying to emulate and make better the policies of completion so that they can influence the market share to their benefit.
Available alternatives: before the making of the decision, the manager often encounters various alternatives which he can use to generate the decision. Alternatives often provide boundaries and limits to the manager with regard to how far they can go with their decisions. Alternatives can be set by other stakeholders and the competitions and also the customers. Through these alternatives the decisions to be made by managers are limited and influenced.
Business environment: the organization does not operate in a vacuum. The business operates in an industry and is heavily influenced by the business environment. The business environment is made up of the political environment, the legal environment and the economic situation. (Sen 2008 ) shares an example where the global economic downturn can lead to a cut in prices and in fact a complete focus in decreasing the cost of operations in order to succeed in business. Ignoring the business environment can lead to costly decisions for example introduction of new products which are not in line with customer tastes and preferences. Such products receive a low market share costing the company much in terms of resources and also loss of market share to the competition.
Managers need to be sensitive to changes in the business environment so that all decisions made are in line with the nature of the environment and therefore more inclined to success.
5. Discuss in scholarly detail concepts and theory behind behavior modification and explain how reinforcement and punishment can be used to shape behavior?
Behavior modification is the term used to describe techniques that are applied to change and alter the patterns of behavior in groups and individuals. Managers have often taken behavior modification to heart whereby the organizational culture is the goal for behavior modification. Employees need to be pushed towards productivity, reductions of costs and growth of the organization. Often changes in their attitudes and behavior is necessary in order to gain success.
Behavior modification can be achieved through positive reinforcement that is the rewarding of good behavior so that it is reinforced. This is especially useful for employees where high performance is rewarded, reinforcing the same and ensuring increased performance in the organization as a whole. Behavior modification can also be achieved through negative reinforcement, where negative behavior is punished such as through penalties in salaries and demotions for under performance. Majority of the managers focus more on positive reinforcement to bring about change.
Behavior modification and punishment
In this case, proponents insist that unlike common belief it is not the individual but rather the behavior that is being punished. The idea is to reduce the tendency of negative behavior occurring. For example in an organization where employees may come late to work, managers can introduce a system of cutting their pay by a percentage or admonishing them for this bad behavior. It is assumed that with time the behavior will completely die off. However, it is important to note the weaknesses of using negative reinforcement. Individuals often become demoralized. In the original use of negative reinforcement, major scholars experimented on children.
Negative reinforcement may shape new behavior and in fact introduce better and much more positive behavior. However, such behavior is often met with conflict and criticism. Workers do not come to work early because they want to but only because they are expected to come early. They come early because the bosses will punish them. Such behavior modification is therefore not sustainable and with time employees are likely to return to their former behavior within no time. Managers are therefore more managers are more inclined to turn towards positive reinforcement.
Behavior modification and positive reinforcement
Change occurs when positive behavior is rewarded. When employees are rewarded for good performance they are likely to engage more in this positive behavior. Furthermore, others are more likely to emulate this behavior leading to a changed organization. Unlike negative reinforcement, positive reinforcement and rewarding. However, the positive reward system can be detrimental and can also lead to behavior that is not sustainable. Employees engage in behavior because they are being rewarded.
Once the reward system is not sustainable then behavior is also likely to revert to the former behavior. With a reward system all parties involved must come together and become involved in the establishment of a reward system. When employees are aware of the reward system they are less likely to feel that managers are favoring others or that the manager is being unfair in the rewards of other employees.
Positive reinforcement can be established through increased allowances or simple recognition of the positive behavior. Managers are often discouraged from using reward systems that are based on finances simply because they are hard to sustain. Employees become more financially adhered so that the system becomes unsustainable. Other forms of reward systems such as recognition for good behavior are encouraged because they are much easier to sustain. In addition behavior developed through this system is much more internalized; it quickly becomes part of the culture.
It is important to note that when employees are not exposed to positive reinforcement, they become demoralized. However, the system must be adequately detailed to ensure that small negative behaviors are not rewarded in place of positive behavior. Managers must be keen to determine whether behavior modification by negative or positive reinforcement is best for the organizational culture.