MAN3240 Organizational Behavior Final Exam Study Guide Ch 9 Formal group o Organizational o Individual Formed by a manager to help the organization accomplish its goals Formal groups typically wear such labels as work group team committee or task force Formal groups fulfill 2 basic functions Tuckman s Group Development Process A maturation of groups and teams in the workplace Individuals give up a measure of their independence when they join a group The five stages don t happen at the same duration or intensity are 1 Forming Icebreaking stage Group members tend to be uncertain and anxious about such things as their roles the people in charge and the group s goals Mutual trust is low and people tend to hold back to see who takes charge and how At this point conflict among members is beneficial 2 Storming Individuals test the leader s policies and assumptions as they try to determine how they fit into the power structure Subgroups take shape and subtle forms of rebellion occur Procrastination may occur 3 Norming Groups that make it through stage 2 do so because a respected member not the leader challenges the group to resolve its power struggles so something can be accomplished Questions about authority and power are resolved through unemotional matter of fact group discussion Feeling of team spirit is made because people feel that they have found their roles in the group Group Cohesiveness is the by product of this stage a Group Cohesiveness the we feelings that binds members of a group together 4 Performing Activity during this vital stage is focused on solving task problems As members of a mature group contributors get their work done without hampering others Activity during this vital stage is focused on solving task problems Climate of open communication strong cooperation and lots of helping behavior 5 Adjourning The work is done it is time to move on to other things Having worked so hard to get along and get something done many members feel a compelling sense of loss Leaders need to emphasize valuable lessons learned in group dynamics to prepare everyone for future group and team efforts Team Building A catchall term for a host of techniques aimed at improving the internal functioning of work groups Team building workshops strive for greater cooperation better communication and less dysfunctional conflict and focus on how the group gets the job done rather than the task itself Self Managed Teams Groups of workers who are given administrative oversight for their task domains Employees in these unique work groups act as their own supervisor Self managed teams trend is rising upwards Page 1 of 15 In group traits See themselves as a collection of unique individuals while stereotyping members of other groups as being all alike See themselves positively and as morally correct while viewing members of other groups negatively and as immoral View outsiders as a threat Exaggerate the differences between their group and other groups Ch 10 Rational Model of Decision Making proposes that managers use a rational four step sequence when making decisions The rational model is based on the premise that managers optimize when they make decisions Optimizing involves solving problems by producing the best possible solution 4 stages of rational decision making 1 Stage 1 Identify the Problem or Opportunity Determining the Actual versus the Desirable Problem exists when an actual situation and a desired situation differ An opportunity epresents a situation in which there are possibilities to do things that lead to results that exceed goals and expectations 2 Stage 2 Generate Alternative Solutions Both the Obvious and the Creative There are three key decision making blunders 1 rushing to judgment 2 selecting readily available ideas or solutions and 3 making poor allocation of resources to study alternative solutions Decision makers are encouraged to slow down evaluate a broader set of alternatives and invest in studying a great number of potential solutions 3 Stage 3 Evaluate Alternatives and Select a Solution Ethics Feasibility and Effectiveness You need to evaluate alternatives in terms of several criteria Not only are costs and quality important but you should consider the following questions a b c 1 Is the potential solution ethical If not don t consider it 2 Is it feasible If time is an issue costs are high resources are limited technology is needed or customers are resistant for instance then the alternative is not feasible 3 Will it remove the causes and solve the problem 4 Stage 4 Implement and Evaluate the Solution Chosen Once a solution is chosen it needs to be implemented After a solution is implemented the evaluation phase is used to assess its effectiveness Bounded Rationality Optimizing Part of Simon s Normative Model Represents the notion that decision makers are bounded or restricted by a variety of constraints when making decisions Bounded rationality Idea that as human beings we can only take in so much data and so our decisions by default are flawed Page 2 of 15 Optimizing Rather than trying to find a good enough answer to the problem you re trying to find the best answer to the circumstances Satisficing Consists of choosing a solution that meets some minimum qualifications one that is good enough Satisficing resolves problems by producing solutions that are satisfactory as opposed to optimal To get a better understanding 1 Finding a radio station to listen to in your car is a good example of satisficing You cannot optimize because it is impossible to listen to all stations at the same time You thus stop searching for a station when you find one playing a song you like or do not mind hearing Garbage Can Model of Decision Making Decision making is sloppy and haphazard Claims that decisions result from a complex interaction between four independent streams of events problems solutions participants and choice opportunities There are four practical implications of the garbage can model 1 This model of decision making is more pronounced in industries that rely on science based innovations such as pharmaceutical companies Managers in these industries thus need to be more alert for the potential of haphazard decision making 2 Many decisions are made by oversight or by the presence of a salient opportunity 3 Political motives frequently guide the process by which participants make decisions It thus is important for you to consider the political ramifications of your decisions Important
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