ASSIGNMENT BBA102 ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

1 Define Organization Behaviour. Discuss the Scientific Management Approach and the
Contingency Approach to Organization Behaviour.
Organisation behaviour is the study of the way people interact within groups. Normally this
study is applied in an attempt to create more efficient business organizations. The central idea
of the study of organizational behaviour is that a scientific approach can be applied to the
management of workers. Organizational behaviour theories are used for human resource
purposes to maximize the output from individual group members.
Scientific management approach analyzes and synthesises workflows. Its main objective is
improving economic efficiency, especially labour productivity. The person, who popularised
scientific management movement and made it universally acceptable, is Dr. F.W Taylor He is
called as Father of Scientific Management. The primary concern of this theory was to
increase the efficiency of the worker through job design and appropriate training of the
workers. Taylor suggested that to perform a task, one has to adopt the right method, work
according to their specialization, plan and schedule the task by using standard operating
mechanisms and establishing standard times to perform the job. Although scientific
management as a distinct theory or school of thought was obsolete by the 1930s, most of its
themes are still important parts of industrial engineering and management today. These
include analysis; synthesis; logic; rationality; empiricism; work ethic; efficiency and
elimination of waste; standardization of best practices; disdain for tradition preserved merely
for its own sake or to protect the social status of particular workers with particular skill sets;
the transformation of craft production into mass production; and knowledge transfer between
workers and from workers into tools, processes, and documentation.
A contingency approach to management is based on the theory that management
effectiveness is contingent, or dependent, upon the interplay between the application of
management behaviors and specific situations. In other words, the way you manage should
change depending on the circumstances. One size does not fit all. Contingency approach
evolved during the 1960s. Management theory and research began to adopt a new orientation,
one that embodied a simple concept and enabled significant advancements in the study of
management and organizations, now referred to as the contingency approach. It emphasized
the importance of situational influences on the management of organizations and questioned
the existence of a single, best way to manage or organize. Today, the contingency approach
dominates theory and research in the management literature. Contingency approach
challenged the classic process and models designed by management theorists such as Taylor
and Fayol.

2 What are Emotions? Discuss it characteristics

Emotions are defined as a complex pattern of arousal, subjective feeling and cognitive
interpretation involving physiological and psychological reactions. They can also be
explained as intense feelings that are directed at someone or something (object). The word
emotion is derived from a latin root emovere which means to move, to agitate, to excite, to
stir. R.S Woodworth defines emotion as " a stirred up state of body and mind." According to
this definition emotion is that state of mind where we find certain psychological changes
which are known only to the individual who is experiencing an emotion. Emotion is also a
stirred up state of body in the sense it brings about certain bodily changes which are external
and hence can be seen by other for example striking behaviour is typical of anger.
The main characteristics of emotions are given below:
1. Every emotion is followed by physiological change such as rapid heartbeat, change in the
pulse rate, change in blood pressure, and change in the facial expression, voice and body
movements.
2. Emotion is accompanied by a feeling of pleasantness and unpleasantness, following
physiological changes.
3. Emotions are subjective and purely individual. The same situation may evoke different
emotions in different individuals.
4. Emotion is a tripolar response having affective, cognitive and conative aspects.
5. Emotions have wide range and are not restricted to a particular age period. They occur to
children, adolescents and adults.
6. Emotions rise abruptly. The passing away of emotions is, however slow, leaving behind an
emotional state which lasts for some time.
7. Emotions have swings. One emotion may give rise to another emotion and the two may get
merged.
8. An emotion mostly raises when the organism faces a difficult j situation or when the basic
need is challenged or is not satisfied. In fact, a situation, real or imaginary, is always
connected with an emotion.
Children's emotions are not as natural and long-standing as those of adults. Their emotions
are characterised by sudden and intense outburst, are transitory, more frequent and are easily
expressed.

3 What do you mean by Communication? Explain the process of Communication.

It's nearly impossible to go through a day without the use of communication.

Communication is sending and receiving information between two or more people. The
person sending the message is referred to as the sender, while the person receiving the
information is called the receiver. The information conveyed can include facts, ideas,
concepts, opinions, beliefs, attitudes, instructions and even emotions. Business
communication is the specialized branch of general communication that is especially
concerned with business activities. When communication takes places among business
parties concerning business affairs or business related issues is known as business
communication
The goal of communication is to convey informationand the understanding of that
informationfrom one person or group to another person or group.
The communication process consists of several components A sender is the party that sends a message. Lindsey, of course, will be the sender. She'll also
need the message, which is the information to be conveyed. Lindsey will also need to encode
her message, which is transforming her thoughts of the information to be conveyed into a
form that can be sent, such as words.
A channel of communication must also be selected, which is the manner in which the
message is sent. Channels of communication include speaking, writing, video transmission,
audio transmission, electronic transmission through emails, text messages and faxes and even
nonverbal communication, such as body language. Lindsey also needs to know the target of
her communication. This party is called the receiver.
The receiver must be able to decode the message, which means mentally processing the
message into understanding. If you can't decode, the message fails. For example, sending a
message in a foreign language that is not understood by the receiver probably will result in
decoding failure.
Sometimes, a receiver will give the sender feedback, which is a message sent by the receiver
back to the sender. For example, a member of Lindsey's team may provide feedback in the
form a question to clarify some information received in Lindsey's message.
Let's put all these components together to build a model of the communication process:
1. A sender encodes information
2. The sender selects a channel of communication by which to send the message
3. The receiver receives the message
4. The receiver decodes the message
5. The receiver may provide feedback to the sender
4 Discuss the Thompsons Conflict Management Styles.

According to the Thompson model, group members balance their concern for satisfying
personal needs and interests with their concern for satisfying the needs and interests of others
in different ways. The intersection of these two dimensions ultimately leads individuals
towards exhibiting different styles of conflict resolution. The dual model identifies five
conflict resolution styles/strategies that individuals may use depending on their dispositions
toward pro-self or pro- social goals.
Avoidance conflict style
Characterized by joking, changing or avoiding the topic, or even denying that a
problem exists, the conflict avoidance style is used when an individual has no interest
in dealing with the other party, when one is uncomfortable with conflict, or due to
cultural contexts. During conflict, these avoiders adopt a wait and see attitude, often
allowing conflict to phase out on its own without any personal involvement. By
neglecting to address high-conflict situations, avoiders risk allowing problems to
fester out of control.
Yielding conflict style
In contrast, yielding or accommodating conflict styles are characterized by a high
level of concern for others and a low level of concern for oneself. This passive prosocial approach emerges when individuals derive personal satisfaction from meeting
the needs of others and have a general concern for maintaining stable, positive social
relationships. When faced with conflict, individuals with a yielding conflict style tend
to give into others demands out of respect for the social relationship.
Competitive conflict style
The competitive or fighting conflict style maximizes individual assertiveness (i.e.,
concern for self) and minimizes empathy (i.e., concern for others). Groups consisting
of competitive members generally enjoy seeking domination over others, and
typically see conflict as a win or lose predicament. Fighters tend to force others to
accept their personal views by employing competitive power tactics (arguments,
insults, accusations, violence, etc.) that foster feelings of intimidation (Morrill, 1995).
Cooperation conflict style
Characterized by an active concern for both pro-social and pro-self behaviour, the
cooperation conflict style is typically used when an individual has elevated interests in
their own outcomes as well as in the outcomes of others. During conflict, co-operators
collaborate with others in an effort to find an amicable solution that satisfies all
parties involved in the conflict. Individuals using this type of conflict style tend to be
both highly assertive and highly empathetic. By seeing conflict as a creative
opportunity, collaborators willingly invest time and resources into finding a winwin solution. According to the literature on conflict resolution, a cooperative conflict
resolution style is recommended above all others.
Conciliation conflict style
The conciliation or compromising conflict style is typical of individuals who
possess an intermediate level of concern for both personal and others outcomes.
Compromisers value fairness and, in doing so, anticipate mutual give-and-take
interaction. By accepting some demands put forth by others, compromisers believe
this agreeableness will encourage others to meet them halfway, thus promoting
conflict resolution.] This conflict style can be considered an extension of both
yielding and cooperative strategies.

5 What do you mean by a Group? Explain the characteristics and the types of Formal
groups.
Every organization is a group unto itself. A group refers to two or more people who share a
common meaning and evaluation of themselves and come together to achieve common goals.
In other words, a group is a collection of people who interact with one another; accept rights
and obligations as members and who share a common identity.
Characteristics of a Group:
Regardless of the size or the purpose, every group has similar characteristics:
(a) 2 or more persons (if it is one person, it is not a group)
(b) Formal social structure (the rules of the game are defined)
(c) Common fate (they will swim together)
(d) Common goals (the destiny is the same and emotionally connected)
(e) Face-to-face interaction (they will talk with each other)
(f) Interdependence (each one is complimentary to the other)
(g) Self-definition as group members (what one is who belongs to the group)
(h) Recognition by others (yes, you belong to the group).
Types of groups
One way to classify the groups is by way of formality formal and informal. While formal
groups are established by an organization to achieve its goals, informal groups merge
spontaneously. Formal groups may take the form of command groups, task groups, and
functional groups.
1. Command Groups:

Command groups are specified by the organizational chart and often consist of a supervisor
and the subordinates that report to that supervisor. An example of a command group is a
market research firm CEO and the research associates under him.
2. Task Groups:

Task groups consist of people who work together to achieve a common task. Members are
brought together to accomplish a narrow range of goals within a specified time period. Task
groups are also commonly referred to as task forces. The organization appoints members and
assigns the goals and tasks to be accomplished.

Examples of assigned tasks are the development of a new product, the improvement of a
production process, or designing the syllabus under semester system.
Other common task groups are ad hoc committees, project groups, and standing committees.
Ad hoc committees are temporary groups created to resolve a specific complaint or develop a
process are normally disbanded after the group completes the assigned task.
3. Functional Groups:

A functional group is created by the organization to accomplish specific goals within an

unspecified time frame. Functional groups remain in existence after achievement of current
goals and objectives. Examples of functional groups would be a marketing department, a
customer service department, or an accounting department.

6 Write short notes on the following:

a) Situational Leadership Model
b) Path Goal Theory
Developed by Dr. Paul Hersey in the late 1960s, the Situational Leadership Model is a
powerful, yet flexible tool that enables leaders of all kinds; managers, salespeople, peer
leaders, teachers or parents to more effectively influence others.
Hersey characterized leadership style in terms of the amount of Task Behaviour and
Relationship Behaviour that the leader provides to their followers. They categorized all
leadership styles into four behaviour types

Telling - is characterized by one-way communication in which the leader defines the

roles of the individual or group and provides the what, how, why, when and where to
do the task;

Selling - while the leader is still providing the direction, he or she is now using twoway communication and providing the socio-emotional support that will allow the
individual or group being influenced to buy into the process;

Participating - this is how shared decision-making about aspects of how the task is
accomplished and the leader is providing less task behaviours while maintaining high
relationship behaviour;

Delegating - the leader is still involved in decisions; however, the process and
responsibility has been passed to the individual or group. The leader stays involved to
monitor progress.

Of these, no one style is considered optimal for all leaders to use all the time. Effective
leaders need to be flexible, and must adapt themselves according to the situation.

The Path-Goal model is a theory based on specifying a leader's style or behaviour that best
fits the employee and work environment in order to achieve goals (House, Mitchell, 1974).
The goal is to increase an employee's motivation, empowerment, and satisfaction so that they
become productive members of the organization.
Path-Goal is based on Vroom's (1964) expectancy theory in which an individual will act in a
certain way based on the expectation that the act will be followed by a given outcome and on
the attractiveness of that outcome to the individual. The path-goal theory was first introduced
by Martin Evans (1970) and then further developed by House (1971).
The path-goal theory can best be thought of as a process in which leaders select specific
behaviors that are best suited to the employees' needs and the working environment so that
they may best guide the employees through their path in the obtainment of their daily work
activities (goals).