Understanding Organizational Behaviour

Organizational behaviour is considered as the features and behaviour of employees to get interacted with each other in order to attain the common goals of the company. It has been found that organizational behaviour provides three main ways of understanding in the context of people as an organization, people as people and people as resources. A better understanding of organizational behaviour can facilitate manager of the organization to praise the number of needs and expectations of an individual (Tatlah and Iqbal, 2012). The main aim of this report is to highlight the foundations of individual behaviour and its influence on the organizations. This assignment is based on the case study which will be taken into consideration to elaborate the organizational behaviour. It is the case study which is based on the humanitarian aid mission to the tsunami devastation in Indonesia. There are more than a hundred people involved in the mission who belongs from different nations such as Korea, China, India, New Zealand and other countries.

A humanitarian aid mission to the tsunami devastation in Indonesia is the fact in which relief workers are activated to facilitate devastated areas. There are more than 1400 people have been dead due to this natural disaster (Pardasani, 2006). There is a team formation with six M?ori team members.

There are number of factors that impact individual behaviour such as personal factors, psychological, organizational systems and resources and environmental factors. Foreign aid works who convention to the island of Sulawesi after the devastating earthquake and tsunami in excess of a week ago have been asked to leave the country by the government of Indonesia. It is necessary for the team member to improve the communication among team members because lack of communication can lead the business into an adverse situation (Dweck, 2013). There are various strategies from which the communication can be improved within the team members which are discussed below:

Negotiating a Common Understanding of Terms

It is an effective strategy by which a team can improve the communication between team members. In the context of the case study, it has been found that the six M?ori team members are included in the team which can be the major reason of lack of communication; it can be improved by taking consideration of negotiation which can put impact on the progress of the mission if it is not addressed in an adequate manner. It is considered as the method through which people settle differences. With the help of this strategy, a team can reach number of People to solve the issues.

Case Study: The Humanitarian Aid Mission in Indonesia

Checking Understanding and Asking for Clarification

There is a need to check comprehensive understanding and ask for clarification which would not apply to the use of people’ concepts but also applied on disclosure itself. It entails three strategies such as asking for repetition, asking for clarification and asking for confirmation. This strategy can be applied to the group to improve the communication between M?ori.

Attuning to Indirect Signals

There can be varied across cultures, individuals and contexts in the context of the preferred level of clarity with which a message is elaborated. It has been found that messaging can be included various terms which can be hard to convey such as eye-contact, intonation and body language. There should be attuned to indirect signals (Khasalamwa, 2009). It has been found that there is a difference in the language of New Zealand and Indonesia that is why there should be a proper adjustment in the understanding different languages.

Adjusting to the Language Proficiency Level of Others

A multifaceted required skill in intercultural interaction is referred to as the ability to manage one’s language to the expertise level of the other participants. This kind of activity would be helpful for the team to handle the conversation in a more effective manner and involve in a more significant manner. Along with that for the purpose of accomplishing the mission, it is necessary for the company to highlight and structure important information.

The dynamic process is referred as the process of joining and being impacted through group. It has been found that underlining mechanisms that influence upon how groups amend over time have faith on many researchers. There are some stages of team development which need to be fulfilled in order to attain objectives of the organizations. These stages are forming, storming, forming, performing and adjourning.

Forming

It is the first stage of team development which shows that team is made when programs are developed.  It is the stage that elaborates a period of testing and development in which team members focus on getting a better understanding of one another and analyze the advantages of constant memberships. It has been found that team members can have an issue related to the development of relationships and faith regarding how to define concerns regarding the group.

Storming

It is the second stage in which the team focuses to work together in order to address issues related to the process at work that converts unavoidable. There can be developed interpersonal concern as members convert more proactive and participate for kudos and roles.

Factors Impacting Individual Behaviour

Norming

It is the third stage of group development in which the sense of group is made and a consensus develops concerning group standards, entailing such factors as how to develop and interact decisions. It has been found that the strategy of working will develop at the time of constructively addressing disappointments (Vaisey, 2009). Same kind of mental models has been made in such stages by making sure that they have normal expectations.

Performing

It is the stage where team members perform as per their allocated tasks. It is the major stage in which one performs in well efficient manner. Team learns how to coordinate with other team members in this stage and high-performance teams are made to group objectives. Performance is a vital to process for any kind of team to accomplish the goals.

Adjourning

It is the stage that elaborates the life cycle of the group finishes with the division of group members. It is the stage in which team need not move through all stages or they cannot forward at the same stage. It is the stage in which team members will complete the mission and adjourn the journey.

There are various communication barriers which can be the major reason for rising conflicts within the team member. There are some examples of cultural barriers to communication which are mentioned below:

Language: language is the major factor that impacts over the communication as it has been found from the case study that the culture and language of Indonesia and New Zealand is entirely different which can be the major reason behind lack of communication between them. Language is different for each nation and it is vital for the team to have a better understanding regarding the place where tsunami affects a lot of people. Due to language barrier, suffered people could be affected as they could suffer from their health disease.

Behaviour: Behaviour is another aspect which could affect many people of suffered place. It is required for the team to have the coordination to communicate what they want to say on behalf of team. The situation of the country is also sensitive and mislead behave with people or team member can affect the performance of them. It has been found that every culture has guidelines to behave with others which put significant impact over the performance.

Stereotypes: It has been found that hostile stereotypes of people from one place can be the major reason for barrier of communication in the workplace. It is the factor that can be considered as the assumptions on which people make regarding traits of team members. Misconception regarding team member can be the reason of issue and barrier of communication.

Communication Strategies to Improve Coordination among Team Members

Difference in perception: it is not possible to have same kind of perception of each people in a team and difference in perception can influence the perception of other people. It has been found in the context of M?ori that they are a community of New Zealand for which the government has made various policies and people are not allowed to disturb them as they are considered core native of New Zealand. The perception of people towards this community can impact the whole behaviour of team members.

There are some strategies which need to be followed by the team to resolve the issue which come due to lack of communication. There are some strategies mentioned below in order to reduce the impact of the barrier of communication over the team.

Set clear expectations

It is necessary for any group to complete the set or desired goals to set the expectations as it can impact the personality of an individual. To set clear expectations, there should be an arrangement of training program in which the role of the mission and the importance of the mission to the situation will be explained to the team member in a clear way. It would help them to focus on the issues instead of raising conflict (Ochieng and Price, 2010).

Recognize and respect personal differences

It has been found from case study that people belong from different places and cultures which show the variety in the culture. It is necessary for team members to do respect with each other, along with that, it is necessary for the team to identify and respect personal difference because the main motive of the company is to help people who are stuck in tsunami in Indonesia.

Defuse personality conflicts

The personality, strengths, beliefs and quirks are different of each member in the team which may be the reason of conflicts within the team. Due to lack of empathy, a team member can fight with each other which can influence the current situation or the purpose for which the team is made. To resolve this team should understand the point of view of each member in an efficient manner and discuss with everyone regarding their beliefs and attitudes.

There are various motivation theories that impact the performance of the team member to perform in well efficient manner in order to attain set objectives. There is a lot of importance of motivation within the business as it helps in satisfying needs of the employees, bring improvement in the level of efficiency of employees and developing friendly and supportive leadership.

Stages of Team Development

Positive motivation entails various approaches through which team member can improve their performance. Team entails various kinds of people that belong from different culture, attitudes and beliefs and it is vital for them to be motivated. Motivated person has double stamina to complete the task in comparison of normal person. Maslow hierarchy of needs motivation theory can elaborate the behaviour of an individual due to motivation. It covers five needs in every individual life psychological needs, safety and security, social and need of love, esteem needs and self-actualization.

Psychological needs- there are common needs for human beings that entail water, clothing, food etc. These needs can be fulfilled by getting salary, bonuses and monetary benefits (Cao, et. al., 2013).

Safety needs- the role of the safety needs keeps huge importance within the business which shows the importance for the employee to do work in the working environment. Safety needs can be attained through working in safe place, developing positive corporate culture and developing financial security (Poston, 2009).

Social needs- it is the need that entails friendship, belongings and community and these can be attained by interacting with colleagues within the companies. It is necessary for the company to satisfy the social needs of the employees (Lester, 2013). It has been found through case study that team member belongs from different culture and it is vital for them to accomplish their social needs in the different nation so that they can perform in a well efficient manner.

Esteem needs- As per Maslow, this need is considered into internal as well as external esteem needs. Internal needs entail self-respect, attainment and confidence. An external need covers status, achievement, and power (Taylor, Nicolle and Maguire, 2013).

Self-actualization- it is the last need of individuals that entail self-development. Employee focuses on the self-potential in such stage.

The above-mentioned discussion shows the importance of motivation in the life of an individual. The team has entailed various kinds of people who are connected from different cultures. The role of the motivation in the process theory keeps significant value as it is the theory that defines how a company amends and improves. It has been found that the process theories are often contrasted with a number of theories that is systems of functions that elaborate the variance in a relied variable (Sadri and Bowen, 2011). Motivated team member gets great efficiency to work in more efficient manner in order to attain desired goals. Motivation influences the team member to work more by taking consideration of the welfare of people who are stuck in the issues. it is necessary for the company to motivate and support employees in their daily work for the purpose of bringing regarding loyalty and develop retentions by eradicating aspects that can develop dissatisfaction, at the time of bearing in mind that in a varied environment, with both genders from various kind of generations and backgrounds, and with changing qualifications, not only aspect would generate either universal approval.

Communication Barriers in the Workplace

It has been found that the diversity management and workforce diversity have been considering that forces organizations to focus on such concepts in their organizations for the purpose of developing productivity and development (Simpson, 2009). This embedded integration has developed and uncertainty in the workforce, as administration is not accomplished enough to maintain the aspect of diversity management and its ethics, and so leaders are analysing it hard to efficiently practice diversity management, which in turn has turn out to be a millstone on their neck. It has been found by a case study that the mission consists of several hundred people from New Zealand, Korea, China, India and four other countries. The team will work for a one year to complete the mission.

The communication is a vital to process for the development of the task as it helps to pull the all concealed talents from the employees in the organization. Power flows within the organization through communication which helps in making better understanding regarding the task. Upward or downward communication should be done with efficient manner otherwise it develops issues regarding interpersonal (Ochieng and Price, 2010). It has been found that the effectiveness of the organization is entirely depending on the communication, concentration, and cooperation among subordinates. It has been found that today’s environment the needs of the employees are changed which put effect on the working environment. Good communication among team members can enhance stimulus towards efficient performing. The outcome of the mission would come in an effective way if the role of the communication is being done by taking consideration of the needs of all employee.

Hofstede Dimension

Hofstede’s dimensions have five aspects that show the culture difference and its affect over the productivity of an individual towards performing the task. The discussion about five dimensions is mentioned below with taking consideration of New Zealand and Indonesia.

Power Distance Index

In the context of New Zealand, it has been found that it has a lower score which is 22. People of New Zealand have tendency to be consulted and share information frequently. Communication is done within an employee in the form of direct and participative. With respect to Indonesia, it has been found that it scores high on this dimension which shows various qualities such as unequal rights, management controls, superiors inaccessible and management controls (Nabi, Foysol and Adnan, 2017). Control is focused by the management to handle issues and power is centralized in Indonesia.

Strategies to Reduce the Impact of Communication Barriers

It would affect the way of thinking of both kind of person as it is hard to embrace another culture but with the help of this dimension, it would be helpful for people to understand the concern and way of managing people in Indonesia in order to accomplish the mission.

Individualism versus Collectivism

Indonesia has a low score on this dimension which is 14 that refers there is a high extent of preference for a firmly elaborated social framework in which it has been expected by an individual’s to conform to the ideals of the society (Rinne, Steel, and Fairweather, 2012). The importance of family and the children at their growing age keep value and they support each other. With respect to New Zealand, this dimension scores 79 that show individualist culture which converts into a loosely-knit society in which the expectations are that people take care of their families. It has been found that the employees are become more self-reliant and display initiative (Hofstede, 2011).

It has been found that the team member should focus on the expectations of Indonesia’s people as they are so possessive for their family. It is vital for them to understand their point of view for the purpose of completing the mission in an adequate manner by taking consideration of one objective.

Masculinity versus Femininity

It is the dimension on which New Zealand scores 58 and referred as a “Masculine” society. It is the country that has proud of their success and attainments in life. Individuals of this country are more liable for their mistakes and take appropriate actions to resolve the issues within the business. It shows good aspect of people of New Zealand by which the team can cooperate with each other and in case of any issues one can resolve it with mutual understanding. On the other hand, Indonesian has 46 scores on this dimension which showed low masculine. It has been found that in Indonesia visible status of success are vital (Minkov and Hofstede, 2011). There is a concept of “gengsi” which refers as “outward appearances” and it is vital for a team member to consider such aspect in case of making any kind of policy as the main aim of this is to impress and develop the aura of status.  

Uncertainty avoidance index

It is the dimension on which Indonesia scores 48 which refers as a low preference for ignoring uncertainty. It shows that there is a huge preference in Indonesia toward the culture of Javanese n which the preference is given to the self-action in order to protect from external action. It shows that team member should focus on self-training by which they can cope up from such situation by putting tier efforts (Taras, Kirkman and Steel, 2010). There is a lot of encouragement in people of Indonesia which helps in completing the mission in an excellent manner without stuck in any hard situation. With respect to New Zealand, it has been found that New Zealand scores 49 on this dimension which does not show a preference.

In the context of New Zealand, it has been found that this dimension scores 33 which are to be a normative country. Individuals in such societies have firm concern with developing the absolute truth. Their value for traditions is huge which considerably small propensity to save for the potential concern.  With respect to Indonesia, it has been found that it has a score of 62 that represents the pragmatic culture. In such a culture, it is the belief of people that truth depends very much in such kind of condition. People are eager to show ability in order to focus on traditions in the easiest way to amended conditions, a firm propensity to invest and perseverance in attaining results (De Mooij and Hofstede, 2011). With respect to this culture, it would be easy for team to understand the long-term orientation and short-term orientation culture.

It is the dimension that has low score of 38 of Indonesia that has a culture of Restraint. Societies have a propensity to pessimism. Restrained societies have a tendency to control the gratification of their desires and do not put a lot of impact on leisure time. It has been found that this kind of orientation has point of view that their actions are bound by social norms and feel that treating themselves is wrong (Fischer, Vauclair, Fontaine and Schwartz, 2010). In the context of New Zealand, it has been found that it has 75 scores that show indulgence culture. They have an affirmative attitude and have a point of view towards optimism. Furthermore, it has been found that they place upper level of importance on free time and show that they are pleased to spend to fulfill their wish.

Conclusion

It can be concluded from the above discussion that organizational behaviour is necessary for the company to understand the need of the employees. This assignment is based on case study in which the nature of team members has been evaluated. The discussion has been made on the foundation of individual behaviour and its impact on the organization. It has been analyzed through above discussion that the culture of the different country definitely impact on the work performance and it is vital for the company to focus on such factors that can reduce this impact over work performance. Motivation is the major factor for any kind of organization to encourage employees to work hard in the context of growth of the organization. Maslow’s motivation theory has been described under this assignment in order to define the basic needs of individuals. Along with that, the discussion has been made on the communication technique and its benefit towards increasing cooperation among team members. Hofstede’s five dimensions have been elaborated under this task by taking consideration of New Zealand and Indonesia.

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