Advanced Organizational Behavior - Exam #4

How does organizational structure affect individual roles?

- The numbers and types of decisions made at lower level -Amount of authority held at lower levels -Rigidity vs flexibility of roles -Role clarity vs role performed -Number of tasks performed -Nature of relationship with supervisor -Perceived chances for advancement -Match between individual and company

Describe Thompson's work:

-At the center of every organization is a core technology -Firms create structure to protect and facilitate the core technology -When a crisis or threat arises, a new piece of structure is created to defend against the threat -The more powerful the threat, the more powerful the defending subunit

What is the structural contingency approach and who formed it?

-The type of environment determines the type of structure (favorable=decentralized, hostile=centralized) -Formed by Johannes Pennings

Three main dimensions of organizational structure:

-Type of Department Utilized: by function, product, customer, geographic area, S.B.U, and matrix -Mechanistic/organic -Centralized/decentralized

Bureaucracy

-Well specified rule and procedures -Well specified hierarchy of authority -Impersonal and formal relations between workers -Promotion and selection based on merit and ability -Specialization of labor

According to J.D. Thompson, what determines organizational structure?

Company technology

Author of Theory of X&Y

Douglas McGregor

Author of Contingency Theory of Leadership

Fred E Fiedler

Leadership

Influencing behavior in organizations

Centralization/decentralization

Refers to the degree to which authority, power, and decision-making are routinely delegated in a firm

Mechanistic/organic

Refers to the number of rules, titles, procedures, ranks, and amount of formality--which leads to the degree of flexibility and adaptability

Describe Woodward's work

Seeks to match technology, structure, and effectiveness

According to Weber, what determines organizational structure?

The need for efficiency

Theory X & Y

Theory X Assumes: --People dislike work --People avoid responsibility --Most people have very little ambition --People prefer to be directed Theory Y Assumes: --Wanting to work is natural --People seek responsibility --People get satisfaction from a job well done --If you give people a chance, they will benefit themselves and the firm

Types of Departmentalization

-By function: small, single product firms -By product: growing, adding product firm -By customer: same product sold to different customers -By geographic area: branch banking, franchising, retailing -By S.B.U: large conglomerates

Path-Goal Theory

-Effective leaders motivated workers -Effective leaders clarify paths to goals -Effective leaders clarify paths to goals so they: --Understand worker valences --Clarify tasks --Reward performance

The Attribution Theory

-Every person has an implicit theory of leadership -Individuals seeks ways to test their leadership theories -If a test is confirmed, the individual believes he/she is right about: --the person chosen and --their own theory of leadership -If the test is refuted, the individual will: --Modify the theory --Ignore the results of a given test

Name and describe the two types of leaders

-Formal leaders: designated by the organization -Informal leaders: emerge in various situations

Fielder's conclusions for his Contingency Theory Model:

-If situation is highly favorable of unfavorable a production-oriented leader is more effective -If the situation is mixed, a people-oriented boss will be more effective -Leadership training is a waste of time- it changes both the leader and the situation -The scare ability in a firm is the ability to lead- so you should structure the situation to fit the leader -This theory is the most complete people-production theory (research backed)

VDL/LMX model of leadership

-If your boss has an in-group linkage with is or her supervisor, you are better able to establish an in-group relationship with that boss -If your boss has an in-group linkage with his or her boss, you will see him/her as being: --Technically skilled --Having access to information --Able to influence upwardly

Blau and the Aston Group's major points:

-Larger firms tend to be decentralized due to: --The volume of decisions involved --The types of decisions involved -Managers in large sized firms still try to keep control by: --Standardization of jobs --Formalization of rules and procedures --Mechanization or computerization of operations

Chandler's major points:

-Most firms begin with a single product and a centralized, functional form of structure -Successful firms tend to grow by adding products and services -The demands of new products often cause problems for the firm, and eventually a crisis of inefficiency develops -Firms resolves the crisis by creating new structures which are product-based and decentralized

People/production theories of leadership

-Ohio State -Michigan -System IV -Theory of Leader Effectiveness -Theory X&Y -Contingency Theory - 3-D Theory

Categories of studies in the Trait Theory

-Physical characteristics -Personal characteristics and demographics -Personality traits -Social Skills

Kerr's Substitutes of Leadership:

-Subordinate characteristics (experience and professionalism) -Task characteristics (machine-paced work and intrinsically satisfying work) -Organizational characteristics (cohesive groups and standardization and formalization)

The effects of leadership on individual roles:

-Subordinates tend to models behaviors of the boss -Performance may not be directly affected by leader style, rather worker satisfaction and by-products of satisfaction -Success of individual in the firm is determines by his leader's in-group/out-group status -The match of the person to the leader determines satisfaction, commitment, and performance -Herzberg suggests that supervision is more of a dissatisfier than a motivator -Substitutes/ neutralizers may supercede the leader's ability to influence his/her followers

Underlying assumptions of the Trait Theory (Great Man Theory)

-The ability to lead is a universal skill ( translates to other skills) -All effective leaders must have things in common

According to Blau and the Aston Group, what determines organizational structure?

Company size

According to Chandler, what determines organizational structure?

Company strategies

According to Joan Woodward, what determines organizational structure?

Company technology

Matrix for of organizational structure

Usually a high tech company that sells to the government, a two boss system