Importance of HR Planning For Organisations:
It is vital for an organisation to have HR plans because Human Resource Planning assists the organisation to recruit, retain and optimise the number of staff needed to meet the objectives of the business and to keep up with the changes in the external environment. This involves carrying out a skills analysis, of the existing workforce, carrying out manpower forcasting and taking the necessary action to make sure that there will always be enough staff to carry out the jobs necessary to help the business meet its aims. This can also include training and retraining plans for staff. Lack of HR planning or poor HR planning can result in financial loss for the organisation because employees maybe asked to work unnecessary overtime to fulfil orders because there is not enough staff recruited to cope with the demands of the business. Poor HR planning can result in vacancies not being filled quickly enough or people not having the right skills to carry out their roles. Inadequate HR plans can result in large numbers of people leaving through retirement and if the neccesary plans are not in place to recruit and retain existing staff this can have a negative impact on the business also.
Using Alec Rodger's seven point person specification below is a person specification for a University Lecturer:
Physical Make-up - Professional confident person with excellent communication skills both verbal and written.
Attainments - Education degree, teaching and motivation skills and experience in the teaching industry.
Intelligence - Ability to adapt to changing processes and procedures. Analytical with ability to be creative and to be able to improvise.
Special Aptitudes - Good IT and presentation skills required.
Interest - Ability to intellectually and practically interact with students and members of staff.
Disposition - Self reliant, mature and a sense of humour together with compassion necessary.
Circumstances - Ability to work extra from time to time to assist with staff shortages.
Waitrose opening new store in High Wycombe:
If Waitrose were to consider opening a new store in High Wycombe they would need to consider the following key labour questions:
1) How many staff would they need to employ in the store? This can be then broken down into individual function within the store i.e. people to work on the tills, supervisors and managers etc.
2) The unemployment situation in the area? This can be used to decide what rates of pay could be paid to staff because an unemployed person would be happy to work for the minimum wage in comparison to someone who is just looking for another job, who would not be happy to work for the bare minimum.
3) The training requirements of employees? This can be used to determine whether someone needs to be trained on the tills or in customer service as a supervisor.
4) What qualifications or experience is neccessary for each job? This is important because it will allow Waitrose to recruit the right people for the job, as Waitrose have a good reputation for customer service.
5) The demographics of the area? This will indicate the age group and the level of income in High Wycombe, helping Waitrose to see what age group their new staff would be from.
Conclusion
It is important for businesses to have Human Resource Planning in place because this allows them to forecast, plan, use resources carefully and retain staff by looking at internal and external labour markets. HR Planning enables the business to control, and deal with problems which leads to better results because people are a vital resource for businesses and are the key factors for the successful performance.
Reference List:
Alec Rodger: Seven Point Plan [online]. Available from: http://www.bola.biz/recruitment/rodger.html [Accessed 20 April 2010].
Human Resource Planning [online]. Available from: http://www.hrmguide.co.uk/hrm/chap7/ch7-links3.htm [Accessed 20 April 2010].
The Times 100 Human Resource Planning [online]. Available from: http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/theory/theory--human-resources-planning--417.php [Accessed 20 April 2010].
Mullins, L.J (2007). Management and Organisational Behaviour. 8th ed. Harlow: FT Prentice hall.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Role Of Line Manager & HR Manager - Week 14
The benefits & drawbacks of Line Managers being more involved in Human Relations activities are:
Benefits:
• The Line Manager provides staff with the link to higher management with a view to sorting out issues.
• As the Line Manager deals with the employee on a day to day basis he/she is more closer to own staff so may be aware of issues that the member of staff has e.g. problems at home.
• The Line Manager is better able to deal with day to day problems involving the member of staff e.g. lateness.
• The Line Manager provides a link to HR practices which the employee may not be aware of. For example an employee may be off sick for several weeks and then finds it difficult to come back to work full time following an operation. HR then become involved and allow the employee to gradually come back to work increasing their hours as they feel stronger and able to deal with their work. In cases like this the line manager can help to influence decisions taken by HR as he/she is aware that this employee works hard and does not take time off work due to sickness very often.
• The Line Manager has the technical knowledge of activities and working conditions of staff at local level which HR may not be aware of. For example this can help in a situation whereby the employee wishes to work part and the line manager is aware that this can be accommodated at a local level.
Drawbacks:
• The Line Manager is not a specialist in Human Relations.
• The Line Manager may not be aware of the culture of an organisation.
• The Line Manager may not know of the policies and procedures that the company has in place.
• The management style of the Line Manager may be such that he/she does not refer the member of staff to HR and believes issue can be dealt with at local level. This is so especially if the style of management is too controlling or autocratic.
• The relationship between HR & the Line Manager may not be good which could have negative impact on an individual as their issue may not be referred to HR by the line manager. (L.J Mullins, Management and Organisational Behaviour, 8th Edition 2007). "If HRM function is to be effective there has to be good team work and co-operation and consolidation between the Line Manager and HR Manager.
Skills Line Managers need to develop to effectively manage people:
Front Line Managers exercise strong influence over the level of discretion that an individual has over how they do their job. Line managers need self confidence and a strong sense of their own security within the organisation as this will influence whether or not the line managers can go on to lead high performing teams. The relationship that front line managers experience with their managers and with senior management generally influences their willingness to show discretionary behaviour in their own management activities. Front line managers are likely to display positive behaviour associated with high levels of performance from staff they manage if they feel they have:
1. Good working relationship with their own managers.
2. They are provided with good career opportunities and supported to progress their careers.
3. They experience a positive work-life balance.
4. They are allow to participate and feel involved in decision making.
5. There is an open organisational culture which allows them to air grievances or discuss personal issues.]
6. They are given a sense of job security.
7. They encourage people to be responsible for their own jobs whereas other managers can sometimes be too controlling or autocratic in their behaviour which can stifle the initiative of an individual.
Front Line Managers need to encourage discretionary behaviour from employees that is linked with high performance. This can be done through:
1) Building a good working relationship - If the manager has a good relationship with their staff this will encourage the staff to work harder for the employer and go out of their way to help in times of staff shortages and when projects need to be completed both quickly and efficiently. The manager needs to listen to the needs of their staff as the staff may be asked to complete an order that cannot possibly be finished without taking on additional help. If the manager arranges for additional help then staff are more likely to respond with loyalty and gratitude as they will think that their manager looks after them. The manager must be fair and respond to suggestions. If a manager is not fair to all his staff and does not respond to suggestions that the staff may have to improve productivity, this will cause problems in the workplace in the long term as staff will feel disadvantaged and not listened to. They will be more unlikely to want to work hard to achieve results.
2. Help & Support employees - To take more responsibility for how they do their jobs by coaching and guidance. It is important for the manager to give support to their staff through training & guidance. This helps the organisation in the long term because if staff are equipped to do their jobs well, they are will produce better results. This also make the staff feel that they have some level of responsibility over the work they do and this leads to good staff morale.
3. Build Effective Teams – Managers need to build effective teams and they can only do this through building a good relationship with all members of their team, listen to the needs and concerns of the individuals in that team. Managers need to encourage and support those individuals to reach their own potential as well as helping to achieve the overall targets of the business. A happy team is a productive team.
My line managers at work are developed through training programmes which leads to promotions. Reward systems are in place to motivate the managers to work harder to achieve results for which they receive money. Annual appraisals are carried out to see how further career developments can be achieved i.e. is further training necessary.
After researching the Prospects website for HR jobs, I feel my skills are more suited to role of Line Manager instead of HR manager because I enjoy working with people on a one to one basis. I like helping people which would be good as this helps to build effective teams which is necessary for success. I am good at communicating with people and this is neccessary for a line managers role.
Reference list:
The Role of Front Line Managers in HR [online]. Available from: http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/maneco/general/rolefrntlinemngers.htm [Accessed on 17 April 2010].
Prospects [online]. Available from: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/p!eLaXi [Accessed on 17 April 2010].
(L.J Mullins, Management and Organisational Behaviour, 8th Edition 2007, FT Prentice Hall).
Benefits:
• The Line Manager provides staff with the link to higher management with a view to sorting out issues.
• As the Line Manager deals with the employee on a day to day basis he/she is more closer to own staff so may be aware of issues that the member of staff has e.g. problems at home.
• The Line Manager is better able to deal with day to day problems involving the member of staff e.g. lateness.
• The Line Manager provides a link to HR practices which the employee may not be aware of. For example an employee may be off sick for several weeks and then finds it difficult to come back to work full time following an operation. HR then become involved and allow the employee to gradually come back to work increasing their hours as they feel stronger and able to deal with their work. In cases like this the line manager can help to influence decisions taken by HR as he/she is aware that this employee works hard and does not take time off work due to sickness very often.
• The Line Manager has the technical knowledge of activities and working conditions of staff at local level which HR may not be aware of. For example this can help in a situation whereby the employee wishes to work part and the line manager is aware that this can be accommodated at a local level.
Drawbacks:
• The Line Manager is not a specialist in Human Relations.
• The Line Manager may not be aware of the culture of an organisation.
• The Line Manager may not know of the policies and procedures that the company has in place.
• The management style of the Line Manager may be such that he/she does not refer the member of staff to HR and believes issue can be dealt with at local level. This is so especially if the style of management is too controlling or autocratic.
• The relationship between HR & the Line Manager may not be good which could have negative impact on an individual as their issue may not be referred to HR by the line manager. (L.J Mullins, Management and Organisational Behaviour, 8th Edition 2007). "If HRM function is to be effective there has to be good team work and co-operation and consolidation between the Line Manager and HR Manager.
Skills Line Managers need to develop to effectively manage people:
Front Line Managers exercise strong influence over the level of discretion that an individual has over how they do their job. Line managers need self confidence and a strong sense of their own security within the organisation as this will influence whether or not the line managers can go on to lead high performing teams. The relationship that front line managers experience with their managers and with senior management generally influences their willingness to show discretionary behaviour in their own management activities. Front line managers are likely to display positive behaviour associated with high levels of performance from staff they manage if they feel they have:
1. Good working relationship with their own managers.
2. They are provided with good career opportunities and supported to progress their careers.
3. They experience a positive work-life balance.
4. They are allow to participate and feel involved in decision making.
5. There is an open organisational culture which allows them to air grievances or discuss personal issues.]
6. They are given a sense of job security.
7. They encourage people to be responsible for their own jobs whereas other managers can sometimes be too controlling or autocratic in their behaviour which can stifle the initiative of an individual.
Front Line Managers need to encourage discretionary behaviour from employees that is linked with high performance. This can be done through:
1) Building a good working relationship - If the manager has a good relationship with their staff this will encourage the staff to work harder for the employer and go out of their way to help in times of staff shortages and when projects need to be completed both quickly and efficiently. The manager needs to listen to the needs of their staff as the staff may be asked to complete an order that cannot possibly be finished without taking on additional help. If the manager arranges for additional help then staff are more likely to respond with loyalty and gratitude as they will think that their manager looks after them. The manager must be fair and respond to suggestions. If a manager is not fair to all his staff and does not respond to suggestions that the staff may have to improve productivity, this will cause problems in the workplace in the long term as staff will feel disadvantaged and not listened to. They will be more unlikely to want to work hard to achieve results.
2. Help & Support employees - To take more responsibility for how they do their jobs by coaching and guidance. It is important for the manager to give support to their staff through training & guidance. This helps the organisation in the long term because if staff are equipped to do their jobs well, they are will produce better results. This also make the staff feel that they have some level of responsibility over the work they do and this leads to good staff morale.
3. Build Effective Teams – Managers need to build effective teams and they can only do this through building a good relationship with all members of their team, listen to the needs and concerns of the individuals in that team. Managers need to encourage and support those individuals to reach their own potential as well as helping to achieve the overall targets of the business. A happy team is a productive team.
My line managers at work are developed through training programmes which leads to promotions. Reward systems are in place to motivate the managers to work harder to achieve results for which they receive money. Annual appraisals are carried out to see how further career developments can be achieved i.e. is further training necessary.
After researching the Prospects website for HR jobs, I feel my skills are more suited to role of Line Manager instead of HR manager because I enjoy working with people on a one to one basis. I like helping people which would be good as this helps to build effective teams which is necessary for success. I am good at communicating with people and this is neccessary for a line managers role.
Reference list:
The Role of Front Line Managers in HR [online]. Available from: http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/maneco/general/rolefrntlinemngers.htm [Accessed on 17 April 2010].
Prospects [online]. Available from: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/p!eLaXi [Accessed on 17 April 2010].
(L.J Mullins, Management and Organisational Behaviour, 8th Edition 2007, FT Prentice Hall).
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Teamworking - Week 13
Example of a time when I worked as a team
An example of a time when I have worked in a team and we were successful was the recent organisation and task we carried out at university to help raise money for a chosen charity - Save The Children (Haiti). I feel this team worked successfully to raise money for charity by organising a student night in the S.U and a sponsored walk. This team was successful because the five people involved all knew one another, therefore we did not need to go through all the (Tuckman's 1973) stages of team development. Tuckman 1973 suggested all teams develop through the following stages of Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing. During the forming stage, people are watchful and guarded so this is a testing time. As we were already comfortable with each other we did not need to go through this stage. If we go by Tuckman's theory we also missed out on the third stage of storming because we felt comfortable telling each other what we all had to do to achieve the task, therefore there was no conflict. We went through the stages of norming and performing only. This theory was more relevant to us as a team compared to Belbin's team roles (1993) of Co-ordinator , Shaper, Plant , Teamworker , Implementer , Resource investigator, Monitor , Complete finisher and Specialist. The reasons for this team success was that we all knew one another. We had clear aims and objectives, there were no personality clashes and we communicated well with everyone being co-operative and their was no imbalance of roles. All these things helped to make the team successful.
Review Of Group 1st Assignment For People & Organisations
Going by Tuckman's theory although our group progressed through all of the key stages, we did not spend much time getting to know each other in the forming stage. This did not help the team to be totally successful. When we got together as a group we did not know each other very well. According to Tuckman this stage is know as the time when people gel together. However we did not spend much time on this stage and by the time we got to this storming stage we still did not feel totally comfortable with each other so people did not want to create conflict. In the norming stage we just accepted what each person was going to do to complete the task. This then led to the performing stage.
We were not totally successful as a group because it takes time for teams to develop and we did not spend enough time in the forming and storming stages. Had we done this we would have all communicated better with each other and would not have felt uncomfortable saying what we wanted to say in case we upset someone. Communication is important for any team task and this was another reason why our team was not successful.
Review Of Two Companies From "The Times Top 100 Companies to Work For"
Microsoft IT/internet services - staff at this company say that working in teams gives them a buzz. Team mates go out of their way to help each other, and this company is one of two firms to feature in all 10 of The Sunday Times best companies annual lists. Managers are given a "morale budget" to spend on events and employees say that managers regularly express their appreciation when staff do a good job. This company spends about £1,500 a year on each employee to help in their professional development. Employees think highly of their managers who talk openly and honestly caring about job satisfaction. A mentoring programme encourages staff to learn from each other and flexible working options are available for all staff. All this contributes to the success of the company because 78% of people working for Microsoft enjoy their work and are excited about the future of the company.
Admiral Group - This company believes that people who enjoy what they do, do it better. Admiral employs 2,850 people at offices in Swansea, Cardiff and Newport where they have a dedicated ministry of fun to make work a happy place for its young staff. Each month a department and senior manager are given a budget and asked to come up with ideas such as office golf, pumpkin carving or cake baking competitions. This company achieved a score of 87% for staff having a good time with each other and it ranks 6th in the my team category with employees saying colleagues go out of their way to help them and they feel a sense of family within their team. Managers keep morale high by appreciating their staff and rewarding them with team nights out to celebrate birthdays, good work or just because people fancy going out together. Managers sit alongside their employees. Managers are also open and honest with their staff to help them meet their potential and motivate them to give their best everyday.
Both these companies show that team work is a major contributory factor to their success.
References:
TIMES ONLINE [online]. Available from: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/best_100_companies/ [Accessed 15 April 2010].
Dr Meredith Belbin Team Roles [online]. Available from: http://www.belbin.com/rte.asp?id=5 [Accessed 15 April 2010].
Performing team-development model [online]. Available from: http://www.businessballs.com/tuckmanformingstormingnormingforming.htm [Accessed 15 April 2010].
Tuckman's theory [online]. Available from: www.infed.org/thinkers/tuckman.htm [Accessed 15 April 2010].
An example of a time when I have worked in a team and we were successful was the recent organisation and task we carried out at university to help raise money for a chosen charity - Save The Children (Haiti). I feel this team worked successfully to raise money for charity by organising a student night in the S.U and a sponsored walk. This team was successful because the five people involved all knew one another, therefore we did not need to go through all the (Tuckman's 1973) stages of team development. Tuckman 1973 suggested all teams develop through the following stages of Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing. During the forming stage, people are watchful and guarded so this is a testing time. As we were already comfortable with each other we did not need to go through this stage. If we go by Tuckman's theory we also missed out on the third stage of storming because we felt comfortable telling each other what we all had to do to achieve the task, therefore there was no conflict. We went through the stages of norming and performing only. This theory was more relevant to us as a team compared to Belbin's team roles (1993) of Co-ordinator , Shaper, Plant , Teamworker , Implementer , Resource investigator, Monitor , Complete finisher and Specialist. The reasons for this team success was that we all knew one another. We had clear aims and objectives, there were no personality clashes and we communicated well with everyone being co-operative and their was no imbalance of roles. All these things helped to make the team successful.
Review Of Group 1st Assignment For People & Organisations
Going by Tuckman's theory although our group progressed through all of the key stages, we did not spend much time getting to know each other in the forming stage. This did not help the team to be totally successful. When we got together as a group we did not know each other very well. According to Tuckman this stage is know as the time when people gel together. However we did not spend much time on this stage and by the time we got to this storming stage we still did not feel totally comfortable with each other so people did not want to create conflict. In the norming stage we just accepted what each person was going to do to complete the task. This then led to the performing stage.
We were not totally successful as a group because it takes time for teams to develop and we did not spend enough time in the forming and storming stages. Had we done this we would have all communicated better with each other and would not have felt uncomfortable saying what we wanted to say in case we upset someone. Communication is important for any team task and this was another reason why our team was not successful.
Review Of Two Companies From "The Times Top 100 Companies to Work For"
Microsoft IT/internet services - staff at this company say that working in teams gives them a buzz. Team mates go out of their way to help each other, and this company is one of two firms to feature in all 10 of The Sunday Times best companies annual lists. Managers are given a "morale budget" to spend on events and employees say that managers regularly express their appreciation when staff do a good job. This company spends about £1,500 a year on each employee to help in their professional development. Employees think highly of their managers who talk openly and honestly caring about job satisfaction. A mentoring programme encourages staff to learn from each other and flexible working options are available for all staff. All this contributes to the success of the company because 78% of people working for Microsoft enjoy their work and are excited about the future of the company.
Admiral Group - This company believes that people who enjoy what they do, do it better. Admiral employs 2,850 people at offices in Swansea, Cardiff and Newport where they have a dedicated ministry of fun to make work a happy place for its young staff. Each month a department and senior manager are given a budget and asked to come up with ideas such as office golf, pumpkin carving or cake baking competitions. This company achieved a score of 87% for staff having a good time with each other and it ranks 6th in the my team category with employees saying colleagues go out of their way to help them and they feel a sense of family within their team. Managers keep morale high by appreciating their staff and rewarding them with team nights out to celebrate birthdays, good work or just because people fancy going out together. Managers sit alongside their employees. Managers are also open and honest with their staff to help them meet their potential and motivate them to give their best everyday.
Both these companies show that team work is a major contributory factor to their success.
References:
TIMES ONLINE [online]. Available from: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/career_and_jobs/best_100_companies/ [Accessed 15 April 2010].
Dr Meredith Belbin Team Roles [online]. Available from: http://www.belbin.com/rte.asp?id=5 [Accessed 15 April 2010].
Performing team-development model [online]. Available from: http://www.businessballs.com/tuckmanformingstormingnormingforming.htm [Accessed 15 April 2010].
Tuckman's theory [online]. Available from: www.infed.org/thinkers/tuckman.htm [Accessed 15 April 2010].
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Organisation & Management Theory - Week 11
Many organisation and management theories have been suggested by various theorists. Contingency theory is a behavioural theory that suggests there is no best way to organise a business, to lead a company or to make decisions. Instead the course of action is dependent (contingent) on the internel and external situation. Several contingency approaches were developed in the late 1950s (Joan Woodward 1958) suggested that technology directly influences differences in organisational attributes e.g. span of control, centralisation of authority and the forming of rules and procedures. These theories suggested that (Weber's bureaucracy 1930s) and (Taylor's scientific management 1911) theories had failed because they neglected the fact that management style and organisational structure were influenced by various aspects of the environment i.e. contingency factors. Therefore there is no "one best way" for leadership.
Systems Theory (Fredrick Winslow Taylor 1911) involved the study of human behaviour at work using a systematic approach. Taylor studied human characteristics, social environment, task, physical environment, capacity speed, durability, cost and there interaction with each other. Taylor's overal objective was to remove human variablity and he worked to achieve his goal of making work behaviour predictable so that maximum output could be achieved. Taylor strongly believed that humans are mainly motivated by money so he relied on monetary incentive systems.
Case Study To Demonstrate The Contingency Theory
P&O ferries was one of the top 50 call centres for customer service during 2009. This company thought that they provided good customer service but when they actually listened to calls made to the call centre they realised that they could make more improvements because timing was one of the key service areas measured which needed improvement. As a result the company reviewed and overhauled its IVR system to ensure customers are not kept waiting. The other area they needed improvement on was personalisation of calls. Although the company prided themselves on treating customers as people and not just calls, the results of the benchmarking showed P&O ferries that the interactions were process driven and sounded as if the call centre staff were working from a script. The leadership team have now re-invented their call structure and trained their staff to engage in free flowing conversations with their customers.
This case study relates to the contingency theory put forward by (Joan Woodward 1958) because new rules and procedures were put in place by the leadership team to improve customer satisfaction.
Case study To Demonstrate The Systematic Theory
Specsavers was one of the top 50 call centres for customer service during 2009. This company completely changed its service quality strategy and now measure time to answer calls at different times of the day rather than take a monthly average so that they can provide consistency to their customers. They have also recruited an external agency to give assessments on what sort of service they provide on a regular basis. This systematic theory of Taylor is because they have introduced a new reward scheme awarding a king and queen of service each month based on the way the staff engage and talk to customers.
This case study relates to Taylor's theory because it systematically uses goal setting and rewards to motivate employees.
There are good practices now carried out by both P&O and Specsavers and these companies have improved their customer satisfication in different ways. P&O ferries have invested in training their staff to engage in free flowing conversation with their customers to improve sales and make their customers happy. Specsavers on the other hand have used the reward system of choosing a king and queen of the month based on how their staff also talk and engage their customers. The overall aim is the same for both companies and that is to improve customer satisfaction as well as sales. Happy customers always leads to increase in sales.
The Advantages of Scientific Management
1) Increase in production.
2) Increase in efficiency (in quality & quantity).
3) Improves relationship between employees/employers by creating a friendly environment.
4) Decrease in working hours which leads to decrease in stress improving efficiency.
5) Provides a formal environment & chance to improve social networking.
The Disadvantages of Scientific Management
1) Gives production managers a high level of uncontrolled power.
2) Does not take into account the social context of work and the higher needs of workers.
3) Does not acknowledge the variance between individuals.
4) Tends to regard workers as uninformed.
5) Workers ideas and suggestions are ignored.
Conclusion
Many theories and suggestions have been put forward organisation and management. The general idea is to get the best out of employees and employers use various practices to achieve this. Some employers offer rewards to motivate their staff and others invest in training for their staff to ensure their staff work efficiently and professionally to achieve success for the business.
References:
Contingency Theory [online]. Available from: http://dictionary.bnet.com/definition/contingency+theory.html [Accessed on 11 April 2010].
Scientific Management [online]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_management [Accessed on 11 April 2010].
Frederick Taylor & Scientific Management [online]. Available from: http://www.netmba.com/mgmt/scientific/ [Accessed on 11 April 2010].
Systems Theory (Fredrick Winslow Taylor 1911) involved the study of human behaviour at work using a systematic approach. Taylor studied human characteristics, social environment, task, physical environment, capacity speed, durability, cost and there interaction with each other. Taylor's overal objective was to remove human variablity and he worked to achieve his goal of making work behaviour predictable so that maximum output could be achieved. Taylor strongly believed that humans are mainly motivated by money so he relied on monetary incentive systems.
Case Study To Demonstrate The Contingency Theory
P&O ferries was one of the top 50 call centres for customer service during 2009. This company thought that they provided good customer service but when they actually listened to calls made to the call centre they realised that they could make more improvements because timing was one of the key service areas measured which needed improvement. As a result the company reviewed and overhauled its IVR system to ensure customers are not kept waiting. The other area they needed improvement on was personalisation of calls. Although the company prided themselves on treating customers as people and not just calls, the results of the benchmarking showed P&O ferries that the interactions were process driven and sounded as if the call centre staff were working from a script. The leadership team have now re-invented their call structure and trained their staff to engage in free flowing conversations with their customers.
This case study relates to the contingency theory put forward by (Joan Woodward 1958) because new rules and procedures were put in place by the leadership team to improve customer satisfaction.
Case study To Demonstrate The Systematic Theory
Specsavers was one of the top 50 call centres for customer service during 2009. This company completely changed its service quality strategy and now measure time to answer calls at different times of the day rather than take a monthly average so that they can provide consistency to their customers. They have also recruited an external agency to give assessments on what sort of service they provide on a regular basis. This systematic theory of Taylor is because they have introduced a new reward scheme awarding a king and queen of service each month based on the way the staff engage and talk to customers.
This case study relates to Taylor's theory because it systematically uses goal setting and rewards to motivate employees.
There are good practices now carried out by both P&O and Specsavers and these companies have improved their customer satisfication in different ways. P&O ferries have invested in training their staff to engage in free flowing conversation with their customers to improve sales and make their customers happy. Specsavers on the other hand have used the reward system of choosing a king and queen of the month based on how their staff also talk and engage their customers. The overall aim is the same for both companies and that is to improve customer satisfaction as well as sales. Happy customers always leads to increase in sales.
The Advantages of Scientific Management
1) Increase in production.
2) Increase in efficiency (in quality & quantity).
3) Improves relationship between employees/employers by creating a friendly environment.
4) Decrease in working hours which leads to decrease in stress improving efficiency.
5) Provides a formal environment & chance to improve social networking.
The Disadvantages of Scientific Management
1) Gives production managers a high level of uncontrolled power.
2) Does not take into account the social context of work and the higher needs of workers.
3) Does not acknowledge the variance between individuals.
4) Tends to regard workers as uninformed.
5) Workers ideas and suggestions are ignored.
Conclusion
Many theories and suggestions have been put forward organisation and management. The general idea is to get the best out of employees and employers use various practices to achieve this. Some employers offer rewards to motivate their staff and others invest in training for their staff to ensure their staff work efficiently and professionally to achieve success for the business.
References:
Contingency Theory [online]. Available from: http://dictionary.bnet.com/definition/contingency+theory.html [Accessed on 11 April 2010].
Scientific Management [online]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_management [Accessed on 11 April 2010].
Frederick Taylor & Scientific Management [online]. Available from: http://www.netmba.com/mgmt/scientific/ [Accessed on 11 April 2010].
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Enterprise Week 8
Overview of one of the events attended during Enterprise Week
This event was called “Telling it like it is”, and was held on 16.11.09. This activity lasted one hour during which Bucks gradutes talked about their experiences of working in the marketing communications industry. The graduates explained how this experience related to what they had learned from their degrees. the activity was then followed by question and answer session with existing undergraduates and other members of the audience.
During this event I listened to a panel of graduates share their experiences of University life and how they secured jobs afer graduation. This activity was extremely benefical because it gave me useful tips on how important it was to gain a lot of experience whilst studying as well as the need to get a good degree. This experience is necessary because it helps to strengthen my C.V and help me to find employment in the future because most employers look for experience as well as academic success. The graduates also advised it is good to keep in touch with employers I do work experience with as this can be a useful way to obtain employment. The graduates talked about the need for having a positive attitude and being confident as these skills help through life. The panel of graduates advised the audience to write about the modules we enjoyed most at University and to include these in our C.Vs.
The question and answer session at the end was also useful because it allowed people to ask questions which the graduates were happy to answer.
How this activity influenced my career aspirations
This activity was benefical because it showed me how these graduates had become successful and gained employment after graduation. This has inspired me to keep focused during my studies, get as much work experience as I can as this will help me to get a job and enhance my C.V. It was nice to see that after all the hardwork they had put in to their studies they had done well for themselves. From this experience I have learnt that you have to work hard to succeed and the information the panel gave us was very useful and benefical to me.
This event was called “Telling it like it is”, and was held on 16.11.09. This activity lasted one hour during which Bucks gradutes talked about their experiences of working in the marketing communications industry. The graduates explained how this experience related to what they had learned from their degrees. the activity was then followed by question and answer session with existing undergraduates and other members of the audience.
During this event I listened to a panel of graduates share their experiences of University life and how they secured jobs afer graduation. This activity was extremely benefical because it gave me useful tips on how important it was to gain a lot of experience whilst studying as well as the need to get a good degree. This experience is necessary because it helps to strengthen my C.V and help me to find employment in the future because most employers look for experience as well as academic success. The graduates also advised it is good to keep in touch with employers I do work experience with as this can be a useful way to obtain employment. The graduates talked about the need for having a positive attitude and being confident as these skills help through life. The panel of graduates advised the audience to write about the modules we enjoyed most at University and to include these in our C.Vs.
The question and answer session at the end was also useful because it allowed people to ask questions which the graduates were happy to answer.
How this activity influenced my career aspirations
This activity was benefical because it showed me how these graduates had become successful and gained employment after graduation. This has inspired me to keep focused during my studies, get as much work experience as I can as this will help me to get a job and enhance my C.V. It was nice to see that after all the hardwork they had put in to their studies they had done well for themselves. From this experience I have learnt that you have to work hard to succeed and the information the panel gave us was very useful and benefical to me.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Personality - Week 7
Personality is made up of the characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviours that make a person unique. In addition to this personality arises from within an individual and remains fairly consistant throughout life.
There has been much debate on whether personality is inherited (nature debate) or developed because of environmental conditions (nurture debate). Some scientists believe that people behave according to their genetic make-up or even animal instincts. This is known as the "nature" theory of human behaviour. Other scientists believe that people think and behave in certain ways because they are taught to do so. This is known as the "nuture" theory of human behaviour.
The differences between nature vs nuture are that nature gives us in born abilities and nuture takes these genetic tendencies and molds them as we learn and grow. Nature theorists believe that an individuals DNA includes traits such as eye colour and hair colour as well as abstract traits like intelligence, aggression etc. However nurture theorists, while not discounting genetic tendencies like eye colour etc, believe they do not ultimately matter because our behavioural aspects are learned from environmental factors of our up bringing.
The "nomothetic" and "idiographic" approaches to the study of personality are as follows:
Nomothetic approach - involves psychologists being mainly concerned with studying what we share with others. Two examples of this approach are(Raymond Cattell's 16PF trait theory 1940s) & (Hans Eyesenck's type theory 1950s). This psychometric approach compares an individual's personality in terms of traits or dimensions common to everyone.
Idiographic approach - involves psychologists being interested in the aspect of experience to discover what makes each one of us unique. Psychologists such as (George Kelly 1995) who developed the repertory grid technique and (Carl Rodgers 1951) who made great use of a procedure called the Q-sort believed that there are as many different personalities as there are people.
The differences between "nomothetic" and "idiographic" approaches is not just about what the psychologist wants to discover but also about the methods used. Experiments, psychometric testing and other quantitative methods are favoured from a nomothethic point of view whereas case studies, informal interviews and unstructured observations are methods favoured by the idiographic view. Behavioural, cognitive and biological theorists focus on discovering laws or establishing generalisation (nomothethic approach), and humanistic theorists focus on an individual and what makes each one of us unique (idiographic approach).
Summary of my views on whether Nature or Nuture is the dominant influence
In my view it is difficult to see whether nature or nurture is the dominant influence in how someone behaves. It is probably a combination of both these influences as these theories suggest. This is because whilst someone may inherit certain features which can be linked to their DNA e.g. colour of hair and eyes, other factors such as their up bringing and experience must also have some impact on their personality. Although we are born with characteristics inherited from our parents our personality is also made up from our experiences as we grow.
Summary of findings about my own personality
Mindframes personality test - this showed the mindframes in my comfort zone to be: order, sociability, proactivity and insight. As I tend to use a mind frames in my comfort zone more this strongly influences my behaviour. When I use the mindframes in my comfort zone anything I do will be done well. To build on this I need to be aware when I am operating in my comfort zone. I also need to push myself to a higher level of performance when I work in one of my comfortable mindframes. This test also showed that I am less likely to logic, control, charisma and sensitivity. To help myself I need to "stretch" myself on tasks that take me out of my comfort zone. To do this I can make an effort to get along with people who favour mindframes that I dont.
The Big Personality Test - In this test personality is measured by key traits:
Openess - This trait is known as "openess to experience". I scored 3.4 out of 5 which is low. This indicates I have a less broad range of interests and generating ideas is not my biggest strength.
Conscientiousness - This trait is describes how organised and hardworking a person is likely to be. I scored 3.7 out of 5 which is medium. This indicated that I enjoy planning aspects of my life but I am unlikely to behave spontaneously.
Extroversion - This trait relates to risk taking activities. I scored 3.6 out of 5 which is high. This high score indicates I am quick to form new friendships and have the capacity for leadership.
Agreeableness - This trait measures how considerate a person is likely to be. I scored 3.4 out of 5 which is medium. This indicates I am inclined to help others but will also speak my mind.
Neuroticism - This trait relates to a person's response to stresful situations. I scored 3.1 out of 5 which is high. This indicates that I may feel anxious and experience changing moods.
Comparsion of both personality tests
Both tests I took part in showed some aspects of my personality. The Mindframes test did not go into too much depth to explain my personality, although it indicated that I am at my best when I am in my comfort zone. This is some what true because I prefer order, am proactive and am a sociable person. The Big Personality test was better because the results were explained fully and the scores I obtained were good indicators of my personality, although some of the questions were a bit personal. I would agree with the findings of both these tests because they are fairly accurate and describe my personality well.
I would not be happy with such tests being used as a selection tool. This is because someone can respond to the questions being asked, not honestly, but how they think the business would want them answered in a positive way. If this happens the results may not be a good indication of that person's personality although the business may think that person is good for the job.
Conclusion
In conclusion there are many aspects to personality and it is a complex matter. An individual can inherit some characteristics from their DNA and parents, but how they are brought up and their experiences also have some effect on their personality. A lot of companies now use personality tests when they recruit new staff and while these are good indicators of a person's personality they do not give a full picture of that person.
Reference list:
Psychological Debate [online]. Available from: http://www.simplypsychology.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/nomothetic-idiographic.html [Accessed on 06 April 2010].
Nature Vs Nuture [online]. Available from: http://genealogy.about.com/cs/geneticgenealogy/a/nature_nurture_2.htm [Accessed on 06April 2010].
What is personality? [online]. Available from: http://psychology.about.com/od/overviewofpersonality/a/persondef.htm [Accessed on 06 April 2010].
Raymond Cattell's 16 personality factors [online]. Available from: http://en.allexperts.com/e/0/16_personality_factors.htm [Accessed on 06 April 2010].
Mindframes personality test [online]. Available from: http://www.initforlife.com/home/tm.asp [Accessed on 07 April 2010].
The Big Personality Test [online]. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/labuk/experiments/personality [Accessed 07 April 2010].
There has been much debate on whether personality is inherited (nature debate) or developed because of environmental conditions (nurture debate). Some scientists believe that people behave according to their genetic make-up or even animal instincts. This is known as the "nature" theory of human behaviour. Other scientists believe that people think and behave in certain ways because they are taught to do so. This is known as the "nuture" theory of human behaviour.
The differences between nature vs nuture are that nature gives us in born abilities and nuture takes these genetic tendencies and molds them as we learn and grow. Nature theorists believe that an individuals DNA includes traits such as eye colour and hair colour as well as abstract traits like intelligence, aggression etc. However nurture theorists, while not discounting genetic tendencies like eye colour etc, believe they do not ultimately matter because our behavioural aspects are learned from environmental factors of our up bringing.
The "nomothetic" and "idiographic" approaches to the study of personality are as follows:
Nomothetic approach - involves psychologists being mainly concerned with studying what we share with others. Two examples of this approach are(Raymond Cattell's 16PF trait theory 1940s) & (Hans Eyesenck's type theory 1950s). This psychometric approach compares an individual's personality in terms of traits or dimensions common to everyone.
Idiographic approach - involves psychologists being interested in the aspect of experience to discover what makes each one of us unique. Psychologists such as (George Kelly 1995) who developed the repertory grid technique and (Carl Rodgers 1951) who made great use of a procedure called the Q-sort believed that there are as many different personalities as there are people.
The differences between "nomothetic" and "idiographic" approaches is not just about what the psychologist wants to discover but also about the methods used. Experiments, psychometric testing and other quantitative methods are favoured from a nomothethic point of view whereas case studies, informal interviews and unstructured observations are methods favoured by the idiographic view. Behavioural, cognitive and biological theorists focus on discovering laws or establishing generalisation (nomothethic approach), and humanistic theorists focus on an individual and what makes each one of us unique (idiographic approach).
Summary of my views on whether Nature or Nuture is the dominant influence
In my view it is difficult to see whether nature or nurture is the dominant influence in how someone behaves. It is probably a combination of both these influences as these theories suggest. This is because whilst someone may inherit certain features which can be linked to their DNA e.g. colour of hair and eyes, other factors such as their up bringing and experience must also have some impact on their personality. Although we are born with characteristics inherited from our parents our personality is also made up from our experiences as we grow.
Summary of findings about my own personality
Mindframes personality test - this showed the mindframes in my comfort zone to be: order, sociability, proactivity and insight. As I tend to use a mind frames in my comfort zone more this strongly influences my behaviour. When I use the mindframes in my comfort zone anything I do will be done well. To build on this I need to be aware when I am operating in my comfort zone. I also need to push myself to a higher level of performance when I work in one of my comfortable mindframes. This test also showed that I am less likely to logic, control, charisma and sensitivity. To help myself I need to "stretch" myself on tasks that take me out of my comfort zone. To do this I can make an effort to get along with people who favour mindframes that I dont.
The Big Personality Test - In this test personality is measured by key traits:
Openess - This trait is known as "openess to experience". I scored 3.4 out of 5 which is low. This indicates I have a less broad range of interests and generating ideas is not my biggest strength.
Conscientiousness - This trait is describes how organised and hardworking a person is likely to be. I scored 3.7 out of 5 which is medium. This indicated that I enjoy planning aspects of my life but I am unlikely to behave spontaneously.
Extroversion - This trait relates to risk taking activities. I scored 3.6 out of 5 which is high. This high score indicates I am quick to form new friendships and have the capacity for leadership.
Agreeableness - This trait measures how considerate a person is likely to be. I scored 3.4 out of 5 which is medium. This indicates I am inclined to help others but will also speak my mind.
Neuroticism - This trait relates to a person's response to stresful situations. I scored 3.1 out of 5 which is high. This indicates that I may feel anxious and experience changing moods.
Comparsion of both personality tests
Both tests I took part in showed some aspects of my personality. The Mindframes test did not go into too much depth to explain my personality, although it indicated that I am at my best when I am in my comfort zone. This is some what true because I prefer order, am proactive and am a sociable person. The Big Personality test was better because the results were explained fully and the scores I obtained were good indicators of my personality, although some of the questions were a bit personal. I would agree with the findings of both these tests because they are fairly accurate and describe my personality well.
I would not be happy with such tests being used as a selection tool. This is because someone can respond to the questions being asked, not honestly, but how they think the business would want them answered in a positive way. If this happens the results may not be a good indication of that person's personality although the business may think that person is good for the job.
Conclusion
In conclusion there are many aspects to personality and it is a complex matter. An individual can inherit some characteristics from their DNA and parents, but how they are brought up and their experiences also have some effect on their personality. A lot of companies now use personality tests when they recruit new staff and while these are good indicators of a person's personality they do not give a full picture of that person.
Reference list:
Psychological Debate [online]. Available from: http://www.simplypsychology.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/nomothetic-idiographic.html [Accessed on 06 April 2010].
Nature Vs Nuture [online]. Available from: http://genealogy.about.com/cs/geneticgenealogy/a/nature_nurture_2.htm [Accessed on 06April 2010].
What is personality? [online]. Available from: http://psychology.about.com/od/overviewofpersonality/a/persondef.htm [Accessed on 06 April 2010].
Raymond Cattell's 16 personality factors [online]. Available from: http://en.allexperts.com/e/0/16_personality_factors.htm [Accessed on 06 April 2010].
Mindframes personality test [online]. Available from: http://www.initforlife.com/home/tm.asp [Accessed on 07 April 2010].
The Big Personality Test [online]. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/labuk/experiments/personality [Accessed 07 April 2010].
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Power & Conflict In Organisations - Week 6
Definition of conflict
Conflict is more than a simple disagreement. Conflict is a situation in which people perceive a threat (physical, emotional, power, status etc) to their wellbeing. Conflict is normal in organisations because it provides opportunity for growth through improved understanding but conflict is often seen to be a negative experience. Within the definition of conflict the following needs to be taken into account:
Disagreement – Happens when there are some differences in the positions of the parties involved in the conflict. However, the actual disagreement compared to the perceived disagreement may be very different from each other. Conflict is often accompanied by misunderstandings that make the perceived disagreement worse.
Parties Involved – The people involved in the conflict tend to respond on the basis of their perceptions of the situation rather than an objective view of it. Therefore people portray their perceptions and reactions through their values, cultural beliefs, information, experience, etc. Conflict responses are filled with ideas and feelings that can be very strong and are guides to how we see possible solutions.
Perceived Threat – People tend to respond to the perceived threat instead of the true threat that is facing them. While the perception may not become reality, people’s behaviours, feelings and responses are modified by the sense of threat they confront.
Needs, Interest or Concerns – These can be narrowly defined but workplace conflicts are more complex as they involve relationships with emotional components. Conflicts contain substantive, procedural and psychological factors which have to be negotiated so that conflict can be resolved.
There are many views and theories on workplace conflict:
• Unitarist view – assumes that everyone in the organisation has the same interest, therefore people are prepared to accept the goals of management without question. This view assumes that the causes of conflict is because of communication failure (Johnson 2005).
• Pluralist view – assumes organisations are made up of many groups with separate interests so conflict is inevitable. Conflict will usually occur between unions and management but can also happen between different departments. This view suggests that within organisations compromise and negotiations are necessary. The role of management is to keep a balance between different departments.
• Radical view – assumes the workplace to be an area of conflict between management and workers. Management are seen as controllers and workers are seen as being exploited. The radical view is that conflict cannot be solved through techniques such as good communication.
Group conflict I have been part of
I have been part of a football team where there has been conflict within the group which has not allowed the team to achieve its purpose of winning a football tournament. One of the players in our squad would not play as part of the team and tried to keep possession of the ball. The other team members felt he was letting everybody down by doing this and not playing properly allowing everyone the opportunity to play well. We tried to communicate with him but this had little impact on him and we did not win the tournament because he was not prepared to listen.
Different sources of power:
Power is the capacity that one person has to influence the behaviour of another into doing something they would not otherwise do. However the misuse of power can also create conflict. The different sources of power are:
•Coercive Power - This involves forcing someone to do something that they do not want to do. The main goal of coercion is compliance. (French & Raven-1959). This type of power can lead to problems because it involves abuse. This type of leader will rely on the use of threats and tell someone they will be fired or demoted if they do not do what they have been told to do. An example of this type of leadership power is Adolf Hitler who forced people to carry out his demands.
•Reward Power – This is based on the idea that as a society we are more prone to do things and to do them well when we are getting something out of it.(Molm 1988) focus on the idea of reward power. This involves offering raises promotions and simply compliments. The problem with this type of power is that if rewards are given too frequently, they need to be bigger each time otherwise the impact on staff to get things done can be reduced. Most big companies offer some sort of rewards to employees as a way to get the best out of that employee. These rewards can be in the form of shares, discounts and bonuses.
•Expert Power – This type of power involves the ability to pass on knowledge and expertise to someone else (French & Raven 1959). Leaders who possess this type of power are able to carry out various tasks and other employees will trust and respect this type of leader. An example of this type of leader is Baraka Obama United States of America President who is respected by many people.
•Legitimate Power – This type of power involves the ability to make another person feel obligated (Hinkin & Schriesheim 1989). Legitimate power is based on one’s role therefore people are obeying the person holding this power based on their title rather than the person as a leader. An example of this is Queen Elizabeth II.
•Referent Power – This type of power involves the ability to obtain another person’s acceptance or personal approval (Hinkin & Schriesheim 1989). A person with this type of power generally makes people around them feel good and therefore has a lot of influence. Celebrities have this type of power in society and an example of this is Cheryl Cole who is liked by the public and is seen as a good role model (Raven 1988).
Strategies used by organisations to overcome conflict at work involve
Human resource management policies and procedures such as equal pay and opportunitites etc.
Ensure good communications, consultations and involvement in decision making.
Clarify goals and objectives and ensure everyone is clear as to what is expected of them in their job.
Ensure that employees have the chance to air their grievances by having grievance policy and procedures in place.
Ensure that there is a disciplinary procedure which everyone is aware of.
Conflict situation witnessed recently
There has been a recent conflict situation involving British Airways cabin crew who have carried out strike action because of changes management have suggested. The management view is that changes are necessary because of the recession but some members of staff have decided to protest about these changes. The strategy used to try and resolve the conflict was that the cabin crew went on strike. This was affective to some degree as the airline was not able to maintain a full service during the strike losing the company about £100 million. The other strategies that could have been used would be communication and consultation so that staff are aware of the long term problems that face the company.
Conclusion
In conclusion there will always be conflict within the workplace. If the companies are able to avoid conflict by treating their employees fairly there will be less conflict and this will make the business successful.
Reference list:
Managing Conflict [online]. Available from: http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/kyw/brochures/manageconflict.html [Accessed 10 March 2010].
Conflict [online]. Available from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict [Accessed 15 March 2010].
French and Raven's Five Bases of Power [online]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_&_Raven's_Five_bases_of_Power [Accessed 23 March 2010].
Conflict Management [online]. Available from: http://www.etu.org.za/toolbox/docs/building/conflict.html [Accessed 25 March 2010].
Conflict is more than a simple disagreement. Conflict is a situation in which people perceive a threat (physical, emotional, power, status etc) to their wellbeing. Conflict is normal in organisations because it provides opportunity for growth through improved understanding but conflict is often seen to be a negative experience. Within the definition of conflict the following needs to be taken into account:
Disagreement – Happens when there are some differences in the positions of the parties involved in the conflict. However, the actual disagreement compared to the perceived disagreement may be very different from each other. Conflict is often accompanied by misunderstandings that make the perceived disagreement worse.
Parties Involved – The people involved in the conflict tend to respond on the basis of their perceptions of the situation rather than an objective view of it. Therefore people portray their perceptions and reactions through their values, cultural beliefs, information, experience, etc. Conflict responses are filled with ideas and feelings that can be very strong and are guides to how we see possible solutions.
Perceived Threat – People tend to respond to the perceived threat instead of the true threat that is facing them. While the perception may not become reality, people’s behaviours, feelings and responses are modified by the sense of threat they confront.
Needs, Interest or Concerns – These can be narrowly defined but workplace conflicts are more complex as they involve relationships with emotional components. Conflicts contain substantive, procedural and psychological factors which have to be negotiated so that conflict can be resolved.
There are many views and theories on workplace conflict:
• Unitarist view – assumes that everyone in the organisation has the same interest, therefore people are prepared to accept the goals of management without question. This view assumes that the causes of conflict is because of communication failure (Johnson 2005).
• Pluralist view – assumes organisations are made up of many groups with separate interests so conflict is inevitable. Conflict will usually occur between unions and management but can also happen between different departments. This view suggests that within organisations compromise and negotiations are necessary. The role of management is to keep a balance between different departments.
• Radical view – assumes the workplace to be an area of conflict between management and workers. Management are seen as controllers and workers are seen as being exploited. The radical view is that conflict cannot be solved through techniques such as good communication.
Group conflict I have been part of
I have been part of a football team where there has been conflict within the group which has not allowed the team to achieve its purpose of winning a football tournament. One of the players in our squad would not play as part of the team and tried to keep possession of the ball. The other team members felt he was letting everybody down by doing this and not playing properly allowing everyone the opportunity to play well. We tried to communicate with him but this had little impact on him and we did not win the tournament because he was not prepared to listen.
Different sources of power:
Power is the capacity that one person has to influence the behaviour of another into doing something they would not otherwise do. However the misuse of power can also create conflict. The different sources of power are:
•Coercive Power - This involves forcing someone to do something that they do not want to do. The main goal of coercion is compliance. (French & Raven-1959). This type of power can lead to problems because it involves abuse. This type of leader will rely on the use of threats and tell someone they will be fired or demoted if they do not do what they have been told to do. An example of this type of leadership power is Adolf Hitler who forced people to carry out his demands.
•Reward Power – This is based on the idea that as a society we are more prone to do things and to do them well when we are getting something out of it.(Molm 1988) focus on the idea of reward power. This involves offering raises promotions and simply compliments. The problem with this type of power is that if rewards are given too frequently, they need to be bigger each time otherwise the impact on staff to get things done can be reduced. Most big companies offer some sort of rewards to employees as a way to get the best out of that employee. These rewards can be in the form of shares, discounts and bonuses.
•Expert Power – This type of power involves the ability to pass on knowledge and expertise to someone else (French & Raven 1959). Leaders who possess this type of power are able to carry out various tasks and other employees will trust and respect this type of leader. An example of this type of leader is Baraka Obama United States of America President who is respected by many people.
•Legitimate Power – This type of power involves the ability to make another person feel obligated (Hinkin & Schriesheim 1989). Legitimate power is based on one’s role therefore people are obeying the person holding this power based on their title rather than the person as a leader. An example of this is Queen Elizabeth II.
•Referent Power – This type of power involves the ability to obtain another person’s acceptance or personal approval (Hinkin & Schriesheim 1989). A person with this type of power generally makes people around them feel good and therefore has a lot of influence. Celebrities have this type of power in society and an example of this is Cheryl Cole who is liked by the public and is seen as a good role model (Raven 1988).
Strategies used by organisations to overcome conflict at work involve
Human resource management policies and procedures such as equal pay and opportunitites etc.
Ensure good communications, consultations and involvement in decision making.
Clarify goals and objectives and ensure everyone is clear as to what is expected of them in their job.
Ensure that employees have the chance to air their grievances by having grievance policy and procedures in place.
Ensure that there is a disciplinary procedure which everyone is aware of.
Conflict situation witnessed recently
There has been a recent conflict situation involving British Airways cabin crew who have carried out strike action because of changes management have suggested. The management view is that changes are necessary because of the recession but some members of staff have decided to protest about these changes. The strategy used to try and resolve the conflict was that the cabin crew went on strike. This was affective to some degree as the airline was not able to maintain a full service during the strike losing the company about £100 million. The other strategies that could have been used would be communication and consultation so that staff are aware of the long term problems that face the company.
Conclusion
In conclusion there will always be conflict within the workplace. If the companies are able to avoid conflict by treating their employees fairly there will be less conflict and this will make the business successful.
Reference list:
Managing Conflict [online]. Available from: http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/kyw/brochures/manageconflict.html [Accessed 10 March 2010].
Conflict [online]. Available from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict [Accessed 15 March 2010].
French and Raven's Five Bases of Power [online]. Available from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_&_Raven's_Five_bases_of_Power [Accessed 23 March 2010].
Conflict Management [online]. Available from: http://www.etu.org.za/toolbox/docs/building/conflict.html [Accessed 25 March 2010].
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