The title of this section, calls for topic that is certainly complex. As we hear the word behavior, we immediately think of the human one for default, and this is not for free. The individual, smallest part of our society is the one who inspire lots academic research to define and try to explain why things happen, and creating models for make phenomenon a little bit less uncertain. Thus, several kind of sciences have intervened in studies of this field, from the smallest to de biggest units that make part of it, Psychology, Sociology, Engineering, Anthropology, Management and even Medicine, have made their inputs to the topic through the time.
The Concept of Organizational Behavior, make us realize how wide the results of individuals’ interactions within certain environment, as mentioned in the book Organizational Behavior: Science, The Real World and You “Organizational behavior is individual behavior and group dynamics in organizations”. And the Book “UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR”, they go from up to down in their definition, getting into the core of the concept: An organization is defined as a collection of people who work together to achieve a wide variety of goals. Organizational behavior is defined as the actions and attitudes of people in organizations. Then they mention exactly what make this concept so complex: …the field of organizational behavior covers the body of knowledge derived from these actions and attitudes. The important thing to know about this field, is how important it is to define this complexity in order to help managers understand their organizations, “identifies problems, determine the best ways to correct them, and establish whether the changes would make a significant difference”.
Even though, recognizing that Organizations are units and have their limits that make them different from others, the study of how Organizational Behavior works does not stops in there, it is highly complex not only because all the individual worlds that up an organization, but for the interaction that those ones have with external world and those other external factors that make influence this behavior. Over time, the organizations tend to develop characteristics that can differentiate them from other organizations. Structures can be similar, but the activities, goals, the internal interactions, the ways of coordinate, differ from one to another, and all this points start defining specific organizations, becoming patterns of behavior, or a culture. This introduces us to the Organizational Culture concept which refers to the norms and goals of a group. Culture, another wide definition is known as “shared values, understandings, and goals that are learned from earlier generations, imposed by present members of a society, and passed on to succeeding generations (…)subconsciously guide and control certain norms of behavior” (Deresky 2008). But in this case, the Culture can be more specifically defined as the assumptions, beliefs and resultant behaviors leaders invent or discover to solve problems in the external and internal environment and which they teach new members as the correct way of perceiving, thinking and acting to solving problems (Shein, 1990). As the Organization is interacting continuously with an external environment, unconditionally needs of de development of this identity, that permits not only the internal integration of its members, but also help the organization to fit and adapt to the external environment. The last assumption makes the whole Organization dynamic, face with a lot of important challenges: 1. Being internally consistent and 2 .Adapting to Globalization and Diversity in a highly Competitive environment.
Corporate Culture is necessary, change it: Mandatory!
The Organizations, as groups of individuals following a common organizational goal, have daily interactions, which give as results certain ways of behaviors and performance. Those daily interactions tend to become patterns, models of do the activities, noticeable or not for the individuals, they start to create a community with rules and customs beyond the established ones. This starts with the early imposition of rules, from the moment you become part of the organization, totally necessary for make individuals an actual part of those that goes in the same flow to lead in the same river. That is why the managers have to establish a Corporate Culture and its principals, and not only made them compulsory, but also watch that those are run all the way through the business. Having clear the values and beliefs, and make the whole organization internalized them, is sort of a key to a successful business. This can be also seen as a match of resources (Knowledge and labor) that make the business suit with the environment and comply the objectives. It is almost mandatory settle down the rules then, but it is spontaneous that the written rules and the culture generated from those help to reach the goal. Thus, a group that generates certain behaviors and customs under the same rules, then to characterize their organizations tend to define what makes it different as a group. Modifications of those attitudes are in order of fulfilling the same demands, for example from the clients, and there is voluntary progressive change of the organizations to fit with the requirements of the environment. Those changes are nothing but complex, time-consuming and stressful. Why?, A group of employees working on the same rules during long periods of time, following some established goals, create their ways of doing thing, and get use to this generated tendencies of perform their activities, that requires time, so does adopting new ways of following the organization goals, and even more if organization is talking about change the direction of those goals. We can conclude, that is there is a Corporate Culture that is accompanied by the individuals’ culture that follow it, and that is possible to change but it actually takes a lot of work, knowing that making the organization to follow a Corporate Culture is already a complex activity, but the willing to make the change comes from the willing to fit in the environment and then, to remain in time. Totally difficult, but totally required!
Business implications of Cultural Difference:
1. Collectivism in Latinamerica:
The employees of a transportation company have not received their salary as it was established in their contracts, and the same happened with the promised benefits. These employees were providing their services to an North American Company (settled in Latinamerica, only with Northamerican employees), and the Contracting Company argues that, the client is the one that is not complying their part of the agreement. As there is a huge contract in the middle, it is harmful for both parts to stop working together, If the drivers stop providing their services to the American Company, they may lose a lot of their merchandise and money, putting and risk the finances of the company, hence, the wealth fare of its employees. But if the drives stop transporting, they may stop to receive the already little payment that they earn. So, they time the parts start to confront, There is always the complete fleet of drivers involved directly in the negotiation and the American Company, only sends two representatives for the interest of the whole company, and their other direct employees that might get affected in their interest, are not present in the negotiations.
2 . Mascunilty vs Femininity
A company from UK sends a representative to a company in Sweden. The UK representative visits the company in Sweden, with the purpose of establish strategic relationships in order to make a future project together. The UK representative is received by the representative of the Sweden company, who teach him the whole company structure, and emphasis the importance of the company for take decision that match the wealth fare of every employee working for them. While they were talking about the benefits that both companies can obtain if they get involved in the shared project, the representative of the Sweden Company, realizes that the other representative is putting more effort in obtain rewards and benefits for its own professional career than for its whole company.
Watch Costco Case Study: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Xn9-6F7b0o
References:
Michael Beer, Hardvard University, Organizational Behavior and Development
Understanding and Managing Organizational Behavior, Delta Publishing Company, 2006
Asim Khan, CEO, 2005, Business Management Group, Inc. “Matching People with Organizational Culture”
Charlie Connolly, 2008. Organizational Culture: Is it a Plus or a Minus in Your Organization?
Eduardo Bustos Farias, University of London, Lecture: What is Organizational Behavior
T Ashraf, EBooks, Organizational Behavior, Chapter 14
Nelson, D.L. & Quick, J.C. 2010. Organizational Behavior: Science, The Real World and You. South-Western College Publication, 7th. Ed. Chapter 1.
W. Jack Duncan, Organizational Behavior, HR Folks International
http://www.geert-hofstede.com/
Mead, Richard. 2004. International Management: Cross-Cultural Dimensions London: Blackwell Publishing. Chapter 1.
Nick B. Meyer "Dealing with Cultural Differences" Conference
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