Assignment #1 5569 (FSK)

ALLAMA IQBALOPENUNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD(Commonwealth MBA/MPA Programme)

Course: Management & Organization (5569)Semester: Spring, 2014Level: COL MBA/MPA ProgrammeTotal Marks: 100

ASSIGNMENT No. 1

by

FAISAL SAFDAR KHANROLL NO. AW565146

Q.1Perception can influence employee performance in organizations. Link the two stated attributes and support the statement with examples. (20)

AnswerPERCEPTIONWe, humans, attach meanings, interpretations and values to our actions. What we do in the world depends on how we understand our place in it, depends on how we perceive ourselves and our social and physic al environment, depends on how we perceive our circumstances. We explain behaviour with terms like `reason, `motive', `intention', `purpose', `desire' and so on.Each one of us perceive the world around us in different ways. It is our personal perception of that reality which shapes and directs our behaviour, and some `objective' understanding of external reality. For example, if one person on a hillside perceives that it is cold, he will reach for his sweater. On the other hand, if the person standing next to him perceives that it is warm, he will remove his sweater. These contrasting behaviours can be witnessed happening at the same time, regardless of the actual ambient temperature as measured by a thermometer. Another example would be the universal assumption made by managers that subordinates always want promotion when, in-fact, many subordinates really psychologically forced to accept a promotion. Managers seldom attempt to find out and sometimes subordinates themselves do not know, whether promotion should be offered. In other words, the perceptual world of the manager is quite different from the perceptual world of the subordinates and both may be different from reality.Thus, it is clear that human behaviour is a function of the way in which we perceive the world around us, and how we perceive other people and-events in that world. We often find ourselves unable to understand other people's behaviour. To understand each other's behaviour, we need to be able to understand each others perceptions. First of all, we need to be able to understand why we perceive things differently.

Q.2Groupthink is never healthy for organizational development. Explain with the help of examples. (20) GROUPTHINKGroupthink strives toward achieving consensus within groups by minimizing conflict. In an environment of groupthink, minimizing conflict becomes the primary goal rather than producing concrete results or achieving true consensus.Groupthink often results when a company becomes ingrained in its thinking. In such cases, drastic measures are necessary to break the grip of groupthink.

Q.3Select an FMCG and analyze its decision making models in detail.(20)

Q.4Transformational Leadership can introduce Ethical behaviour your organization, explain focusing on your organization of work.(20)

TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIPTransformational leadership is defined as a leadership approach that causes change in individuals and social systems. Ideally, it creates valuable and positive change in the followers with the end goal of developing followers into leaders. Transformational leadership enhances the motivation, morale and performance of followers through a variety of mechanisms. These include connecting the follower's sense of identity and self to the mission and the collective identity of the organization; being a role model for followers that inspires them; challenging followers to take greater ownership for their work, and understanding the strengths and weaknesses of followers, so the leader can align followers with tasks that optimize their performance.The interests of the organization and its members need to be aligned. Such is a task for the transformational leader. In contrast to the transactional leader who practises contingent reinforcement of followers, the transformational leader inspires, intellectually stimulates, and is individually considerate of them. Transformational leadership may be directive or participative. Requiring higher moral development, transformational leadership is recognized universally as a concept. Furthermore, contrary to earlier expectations, women leaders tend to be more transformational than their male counterparts. Although a six-factor model of transformational/ transactional leadership best fits a diversity of samples according to confirmatory factor analyses, whether fewer factors are necessary remains an open question.

Q.5Process Re-engineering can result in organizational optimization; support this statement with real life examples. (20)

ANSWER

PROCESS RE-ENGINEERINGIndividual processes are combined to gain efficiencies and productivity. Workers are allowed to make decisions on the spot to eliminate process roadblocks and increase speed to market. Not only is this beneficial for overall business performance, it can also increase employee satisfaction and loyalty. Employees can expand their skill and knowledge into other areas, and have the ability to make decisions that affect their individual performance.Process Reengineering is not reorganizing, restructuring, downsizing, automation or cost cutting. All of these things may be a result of a well thought out, well planned and well-executed reengineering project. However, the individual goals listed should not be the sole reason for a company to choose to do a process reengineering effort (Carr and Johansson, 1995).Process re-engineering is an approach at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of business processes that exist within and across organisations.The key to process re-engineering is for organisations to look at their business processes from aclean slateperspective and determine the most efficient set of processes to improve how they conduct business.Analysing the requirements for a piece of computer software is an ideal opportunity to perform process re-engineering. There are many companies that mould themselves around their software rather than designing the software to move their company forwards.It may appear that process reengineering could be the solution to many of the performance issues facing businesses today, however, it's time for a reality check.

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