Foundations Of Individual Behaviour

Evneet kaurM.Com(E-Com)Sem III

Contents

AbilityTypes of AbilityThe Ability-Job FitModels of ManMars Model of Individual BehaviourCase StudyConclusion References

Ability

The capacity of an individual to perform the various tasks associated with a job.

Types of ability Physical Ability

The capacity to do tasks demanding stamina, dexterity,

strength, and similar characteristics.

Intellectual AbilityAbility to perform the mental

activity

Nine Physical Abilities

Strength Factors1.Dynamic strength2.Trunk strength3. Static strength4. Explosive strength

Other Factors7.Body coordination8.Balance9Stamina

Flexibility Factors5.Extent flexibility6.Dynamic flexibility

Nine Basic Physical AbilitiesStrength Factors

1. Dynamic strength Ability to exert muscular force repeatedly or continuously over time

2. Trunk strength Ability to exert muscle strength using the trunk (particularly abdominal) muscles

3. Static strength Ability to exert force against external objects

4. Explosive strength Ability to expend a maximum of energy in one or a series of explosive acts

Flexibility Factors

5. Extent flexibility Ability to move the trunk and back muscles as far as possible

6. Dynamic flexibility Ability to make rapid, repeated flexing movements

Other Factors

7. Body coordination Ability to coordinate the simultaneous actions of different parts of the body

8. Balance Ability to maintain equilibrium despite forces pulling off balance

9. Stamina Ability to continue maximum effort requiring prolonged effort over time

Source: http://www.angelfire.com/ak6/organizational_behav/lecture2.pdf

INTELLECTUAL ABILITIES

Dimensions of Intellectual Ability

Dimension Description Job ExampleNumber aptitude Ability to do speedy and accurate

arithmeticAccountant: computing the sales tax on a set of items

Verbal comprehension Ability to understand what is read or heard and the relationship of words to each other

Plant manager: following corporate policies on hiring

Perceptual speed Ability to identify visual similarities and differences quickly and accurately

Investigator: identifying clues to support a investigation

Inductive reasoning Ability to identify a logical sequence in a problem and then solve the problem

Market researcher: forecasting demand for a product in the next time period

Deductive reasoning Ability to use logic and assess the implications of an argument

Supervisor: choosing between two different suggestions offered by employees

Spatial visualization Ability to imagine how an object would look if its position is space were changed

Interior decorator: redecorating an office

Memory Ability to retain and recall past experiences

Salesperson: remembering the names of customers

Source: http://www.angelfire.com/ak6/organizational_behav/lecture2.pdf

The Ability-Job Fit

Ability-JobFitEmployee’s

AbilitiesJob’s Ability

Requirements

Models Of Man

Rational Economic Man

Social Man

Organisational Man

The Self Actuating Man

Complex Man

Rational Economic Man

This model is given by McGregor’s

This modal is based on classical organization theory

Employees are rational who are primarily motivated by money.

Assumptions

People are motivated primarily by the economic incentives.

As the Organisation controls the economic incentives, human beings are essentially passive agents, who are manipulated , motivated and controlled by the organisation

Organisation designed in such a way so that they can control people’s feelings and their unpredictable traits.

Drawbacks

Based on classical organisation theory , it suffers from the shortcomings inherent in that theory.

The economic incentives can work till the man is not reasonably satisfied by the need of money.

Social man

Eltan mayo conceived this concept when he carried out Hawthorne studies during (1927-1932).

Man is a part of the social group. Influenced by the social forces and seeks satisfaction of the needs which are related to the maintenance of his social relationships.

Assumptions

Human beings are basically motivated by social needs.

Human being values social relationship higher than his economic motives.

People do not act or react as individuals but as a members of a group.

Informal leaders play an important role in setting and enforcing the group norms.

Changes required in the managerial strategy

Earlier the management was conceived only with the output given by the workers. In this approach, the management had to pay attention to the workers also as human beings.

Under this concept , the psychological needs were also to be considered

Cont.

To analyses and motivate human behaviour in term of groups rather than on individual basis.

Instead of being the controller of behaviour, manager were supposed to act as the supporter of workers.

Organisation Man

The concept of organization man was introduced by William Whyte

He believed that it is very important for a person to be loyal to the organization and cooperative with the fellow workers.

Every individual should sacrifice his individuality for the sake of the group and the organization.

Assumptions Individual by himself is isolated and

meaningless. The group is the source of activity. The ultimate need of every individual is

belongingness.The organization man concept emphasizes that

there is no conflict between the individual interest and the interest of the organization. Even if there is any conflict, individual interest will be sacrificed in favor of the group interest to remove the conflict.

The self actuating man

Self actuating man assumes that man’s inherent need is to use his capabilities and skills in such a way that he should have the satisfaction of creating certain things.

The earlier models do not allow him to satisfy his self actuating needs.

Assumptions

The basis assumption about this concept is that the various needs of a man can be put in the order of priority. For example MASLOW has put various needs in a hierarchy.

Self actualization according to this diagram is the ultimate goal, because it is last in the hierarchy and by the time this goal is achieved , all the other needs of the man are also satisfied.

Hierarchy of needs

Physiological Needs

Safety Needs

Belongingness Needs

Esteem Needs

Self Actualisation Needs

Assumptions (cont.)

In the process of self actualization, there are various changes in the behaviour of the individual and he moves from immaturity of maturity.

He is Self motivated and self controlled. Any incentives given by the management can not motivate him after a certain level and any control imposed on him cannot threaten him.

Assumptions (cont.)

The earlier models were based on the assumption that a man has got immature personality. However, the reality is that if a man is left free, he will put in his maximum efforts.

Complex man

Complex man presents the real picture of human behaviour.

The earlier models assume that man will always behave according to certain set patterns.

Assumptions People are not only complex but are also highly

variable. Though their needs can be arranged in a hierarchy, but this hierarchy is also not universal.

People are capable of learning new motives through their organizational experiences.

People’s motives in different organizations or different sub parts of the same organization may be different.

Mars model of individual behaviour

Motivation

Ability

Role Perception

Situationalcontingencies

Behaviour And

Results

Mars model of individual behaviour

This model shows that these four factors have a combined effect on individual performance.

If any of these four factors weakens ,employee’s performance will come down.

Case studyMarbonite is a fast growing manufacturing company.

Mr. Dilip khanna is the supervisor of the warehouse where unskilled workers are working. A few months back, the management had decided to install mechanized material handling equipment to reduce costs. Before installing the new equipment Mr. khanna ,made a lot of efforts to introduce the change by involving all the workers in it, since the workers lacked training and knowledge about productivity and cost reduction effects of this equipment. Ultimately ,the new material handling equipment was installed with the active cooperation of the workers.

(Cont.)A few months afterwards, the company decided to

install a sophisticated fixture in the electronic assembly department among a group of technical workers. Considering Mr. khanna’s success in the previous change, this job was also assigned to him. Mr. khanna did not expect any opposition about the proposed change since the group consisted of educated employees, who were in a better position to understand the company problems and utility of the new fixture. Accordingly, he did not make much efforts before introducing the new equipment as he had done in the previous situation.

(Cont.)

The result was beyond every body’s imagination. The group resisted tooth and nail the introduction of the new system until it was given up. The mistake proved very costly to Mr. khanna and he lost his job.

Questions?

1. What , in your opinion, Mr. khanna would have done to avoid resistance by the technical group to the proposed change?

2. How do you explain the behavior of the two groups in accepting or rejecting the change contemplated by the management?

Conclusion

References

Ashwathappa.k.(2004). Organizational Behaviour.Delhi:Himalaya Publishing House

Gupta.S.K.(2010). Organizational Behaviour.Chennai:Kalyani

Moorhead.G,Griffin.R.W. (2007).Organizational Behaviour.New Delhi:Bizantra

Robbins.S.P,Judge.T.A,Sanghi.S.(2009). Organizational Behaviour.Delhi:Pearson

Retrieved From http://www.angelfire.com/ak6/organizational_behav/lecture2.pdf

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