Management Essays - Systematic Study

Systematic Study

Systematic Study of Organizational Behavior (OB)

“Managers get things done through other people. They make decisions, allocate resources, and direct the activities of others to attain goals” (Robins and Judge, 2007, p. 4). In this paper, I will critique peer-reviewed journals for each organizational behavior (OB) concept: influence on globalization, intuition and diversity, as it relates to a manager’s role. OB is not just common sense. It is based on systematic study combined with intuition. Systematic study is “looking at relationships, attempting to attribute causes and effects, and drawing conclusions based on scientific evidence” (Robins and Judge, 2007, p.13). Looking at managers in organization, there are so many challenges they have to encounter such as the response to globalization.

Influence on globalization

When referring to globalization, it is focus on the differences between people from different countries. Managers are increasingly challenged with outsourcing jobs to foreign country. Jarvis, Mills, Desai, Subramony, and Sridhar (2006) study focuses on the growth of jobs being outsourced or moving jobs to countries with the lowest labor cost. Jarvis et al (2006) captured both the positive and negative attitudes about the cause and consequences of outsourcing, as well as advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing.

Jarvis et al (2006) pointed out that no matter what the reasons may be for companies to choose low-cost labor, that for some employees, outsourcing can be either received positively or negatively. With a positive effect of employees, it could allow them to focus on higher skills, which can lead to an upgrading scale of their current position without focusing on a less mundane aspect of their job responsibilities. However, Jarvis et al (2006) pointed out that some employees might have negative attitudes regarding outsourcing. Employees believe that companies can have a better handle of the situation through the means of communicating with them regarding the business needs for the company.

Khurana (2006) conducted a study of 31 companies that revealed different models and approaches regarding plans for conducting Research and Development (R&D) overseas. The researcher used General Electric (GE) as one of the companies that has clearly taken the opportunity to globalize its’ products, especially in low-cost countries such as India, China, Israel or Hungary. Most companies that use low-cost locations began with an outsourcing relationship.

There were reasons for having international R&D, according to the survey carried out by Khurana (2006). The results showed that a little more than half of the companies wanted to have a closer access to customers and markets. About a third of the companies revealed the reason for setting up R&D centers is to gain access to technology and partnering with other entities such as universities, private labs and start-up companies. For the remaining companies, the study did not reveal any reasons. Find out how our expert essay writers can help you with your work...

Influence on Intuition

Robins and Judge (2007) defines intuition as “a gut feeling not necessarily supported by research” (p. 13). Furthermore, systematic study adds to intuition. Since intuition complements systematic study, one can use systematic analysis to draw their conclusion in explaining and predicting behavior. In organizations, intuition is rarely used. I am not suggesting that analytical thinking is no longer relevant in modem organizational life. To a certain extent, the need is to recognize situations in which the intuitive way of thinking is suitable in organizations. I will focus on two different studies on how researchers have drawn their conclusion of the way intuition is used in organizations.

To begin with the first study, researchers Allinson and Hayes (1996) used close to 1000 participants to help develop a method to measure intuition; it was called “Cognitive Style Index (CSI).” CSI has been defined as “a new measure designed specifically for use with managerial and professional groups” (Allinson and Hayes, 1996, p. 119). In their research, five statistical methods were used to test the CSI with managers in a large construction organization, college students and professionals in a human relations training. The methods were: (a) the item analysis, the closer the score was to the total CSI score, the more intuitive was the respondent; (b) the factor analysis, which analyzes groups or ‘parcel’ of items; (c) descriptive statistics and reliability, statistically shows that the sample mean is close to the theoretical mean; (d) construct validity, that was supported by hypothesized relationships that used selected variables; lastly (e) concurrent validity, that was used to discriminate between groups, example gender or job levels.

Now let us take a look at the study conducted by Morrow, Hansen, and Pearson (2004). They took a sample of 683 members of a farmers' marketing cooperative to examine their trust for managers in the organization. Scholars and researcher have been examining how trust (or distrust) impacts organizations. Morrow, et al. (2004) claimed that “trust evolves from a pattern of careful, rational thinking (cognitive-based) coupled with an examination of one's feelings, instincts, and intuition” (p. 48). Intuition is one of the key words used by Morrow, et al. They also cited other distinguished scholars that were consistent in their findings regarding general trust for individual, group or organization.

In short, Allinson and Hayes (1996) findings showed that the interest in intuition relates to decision-making and solving problems in organization. Moreover, the CSI has been proving easy to apply in survey research. In like matter, Morrow, et al (2004) argued that general trust is based on reasoning (cognitive-based) combined with an examining one's feelings, one’s instincts, and one’s intuition (affect-based). Other researchers examined the effects of trust in a large organization as well.

Influence on Diversity

According to Robbins and Judge (2007), “workforce diversity addresses differences among people within given countries” (p. 629). There is diversity of people in the workforce, such as race, gender, age, ethnicity, and sexual preferences for organizations to embrace. In the United Kingdom (U.K.), a study conducted by Chow and Crawford (2004), in which both UK and the United States (U.S.) promotes equal opportunity employment in the workplace.

Chow and Crawford (2004) examined three important issues (p. 22) that circulated around gender and ethnic group as it relates to promotion. Those issues were based on social identity in the workplace. Through the use of questionnaires, interviews, and documentary analysis, data was collected from all the organizations in the U.K. There were a mixer of gender and ethnic group in the data. However, within that data, it showed that males and whites where more favorable for promotional opportunities than females and other ethnic groups. The results of the study did not show much effort in promoting equal opportunity and diversity among genders and racial or ethnicity group.

The study also outlined that minority groups were being deprived the opportunity of becoming members of committees and played a small role in decision-making regardless if the idea was good. In addition, women and minority groups suffered in any career advancement despite their education level. Moreover, the study did shows that work relationships for both women and minority groups could become an obstacle in the workplace. As a result, the U.K. organizations deprived contribution that a diverse workplace can be effective.

Härtel (2004) described a diversity research program In Australia that examines employees’ attitude and diversity conducted in the workplace. In which a systematic theory testing approached was used to develop and validate the diversity directness program. The purpose of the diversity research program was to identify “the work system practices and employee attitudes that embrace diversity” (p. 189).

The final results of Härtel (2004) study, exhibited one of the key contributions in OB, which was to analyze diversity issues in the workplace. It penetrates a clear message showing the level of openness among the organizations’ members in the workplace and in the culture. This research provides management with a better understanding of the working system, and the employees’ attitudes to better equip them in the atmosphere that is conducive to working conditions.

Summary

The systematic study of OB used in this paper focused on the differences between people from various countries (globalization). Within the area of globalization, two studies were mentioned. The first study by Jarvis et al (2006) was relevant to OB because the study captured both positive and negative attitudes about jobs being outsourced. On the other hand, the second study conducted by Khurana (2006) looked at 31 companies in favor of having their products moved to other countries because of low-cost labor.

Systematic study has an influence on intuition. Intuition blends in with OB. Two studies were mentioned in this paper focused on intuition and trust. A study conducted by Allinson and Hayes (1996) highlighted on measuring intuition using a method called “Cognitive Style Index (CSI).” In the study, about 1000 participants assisted in this effort. Since trust is also part of intuition, Morrow, Hansen and Pearson (2004), used 683 members to examine trust for managers in the organizations. The contribution to the OB field for intuition and trust were examined in each of the studies mentioned in this paper.

Systematic approach addresses diversification by focusing on the behaviors of people in other countries. Chow and Crawford (2004) conducted a study in the UK to show similarities to the US relating to equal opportunity employment in the workplace. The results of the study did not reveal much in promoting equal opportunity among genders, racial or ethic groups. A different study was done in Australia conducted by Härtel (2004), which revealed the attitudes of employees using the systematic theory to develop and validate a program related to diversity. The program showed both positive and negative effects on diversity.