Master of Business Administration-MBA Semester 1

MB0038 Management Process and Organization Behavior - 4 Credits

(Book ID: B1127)
Assignment Set- 1 (60 Marks)


Note: Each question carries 10 Marks. Answer aII the questions.

Q.1 Write a note on the manageriaI roIes and skiIIs.
According to Mintzberg (1973), managerial roles are as Iollows:
1. InIormational roles
2. Decisional roles
3. Interpersonal roles

1. Informational roles: This involves the role oI assimilating and disseminating inIormation
as and when required. Following are the main sub-roles, which managers oIten perIorm:
a. Monitor collecting inIormation Irom organizations, both Irom inside and outside oI the
organization
b. Disseminator communicating inIormation to organizational members
c. Spokesperson representing the organization to outsiders
2. Decisional roles: It involves decision making. Again, this role can be sub-divided in to the
Iollowing:
a. Entrepreneur initiating new ideas to improve organizational perIormance
b. Disturbance handlers taking corrective action to cope with adverse situation
c. Resource allocators allocating human, physical, and monetary resources
d. Negotiator negotiating with trade unions, or any other stakeholders
3. Inter`personal roles: This role involves activities with people working in the
organization. This is supportive role Ior inIormational and decisional roles. Interpersonal
roles can be categorized under three sub-headings:
a. Figurehead Ceremonial and symbolic role
b. Leadership leading organization in terms oI recruiting, motivating etc.
c. Liaison liasoning with external bodies and public relations activities.

Management Skills: Katz (1974) has identiIied three essential management skills: technical,
human, and conceptual.
Technical skills: The ability is to apply specialized knowledge or expertise. All jobs require
some specialized expertise, and many people develop their technical skills on the job.
Vocational and on-the-job training programs can be used to develop this type oI skill.
Human Skill: This is the ability to work with, understand and motivate other people (both
individually and a group). This requires sensitivity towards others issues and concerns.
People, who are proIicient in technical skill, but not with interpersonal skills, may Iace
diIIiculty to manage their subordinates. To acquire the Human Skill, it is pertinent to
recognize the Ieelings and sentiments oI others, ability to motivate others even in adverse
situation, and communicate own Ieelings to others in a positive and inspiring way.
Conceptual Skill: This is an ability to critically analyze, diagnose a situation and Iorward a
Ieasible solution. It requires creative thinking, generating options and choosing the best
available option.
Q.2 iscuss the methods of shaping behavior in detail.



Shaping Behavior
When a systematic attempt is made to change individuals` behaviour by directing their
learning in graduated steps, it is called shaping behavior. There are Iour methods oI Shaping
Behavior. They are as Iollows:
1. Positive reinforcement This is the process oI getting something pleasant as a
consequence oI a desired behavior, to strengthen the same behavior. For example, one get a
commission, iI he/she achieves sales target.
For example,
i) Bonuses paid at the end oI a successIul business year are an example oI positive
reinIorcement.
ii) Employees will work hard Ior a raise or a promotion.
iii) Salesmen will increase their eIIorts to get rewards and bonuses.
iv) Students will study to get good grades, and
v) In these examples, the rises, promotions, awards, bonuses, good grades, are positive
reinIorces.
2. Negative reinforcement This is the process oI having a reward taken away as a
consequence oI a undesired behavior. For example, scholarship is withdrawn Irom the student
who has not done well on the examination. Just as people engage in behaviours in order to get
positive reinIorces, they also engage in behaviours to avoid or escape unpleasant conditions.
Terminating an unpleasant stimulus in order to strengthen or increase the probability oI a
response is called negative reinIorcement.
3. Punishment is causing an unpleasant condition in an attempt to eliminate an undesirable
behavior. This is the process oI getting a punishment as a consequence oI a behavior.
According to B. F. Skinner, punishment is still the most common technique oI behaviour
control in today`s liIe. When a child misbehaves, he is spanked. II a person does not behave
as the society or law wants him to do, he is punished by arrest and jail.
Example: Loss oI pay Ior coming late to oIIice. Punishment can be accomplished either by
adding an unpleasant stimulus or removing a pleasant stimulus. The added unpleasant
stimulus might take the Iorm oI criticism, a scolding, a disapproving look, a Iine, or a prison
sentence. The removal oI a pleasant stimulus might consist oI withholding aIIection and
attention, suspending a driver`s license, or taking away a privilege such as watching
television.
Accordingly, in situations where punishment is desirable as a means oI behaviour
modiIication, certain guidelines would make it more eIIective thus minimizing its
dysIunctional consequences.
a) Praise in public; punish in private.
b) Apply punishment beIore the undesirable behaviour has been strongly
reinIorced. Thus, the punishment should immediately Iollow the undesirable
behaviour.
c) The punishment should Iocus on the behaviour and not on the person.
4. Extinction - An alternative to punishing undesirable behaviour is extension the attempt
to weaken behaviour by attaching no consequences (either positive or negative) to it. It is
equivalent to ignoring the behaviour. The rationale Ior using extinction is that a behaviour not
Iollowed by any consequence is weakened. However, some patience and time may be needed
Ior it to be eIIective.
This type oI reinIorcement is applied to reduce undesirable behaviour, especially when such
behaviours were previously rewarded. This means that iI rewards were removed Irom
behaviours that were previously reinIorced, then such behaviours would become less Irequent
and eventually die out. For example, iI a student in the class is highly mischievous and



disturbs the class, he is probably asking Ior attention. II .the attention is given to him, he will
continue to exhibit that behaviour.
Both positive and negative reinIorcement result in learning. They strengthen a response and
increase the probability oI repetition. Both punishment and extinction weaken behavior and
tend to decrease its subsequent Irequency

Q.3 ExpIain the cIassification of personaIity types given by Myers -Briggs.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
The MBTI classiIies human beings into Iour opposite pairs (dichotomies), base on their
psychological opposites. These Iour opposite pairs result into 16 possible combinations. In
MBTI, Individuals are classiIied as (McCrae and Costa, 1989) :
a. Extroverted or introverted (E or I).
b. Sensing or intuitive (S or N).
c. Thinking or Ieeling (T or F).
d. Perceiving or judging (P or J).
These classiIications are then combined into sixteen personality types. For example:
a. INTJs are visionaries. They usually have original minds and great drive Ior their own ideas
and purposes. They are characterized as skeptical, critical, independent, determined, and
oIten stubborn.
b. ESTJs are organizers. They are realistic, logical, analytical, decisive, and have a natural
head Ior business or mechanics. They like to organize and run activities.
c. The ENTP type is a conceptualizer. He or she is innovative, individualistic, versatile, and
attracted to entrepreneurial ideas. This person tends to be resourceIul in solving challenging
problems but may neglect routine assignments.


Q.4 What are the factors infIuencing perception?
actors Influencing Perception
Perception is our sensory experience oI the world around us and involves both the recognition
oI environmental stimuli and actions in response to these stimuli. Through the perceptual
process, we gain inIormation about properties and elements oI the environment that are
critical to our survival. Perception not only creates our experience oI the world around us; it
allows us to act within our environment.
A number oI Iactors operate to shape and sometimes distort perception. These Iactors can
reside:
i) In the perceiver.
ii) In the object or target being perceived or
iii) In the context oI the situation in which the perception is made.
1. Characteristics of the Perceiver: Several characteristics oI the perceiver can aIIect
perception. When an individual looks at a target and attempts to interpret what he or she
stands Ior, that interpretation is heavily inIluenced by personal characteristics oI the
individual perceiver. The major characteristics oI the perceiver inIluencing perception are:
a) Attitudes: The perceiver`s attitudes aIIect perception. For example, suppose Mr. X is
interviewing candidates Ior a very important position in his organization a position that
requires negotiating contracts with suppliers, most oI whom are male. Mr X may Ieel that



women are not capable oI holding their own in tough negotiations. This attitude will
doubtless aIIect his perceptions oI the Iemale candidates he interviews.
b) Moods: Moods can have a strong inIluence on the way we perceive someone. We think
diIIerently when we are happy than we do when we are depressed. In addition, we remember
inIormation that is consistent with our mood state better than inIormation that is inconsistent
with our mood state. When in a positive mood, we Iorm more positive impressions oI others.
When in a negative mood, we tend to evaluate others unIavourably.
c) Motives: UnsatisIied needs or motives stimulate individuals and may exert a strong
inIluence on their perceptions. For example, in an organizational context, a boss who is
insecure perceives a subordinate`s eIIorts to do an outstanding job as a threat to his or her
own position. Personal insecurity can be translated into the perception that others are out to
"get my job", regardless oI the intention oI the subordinates.
d) Self-Concept: Another Iactor that can aIIect social perception is the perceivers` selI-
concept. An individual with a positive selI-concept tends to notice positive attributes in
another person. In contrast, a negative selI-concept can lead a perceiver to pick out negative
traits in another person. Greater understanding oI selI allows us to have more accurate
perceptions oI others.
e) Interest: The Iocus oI our attention appears to be inIluenced by our interests. Because our
individual interests diIIer considerably, what one person notices in a situation can diIIer Irom
what others perceive. For example, the supervisor who has just been reprimanded by his boss
Ior coming late is more likely to notice his colleagues coming late tomorrow than he did last
week. II you are preoccupied with a personal problem, you may Iind it hard to be attentive in
class.
I) Cognitive Structure: Cognitive structure, an individual`s pattern oI thinking, also aIIects
perception. Some people have a tendency to perceive physical traits, such as height, weight,
and appearance, more readily. Others tend to Iocus more on central traits, or personality
dispositions. Cognitive complexity allows a person to perceive multiple characteristics oI
another person rather than attending to just a Iew traits.
g) Expectations: Finally, expectations can distort your perceptions in that you will see what
you expect to see. The research Iindings oI the study conducted by Sheldon S Zalkind and
Timothy W Costello on some speciIic characteristics oI the perceiver reveal
Knowing oneselI makes it easier to see others accurately.
One`s own characteristics aIIect the characteristics one is likely to see in others.
People who accept themselves are more likely to be able to see Iavourable aspects oI other
people.
Accuracy in perceiving others is not a single skill.
These Iour characteristics greatly inIluence how a person perceives others in the
environmental situation.



Characteristics of the Target: Characteristics in the target that is being observed can
affect what is perceived. Physical appearance plays a big role in our perception of
others. Extremely attractive or unattractive individuals are more likely to be noticed in
a group than ordinary looking individuals. Motion, sound, size and other attributes of
a target shape the way we see it.The perceiver will notice the target's physical
features like height, weight, estimated age, race and gender. Perceivers tend to
notice physical appearance characteristics that contrast with the norm, that are
intense, or that are new or unusual. Physical attractiveness often colours our entire
impression of another person. nterviewers rate attractive candidates more
favourably and attractive candidates are awarded higher starting salaries.
Verbal communication Irom targets also aIIects our perception oI them. We listen to the
topics they speak about, their voice tone, and their accent and make judgements based on this
input. Non-verbal communication conveys a great deal oI inIormation about the target. The
perceiver deciphers eye contact, Iacial expressions, body movements, and posture all in an
attempt to Iorm an impression oI the target .As a result oI physical or time proximity, we
oIten put together objects or events that are unrelated.
For example, employees in a particular department are seen as a group. II two employees oI a
department suddenly resign, we tend to assume their departures were related when in Iact,
they might be totally unrelated. People, objects or events that are similar to each other also
tend to be grouped together. The greater the similarity, the greater the probability we will
tend to perceive them as a group.
Characteristics of the Situation: The situation in which the interaction between the
perceiver and the target takes place, has an influence on the perceiver's impression
of the target. E.g. meeting a manager in his or her office affects your impression in a
certain way that may contrast with the impression you would have formed, had you
met the manager in a restaurant. The strength of the situational cues also affects
social perception. Some situations provide strong cues as to appropriate behaviour.
n these situations, we assume that ie individual's behaviour can be accounted for
by the situation, and that it may not reflect the individual's disposition. This is the
discounting principle in social perception. For example, you may encounter an
automobile salesperson who has a warm and personable manner, asks you about
your work and hobbies, and seems genuinely interested in your taste in cars. Can
you assume that this behaviour reflects the salesperson's personality? You probably
cannot, because of the influence of the situation. This person is trying to sell you a
car, and in this particular situation, he probably treats all customers in this manner.


Q.5 Mr. SoIanki is the VP- HR of a Ieading FinanciaI services company. He is
having a meeting with Ms. Ramani Ieading HR consuItant. Mr. SoIanki is concerned
about creating an environment that heIps in increasing the job satisfaction amongst
empIoyees. Assume that you are Ms. Ramani, the HR consuItant. What suggestions
you wiII give to Mr. SoIanki, for creating an environment that increases job
satisfaction.

Measuring 1ob Satisfaction: Job satisIaction is the sense oI IulIillment and pride Ielt by
people who enjoy their work and do it well. For an organization, satisIied work Iorce ensures
commitment to high quality perIormance and increased productivity Job satisIaction helps



organizations to reduce complaints and grievances, absenteeism, turnover, and termination.
Job satisIaction is also linked to a healthier work Iorce and has been Iound to be a good
indicator oI longevity. And although only little correlation has been Iound between job
satisIaction and productivity, it has also been Iound that satisIying or delighting employees is
a prerequisite to satisIying or delighting customers, thus protecting the "bottom line (Brown,
1996).
The most important Iactors conductive to job satisIaction are:
i) Mentally Challenging Work: Employees tend to preIer jobs that give them opportunities
to use their skills and abilities and oIIer a variety oI tasks, Ireedom and Ieedback on how well
they are doing. Under conditions oI moderate challenge, most employees will experience
pleasure and satisIaction.
ii) Personality-1ob it: People with personality types congruent with their chosen vocations
should Iind they have the right talents and abilities to meet the demands oI their jobs; and
because oI this success, they have a greater probability oI achieving high satisIaction Irom
their work. It is important, thereIore to Iit personality Iactors with job proIiles.
iii) Equitable Rewards: Employees want pay systems and promotion policies that they
perceive as being just, unambiguous, and in line with their expectations. When pay is seen as
Iair based on job demands, individual skill level, and industry pay standards, satisIaction is
likely to result. Similarly, employees seek Iair promotion policies and
practices. Promotions provide opportunities Ior personal growth, more responsibilities and
increased social status. Individuals who perceive that promotion decisions are made in a Iair
and just manner are likely to experience job satisIaction.
iv) Supportive working conditions: Employees preIer physical conditions that are
comIortable and Iacilitate doing a good job. Temperature, light, noise and other
environmental Iactors should not be extreme and provide personal comIort. Further,
employees preIer working relatively close to home, in clean and relatively modern Iacilities
and with adequate tools and equipment.
v) Supportive Colleagues: Employees have need Ior social interaction. ThereIore, having
Iriendly and supportive co-workers and understanding supervisor`s leads to increased job
satisIaction. Most employees want their immediate supervisor to be understanding and
Iriendly, those who oIIer praise Ior good perIormance, listen to employees` opinions and
show a personal interest in them.
vi) Whistle blowing: Whistle-blowers are employees who inIorm authorities oI wrongdoings
oI their companies or co-workers. Whistle blowing is important because committed
organizational members sometimes engage in unethical behaviour in an intense desire
to succeed. Organizations can manage whistle blowing by communicating the conditions that
are appropriate Ior the disclosure oI wrongdoing. Clearly delineating wrongIul behaviour and
the appropriate ways to respond are important organizational actions.
vii) Social Responsibility: Corporate social responsibility is the obligation oI an organization
to behave in ethical ways in the social environment in which it operates. Socially responsible
actions are expected oI organizations. Current concerns include protecting the environment,
promoting worker saIety, supporting social issues, investing in the community, etc. Managers
must encourage both individual ethical behaviour and organizational social responsibility.
1ob enrichment: It is a deliberate upgrading oI responsibility, scope, and challenge in the
work itselI. Job enrichment usually includes increased responsibility, recognition, and
opportunities Ior growth, learning, and achievement. Large companies that have used job-
enrichment programs to increase employee motivation and job satisIaction include, AT&T,
IBM, and General Motors (DaIt, 1997).
Workers` role in job satisfaction



A worker should also take some responsibility Ior his or her job satisIaction. Everett (1995)
proposed the Iollowing questions which employees ask themselves in regard to job
satisIaction at the workplace:
1. When have I come closest to expressing my Iull potential in a work situation?
2. What did it look like?
3. What aspects oI the workplace were most supportive?
4. What aspects oI the work itselI were most satisIying?
5. What did I learn Irom that experience that could be applied to the present situation?
The following suggestions can help a worker find personal job satisfaction:
1. Seek opportunities to demonstrate skills and talents.
2. Develop communication skills.
3. Acquire job related skills and try to implement them.
4. Demonstrate creativity and initiative.
5. Improve team building and leadership skill.
6. Learn to de-stress.

Q.6 Given beIow is the HR poIicy gIimpse of the "VARK-LEARNING" a Iearning and
training soIutions company
1. It offers cash rewards for staff members
2. It promotes the cuIture of empIoyee referraI and encourages peopIe to refer peopIe
they know may be their friends, ex. CoIIeagues batch mates, reIatives.
3. What aII needs do it takes care off according to masIow's need hierarchy
4. It recognizes good performances and give fancy titIes and jackets to the peopIe
who perform weII and aIso feIicitates them in the AnnuaI Day of the company.
What aII aspects does it takes care of according to the MasIow's Need Hierarchy ?

The following needs are taken care of according to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory:
According to this theory, proposed by Maslow (1943), human beings have wants and desires
which inIluence their behavior, only unsatisIied needs can inIluence behavior, satisIied needs
cannot. The needs are arranged in order oI importance, Irom the basic to the complex. The
person advances to the next level oI needs only aIter the lower level need is at least
minimally satisIied. The Iurther they progress up the hierarchy, the more individuality,
humanness and psychological health a person will show.
The Iirst point oI rewarding the staII members with cash shows the 5hysiological needs
which is satisIied, the staII members will be satisIied to receive any Iorm oI monetary
beneIits which encourages him to perIorm better
The second point is the promotion oI reIerral Ior employees, this shows that the social need
can be satisIied as with reIerrals the employee Ieels to be a part oI the company being
responsible Ior the reIerral given to the Iirm, an employee Ieels belongingness to his
Iirm/company
The Iourth point oI recognition and Ielicitation Ior the good perIormance shown by the
employee satisIies the esteem and self-actuali:ation, the esteem need will take care oI the
recognition oI one`s work which improves achievement realization and selI respect Ior one`s
work which in turn gains him the status recognition and attention within the company.
The employee`s drive to become what he is capable oI including one`s growth is satisIied
with the selI-actualization needs, along with one`s growth the employee gains the conIidence
to achieve to his Iullest potential and this gives him the satisIaction oI selI-IulIillment
These are among the Iew things which are satisIied by Maslow`s Need Hierarchy the
hierarchy is clearly stated below which shows all the 5 basic needs required by an employee



oI the company/Iirm. Maslow was a contributor who inIluenced the human aspects oI
management in workplace


The above pictorial representation is the Maslow`s Hierarchy as explained below

Maslow`s Need Hierarchy Pyramid.
The Iive needs are:
!hysiological: Includes hunger, thirst, shelter, sex, and other bodily needs
Safety: Includes security and protection Irom physical and emotional harm
Social. Includes aIIection, belongingness, acceptance, and Iriendship
Esteem. Includes internal esteem Iactors, such as, selI-respect, autonomy, and achievement;
and external esteem Iactors, such as, status, recognition, and attention
Self-actuali:ation. The drive to become what one is capable oI becoming; includes growth,
achieving one`s potential, and selI-IulIillment
Maslow separated the Iive needs into higher and lower orders. Physiological and saIety needs
are described as lower-order. Social, esteem, and selI-actualization are classiIied as higher-
order needs. Higher-order needs are satisIied internally, whereas, Lower-order needs are
predominantly satisIied, externally.