INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR IN THE ORGANIZATION

Relating with people will be less difficult if one is acquainted with individual differences, mental ability,
and personality. Each person is different from all others and these differences are substantial rather
than meaningless. People differ in productivity , quality of work ,reaction to empowerment ,reaction to
style of leadership, need for contract with others, commitment to the organization, and level of self-
esteem. Demographics, aptitude ,ability, and personality are the factors that make people different from
each other .The sources of demographic diversity among people are gender, generational differences
and age, and culture. A person’s ability consists of mental and physical. Personality is determined by
heredity and environment. The components of Emotional Quotient(EQ) are self-regulation, motivation,
empathy, self-awareness and social skills. Finally,people are different from each other in terms of their
ability to see, hear , smell ,taste ,and touch.

ISSUES ABOUT CONFORMITY

Conformity is dependence on the norms of others without independent thinking. Argyris believed that
people want to treated as mature individuals, but the large corporations expect them to conform to
rules and practices in an unquestioning immature way. The lack of agreement between expectation and
reality lead to conflict and frustration.

On the basic philosophy of conformity, Argyris has this to say:

“An analysis of the basic properties of relatively mature human being and formal organization leads to
the conclusion that there is an inherent incongruency which creates a situation of conflict, frustration,
and failure among the participants”.

TO WHAT DOES ONE CONFORM?

A person may conform to an organization when there is something that could be called conformity by
which one “abides by” to the requirements of the company. Such response must involve the norms of
others.

THREE MAJOR GROUPS TO WHICH ONE MAY CONFORM:

1. The organizational itself

2. The informal work group
3. The external community

The last two represent conformity expressed inside the organization but not conformity to the
organization. The organization does not impose the last two norms. They are simply there because the
organization operates in a social system.
AREAS OF LEGITIMATE ORGANIZATIONAL INFLUENCE

Everyday organization prescribes policies and requirements for performance. If the organization and an
individual define the boundaries of legitimate influence differently then the organizational conflict
develop. Said conflict can be a sufficient cause or interference to effectiveness.

OFF THE JOB-CONDUCT

A business organization uses its power to regulate employee activities off the job. When the activity is
not job-related there is a little justification for the employer to become involved. However, some
activities off the job may affect the employer so, question on organizational influence or interference
arise.

RIGHTS OF PRIVACY

The organizational ivasion of a person personal life and unauthorized release of confidential information
about a person is referred as the rights of privacy.

BUSINESS ACTIVITIES THAT MAY INVOLVE EMPLOYEE’S RIGHTS OF PRIVACY

1. Lie detector 6.Treatment of drug abuse

2. Personality test 7.Surveillance devices
3. Encounter groups 8.Computer data banks
4. Medical examination 9.Confidential records
5. Treatment alcoholism

People belived that their religious ,political, and social beliefs should not be subject to surveillance or
analysis however,there are exceptions such as when one is being employed by a church or a political
party. The same holds true in private homes. When job involvement is clearly proven, exceptions may be
permitted with certain reservation.

POLICY GUIDELINES ON PRIVACY

Some of the policy guidelines on privacy used by organizations are summarized below. Said guidelines
enable management to establish uniform practices and make it easier to handle unusual situations that
may take place.

1. RELEVANCE –Only necessary and useful data should be recorded and retained. Obsolete should
be discarded or removed periodically.
2. NOTICE-There should be no personal data system that is unknown to an employee. Personal
date must be disclosed.
3. FIDUCIARY DUTY-The custodian of information is responsible for its security.
4. CONFIDENTIALITY-Information should be given only to those who are entitled and to those only
with the employee’s permission.
 5. PROTECTION OF THE PSYCHE-The employee’s inner self should not be invaded or exposed
except with prior consent and for justifiable and compelling reasons.

SURVEILLANCE DEVICE

Protection of the psyche means that except for compelling reasons, surveillance of private place such as
lockers,room or secret surveillance unknown to a person should not be allowed. But when there is a
compelling reason to do so, it is not considered to be an undue infringement of privacy.

POLYGRAPH- Polygraph (lie detector) is an instrument that tends to invade privacy.

 Used by organizations primarily to control theft, in a way to protect employees.

PSYCHOLOGCAL STRESS EVALUATOR –Analyzes changes in the voice patterns to determine whether a lie
is being told. No hookup to any machine is made.

TREATMENT OF ALCOHOLISM- Is a result in absenteeism,poor work ,loss productivity and other related
cost.
JUSTIFICATION OF COMPANY PROGRAMS

A number of executive believe that firms play a very important role in helping alcoholics control or break
their vicious habit. Among the reasons given in this regard are :

1. The firm and the employee already have a working relationship on which they can build.
2. That any success with the employee will save both a valuable person for the company and
valuable citizen for society.
3. That the job appears to be the best environment for helping an alcoholic retain a self-image as
a useful person in society.

Employees that alcoholism as an illness. Focus is made on the job behavior caused by it and provides
both medical help and psychological support , for alcoholics.

DRUG ABUSE-Such as heroin or marijuana ,may cause severe problems for both employers and other
employees.

DEVELOPING A SOUND BEHAVIORAL CLIMATE

Company polices and other matters all contribute to determine the behavioral climate in each
organization.The behavioral climate envolve human relations practices.

BEHAVIORAL CLIMATE
The working climate that people experience in an organization arise from the combined effects of the
organization’s culture, traditions and management methods or course of action.
THE INCREMENTAL NATURE OF HUMAN VALUES
Economic values are objective and have to do with the allocation of scarce resources, whereas human
values are incremental . Human values are generated internally in an individual, and are non-objective in
nature.

BASIC HUMAN RELATIONS FACTORS

The climate in an organization emanates from each person’s motivation to work productively. The
organizational climate is greatly influenced by what is referred to as basic human relation factors.
Human relations philosophy emanates from both fact and value premises. Fact premises represent
people’s view of how realities in this world are. Value premises represent people’s view on the
desirability of certain desires or goals.

THE FORMAL AND INFORMAL ORGANIZATION

The formal organization’s main instruments through which its philosophies and objectives are
interpreted and made operational are its organizational plan, policies, structure, system and procedures.
The informal organization arises from social interaction that involves spontaneously as a people get
together.

THE CONTRO SYSTEM

Control are instituted to secure performance as planned. Subordinates are expected to devote their
attention to what their superior and others in authority are interested in and which they check from
time to time.

THE SOCIAL SYSTEM

To bring about a specific motivation for a person at a certain time,the system of controls in an
organization interacts with a person’s attitude and with a situational factors.

THEORIES OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR

The basic human relations factors in an organization philosophy and goals, formal or informal
organization, the social environment, the system controls and the social system at work-consititute the
operational conditional in any organization, Organization , however , differ in the quality of the human
relations that they develop; due to the different theory of organizational behavior which predominate
management’s thought.

The theory of organizational behaviour guides management development and their interpretations of
the events they encounter. Managers generally act accordance with what they think. Thus, the theories
which predominate in an organizational management determine the nature of its behavioral climate.
The theories of organizational behavior that have been recognized lately are the autocratic theory. The
custodial theory and supportive theory.
THE AUTOCRATIC THEORY

Management orientation in an autocratic environment is formal official authority. The authority over the
people to whom such authority applies is delegated by the right of command. Management does the
thinking and the decision-making and the employees merely obey orders. Tight control of employees ‘
work characterizes this theory.

THE CUSTODIAN THEORY

 Progressive employers believe that there ought to be some way to develop employee
satisfaction and adjustment during their incumbency.
 A successful custodian approach is contingent on the availability of economic resource.

THE SUPPORTIVE THEORY

Rensis likert referred the supportive theory as the “ principle of supportive relationships”

The morale measure of the supportive theory is motivation,which is different from the satisfaction
emphasized by the custodian theory, in which the leader is supportive of his employees. such support
motivates the employees.

CHARACTERISTICS OF ACHIEVERS

McClelland’s research showed that high achievers set challenging but realistic goals of themselves. They
assume personal responsibility for solving problems ,calculate risks, set objectives, and wants to receive
frequence feedback on result .They decisive .Although they are self-directed and self motivated. They
like to receive feedback on how well they are doing. Which serve as encouragement to them to think of
ways to do their jobs even better. Because they are goal-oriented, they prioritize their tasks in order to
best meet their objectives they do not allow minor tasks to interfere with the achievement of their
goals. Business person who are engaged in a job that entail a great deal of responsibilities are likely to
be high achievers.

In contrast , people with low needs for achievement tend to vacillate; they seek direction, motivation ,
and reinforcement from others.They are task-oriented, and they may well attempt to do too many
things at one time.

SIX MOTIVES:

Achievement: concern for excellence completion with the standards of excellence set by others or by
oneself.
Affiliation: concern for establishing and maintaining close personal relationships.
Influencer: concern with making an impact on others.
Control: concern for orderliness.
Extension: concern for others.
Dependence: a desire for the help of others in one’s own self-development.