Management Class Notes Essay

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MAN Class Notes 9/11/14

Perfect synergy – every individual died but team survived

Synergistic Decision Making (1+1 = 3)
People are supportive of one another
They follow a rational sequence of activities in dealing with a problem
They can perform beyond the sum of their individual resources

The Interpersonal Process
Listening to others
Supporting their efforts to do well
Differing with others when necessary in a manner that is constructive rather than defensive
Participating equally in group discussions

Listening
Objectively weigh what has been said
Try to understand contributions from speakers pov
Periodically review and summarize whats been said

Constructive Differing
State differences w/out accusing and w/out implying that other person is wrong
Clearly specify differences
Focus on reasons for differences
Treat difference as a source of ideas rather than source of interpersonal conflict

Participating
Recognize all in problem together
Determining whether everyone agrees regarding group’s decision
Ask less talkative members to participate
Ensure ALL members feel comfortable to share ideas

The Rational Decision Making Process
Analyze the situation – sort out facts from assumptions, unchallenged assumptions are primary cause of mistakes
Identify objectives/goals – objective was to survive, confusion b/w objectives is one reason for mistakes
Simplify problem – create sub-problems
Consider alternative strategies
Don’t dismiss alternatives, cannot be successful w/out considering alternatives
Subarctic had 2 general strategies to survive, stay or leave
Discuss adverse consequences

Reaching a Consensus Decision
Effective decision = quality + acceptance
Voting/majority rule not used to defeat dissenting members
Priority placed on ranking items in way everyone can live with
Alternatives and rankings modified to satisfy members w/ serious reservations
Build on what you agree on

Supporting
Assume that others have useful ideas and viewpoints
Point out useful aspects

Moral of Story: groups make better decisions than indiv

Key Variable Affecting Individual Behavior

Personality and National Culture
National culture greatly influences the dominant personality of its populace
Culture often reflects the national personality characteristics
Often a major challenge for multinational corporations

Ethical Behavior
Research shows that the bosses actions are the most important factor
Our leaders set the tone
Does this mean if you work for an unethical boss, you too will be unethical?

Perception
Perception is our sensory experience of the world around us
We gain info about properties and element of the environment

Overall Purpose
We want to understand how:
Personality and perception
Values and attitudes
Ethics and behavior
Job Satisfaction
Collection of feeling that indiv holds
Fair outcomes and treatment
What causes job satisfaction?
Work itself
Pay (to a certain level)
Advancement opportunities
Supportive supervisor
Supportive co-workers
An individual’s own personality

9/16/14
Job Satisfaction
Work that is challenging/interesting
Good boss
Good co-workers
Ability to promote
Reasonable wages
Personality of the employee

Cognitive Dissonance
Ex: accountant told to cook the books to save firm and his job
= any inconsistency between our attitudes, behavior, beliefs, values, or emotions dissonance can be a powerful motivator to change seek to minimize dissonance

Motivation
(videos: sea captains and piano stairs) the willingness to do something to satisfy some need the processes that account for your intensity, direction, and persistence of effort towards attaining a goal internal and external factors that stimulate people to be continually interested….
BOTTOM LINE: fulfilling a need
Motivation rooted in minimize pain and maximizing pleasure
No perfect model – diff across cultures
Look for relative value in each model

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Proposed by maslaw in 1943
Only unsatisfied needs influence