Business Basics-Case Study

7/31/2019 Business Basics-Case Study

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sustained over a long period of time. They form a common core which binds

people together.

Work culture, on the other hand, is a totality of various levels of interactionamong organizational factors (boundaries, goals, objectives, technology,

managerial practices, material and human resources, and the constraints)

and factors (skills, knowledge, needs, and expectations) interact among

themselves at various levels. Over a period of time they develop roles,

norms and values focusing work and is called work culture.

ABC Airlines takes pride in its history and culture. The mission of the Airlinesis dedication to the highest quality of customer service delivered with a

sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and company spirit. Due to

which it has been able to go over its setbacks and face all challenges. It

primarily provides short haul, high-frequency, point-to-point, low-fare air

transportation service among 50+ cities.

Spirituality and Organizational Culture:

Workplace Attributes: A spiritual or value-based organization relies on

individual development as well as a proactive and supportive workplace

climate. Morris notes,Good people in a good environment do good work.

The literature identifiesa long list of key workplace attributes.


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Attributes include

1. work that is valued,

2. work that stretches workers capabilities,

3. high-quality interpersonal relationships,

4. efforts that are recognized, supported, and rewarded,

5. managers who act as guides,

6. the opportunity to find meaning in work that transcends economic gain,

7. a strong work ethic,

8. empowerment,

9. collaboration,

10. respect for workers,

11. commitment to a cause,

12. ability to take care of the customer,

13. the opportunity to learn from mistakes,14. the responsibility to behave in a self-managing way, and

15. clear and consistent leadership.

Ultimately, workplace attributes help workers align their work habits to the

core values of the organization and help instill a culture of success.


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Social connection also enables shared change and organizational learning.

Managers at all levels have a responsibility to stimulate and support socia

growth.

Competence requires that managers recognize and utilize employees

capabilities. Competence emerges as the organization acknowledges the

individuals need for growth and then encourages and invests in that

growth. An open learning environment reinforced by appropriate training,

holistic job design, and policies of empowerment increases workforce

competence and employees ability to both achieve and participate as

contributing members of the community.

Therefore for ABC Airlines These practices cultivate a culture that can

transform an organizations workforce into a key source of creativity and

innovative solutions

SECTION- B

Answer the following questions:-

Q1.What is organization structure? Why is it important?

A: An organizational structure consists of activities such as task

allocation, coordination and supervision, which are directed towards the

achievement of organizational aims. It can also be considered as the

viewing glass or perspective through which individuals see their

organization and its environment.


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An organization can be structured in many different ways, depending on

their objectives. The structure of an organization will determine the modes

in which it operates and performs. Organizational structure allows the

expressed allocation of responsibilities for different functions and processes

to different entities such as the branch, department, workgroup and

individual.

Organizational structure affects organizational action in two big ways. First,

it provides the foundation on which standard operating procedures androutines rest. Second, it determines which individuals get to participate in

which decision-making processes, and thus to what extent their views shape

the organizations actions.

Small companies usually use one of two types of organizational structure:

Functional and product. Functional areas such as marketing and

engineering report to the president or CEO in a functional organizational

structure. Product structures are used when a company sells numerousproducts or brands. It is important for companies to find the organizational

structure that best fits their needs.

Chain of Command : An organizational structure involves a chain of

command which determines and defines: job positions, who makes the

decisions, and who's accountable for various duties.
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Span of Control : Span of control determines and quantifies the actua

amount of employees a manager supervises.

Departmentalization : Departments within an organization structure are

sections of the structure divided into functional divisions (such as the

Sales Department) relevant to specific tasks.

Distribution of Authority : Distribution of authority determines if

decision-making authority is concentrated among a few high-levefigures commonly seen in bureaucratic organizations.

Organization Height : Organization height defines how many

departments, divisions, and layers there are between the highest levels

and the lowest levels of an organization.

The Importance of Organizational Structure

The importance of an organizational structure involves assisting business

owners, CEOs, and entrepreneurs to conceptualize, visualize, and construct

a hierarchical system to be implemented into their organization. For

example, the building blocks of an organizational structure include: a chain

of command, span of control, departmentalization, distribution of authority,

and organization height.

Organizational structure is important for knowing to whom each employeereports.

Function : Organizational structure is particularly important for decision

making. Most companies either have a tall or flat organizational structure.

Small companies usually use a flat organizational structure. For example, a

manager can report directly to the president instead of a director, and her

assistants are only two levels below the president. Flat structures enable

small companies to make quicker decisions, as they are often growingrapidly with new products and need this flexibility.


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The reason is that employees in extremely small organizations have

numerous responsibilities, some of which can include multiple functions

For example, a product manager also might be responsible for

marketing research and advertising. Large organizations often have

many tiers or echelons of management. As a smaller organization

grows, it can decide to add more management levels. Roles become

more defined. Therefore, it is important to know which people oversee

certain functions.

Communication : The importance of organizational structure is particularly

crucial for communication. Organizational structure enables the

distribution of authority. When a person starts a job, he knows from day

one to whom he will report. Most companies funnel their communication

through department leaders. For example, marketing employees wil

discuss various issues with their director. The director, in turn, wil

discuss these issues with the vice president or upper management.

Evaluating Employee Performance : Organizational structure is

important for evaluating employee performance. The linear structure of

functional and product organizational structures allow supervisors to

better evaluate the work of their subordinates. Supervisors can evaluate

the skills employees demonstrate, how they get along with other

workers, and the timeliness in which they complete their work.

Consequently, supervisors can more readily complete semiannual orannual performance appraisals, which are usually mandatory in most

companies.

Achieving Goals : Organizational structure is particularly important in

achieving goals and results. Organizational structure allows for the

chain of command. Department leaders are in charge of delegating

tasks and projects to subordinates so the department can meet project

deadlines. In essence, organizational structure fosters teamwork, where

everyone in the department works toward a common goal.


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Prevention/Solution : Organizational structure enables companies to

better manage change in the marketplace, including consumer needs,

government regulation and new technology. Department heads and

managers can meet, outline various problem areas, and come up with a

solution as a group. Change can be expected in any industry. Company

leaders always should strive to find the best organizational structure to

meet those changes.

Q2. What is the impact of culture on an Organization?

A: Organizational culture is defined as A pattern of shared basic

assumptions invented, discovered, or developed by a given group as it

learns to cope with its problems of external adaptation and interna

integration" that have worked well enough to be considered valid and

therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive,

think and feel in relation to those problems.

It has also been defined as "the specific collection of values and norms that

are shared by people and groups in an organization and that control the

way they interact with each other and with stakeholders outside theorganization
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stakeholder_(corporate)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stakeholder_(corporate)


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Impacts

Research suggests that numerous outcomes have been associated either

directly or indirectly with organizational culture. A healthy and robust

organizational culture may provide various benefits, including the following:

Competitive edge derived from innovation and customer service

Consistent, efficient employee performance Team cohesiveness

High employee morale

Strong company alignment towards goal achievement

Organizational culture is reflected in the way people perform tasks, setobjectives, and administer the necessary resources to achieve objectives.

Culture affects the way individuals make decisions, feel, and act in response

to the opportunities and threats affecting the organization.

It has been proposed that organizational culture may impact the level of

employee creativity, the strength of employee motivation, and the reporting

of unethical behavior, but more research is needed to support these

conclusions.

Organizational culture also has an impact on recruitment and retention

Individuals tend to be attracted to and remain engaged in organizations that

they perceive to be compatible. Additionally, high turnover may be a

mediating factor in the relationship between culture and organizationa

performance. Deteriorating company performance and an unhealthy work

environment are signs of an overdue cultural assessment.

Measures of Culture : Culture in this study refers to the socio-cultura

environment in its entirety. It is measured in terms of the attitudes, beliefs,

norms and values which the people of a nation have and hold on to in

general. The point of focus in this study is on

how these concepts influence behaviour at work and how this in turn

influence

organizational performance.


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Q3. Draw Kolb's Cycle of Learning and briefly describe the four learning

styles.

A: Kolb's learning theory sets out four distinct learning styles , which are

based on a four-stage learning cycle. (which might also be interpreted as a

'training cycle'). In this respect Kolb's model is particularly elegant, since it

offers both a way to understand individual people's different learning styles,

and also an explanation of a cycle of experiential learning that applies to us

all.

Kolb includes this 'cycle of learning' as a central principle his experiential

learning theory, typically expressed as four-stage cycle of learning, in which

immediate or concrete experiences provide a basis for observations andreflections. These observations and reflections are assimilated and distilled

into abstract concepts producing new implications for action which can be

actively tested in turn creating new experiences.

Kolb says that ideally , this process represents a learning cycle or spiral

where the learner 'touches all the bases', ie., a cycle of experiencing,

reflecting, thinking, and acting. Immediate or concrete experiences lead to


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observations and reflections. These reflections are then assimilated

(absorbed and translated) into abstract concepts with implications for

action, which the person can actively test and experiment with, which in

turn enable the creation of new experiences.

Kolb's model therefore works on two levels - a four-stage cycle:

1. Concrete Experience - (CE)

2. Reflective Observation - (RO)3. Abstract Conceptualization - (AC)

4. Active Experimentation - (AE)

and a four-type definition of learning styles, (each representing the

combination of two preferred styles, rather like a two-by-two matrix of the

four-stage cycle styles, as illustrated below), for which Kolb used the terms:

1. Diverging (CE/RO)

2. Assimilating (AC/RO)3. Converging (AC/AE)

4. Accommodating (CE/AE)


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David Kolb proposed a 4-stage experiential learning cycle that applies to alllearners. He suggested that immediate or concrete experiences provide a

basis for observation and reflection. These are assimilated and distilled into

abstract concepts which can be actively tested, in turn creating new

learning experiences.

Individual learners will demonstrate differences in the way they think about

things and the way they do things. These differences can be plotted on aPerception continuum (along a spectrum that ranges from a preference for

thinking about things in a Concrete or Abstract way) and along a Processing

continuum (along a spectrum that ranges from Active to Reflective).


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This results in identification of 4 Learning Styles.

Kolb refers to these as Accommodating - Diverging - Assimilating -

Converging.

These approximate to the Learning Styles identified by Peter Honey & Alan

Mumford.

Here are brief descriptions of the four Kolb learning styles:

Diverging (feeling and watching - CE/RO) - These people are able

to look at things from different perspectives. They are sensitive. They

prefer to watch rather than do, tending to gather information and use

imagination to solve problems. They are best at viewing concrete

situations several different viewpoints. Kolb called this style 'Diverging

because these people perform better in situations that require ideas-

generation, for example, brainstorming. People with a Diverging

learning style have broad cultural interests and like to gather

information. They are interested in people, tend to be imaginative and

emotional, and tend to be strong in the arts. People with the Diverging

style prefer to work in groups, to listen with an open mind and to

receive personal feedback.


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Assimilating (watching and thinking - AC/RO) - The Assimilating

learning preference is for a concise, logical approach. Ideas and

concepts are more important than people. These people require good

clear explanation rather than practical opportunity. They excel at

understanding wide-ranging information and organising it a clear

logical format. People with an Assimilating learning style are less

focused on people and more interested in ideas and abstract concepts.

People with this style are more attracted to logically sound theories

than approaches based on practical value. These learning style people

is important for effectiveness in information and science careers. Informal learning situations, people with this style prefer readings,

lectures, exploring analytical models, and having time to think things

through.

Converging (doing and thinking - AC/AE) - People with a

Converging learning style can solve problems and will use their

learning to find solutions to practical issues. They prefer technica

tasks, and are less concerned with people and interpersonal aspects.

People with a Converging learning style are best at finding practica

uses for ideas and theories. They can solve problems and make

decisions by finding solutions to questions and problems. People with a

Converging learning style are more attracted to technical tasks and

problems than social or interpersonal issues. A Converging learning

style enables specialist and technology abilities. People with a

Converging style like to experiment with new ideas, to simulate, and to

work with practical applications.

Accommodating (doing and feeling - CE/AE) - The Accommodating

learning style is 'hands-on', and relies on intuition rather than logic.

These people use other people's analysis, and prefer to take a


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practical, experiential approach. They are attracted to new challenges

and experiences, and to carrying out plans. They commonly act on

'gut' instinct rather than logical analysis. People with an

Accommodating learning style will tend to rely on others for

information than carry out their own analysis. This learning style is

prevalent and useful in roles requiring action and initiative. People with

an Accommodating learning style prefer to work in teams to complete

tasks. They set targets and actively work in the field trying different

ways to achieve an objective.

Nevertheless most people clearly exhibit clear strong preferences for a

given learning style. The ability to use or 'switch between' different styles isnot one that we should assume comes easily or naturally to many people.

Simply, people who have a clear learning style preference, for whatever

reason, will tend to learn more effectively if learning is orientated according

to their preference.

For instance - people who prefer the 'Assimilating' learning style will not be

comfortable being thrown in at the deep end without notes and instructions.

People who like prefer to use an 'Accommodating' learning style are likely to

become frustrated if they are forced to read lots of instructions and rules,

and are unable to get hands on experience as soon as possible.


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Q4. State the two purposes of Learning Style Inventory

A: The concept of learning style is used to describe individual differences in

the way people learn. Each person has a unique way to absorb and processexperiences and information. Consideration of learning styles has become

increasingly important for individuals, parents, educators and organizations

at large to understand what is the appropriate learning environment that

fosters and honors individuals differences. For example, research had

indicated that particular learning environment seem better suited for

particular learning content and learning preferences and that students

perform better when the learning environment is consistent with their

learning preferences.

The Learning Style Inventory (LSI) was created to fulfill two

purposes:

To serve as an educational tool to increase individuals understanding

of the process of learning from experience and their unique individual

approach to learning. By increasing awareness of how they learn, the

aim is to increase learners capacity for meta-cognitive control of theirlearning process, enabling them to monitor and select learning

approaches that work best for them in different learning situations.

By providing a language for talking about learning styles and the

learning process, the inventory can foster conversation among learners

and educators about how to create the most effective learning

environment for those involved.


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For this purpose, the inventory is best presented not as a test, but as

an experience in understanding how one learns. Scores on the

inventory should not be interpreted as definitive, but as a starting

point for exploration of how one learns best.

To facilitate this purpose, a self-scoring and interpretation book that

explains the experiential learning cycle and the characteristics of the

different learning styles, along with scoring and profiling instructions, is

included with the inventory.

To provide a research tool for investigating experiential learning theory

(ELT) and the characteristics of individual learning styles. This research

can contribute to the broad advancement of experiential learning and,

specifically, to the validity of interpretations of individual learning style

scores. A research version of the instrument, including only theinventory to be scored by the researcher, is available for this purpose.

The LSI is not a criterion-referenced test and is not intended for use to

predict behavior for purposes of selection, placement, job assignment,

or selective treatment. This includes not using the instrument to assign

learners to different educational treatments, a process sometimes

referred to as tracking. Such categorizations based on a single test

score amount to stereotyping that runs counter to the philosophy of

experiential learning, which emphasizes individual uniqueness.

When it is used in the simple, straightforward, and open way

intended, the LSI usually provides a valuable self-examination and

discussion that recognizes the uniqueness, complexity, and variability

in individual approaches to learning. The danger lies in the reification


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of learning styles into fixed traits, such that learning styles become

stereotypes used to pigeonhole individuals and their behavior.

The LSI is constructed as a self-assessment exercise and tool for

construct validation of ELT. Tests designed for predictive validity

typically begin with a criterion, such as academic achievement, and

work backward to identify items or tests with high criterion

correlations. Even so, even the most sophisticated of these tests rarely

rises above a .5 correlation with the criterion.

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Business Basics-Case Study