Organizational Behavior Study Guide Essay Example for Free

Organizational Behavior Study Guide Essay Organizational Behavior – is the understanding of how organizations work and how to have people perform efficiently. It is extracted from different areas of study, and is interested in how these fields are integrated into workplace behavior. Basic Leadership Model – knowledge of OB x behavioral skills = leadership effectiveness Organizational Behavior – 1) individual level is where members make sense of the world and derive motivation. 2) how teams function. How they deal, ethical decision making, and power politics. 3) Organizational level – how the firm is structured, selecting developing talent, creating sustaining a culture, manage change. Behavioral skills – facilitate team decision making, effective communication, effective negotiation, use power wisely, and managers organization change. Organization change over time – theories become more complex and and yet more accurate but they are harder to apply since they are all based on the situation and culture limits the applicability of these theories also. Pre 20 century – work was done from home/crafts, orgs were military and church, Adam Smith division of labor and theories of use of machinery to save labor costs. 1900 – industrialism and mass production using division of labor. 1920 – scientific management fred taylor: cult of efficiency task analysis, standardization, pay by performance, training, and systemic selection. Classical management: Henry Fayle: PODSC: planning, organizing, directing, staffing, and controlling. Unity of command: one leader, specialization: doing one activity and people got good at it so replacing was easy. Scalar chain: the yields of an output TxC input multiplied by constant. Span of control: how many subordinates under control. During this time was 5 to 7 now its over 20. 1930 Hawthorne studies by Elton mayo. Findings were that interaction in the test group had increased productivity; feelings and supervision had big effect in production. Informal groups also were formed due to interaction. 1940 –group dynamics: when teams made their own decisions they required more information to be shared with employees and yet this was complex but made them have a sense of commitment to the job. Bureaucracy with Max Weber: job descriptions, specific responsibility, written rules, right of appeal, fair and equal treatment and managing became a profession to learn. 1950- Task leaders were only concerned with accomplishing the task. Social leaders were concerned with employees. Limits to rationality suffice rather than maximize. There is a limit of how much info. You can absorb. Gordon Howell: it asked for professionalism and more scientific knowledge. 1960,1970-Systems thinking environment and organization explaining and predicting behavior. Contingency thinking variables on factors. Leadership is contingent on many factors. 1980 and now – Mckribbin porter studies asked for more communication, and social skills and cultural diversity. Leader-awareness will make a better leader. Biographical traits, personality, attitudes and values, ability influences your perception and motives. And perception and motivation influence productivity, absence, turnover, and satisfaction. When hiring: skills, attitudes and values, and personality are looked at if you fit in the organization and see how well you work in teams. People who don’t fit in will have low performance high absenteeism/turnover. Age-older people are less likely to be absent for avoidable reasons and more likely to be absent for unavoidable reasons. (such as illness). Older people have les employment opportunities. Their job provides them with higher wages and pension benefits. Productivity there is no relation with age. Positive satisfaction 60+. Gender- no gender differences and no differences in productivity. Women are more likely to be absent because of children. Marital status- in general married people are more stable, brings job to be more valuable, fewer absence and turnover rates, more satisfied. Tenure – people who have been around for a long while are likely to stay and there is decreased turnover. Tenure on previous jobs help predict employees future turnover. Promotes conveys loyalty. Extra experience leads to increased productivity. Ability – skills that individual posses. Intellectual ability: mental activities, thinking, reasoning and problem solving. Those individuals who have a high intellectual ability and work at jobs that do not challenge them become bored and lack motivation. Physical ability: require physical traits for some jobs. Emotional intelligence: self awareness becoming aware of yourself and your areas of strength. Self management working without constant supervision. Self motivated ability to persist if there is setbacks or failures, social skills the ability to deal with others and their emotions, empathy ability to sense how others are feeling. Emotional intelligence affects job performance as employees can relate to each other. Cultural Values – experiences learned that shape our behavior. High low power distance: how equal or unequal you are between others in your society, u.s is low/democratic. Uncertainity avoidance: preferring structure than unstructured. Cognitive dissoance: when there is a conflicting emotion or tension after making a decision. Refers to any incompatibility than an individual might perceive between two or more if his or her attitudes, or between his or her behavior and attitudes. Personality – heredity, environment, situations determine personality. Locus of control: the degree to which people believe they are masters of their own fate. When we succeed we take credit for it, but when we fail, we blame others. Internals: in control of our destiny and are more satisfied and fewer absences. Externals: believe their lives are controlled by outside forces higher absences and less satisfaction. Extroversion: social, assertive. Introverted: reserved, timid. Machiavellianism: pragmatic, emotional distant, ends justify means, aggressive tactics. High mach’s: less persuaded, win more, manipulate more, flourish face to face and when there’s no rules. Self esteem: more confidence, higher risk takers. Self monitoring: ability to adjust to external behavior and situations. High Self monitors: aware of outside cues, and put on faces. Perceptions-input gives meaning to surrounding. Influenced by perceiver: attitudes, motives, interests, experiences, expectations. Target: motion, size, background, similarity. Situation: time, work, social. We judge people to find a behavior based on motives and interests. Attribution Theory- Attribution theory- Tries to explain the ways in which we judge people differently, depending on the meaning we attribute to a given behavior. We attempt to determine if a given behavior is internally or externally caused. Assessed by 3 factors: Distinctiveness- whether an individual displays different behaviors in different situations. Consensus- is his response unique or expected from everyone in a similar situation? Consistency- does the person respond the same way over time? Fundamental attribution error- The tendency to underestimate the influence of external factors and overestimate the internal factors when making judgments about others’ behaviors. Self-serving bias- The tendency for individuals to atribute their own successes to internal factors and blame failures on external factors. Frequently used shortcuts in judging others: Selective perception- The tendency to selectively interpret what one sees on the basis of one’s interest, background, experience, and attitudes. Halo effect- the tendency to draw a general impression about an individual on a basis of a single characteristic. â€Å"he is all good and nothing bad† or vice versa. Contrast effect- Evaluation of a person’s characteristics that is affected by comparison with other people recently encountered who rank higher or lower on the same characteristic. Ie. Someone being assessed right after an expert or someone that does a bad job will affect how you view that person. Stereotyping- Judging someone on the basis of one’s perception of the group to which that person belongs.Profiling/Stereotyping- A form of stereotyping in which a group of individuals is singed out- typically on basis of race, ethnicity- for intensive inquiry, scrutiny, or investigation.Self- fulfilling prophecy- a situation in which a person inaccurately perceives a second person, and the resulting expectations cause the second person to behave in ways consistent with the original perception. Motivation- how much effort an individual puts forth to achieve organizational goals. Performance = motivation, ability, opportunity. Learning Theory – environment determines an individuals behavior. Law of Effect(operant conditioning, or reinforcement theory) behavior is a function of its consequences. People got to learn to behave a way to get what the want. Shaping Behavior- individuals behavior is shaped by rewarding each successive step that moves them closer to a desired response. Positive reinforcement: following a desired response with something pleasant, negative: following a response by termination or withdrawal of something unpleasant. Punishment: causing an unpleasant condition to eliminate an undesirable behavior. Extinction: eliminating any reinforcement that maintains behavior. Applied: Well pay vs sick pay, lotteries, and recognition programs. Need Theory- the individual is in control of changing behavior and not the environment. Maslows Hierarchy: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. From Low to high. 1. Physiological- food, water, shelter, bodily needs 2. Safety- protection from emotional and physical harm 3. Social- affection, belongingness, friends 4. Esteem- self respect, autonomy, recognition, attention 5. Self actualization- achieving full potential, growth As each need becomes satisfied the next need becomes dominant. A substantial satisfied need no longer motivates. High order needs: internally satisfied such as social , esteem, and self actualization. Low order needs: externally and psycho and safety needs. Extrinsic rewards such as pay tends to decrease motivation for something that was intrinsically rewarding. Extrinsic rewards given to someone performing an interesting task causes interest in the task. Two factor theory: intrinsic factors such as advancement, recognition, responsibility, and achievement, are related to job satisfaction and extrinsic factors such as supervision, pay, company policies, and working conditions are associated with dissatisfaction. Hygiene factors – these factors are conditions surrounding the job â€Å"low order needs† and people complain about and in order to motivate people on the job hertzburg suggests to emphasize characteristics that people find intrinsically rewarding. Equity Theory- comparison of outcomes such as rewards and promotions, to inputs such as effort, skills, experience, and knowledge to others in the organization and then respond to eliminate any inequities. Inequity (under rewarded) low performance and over rewarded performance will increase. Job enrichment (vertical)- is the vertical expansion of jobs, increasing the degree to which the worker controls the planning, execution, and evaluation of his or her work. Expanding jobs vertically gives employees the opportunities, responsibilities, and controls that were previously reserved for management. Autonomy, feed back results, feedback channel, and recognizes individuals desire to grow. Job enlargement (horizontal)- is the idea to expand jobs, more tasks to work with, broaden the job. Skill variety, task identity: seeing the job getting fully done, task significance allows employees to form natural work units where asks they perform create meaningful whole. Employee Involvement Programs- allows orgs to focus on areas their workers know best. Gives sense of belonging, power, information, attitudes/values, and rewards move down the org, allows high needs to be satisfied, becoming motivated, committed, performance up, and satisfied. Line of sight: things way too far away that decreased motivation. Expectancy Theory- belief that an employee will be motivated to exert effort when it will lead to good performance then reward and hence satisfy its goals. Developed by Victor Vroom. Expectancy (effort – performance) belief That effort will lead to good performance. Skills experience and performance clarity is satisfied. Instrumentality (performance – reward) belief that good performance will lead to desired outcomes. Valence (reward – personal goal) the degree to which org. rewards will satisfy your needs and how attractive they are intrinsic and extrinsic. Effort to perform = expectancy, instrumental, valance. Gain Sharing- a formula based on group incentive plan. Focuses on productivity cost saving rather than profits. Relies less on extrinsic factors. Gain can happen without profit. Skill based pay- pay levels are based on how many skills employees have. Technical, managerial, and social. Provides flexibility to perform diff. tasks and skills are interchangeable. Facilitates communication between people to gain better understanding of the jobs. Downside, no promotions and there are limitations to how much you can learn before you top out. Timed training rotation: periodic shifting of an employee from one task to another. When employee becomes not challenged the employee is changed to maintain motivation levels high. Trait Theory- differs leaders from non-leaders. By looking at personal qualities to traits. Works well when in no structure or ambiguous teams. Leaders are born not made. Emergence of leadership rather than the leaders effect on performance. They have to be ambitious, energy, honesty, integrity, high self monitors. However, the theory may not work because fails to clarify the importance of different traits. Not a clear cause and effect relationship. Behavior Theories- assumes that leaders can be trained and the goal here is to develop potential leaders. The problem with these theories is that effective behaviors do not generalize across situations. Ohio studies: 2 dimensions: initiating structure: extent to which a leader is likely to define goals and expectations. Leaders focus is task. Consideration: the extent to which a leader has a relation with employees, trust, respect for ideas, and feelings. The leader is people oriented and focused on the employees.

Strategies for Teaching English Language Learners Essay -- Instruction

English Language Learners (ELL) require appropriate education in the English language. Reading, writing, listening, pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar are important for an ELL student to learn. Educators should use individualized lesson plans that will cater to each student’s abilities and knowledge of the secondary language. An ELL classroom is formed with students who do not have the capability to speak or read English fluently. These students are unable to participate in a mainstream classroom without some type of help. The ELL classroom will give students more time to practice English. Comprehensible Input Comprehensible input is academic learning messages. An ELL student must participate if they want to learn the material. Krashen has five hypotheses for the acquisition of a second language. These hypotheses are: â€Å"acquisition learning, comprehensible input, monitor, affective filter, and natural order† (Krashen, 1981). Comprehensible input uses appropriate speech and clear explanation of tasks students need to accomplish during the school day. Students must be able to understand what is expected of them before they are able to complete the lesson or task. Comprehensible input will â€Å"be made meaningful when the speaker uses visual supports, nonverbal gestures, paraverbal support (whispers, sighs), graphic organizers, and realia (real objects that students can see) that focus learners on the concrete here and now† (Faltis, 2008). Visual aids are very beneficial for clarifying vocabulary terms to ELL students. On-Going, Specific, and Immediate Feedback Feedback is critical it must be given immediately to assist with the education. There are many types of feedback: direct, explicit written, individual conferences, di... ...4300068&v=2.1&u=canyonuniv&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w&authCount=1. Krashen, S. D. (1981) Second language acquisition and second language learning. Retrieved December 29, 2011, from Web http://www.sdkrashen.com/SL_Acquisition_and_Learning/index.html. Morse, R., & Teyechea, N. (n.d.). Instructional strategies for ELL classrooms. Retrieved December 29, 2011, from Web http://www.mrmorsesclass.com/Instructional%20Strategies.pdf. McCall, J. (2005) Building Concepts and Vocabulary Before Reading. Retrieved December 29, 2011, from Web http://www.pd-network.com/lessons/frontloading_for_ell_article.pdf. Mustfa, N. (2002) Grouping in the ESL Classroom. Retrieved December 29, 2011, from Web http://www.melta.org.my/ET/2002/wp03.htm. Rothenberg, C., & Fisher, D. (2007). Teaching English Language Learners: A Differentiated Approach. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Cultural determinants of Latin Americans

The Latino population in the US is about 14 % (in 2006) and would rise to about 25 % within a few years. This population has very important healthcare needs, and they cannot be ignored as they form a very important part of the population of the US (Caballero, 2006). The incidence rates of diabetes are very high in the Latin American population that resides in the US. Hispanics have a high chance of developing diabetes due to genetic predisposition. The occurrence of type I diabetes is similar in Hispanic and Whites, but the prevalence of type II diabetes is almost twice higher.Environmental factors (associated with urbanization, lifestyle and leading a sedentary lifestyle) tend to impact the manner in which the disease develops and progresses in Hispanics. The outcome of diabetes of Latinos who reside in the US is particularly poor (Caballero, 2006). These rates are especially high in those above the age of 60 year. About 33 % of the female population and about 31 % of the male popul ation suffer from diabetes. The incidence rates could be higher due to a number of unreported cases. At the moment, the Hispanic population is experiencing a lot of problems with relation to accessing the healthcare services in the US.These include a reduced provision of healthcare services, poor knowledge about the availability of the healthcare services, poor insurance coverage, poor policies framed to cover the healthcare needs of the immigrants, absence of procedures in order to secure the healthcare services, inability to afford the high cost of healthcare, poor transportation facilities, cultural problems that are experienced whilst interacting with the healthcare professionals (difference in language, culture, ethnicity, values, etc), discrimination, fear, etc (Sotomayor, Pawlik & Dominguez, 2007).Healthcare services are provided at rather inconvenient hours and the transportation facilities, to and fro the healthcare unit is very poor. Some individuals belonging to the Latin Communities fear using the healthcare system as they feel that they get discriminated and deported to their home nation. Individuals belonging to the Latin communities are unable to build a rapport with the healthcare professional (Kaleidoscope). The CDC began to understand that the Latin Communities were unable to obtain effective healthcare services in the US.Hence, it launched the Latin Education Project in the year 2000 to educate the Latin Communities, make them understand their health problems, encourage health promotion and prevent the development of chronic diseases. The incidences, complications and mortality of diabetes were high in the Texas region of the Latin Communities. The communities had very poor knowledge of their health problems, as they were basically illiterate, uneducated, lived in villages and worked as farmers. Their economic situation was also very poor in the US.About 42 % of the population that reside in the Coastal Bend Area of Texas is basically Hispan ic and a sizeable amount belongs to the elder age group. In some areas, the Hispanic population is about 80 to 90 %, and this would mean that the health problems that arise due to not using the healthcare facilities are even higher. About 28 % of the elder aged-group Hispanic population lives below the poverty line. The unemployment rates are also very high in the Hispanic population (about 6 %).About 50 % of the population that live in Texas meets with fatal outcomes due to a chronic disease such as diabetes and CVS disease (Sotomayor, Pawlik & Dominguez, 2007). The Latin populations also have a lot of beliefs about healthcare, which affects the manner in which they seek healthcare services in the US. In 4 different parts of the World, Weller et al performed a study in 1999, to determine the beliefs the Latin communities had about diabetes. It was performed in Latin Communities in Connecticut, Texas, Mexico and Guatemala.A survey tool in the form of a questionnaire was utilized tha t had about 130 items regarding their beliefs about the cause, characteristics and the management of diabetes. Different populations were utilized to determine the consistency patterns. The study demonstrated that there were homogeneous beliefs in all the four communities with regards to Diabetes. As the incidence of diabetes was higher in the population, so were their knowledge levels of the disease. The cultural knowledge of diabetes was associated with greater educational levels.Sharing and transmission of knowledge was higher in populations living in developed areas. The cultural knowledge of diabetes seemed to be true and proven through modern medicine. However, there were some wrong beliefs, which existed in the population regarding diabetes. This may be due to a lack of information in a particular area, and could be easily corrected through education. The population was aware that diabetes developed due to the lack or a problem of insulin in the body.There were also aware of the frequent symptoms of diabetes such as tiredness, frequent urination, dizziness, excessive thirst, visual disturbances, etc (Weller, Baer, Pacher, et al 1999). The Latin populations do not belief in preventive care (which is given a lot of priority and importance in the US). Economic and spiritual factors influence the need to seek preventive medical care. The population may not like to seek unnecessary medical check-ups, as it may be very costly for them. Only if the patients were sick and terribly unwell, would he/she seek medical care.Hence, they are at a very high risk of developing serious complications that may arise in association with several chronic diseases. Many people end up with fatal outcomes in the hospitals. Hence, they soon begin not to trust the local healthcare providers, and tend to lose confidence in the US healthcare system. The uninsured rates are also very high in the Latino populations. The Latin population believes that curses and spiritual issues could result in the development of illness, and hence, would first seek care from a spiritual healer.Rituals, local herbs and medicines are utilized to treat the disease, frequently without much success (Kaleidoscope). The Healthcare system in the US is beginning to change in order to meet the needs of the Latino population. Awareness programs are being launched by the CDC, American Diabetic Association, etc, to educate the Latino population of their health problems and the manner in which it is to be addressed. Physicians in certain parts of the US get extra academic benefits if they serve the minority population.Several organizations in the US are conducting relevant research and studies to identify the factors that could accelerate disease and worsen their health problems. Accordingly, the health system is being modified. Physicians and other healthcare personnel belonging to Latin origins are being recruited in the healthcare system to ensure that the patients can speak in their nativ e language to the professionals. Many organizations are also visiting the Latin populations to identify their health problems and develop a solution for them.The government and local agencies are also making an effort to provide health insurance coverage for these Latin populations. Transportation facilities that serve the Latin populations are also being improved. The communities are being reassured that they would not be discriminated, abused or deported to their home nation whilst accessing healthcare services. Pictures are frequently utilized at the healthcare unit to ensure proper communication. Brochures and graphics in local languages are utilized to create greater awareness for the Latin populations.The CDC and other health organizations in the US are creating a separate segment in their websites that would help the Latin population access health information (Kaleidoscope). References: Caballero, A. E. (2006), Culturally Competent Diabetes Care and Education for Latinos, Ame rican Diabetic Association, 3(12), 3. http://docnews. diabetesjournals. org/cgi/content/full/3/12/3 Kaleidoscope – Latinos / Hispanics, Retrieved on June 22, 2007, from Kaleidoscope Website: http://cnnc. uncg. edu/pdfs/latinoshispanics. pdf Nelson, K. , Geiger, A. M. & Mangione, C. M.(2002), Effect of Health Beliefs on Delays in Care for Abnormal Cervical Cytology in a Multiethnic Population, J Gen Intern Med, 17(9), 709–716. http://www. pubmedcentral. nih. gov/articlerender. fcgi? artid=1495105 Sotomayor, M. , Pawlik, F. & Dominguez, A. (2007), Building Community Capacity for Health Promotion in a Hispanic Community, Prev Chronic Dis, 4(1), A16. http://www. pubmedcentral. nih. gov/articlerender. fcgi? artid=1832126 Weller, S. C. , Galzer, M. , Baer, R. D. (1999), Latino Beliefs about Diabetes, Diabetes Care, 22(5), 722-728. http://care. diabetesjournals. org/cgi/reprint/22/5/722. pdf

How to Manage and Identify Sourwood

Sourwood is a tree for all seasons and is found in the forest understory, along roadsides and a pioneering tree in clearings. A member of the heath family, Oxydendrum arboreum is primarily a hill country tree that has a range from Pennsylvania to the Gulf Coastal Plain. The leaves are dark, lustrous green and appear to weep or hang from the twigs while branches droop toward the ground. Branching patterns and persistent fruit give the tree an interesting look in the winter. Sourwood is one of the first trees to turn fall colors in the Eastern forest. By late August, it is common to see foliage of young sourwood trees along roadsides beginning to turn red. The fall color of sourwood is a striking red and orange and associated with blackgum and sassifras. It is an early summer bloomer and gives fresh flower color after most flowering plants have faded. These flowers also provide the nectar for bees and the very tasty and sought out sourwood honey. Specifics Scientific name: Oxydendrum arboreumPronunciation: ock-sih-DEN-drum ar-BORE-ee-umCommon name(s): Sourwood, Sorrel-TreeFamily: EricaceaeUSDA hardiness zones: USDA hardiness zones: USDA hardiness zones: 5 through 9AOrigin: Native to North AmericaUses: recommended for buffer strips around parking lots or for median strip plantings in the highway; shade tree; specimen; no proven urban toleranceAvailability: somewhat available, may have to go out of the region to find the tree Special Uses Sourwood is occasionally used as an ornamental because of its brilliant fall color and mid-summer flowers. It is of little value as a timber species but the wood is heavy and is used locally for handles, firewood and in mixture with other species for pulp. Sourwood is important as a source of honey in some areas and sourwood honey is marketed locally. Description Sourwood usually grows as a pyramid or narrow oval with a more or less straight trunk at a height of 25 to 35 feet but can reach 50 to 60 feet tall with a spread of 25 to 30 feet. Occasionally young specimens have a more open spreading habit reminiscent of Redbud.Crown density: denseGrowth rate: slowTexture: medium Leaves Leaf arrangement: alternateLeaf type: simpleLeaf margin: entire; serrulate; undulateLeaf shape: lanceolate; oblongLeaf venation: banchidodrome; pinnateLeaf type and persistence: deciduousLeaf blade length: 4 to 8 inchesLeaf color: green Fall color: orange; red Fall characteristic: showy Trunk and Branches Trunk/bark/branches: droop as the tree grows, and will require pruning for vehicular or pedestrian clearance beneath the canopy; not particularly showy; should be grown with a single leader; no thornsPruning requirement: needs little pruning to develop a strong structureBreakage: resistantCurrent year twig color: green; reddishCurrent year twig thickness: medium; thin Pests and Diseases Pests are usually not a problem for Sourwood. Fall webworm can defoliate portions of the tree in summer and fall but usually control is not needed. As far as diseases, twig blight kills leaves at the branch tips. Trees in poor health seem to be more susceptible. Prune out infected branch tips and fertilize. Leaf spots can discolor some leaves but are not serious other than causing premature defoliation. Culture Light requirement: tree grows in part shade/part sun; tree grows in full sunSoil tolerances: clay; loam; sand; acidic; well-drainedDrought tolerance: moderateAerosol salt tolerance: moderate In Depth Sourwood grows slowly, adapts to sun or shade, and prefers a slightly acid, peaty loam. The tree transplants easily when young and from containers of any size. Sourwood grows well in confined soil spaces with good drainage making it a candidate for urban plantings but is largely untried as a street tree. It is reportedly sensitive to air pollution injury Irrigation is required during hot, dry weather to keep leaves on the tree. Reportedly not highly drought tolerant, but there are beautiful specimens in USDA hardiness zone 7 growing in the open sun in poor clay with no irrigation.