Wk 4/5 Ch 7 & 8 M - Essay Example

Self Exercise: How Do Diversity Assumptions Influence Team Member Interactions? Diversity Assumption Worksheet Dimension of Diversity Assumption ThatMight Be Made Impact on Team Members’ Interactions Age Older people are difficult to teach regarding technological developments. As people age, the ability to accept change becomes restricted. Ethnicity (e.g., Mexican) Society still practices stereotyping. There still exists racial prejudice despite laws that protect and encourage equality and just treatment.

Gender Male still dominate higher organizational positions. There is still prejudice with regards to employment and leadership in terms of gender. Race Society still practices stereotyping. There still exists racial prejudice despite laws that protect and encourage equality and just treatment. Physical ability (e.g., hard of hearing) Those who are physically fit have advantage in all aspects of endeavors. Physical disabilities affect work and access to equal rights. Sexual orientation There are controversies involving homosexuality.

Homosexuals have more challenges that need to be faced. Marital/parental status (e.g., single parent with children) Marital status affects upbringing of children. Society still favors a family with both parents intact. Religion (e.g., Buddhist) Religious orientations are more accepted in contemporary times. Society has learned to respect diversity in religious orientations. Recreational habits (e.g., hikes on weekends) There must be a balance between work and recreation. Finding time, money and effort for recreation becomes more difficult in current times.

Educational background (e.g., college education) Education is still seen as crucial in finding higher pay employment. Work experience (e.g., union) Different factors affect people within the work setting. Economic condition have influenced work more in current times. Appearance (e.g., overweight) People still find physical beauty as more advantageous. Due to focus on physical attributes, society have reacted through products and services that improve appearance. Geographic location (e.g., rural) People from rural areas migrate to urban areas for more opportunities.

Urban areas have become more populated, more polluted and congested. Personal habits (e.g., smoking) Vices and habits are influenced by internal and external pressures. People find ways to address bad habits through advances in medicine and technology. Income (e.g., well-to-do) The higher the income, the greater the power. People in general strive to achieve higher income all their life. Questions for Discussion 1. Where do our assumptions about others come from? Assumptions about others come from what one hears and observes as being practiced by society.

Most of the time stereotyping is still being actively practiced and this process, though contrary to deductive reasoning, is still being manifested and exemplified in contemporary societies. Despite diversity in race, ethnic, religious orientations, people still universally favor physical beauty, higher education, higher income and good occupation. 2. Is it possible to eliminate negative assumptions about others? How might this be done? Negative assumptions about others could be eliminated through critical thinking and deductive reasoning.

My being more objective and factual and by following steps in critical thinking, one would clearly evaluate and assess the behavior of other people in a more rational manner. 3. What most surprised you about your answers to the diversity assumption worksheet? The diversity assumption worksheet made one realize that despite efforts and laws enacted to promote equality and human rights, society still practice stereotyping unconsciously or subconsciously due to the covert social norms and values that have been handed from one generation to another.

Self Exercise: What Outcomes Motivate Employees? How do you believe the typical non-managerial employee would rank these outcomes? ____4_ Full appreciation of work done ____2_ Job security ____6_ Good working conditions ____7_ Feeling of being in on things ____1_ Good wages ____8_ Tactful discipline ____9_ Personal loyalty to employees ____3_ Interesting work ____10_ Sympathetic help with personal problems ____5_ Promotion and growth in the organization Questions for Discussion 1. Were your perceptions accurate?

Why or why not? In only one item was my perception accurate (sympathetic help with personal problems). In others, I have the greatest deviation of 4 (feeling of being in on things and good wages). I think this is because people perceive wanting things from work differently. What I want would definitely be different from what others want. 2. What would Vroom’s expectancy theory suggest you should do? Vroom’s expectancy theory states that an employee’s motivation to complete a task is influenced by their personal views regarding: (1) the probability of completing the task and (2) the possible outcome or consequence of completing the task.

Therefore, one’s view of completing a task is definitely different from my perception of the outcome or consequence of its completion. As managers, they should therefore assess how their subordinates feel about expectations and outcomes of their jobs and design motivational programs that would cater to this needs and drives. 3. Based on the size of your discrepancy, what does Herzberg’s motivator–hygiene model suggest will happen to satisfaction? Based on the size of one’s discrepancy, using Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene model, one should focus on factors that are satisfiers (motivators) rather than hygiene factors which the employers must ensure that should be present within the work setting. 4. Would you generalize the actual survey results to all non-managerial employees?

Why or why not? As one contends, different individuals have different factors affecting job attitudes. These could guide managers in designing a universal motivational program; however, in the actual work setting, management must still determine which factors motivate their employees to enable them to design a most appropriate incentive scheme that caters to their need and drives. Survey Results Deviation Score __2___ Full appreciation of work done 2 __4___ Job security 2 __7___ Good working conditions 1 __3___ Feeling of being in on things 4 __5___ Good wages 4 __9___ Tactful discipline 1 __8___ Personal loyalty to employees 1 __1___ Interesting work 1 __10___ Sympathetic help with personal problems 0 __6___ Promotion and growth in the organization 1