Week 4 Learning Team Reflection

MGT/311

April 2, 2012
Christin Stadsklev

Week 4 Learning Team Reflection

The objectives for this week were: Analyze the influence of organizational structure on behavior, analyze the influence of organizational culture on behavior, and analyze the influence of power and politics on behavior. The organizational structure is the foundation of the organization functions. The structure affects the behavior of the organization members. The behavior is influence by the organization structure is assumed by pervasive. Strategy, Size, technology and environment determine structural design (mechanistic or organic). Mechanistic structure with its high formalization and specialization, tight controls, and strict adherence to the chain of command will see employee behavior within a narrow range. In the mechanistic structure employee know exactly how to behave and there is little room for deviation (Robbins & Judge, 2011). The organic structure is quite the opposite. In an organic structure there is low formalization, limited specialization, and a wide span of control there for employees have greater freedom and greater behavioral diversity (Robbins & Judge, 2011). “Culture is the social glue that helps hold the organization together by providing appropriate standards for whet employees should say and do” (Robbins & Judge, 2011, p. 523). In other words, the company’s spoken and unspoken standards of behavior. In a strong organizational culture the employee knows how he or she is expected to act and behave within the organization. A weak organizational culture has the opposite effect; employees may act unethically or not have any direction to follow. New members of a company need to be socialized into the workplace this is where they internalize the norms, values, customs, and practices that exist within the company.