Management
Introduction
The need for introspection arises when problems occur in the organization. Often these problems stem out from internal and/or external changes. The changes could be either needs-based or demand-based, and whatever the problem is, it arises from necessity to change existing policies and work patterns. When such a situation arises, it is time to negotiate, and negotiations are pursued to ensure a compromise is obtained between the varying factions. The graph below shows how conflicts can be resolved. Graph courtesy bollettinoadapt.unimore.it
Organizational conflicts can be because of a number of varying reasons. Some of the most common reasons are attributed to lack of resources which can put pressure on a group; attitudes and/or values that oppose individual or group needs, goals, priorities or interests; poor interpersonal communication; and the lack of groups or teamwork to name a few (Bobre, 2012).
Conflicts between individuals occur because each individual is different, and each has his or her way of communicating. In addition to this, conflicts between individuals occur due to each one having his or her personal needs, ambitions, political or religious views, and their cultural backgrounds. Another area where conflicts occur is between individuals and groups of people. Today, most organizations believe in developing groupism and teamwork. It can so happen that when one group or team is doing better than another, there can be differences of opinions and views being expressed. The view or opinion expressed can snowball into an all out confrontation between groups or between an individual and a group(s). This conflict can have a serious impact on the organization. Then there is the possibility of conflict within a group. Conflicts within groups occur when one person(s) begin to differentiate between team members. If there is a competition among factions within the group, there is every possibility that the group could disintegrate if the views of all of them are not compatible. This too is again a serious issue that needs to be nipped in the bud before it blossoms into a major conflict (Bobre, 2012).
Having identified the different conflicts possible within an organization, the better ways of controlling or preventing conflicts within organizations is to have a common goal for all the stakeholders within and outside the organization. If a common goal is identified, all the members within and outside the organization; the president, the vice-presidents, senior managers, managers, supervisors and the workers will work toward achieving that single goal. This means that they will all be totally dedicated to the same objective and become aware of their responsibilities. In order to develop and achieve such a solution, the management must ensure that all relevant information is shared among all the stakeholders; form a cordial relationship among all the members of the organization; empower and encourage all to ensure that the goal is achieved; and finally, remain alert to any possible signs of a conflict developing and solve it in an amicable manner (Bobre, 2012).
Johns (2007), says “absenteeism is psychological, and is associated with an employee’s medical or social adjustment to work.” One area where CMA faces a predicament comes from the ‘withdrawal theory’ (Farrell and Stamm, 1988), where absenteeism is caused by the avoidance of unfavorable work conditions. The best way to set CMA’s problems straight is by targeting the problem at the grass-root level. This would mean addressing the concerns of the employees who are forced to work overtime. CMA has four different managerial styles, and the first change would be to centralize the company’s managerial style. The company need a HR who can design and implement a program that balances the expectations of the management and the needs of the employees. Therefore, by introducing motivational programs, employees will feel far more comfortable and loyal in performing the additional tasks. A theory that signifies CMA’s need is the Vroom Theory. The Vroom theory is a motivational theory that focuses on the development of relationships between effort and performance, performance based on rewards, and rewards vs. personal goals. Therefore, if CMA is able to focus their attention on developing the relationship between motivating employees to work to enhance performance, they will be able to overcome the disparity in demand and supplies. Similarly, if the company executives or the vice-presidents join together and create a policy wherein there is uniformity in rewards for performance, the differences among the groups will decrease considerably. Langford et al. (1995), believes that the Vroom theory targets the needs of employees, and when employees feel that their needs are growing and they need more income, they are motivated to do more. Ultimately, employees will weigh their needs and the returns and assess what they need to do to achieve that need. There are a number of ways to motivate employees; they can be given pay hikes, given bonuses, offered ownership, provided flexible working hours, include retention programs, and offered promotions. Therefore, the most important part of the predicament can be overcome by introducing motivational programs. On the question of the hiring policy, the management must look to recruit people who are hard-working and enjoy working with others. It is difficult to retain people who feel that their organization is insensitive to their needs, and so, retention can come only when the right people are selected. Therefore, it is imperative that HR choose the right people for the job rather than recruit for the sake of recruitment. Once selected, the new recruits must be taken through an induction program so that they get to know others in the organization and feel welcomed. Once the induction program is complete, the recruits must be exposed to training. Training of employees should be periodic, and all employees must be trained in all the different operations in the manufacturing floor so that they can be routinely moved to a different section to keep them motivated and interested.
Finally, on the question of the differences between employees, managers, and the management, all stakeholders in the organization must be included in policy and operational matters. One important lesson for the vice presidents of CMA is that by differentiating themselves, the organization will only continue to disintegrate as each functional divisions will only act as a catalyst for each one to blame the other for the problems in the company. Therefore, by having a universal policy wherein all the functional heads and departments work together to achieve the company’s goal, the differences will dissipate and communication among them will increase and be effective. Involving employees in decision-making will not only remove any or all doubts they have about their managers or the management, but they will be able to provide solutions to problems that have been affecting CMA. Creativity can be enhanced through brainstorming sessions (Galanes, n.d).
References
Bobre, D. (2012). Conflict Management within Organizations. Presentation, Braşov.
Galanes, G. Supplemental Chapter for Confidence in Public Speaking, Seventh Edition (Telecourse Version). ResearchGate. Retrieved 10 December 2014, from http://www.researchgate.net/publication/239536044_Supplemental_Chapter_for_Con fidence_in_Public_Speaking_Seventh_Edition_%28Telecourse_Version%29
Johns, G, (2007), Absenteeism, Blackwell encyclopedia of sociology, Retrieved 10 December 2014, from http://www.blackwellreference.com/subscriber/uid=572/tocnode?id=g978140512433 1_chunk_g97814051243317_ss1-3
Langford, I., Day, R., Georgiou, S., & Bateman, I. (2009). A Cognitive Social Psychological Model for Predicting Individual Risk Perceptions and Preferences. CSERGE Working Paper. Retrieved 10 December 2014, from http://www.cserge.ac.uk/sites/default/files/gec_2000_09.pdf
