1. (10 pts.) Discuss how organizational architecture and corporate culture are related. Use an example of a real-life firm and discuss how its corporate culture blends with its organizational architecture.
Organizational architecture is an aspect of an organization which defines the operational departments, chain of command of all employees, work specialization and control system of an organization. On the other hand, organizational culture is an aspect of an organization which interact the values which play a role in helping the employees to run the organization effectively. Organizational architecture and organization culture are dependent on each other. For instance, the architecture is the determinant of the organizational ethics, dispositions, attitudes and behaviors which are vital in the development of the organizational culture. The sharing behavior of an organization is increased by decentralizing the organizational architecture. Independency in decision making and organizational accountability are also increased by architecture which enhance the sharing of organizational culture (Legutko, 2012).
Nevertheless, organizational architecture plays an important role in supporting the welfare of the employees. In so doing, the employees are able to carry out their jobs with relevance to their profile and position thus helping the organization to overcome any in the market. Finally, the organization architecture plays a role in the sharing of the employee profits and benefits. In this context, the organization provides motivational trips, bonuses to the employees for their food work. As a result, the culture of the organization is developed when the employees come together to share their knowledge, competences and experience with an aim of improving their productivity (Legutko, 2012).
2. (10 pts.) Billy Riggan is in charge of all technical developments at Always Round Tire. He makes all the choices concerning product innovations in the company. He finds that he is overworked and that several of his research scientists seem to be spending work hours playing tennis. What is going on?
In this context, it can be said that Billy is being used by the free riders. Billy responsibility is based on technical development of the organization which is a high position in the organization. However, he feels that this work may not be done effectively without his assistance. It is clear that the other group members do not have any interest on their groups where their members are not willing to take their responsibilities, while Billy is actively interested in ensuring that these members carry out their duties effectively.
This issue indicates that there is a great need for the organization to rethink about reorganizing the teams of Billy Riggan. The aim will be to reorganize the members alongside with the available work. This is the only way the organization will be able to become more effective and thus improving the employee productivity. The current situation in the Billy’s team may affect the aspects surrounding the formulation of the groups for Billy.
3. (10 pts.) Always Round Tire tries to base its promotions on seniority (where education and training requirements are not necessary). The company finds that this system seems to work most of the time with shop floor supervisors and team managers. But the system breaks down for higher-level positions. Why?
Employee promotion in organization moves a lower level employee to a high level following the organizational structure. In this context, the process is helping the lower level employees because they are linked with customers or the market. This is to imply that they understand well the required skills and systems as well as the processes of the organization. Nevertheless, the lower level employees hold the relationship thus developing the characters in line with the operational experience in cross team, which is actually a crucial requirement for managing the entire process of the organization in an effective manner.
On the other hand, employees in the employees on the high level position need an improvement in their existing skills and knowledge with respect to their better decision making, strategy making and reporting which could not be possible in a general manner. Considering the situation in hand of Always Round Tire, the organization focuses in training its lower level employees to gain higher knowledge and skills so as to enable them get higher level positions. This issue can be said to be costly for the organization with respect to time and finance. Nevertheless, lower level employees getting promotions could be problematic for the organization since they may bring up problems related to decision making capacity and capability. This is to say that promotion with respect to seniority is an effective process for the organization.
4. (10 pts.) Economists believe the free rider problem is very important in complex business organizational structures. Still, businesses continue to build teams to solve problems or to deliver products to consumers. Often special rewards or bonuses are provided to the team rather than to the individuals on the team. Write a brief essay that either defends the economists' concern or explain why economists are wrong on this issue.
In my opinion, the statement offered by the economic is rooted on the situation and circumstances. The reason is that when something I done by an individual and is exceptionally will, then the individual recognition works instead of giving rewards to the group. In a case whereby the some achievements and target is defined by the group, then rewards should not be issued to a particular individual since it will directly affect the entire group. Furthermore, it will affect the motivation part of the group. Generally, they should not exist any reward or appreciation for individuals whose focus is on unnecessary credits.
Good results provided by a team clearly show that the results came as a result of unity within the group. This unity come as a result of combination each member ideas and efforts. This is to mean that the results are collective issue for the whole group not an individual in particular. Therefore, it is true and right for the economists to say that teams solving problems in an organization should be awarded as a group but not to a particular individual (Sen, 2008).
5. (10 pts.) Many firms today use 360-degree performance evaluations. Make a case for this type of evaluation based on the in formativeness principle. What problems may be encountered from implementation of such a system?
360-degree performance evaluation is an evaluation which involves supervisors, peers and employees as well as self-evaluation. Performance evaluation is of great importance to an organization as far as staff motivation, organizational aims, aligning individual, relationship fostering between the staff and management and behavior development is concerned. In 360-degree performance evaluations, when a supervisor is being evaluated then the co-supervisors, the manager concerned with the supervisors department, junior staff must be consulted. Nevertheless, the process may go a mile further to consult any clients who have dealt with the supervisor can be requested to provide a report about the supervisor’s service to them (Ivancevich & Matteson, 1990).
An outstanding case for this evaluation is when the organization wants to perform a 360-degree performance evaluation then it happens that the boss is particular about some employee thus creating a serious barrier among many employees on their performance evaluation. In this case the high level management may not have any awareness about their junior employees which may automatically affect the process.
There are various problems associated with the implementation of this system. First, the system focuses more on employee strengths neglecting the weaknesses. A good system needs to focus on both strengths and weaknesses in order to be able to come up with solutions on how to improve the weakness in order to foster more strength in the future. Furthermore, the system opens a space for rate inexperience and ineffectiveness. When people are getting feedbacks and at the same time provide feedback, problems of rating arise. This may affect employee evaluation as either good or bad. Finally, the system lacks connectivity especially with strategic aims of your organization. Matching the system with the organizational strategic aims may be very difficult that requiring much attention.
6. (10 pts.) Reflecting on what you have learned in this course, discuss the relevance of Responsible Stewardship in the context of economic analysis and organizational architecture.
Stewardship involves effective planning and management of resources with an organization via a person known as a steward. Stewardship has been applied in various organizations with respect to health, information, environment, religion, economics and information which are rooted to sustainability.
Just as discussed above, Organizational architecture is an aspect of an organization which defines the operational departments, chain of command of all employees, work specialization and control system of an organization. Therefore, stewardship works hand in hand with the organizational architecture. It strengthens all the aspects of organization structure with relevance to planning and management of resources with an aim of increasing efficiency. On the other hand, stewardship plays an important role in shaping the workability of economic analysis of an organization. Through the stewardship an organization is able to improve the economic analysis of resources (Ivancevich & Matteson, 1990).
References
Ivancevich, J. M., & Matteson, M. T. (1990). Organizational behavior and management (2nd ed.). Homewood, IL: BPI/Irwin.
Legutko, C. (2012). Organizational management. Lanham, Md.: AltaMira Press.
Sen, M. (2008). Business management. Jaipur, India: Oxford Book Co..
