Question 1
This does not mean that Asian workers will experience higher level of job dissatisfaction or negative emotions. To start with, Asian attitude towards work seem to be critically different from American attitudes. It is indeed true that American workers are more likely to confront their supervisor or manager if their unhappy with something at work, while their Asian counterparts are less likely. Past studies have suggested that countries with lower individualism appear less satisfied compared to their counterparts in more individualistic countries. Asian culture is more oriented toward collectivism while American culture is oriented toward individualism. The major reason why Americans are more likely to confront their supervisors is that each employee strives at achieving individualistic goals and therefore more likely to feel unhappy with some aspects of their work. Conversely, Asian employees strive at achieving collective well-being rather than personal gains, which may prevent them from confronting their supervisors for individual workplace issues.
Early research found out that both job-related and individual differences variable have little impact on job satisfaction. In addition, it has been found that “the greater the distance between a given location and the US with reference to cultural values such as masculinity, individualism, or power distance, the less relevant are the results of American studies on satisfaction and emotion” (Landy and Conte 445). The implication is that cross-cultural differences between an American worker and Asian worker do not affect the level of job satisfaction or emotions. However, it is important for managers of multinational organization to recognize cultural factors affecting emotional reactions to work and subsequent work behaviors.
Question 2
This strategy is useful in such case because it helps the individual in developing strategies of coping with the situation, which involves reducing the level of emotional response to stressors. Secondary prevention approaches include minimizing, avoiding, and distancing oneself from the stressor. Students may use secondary prevention strategies such as saving money to use towards the end of the semester, join health club to stay emotionally healthy, prepare for examinations in good time, and going out less often. This strategy is more helpful as also involves use of awareness activities through seminars and talk shows aimed at information students on best adjustment strategies to such conditions. Secondary approach would be helpful in mitigating stress experienced by students towards the end of semester. This approach is useful as it prepares a student for stressing conditions before they take place. Preparation for stressors in advance helps in overcoming difficult situations in life.
Question 3
In my opinion, even if one assembles a diverse group based on demographics, psychological diversity would still be there. In a taxonomy describing the content of diversity, both demographic and psychological diversity are taken into consideration. Assembling a diverse group based on demographics would not downplay psychological diversity. Bringing together a group from different demographics imply that they different perceptions resulting into psychological diversity. In reality, psychological diversity cuts across all other types of diversity and form the center of human differences. It is however important to note that people from diverse demographics share similar ideas.
However, organizations are trying to develop workgroups that tend to favor homogeneity rather than diversity (Landy and Conte 498). In such cases, an organization will consider conducting appropriate employee training programs to enhance homogeneity. It is however important for companies to realize that they cannot do away with psychological diversity. A diverse workforce helps an organization achieve its objectives because of dynamic ideas inspired by a variety of perceptions. Psychological attributes such as knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics vary from person to person regardless of their demographic backgrounds. This leads a conclusion that assembling a diverse group on the basis of demographic factors does the presence of psychology in that group.
Question 4
A personality of an individual plays an important role in the way they lead. (Landy and Conte 512) defines personality as a combination of traits (distinguishable personal attributes) that defines a person’s behavior. Personality has a significant impact on attitudes as well as conduct and insights. The Big Five Model of Personality evaluates a person’s score in surgency, agreeableness, adjustment, conscientiousness, and openness to experience.
Extraversion refers to the extent that a person is sociable, outgoing, talkative, and relaxed while talking to new people and in meeting. A person with high scores in surgency is eager to take charge and influence others (Landy and Conte 521). This trait is essential for leadership because influencing others shows the ability of the leader to communicate ideas to employees effectively so employees will not only accept the ideas but motivate them to ensure implementation of required changes. This is task specific as it only gives a person the ability to motivate others towards set goals.
Another equally important personality trait for a leader is openness. Openness reflects degree of creativity, willingness to change, intellectual curiosity, and preference for variety and novelty. People like to have full confidence in their leaders, and to be fully confident they must vet that their leaders are people with solid integrity and strong character (Landy and Conte 520). Honesty is viewed as the most important bond between employees and leaders. Employees will only have a sense of belonging, value organizational values, and a sense of belonging when they have credible leaders. This is task specific as it only gives a person the ability to enhance employee satisfaction with an organization.
Question 5
A team is more than the sum of its parts and there are several reasons why working on a team is important. To start with, work as a group brings in a diverse pool of skills, ideas, and other attributes into how to solve a problem or tackle an assignment question (Landy and Conte 570). Working in teams help students to access knowledge and skills that they might not have received from the group members. Working as a team help achieve synergy because a team is more than individual talent. Active participation in teamwork can help achieve things benefits in excess of one of the individual members of the team. This is because each team member brings unique abilities and skills that sustain the entire group.
Students pursue different subjects while in school and each individual is talented in different subjects. Working on a team will help the students gain knowledge from those best in particular subjects. Working in such teams where each person does what they are best at results into an ideal team.
Work Cited:
Landy, Frank, and Conte Jeff. Work In The 21st Century: An Introduction to Industrial and Organizational Psychology. 3rd ed. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, 2009. Print.
