Organizational Behavior: Merits and Demerits of Relying on Stereotypes

This essay explores the merits and demerits of relying on stereotypes in organizational behavior. It also discusses the application of organizational theories, organizational problems, and managerial interventions.

Running head: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR 1
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR
Student Name
Institution Affiliation

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It is better to rely on stereotypes than to enter into a relationship with someone from
another culture without any idea of what they believe in. This essay shows that relying on
stereotypes is important and also has problems.
There are various merits associated with relying on stereotypes than entering into a
relationship with people from different cultures with any idea of their behavior, beliefs, and
customers. To begin with, stereotyping is important in the workplace because it provides full
information of a person in case there are any non-observable characteristics. Essential
information about a person is provided no unexpected information can be given. Also, through
stereotyping, information can be well organized by placing the people into different categories
(McFarlane, 2013). This is important because a person once stereotyped is seen for what he/she
can contribute to the business and not what he/she is. Further, stereotypes help us to be quickly
responsive to different situations due to similar experience before. They are also helpful because
they help us respond well to meeting new people. Additionally, stereotypes bring about self-
esteem and help one not to be anxious. This is done by placing one into his\her own group and
others into groups considered normal. It gives one a sense of worth. Furthermore, through
stereotyping, people are considered to have the abilities and characteristics the members of that
group have (McFarlane, 2013). It brings about explanations of other people’s behavior and
represents social classification. Again, through stereotyping, people are able to enter into their
own groups and this makes them have a sense of belonging. Stereotypes also enable us to
remember any information that we have of other people. This is because stereotyping usually
categorizes people in a way which can be remembered in future. Stereotypes help us to be aware
of differences between groups and also the norms and values that exist regardless of the
assumptions that exist (McFarlane, 2013). They usually guide us and shape our attitudes and

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behaviors towards other people, group or culture. Stereotyping is important to those people
entering new cultures because they provide the necessary information so that they will not make
any mistakes in future. Lastly, stereotypes are important because they exist in every community,
culture, and society. This is significant because they portray something about the character and
also human traits. They are important because they categorize people and events in a way which
can be remembered (Tajfel, 2010). Hence stereotypes are helpful while entering complex
environments of languages, places, culture, and people.
However, this stereotyping is associated with various problems if evidenced within an
organizational or workplace setting. Stereotyping is not well applied especially to a group of
people, because a negative feedback can be drawn from that group. Example if one person is
rude then the entire group can be considered rude. Effects of stereotyping usually emerge after
long periods of time has passed, peoples opinions may be judged wrongly and others may be
blamed for doing wrong. This usually leads to wrong performance also prevent emotional
identification. Stereotypes don’t represent groups in an accurate manner but they usually occur
when there are differences among the groups and try to explain them (Mellahi, Jackson &
Sparks, 2011). Stereotypes are most of the times determined by the social status of a person or a
group and not the actual characteristics of a person or the group. Stereotypes usually affect the
morale of the employees especially the cultural stereotype. If the employees believe that
stereotypes determine how they are treated, then they may end up leaving the organization.
Stereotypes may lead to low productivity of the organization; at times customers are dissatisfied
and also may reduce the revenues of the organization. Stereotyping doesn’t give the employees
the opportunity to present their ideas and use their skills in solving problems. This affects the
organization because there is lack of teamwork and open communication from the employees

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(Mellahi, Jackson & Sparks, 2011) Stereotypes are persistent regardless of the information, truth,
and facts that have been discovered. This brings about discrimination and bias information.
To achieve this objective, three learning outcomes will be targeted as below:
Learning outcomes one: Organizational behavior is the study which reflects the impact
that people or groups have on an organization so as to use the knowledge to improve the
effectiveness of the organization. There are different theories of organizational behavior which
companies should apply.
The theory of cognitive dissonance; it explains the relationship between attitudes and
behavior. Managers should understand well the employees’ attitudes and behaviors, by doing this
they will be able to reduce the dissonance incase its uncontrollable (Ivancevich, Konopaske, &
Mattenson, 2011). Managers require their employees to avoid absenteeism, they can do this by
creating job attitudes which are positive. Employees with attitude theories can reduce dissonance
hence leading to a good job performance.
Personality-job fit theory; it states that satisfaction and employee turnover is determined
by personality type and occupational environment. Managers can ensure the success of the
organization by matching the personalities with jobs (Hai & Sherif, 2011). They should also
work together with others both internal and external.
Learning theories; it states that learning occurs every time as we learn from our
experiences. Managers should act as good role models for the employees and allow them to learn
by offering rewards to them (Shermerhorn et al., 2012). By doing this, they will have very little
information to change their behavior. Managers apply the learning theories to motivate the
employees by allowing them to make decisions.

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Learning outcome two: There are several organizational problem situations which occur
in most of the organizations. Unethical behaviors by employees; managers should come up with
policies and practices that cover ethics violations. By doing this, employees will ensure that no
mistakes are done because they know the consequences (Yukl, George, & Jones, 2010). The
managers should act as good role models by practicing what they offer. This will make the
employees follow their footsteps hence ensuring that the organization performance is effective.
Lack of motivation of employees; in some organizations, the employees are not well
motivated (Maslow, 2012). This may due to the job conditions or individual inputs. Managers
should pay the employees in time and also offer rewards to them at other times. They should
ensure that the job environment is conducive to the employees. By doing this they will feel
motivated and they will work effectively.
Low turnover; there is a problem of low turnover by both the employees and managers in
some organizations. This may be due to insufficient resources required in the firm whereby the
employees may fail to report because there are no resources. To solve this, managers should
ensure that there are enough resources so that the productivity of the firm may not reduce
(Brown et al., 2011). This will lead to increased profits.
Absenteeism can be due to social problems of the employees. They may have problems at
home which might make them not to report for their jobs. Managers should consider them and
give them off days to try and solve their problems.
Failure to acknowledge changes; the culture of any organization is important, but
sometimes employees may fail to acknowledge the organization culture (Schein, 2013). This
may lead to poor performance because they work not following any rules. Managers should

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ensure that all employees should work under rules and regulations of the organization to ensure
its success.
Learning outcome three: In the research on organizational behavior, some developments
have emerged. Concepts like organizational culture, rituals, symbolic acts are being used hence
making anthropology useful. There has been increased interest in both ethics and its importance
by the researchers and also the leadership studies. The researchers of organizational behavior
have also studied about the aesthetic sphere of organizations. The methods which the researchers
have used include; quantitative methods, computer simulation and qualitative methods (Neuman,
2011).
On the other hand, there has been an organizational failure which is the deterioration of
the organization. This has been to a reduction in financial markets, reduced profits, shrinking of
markets and also exit from international markets (Mellahi, Jackson, & Sparks, 2011).
Assumptions on the failure are that the external markets are imposing pressure on organizations
and that most firms are operating under similar goals. Research suggests that organizational
failure is due to high competition, change in consumer tastes and decline in demand.
There has been organizational neuroscience which has emerged due to the increased
number of publications (Westell &White, 2012). The idea behind organizational neuroscience is
less rigorous according to researchers.
In conclusion we have identified that relying on stereotypes has both merits and demerits.
We have examined that the objective of stereotypes brings about three outcomes; how the
organizational theories are applied in an organizational setting, the organizational problems and

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managerial interventions cultural, ethical and social concern. Lastly, we have reviewed the
current developments in organizational behavior and its critiques.

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References
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commitment, and loyalty. Journal of Economics &Management Strategy, 20, 925-955.
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Westell, D.,&White, S. (2012). Blinded by Neuroscience Social Policy, the family, and the Infant
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