Business Communication Skills - Organizational Behavior Theories

Student Name
INSTITUTIONAL AFFILIATION(S)
BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION SKILLS

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Introduction
Organizational behavior (OB) theories are defined as scientific approaches that study
an organization's performance based on individual, team and organizational contexts. It
focuses on the impact of individuals, teams and organizational construct that affects human
behavior in the workplace setting. According to S.V. (2016), OB is “the study of
human behavior in organizational settings, the interface between human behavior and the
organization, and the organization itself” (p. 454). While motivation theories are considered
as an art of making people perform according to organizational needs, effective
communication ensures that effective collaboration is instilled within teams. Ethics and social
responsibility, on the other hand, deals with a good decision-making process comprising
ethical choices in day to day work activities. In this light, this paper will discuss motivation
theories that influence individual level, effective communication influencing team level and
ethics and social responsibility influencing organizational level. Since the three mentioned
theories seemed most meaningful to me, I will analyze them through theoretical perspectives
besides evaluating their role in the OB study.
Critical discussions
Motivation theories in OB refer to the strategies framed by organizations to ensure
that challenging competition is addressed and employee turnover is managed effectively.
Since contemporary businesses faces increased turnover caused due to migration of industrial
workers, lack of motivation and employee commitment have made many scientific
researchers develop motivation theories that can influence individual motivation level
(Varma, 2017). Work, either paid or unpaid, formal or informal plays a key role in
individuals' lives worldwide. Through work, diversified people belonging to a different

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culture, gender, background, and society define themselves and their participation in society.
Although the job usually provides them with personal and monetary satisfaction, it may pose
risks related to emotions, safety, and health. When individuals face such challenging
situations arising in their workplace, they feel unmotivated to perform their best and tries to
get through the day. They allow others to take over their work easily and get distracted by
non-work activities. Additionally, reduced stress levels and inability to perform makes them
tend to quit more often (Leonard, 2019).
Needs theory in motivation states that every need in an individual is not important
equally. This means, that some needs prove much powerful than the other to drive an
individual towards the goal depending on any given situation. The needs theory developed by
Maslow provides individuals and OB with the hierarchy of needs concept which states that
individual satisfaction occurs when their needs are fulfilled according to the given line and
motivation is the attempt that drives them to satisfy their needs. Another significant
motivation theory was developed by Locke and Latham who stated that individual
performance and motivation are superior when individuals set particular goals, their goals are
acceptable and challenging, and when feedback is received out of performance made. This
reveals that participation in goal setting is important to agree on goal setting and motivation
to perform. The goal-setting theory underlines that goals make individuals reach a pre-
targeted level and while performing, needs make them put in necessary efforts. It can be said
that if organizations provide positive feedback, individuals will become motivated to perform
for next-level challenges (Kuranchie-Mensah & Amponsah-Tawiah, 2016).
Effective communication in OB is the key theme required for developing a successful
team as it involves job clarity and team members' priorities related to work for accomplishing
a shared objective. Feedback, in team communication, is, however, an important factor that
must be received and given with dignity and grace, keeping in mind that other team members