Flow in Management: Achievement-Orientation & Professional Advantages

This essay examines the concept of "flow," as proposed by Csikszentmihalyi in management and organizational literature, focusing on its interrelationship between challenges and skills. It explores how the state of flow, characterized by absorption, interest, and enjoyment, relates to achievement-orientation. The essay further discusses the advantages of understanding and applying the flow concept for professionals in contemporary organizations, including increased concentration, altered time perception, heightened confidence, and reduced self-awareness, ultimately leading to enhanced productivity and the elimination of anxiety and boredom. Discover more solved assignments and past papers on Desklib.

Essay question:
What is meant by the concept of “flow”, first proposed by Csikszentmihalyi in
the management and organisational literature? Is there a relationship
between achievement-orientation and “flow”? What are the advantages of
understanding the concept of flow for professionals in contemporary
organisations.
Introduction
Organisational behaviour talks about peoples thought, feelings and how do in the
organisational surroundings. This involves how teams and individuals communicates
and cooperation’s within the organisation. Additionally, the need of people in
organisation to work independently towards matters and the help management style
through motivations, ability situation factors and role perceptive bring the best out the
people in the organisations.
The concept flow or flow theory is usually based on the interrelationship between
challenges and the skills needed to meet all these threats. the flow existence is believed
to occur when one’s skills are in reach nor not taken advantage to meet these
challenges. This balance of challenges and skills in fragile: when disputed, apathy (i.e.
low challenges, low skills), anxiety (i.e. high challenge, low skills), boredom (low
challenges, high skill), are likely to be experienced (Csikszentmihalyi, 1997). The
concept of flow which the broad retention in an activity that is independently enjoyable.
individual in this form perceive their achievements to be satisfying and successful, and
the activity is observed as worth doing for its owns sake, even when if no further targets
is reached. individual operates at their fullest capacity and their experience itself
become its own reward (Nakamura and Csikszenmihayi, 2002). Therefore, absorption,
interest and happiness in an activity must be experience simultaneously in order for flow
to occur (Csikenzentmihalyi,1997).
The knowledge of flow concept will help individual or team in an organisation to know
how to bring the best capability in order to increase productivity through elimination of
anxiety and boredom. According to Csikszentmihalyi (1998,1990), flow-generating
activities involves concentration, time distortion (i.e., time is reported to speed up or
slow down during the flow activity), increased confidence, and a loss of self-awareness.

Flow is not easily quantifiable (Csikszentmihalyi 1982; csikszentmihayi and LeFevre
1989). Flow theory helps influence organizational event s which involves work well with
others, accomplish personal and organizational goals, secondly, comprehend and
predicts work event which include satisfying curiosity, reduced anxiety and predicts
future events. Lastly, adopt more accurate personal theories which includes confirm and
refine personal theories and corrects false ‘common sense’