Case Study Analysis: Organizational Behavior Theories in Busslink

This report provides an analysis of the Busslink case study, highlighting the differences between the Organizational Behavior (OB) and organizational behaviour (ob) traditions. It examines how the newly appointed CEO's attempt to implement an ob approach, focusing on humanistic explanations and organizational learning, contrasted with the more traditional, ROI-driven OB approach. The report uses theories such as bounded rationality, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and systems theory to explain the CEO's failure to effectively bring about change within the organization. It argues that the CEO's clinical approach did not align with the current organizational needs, particularly regarding employee motivation and the limitations of rationality in decision-making. The analysis concludes that the CEO's inability to align his perceptions with the organization's needs led to his departure from Busslink.

Running head: MANAGEMENT
Management
Student’s Name
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Author’s Note

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Table of Contents
1. Theoretical Concept...............................................................................................................3
2. Little Explanation...................................................................................................................3
3. Reasons for using the theories................................................................................................5
4. Relation with the case study...................................................................................................6
Reference List............................................................................................................................7

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1. Theoretical Concept
Using the provided case study, a strong highlights of the difference between the OB
and the ob tradition can be provided. OB is essential an American tradition that reflects best
organisational behaviour for the purpose of development of increment of the return on
investment. The organisational managers who prefer the OB tradition always more on the
mechanical superiority and a well-engineered line of productivity. As such, Jones and
McDaniel (2015), opines that the OB traditionalists prefer to reduce complexity in the
company.
On the contrary, the ob traditionalists follow a typical European tradition whereby
organisational behaviour is explained through complex humanistic explanations. There is
more complexity in the humanistic approach that is favoured by the ob traditionalists. The
newly appointed CEO in this case study attempted to display himself as an ob traditionalist.
He wanted to use the experience of his co-workers to develop a new strategy of operations.
He was strictly in favour of despising the old traditions in order to develop new skills of
organisational learning and development. He was not seeking a technical solution of the
universal knowledge claims. On the contrary, he wanted to develop a new way of operations
based on the complexity of the human activities.
2. Little Explanation
In order to demonstrate his way of working, the organisational behaviour models can
be highlighted. The first theory that can be used for this demonstration is the theory of
bounded rationality. His initiative was appraisable. However, he did not give regard to the
basic foundation that the theory of bounded rationality regards. He wanted to involve all the
co-workers in decisions making and innovate some new way of working. The theory
advocates that when the individuals are required to make decisions (particularly those who

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have been having a passive role), there are certain factors that limits their rationality. The
limiting factors are:
 Traceability of the decision problem
 The cognitive limitation in the minds
 The limitation owing to the time available for making the decisions
However, the CEO wanted to use human intelligence to overcome these limiting factors, but
he could not interpret the limiting factors properly.
The second theory that can be used for the purpose of substantiating his viewpoint is
the Hierarchy of needs by Maslow. The psychological factor of motivation that is required
highly for the purpose of decision making have been explored in the theory. The co-workers
were not driven by the same needs s of the CEO as it is evident in the case study. Maslow in
this theory makes a basic differentiation among the development needs and the growth needs
of the organisation and the employees. The 4 primary levels of development are stated as the
deficiency needs and as Tang, Huang and Shang (2015), suggests, the paid workers in any
organisation are inclined towards fulfilling these needs primarily. The basic needs are food,
water, rest as well as warmth. However, here the monetary needs are classified as the basic
needs here. The next in level are the safety needs like safety and security (Agazarian 2018).
The other levels include belongingness and self-esteem. Self-actualisation is the last category
of the hierarchy of needs by Maslow.
The systems theory can also be highlighted for the purpose of delineating the progress
of human mind in a structured environment. The evaluation of mind is also a relative
phenomenon. There are also the spatial as well as temporal limitations that are hindering the
need for development of an organisation (James 2016). One of the most effective

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implications of the theory is that an attempt to change a fragment of any system would
eventually lead to affecting the whole system with predictable behavioural patterns.
3. Reasons for using the theories
These theories delineate the basic difference between the OB tradition as well as the
ob tradition in a broader way. The CEO’s approach was clinical perfect but was unacceptable
in the light of the current organisational needs. As stated in the Bounded rationality theory, it
is evident that not all the people in the organisation are able to or are needed to perceive the
need of organisational development in the same way. Influenced from the suggestions of
Jonas (2016), the repository approach that he took being inspired from the former SAS CEO,
was not justified in the face of the rapid transformation that was need in this case. A
remodelling of the organisational culture was not needed in this company. Only a revamping
of the productivity of the organisation was supposed to have been sufficient for the company.
Influenced from the opinion of Badcock et al. (2016), it can be commented that there was no
need for the refinement of the industrial knowledge of the workers so that they could
undertake servant leadership or distortive operational position.
The same difference between the mentalities have been highlighted in the Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs. The basic needs of the organisational employees are to work for personal
fulfilment. As Foss and Weber (2016), suggests, the workers’ self-esteem in any organisation
is centered towards the fulfilment of the basic needs of themselves. They would ensure at first
that they are able to scoop a high end living utilising the provisions of the company. The
rarest thought on their mind would be to develop a strategy for the organisational
development (Wang, Chen and Chen 2016). This is as simple as the employees would first
seek their own fulfilment and then if there is scope, they would think of the development of
the organisation where they are working.

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The systems theory also preserves the same attitude. The CEO wanted to alter the way
of working gradually. However, the system of working is very much intertwined and as such
not all forces of change affect the organisation in a similar way.
4. Relation with the case study
The implications of the bounded rationality theory highlights that it is not necessary to
include all the employees for development of any sustainable change. Many of them do not
have the knowledge or capability to opine about any change pattern in the organisation and
some of them are reluctant about that.
Secondly, as the Maslow’s theory states, it is very important that the basic needs of
the employees are met at first, the employees are mostly not concerned about the level of
growth in the organisation. They are mostly concerned about personal growth. This is
commented not in negative portrayal of the employees. Rather this is a general perspective.
The systems theory also professes that change should not have been brought about by the
CEO in such a disruptive manner. Hence. It was too evident, the CEO could not suffice his
perceptions with the change needs of the organisation. As an outcome, he was forced to quit.
He was morally defeated in his endeavour to change the scenario at Busslink with his
perspective.

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Reference List
Agazarian, Y.M., 2018. Group-as-a-whole systems theory and practice. In Systems-Centered
Practice (pp. 79-116). Routledge.
Badcock, P.B., Davey, C.G., Whittle, S., Allen, N.B. and Friston, K.J., 2017. The depressed
brain: An evolutionary systems theory. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 21(3), pp.182-194.
Foss, N.J. and Weber, L., 2016. Expand Bounded Rationality, but Don’t Throw Opportunism
Out of the Car and Under the Bus: A Reply to Lumineau and Verbeke. Academy of
Management Review, 41(4), pp.741-744.
James, K., 2016. Barriers to Treatment and the Connection to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
Jonas, J., 2016. Making practical use of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory to motivate
employees: a case of Masvingo Polytechnic. Journal of Management & Administration,
2016(2), pp.105-117.
Jones, B.D. and McDaniel, E., 2015. Bounded Rationality. The Wiley Blackwell
Encyclopedia of Race, Ethnicity, and Nationalism, pp.1-4.
Tang, T.Q., Huang, H.J. and Shang, H.Y., 2015. Influences of the driver’s bounded
rationality on micro driving behavior, fuel consumption and emissions. Transportation
Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 41, pp.423-432.

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Wang, K.H., Chen, H.G. and Chen, G., 2016. On the priority of needs for home care services
of older adults in Taiwan, as based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Gerontechnology, 14(4),
pp.239-243.