Organizational Behavior: Theories, Challenges, and Solutions Essay

This essay provides an overview of organizational behavior, focusing on the interaction of individuals within groups and its impact on organizational effectiveness. It delves into various theories such as Cognitive Dissonance Theory, Self-Perception Theory, and Attribution Theory, explaining their relevance in understanding employee attitudes and behaviors. The essay also addresses challenges organizations face, including adapting to a diversified working environment and managing changes, both predictable and unpredictable. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of employee involvement, diversity training, and effective communication in resolving conflicts and overcoming crises. The essay concludes by discussing modern approaches to organizational development, such as sensitivity training and survey feedback, aimed at improving interpersonal relationships and creating a balanced work environment. This resource is available on Desklib, a platform offering a wide range of study tools and solved assignments for students.

Running head: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
Organizational behavior
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1ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
Organizational behavior deals with the study of people’s interaction with each other
within a group. This study helps in creating efficient and more effective business
organizations. There are various reasons why the companies need to utilize the theories and
concepts of organizational behavior. It is important to understand the basic terms associated
with the concept of organizational behavior (Robbins and Judge 2013). The purpose of this
essay is to understand about several organizational behaviors which may affect the
workplace. In addition to this, the essay highlights the theories of organizational behavior,
potential problems and its solutions.
The most important challenge, majority of the organizations are facing today, is the
way they are adapting to the diversified working environment. In terms of race, ethnicity and
gender, organizations are trying to become more heterogeneous. The Cognitive Dissonance
Theory can be applied in the organizational setting. This theory helps in explaining the
relationship between the behavior and attitudes of the employees. It also deals with the
incompatibility as well the inconsistency between the attitudes and the behaviors. In simpler
terms, individuals try to seek stability with minimum dissonance (Miner 2015).
The Self Perception Theory can also be applied to an organizational setting, in order
to let people decide their own feelings and attitudes. This helps them maintain
professionalism in an organizational setting. Effective and efficient managers must
understand the attitudes and behaviors of the employees. Based on the theories they can help
reduce the dissonance and other external factors, hampering the progress of the organization.
Employees who are aware of these concepts and theories try to reduce the dissonance and
change their attitudes, which lead to a successful performance. Furthermore, successful
performances lead to accomplishment, promotions, increased payments and more
beneficial outcomes (Haslam et al. 2014).

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The Attribution Theory explains how people are judged differently, on the basis of
their behavior. The theory suggests that on observing a person’s behavior, people determine
whether it is externally or internally caused. Externally caused behaviors result from external
factors, which are not in the control of the person. On the other hand, internal behaviors are
under the individual’s control. Other theories like; Goal Setting Theory, Reinforcement
Theory, Expectancy Theory, Equity Theory are all applicable in an organizational setting.
The Contingency Theory also stresses on the leadership style, the organization follows.
Fiedler Model proposed that an effective group performance is dependent on proper selection
between the organizational leader’s style and way of interacting with others. The motive is to
define various types of styles applicable in different situations. Therefore, these theories are
important for the organizational managers, in order to lead and control the organization
(Nelson and Quick 2013).
Managing the employees efficiently is a skill which requires constant development
and planning. There are various changes which take place in the organization. The happened
changes occur naturally due to the external factors and are unpredictable. This type of
changes mainly occurs when an organization fails to accept the environmental changes and
customers’ demands. For instance, currency devaluation, adverse effects of the business in
importing raw materials, political, social and technical changes are unpredictable and falls in
the category of “Happened Changes”. However, the managers need to keep a track of all the
changes, which can be predicted as early as possible. In order to encourage the employees’
performances, working conditions must be improved. Furthermore, employees must be
involved while setting up of goals, rewards and motivations (DuBrin 2013).
Moreover, organizations face challenges when the employees cannot accept diversity
in their policies. Most of the employees have a mindset of, “We have done it in this way.”
This needs to be changed as it mars the growth and progress of the organization. Managers

3ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
need to conduct various sessions and diversity trainings in order to implement diversity in the
organizational policies. Negative behaviors as well as attitudes can be an obstacle for the
organizational diversified culture. These changes are predictable and can be easily controlled,
if the management team takes necessary steps. Furthermore, conflicts can be resolved by
motivating and encouraging the staff members to raise their issues, without any fear
(Luthans, Luthans and Luthans 2015).
In addition to this, the organizational crisis can bring in huge changes in their
policies. Crisis situations can lead to major disturbances within the organization and create
unrest among the staff members. The policies and working environment change to a huge
extent, which the employees find difficult to cope up. In order to handle a crisis moment, the
organization needs to adopt a focused approach and undertake certain strategies to overcome
the issues. Moreover, the employees need to change their perspectives. Management team
needs to conduct proper employee trainings as effective communication is highly essential to
overcome the crisis situations of the organization (Miner 2015).
Organizational behavior is facing several challenges since the year 1980. In this
globalized world, organizations are adopting new and innovative technologies in order to
compete with other companies. According to Pinder (2014), the internal and the external
environment affecting the organizational behaviors are changing. In the mean time, the
groups of people appear to change their trends of working by adopting different values as
well as maintaining standards. Organizations are adopting differentiation strategies in order to
stand apart from others. Researches on organizational behavior have revealed the fact that
modern day companies are changing their ownership patterns.
Kinicki and Kreitner (2012) mentioned that companies are adopting several
techniques for organizational development in order to modify people’s behavior, who are

4ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
resistant to change. It helps in bringing changes in the norms, perceptions, attitudes, values
and the behavior of the people, in order to improve the interpersonal relationships’ quality.
Some of the techniques are; sensitivity technique, process consultation, team building, survey
feedback, intergroup development and others. Survey techniques help in removing the
discrepancies between the groups. In these techniques, the employees are asked to fill up the
survey questionnaires, where they can write about their issues, without any hesitation.
To conclude, the data which is collected from the survey are circulated for further
discussions. This helps in resolving the workplace conflicts to a huge extent. Similarly,
process consultation helps the employees to share their issues with experts. The professional
experts support and motivate the workers, which enhance the team building spirit among
them. Modern day organizations are adopting several measures to develop the workplaces.
Many organizations are trying to provide the employees with a balanced professional as well
as personal life. In addition to this, social gatherings and events at the workplaces help the
employees to open up and voice their opinion regarding workplace issues.

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References
DuBrin, A.J., 2013. Fundamentals of organizational behavior: An applied perspective.
Elsevier.
Haslam, S.A., van Knippenberg, D., Platow, M.J. and Ellemers, N. eds., 2014. Social identity
at work: Developing theory for organizational practice. Psychology Press.
Kinicki, A. and Kreitner, R., 2012. Organizational behavior: Key concepts, skills & best
practices. McGraw-Hill Irwin.
Luthans, F., Luthans, B.C. and Luthans, K.W., 2015. Organizational behavior: An evidence-
based approach. IAP.
Miner, J.B., 2015. Organizational behavior 1: Essential theories of motivation and leadership.
Routledge.
Nelson, D.L. and Quick, J.C., 2013. Organizational behavior: Science, the real world, and
you. Cengage learning.
Pinder, C.C., 2014. Work motivation in organizational behavior. Psychology Press.
Robbins, S.P. and Judge, T., 2013. Organizational behavior.