Psychology Essay: Analyzing a Case Study with Psychological Frameworks

This psychology essay analyzes a case study involving two competitive companies and their need to collaborate. The student employs Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, social identity theory, and social exchange theory to propose strategies for fostering cooperation and building a productive team. The essay addresses conflict management, emotional regulation, and the importance of aligning individual and organizational needs. The consultant's role is highlighted in facilitating open communication, altering social identities, and implementing surface acting techniques to achieve the desired outcome of a cohesive and creative team. The essay draws upon various research papers to support the application of these theories in an organizational context. The paper suggests how organizations can alter behaviors of the employees and motivate them to so that a creative team can be formed.

Running head: PSYCHOLOGY
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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Abstract:
The purpose of the essay is to respond to the case study using three psychological
theories. The case study involves two companies have been fiercely competitive and secretive
with one another’s ideas and products. The two groups of engineers require to work together in
order to solve problems and create new products. In this context, the role of the consultant is to
assist leaders in identifying their needs by using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Since two
companies are competing with each other, conflict management and negative emotions towards
each are required to alter for developing a cooperative. The consultant can assist the
organizational leaders to involve in the open discussion for resolving conflicts and alter
individual behavior using social identity theory. Lastly, the consultant can assist the
organizational leaders to form a productive team through surface acting.

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Introduction:
In the field of industrial psychology, social exchange theory and social identity theory
has gained increasing attention for providing the increased understanding of organizational
behavior (Bridgman, Cummings & Ballard, 2019). The case study involves two companies have
been fiercely competitive and secretive with one another’s ideas and products. The two groups of
engineers require to work together in order to solve problems and create new products. The paper
aims to provide strategies that will help them be more creative, cooperative, and form themselves
into a productive team. In order to develop a productive team, this paper will use three
psychological theories that will use as a framework to design interventions.
Thesis: In order to make a productive team, the organization is required to alter the social
identity and focus on the surface acting so that collaboration between two companies
can facilitate the achievement of the desired goal.
Discussion:
The case study involves two companies who have been fiercely competitive and
secretive with one another’s ideas and products. The two groups of engineers require to work
together to solve problems and create new products. In this context, the identified issues are
competitions, conflicts between two companies based on social identity. To form productive
teams, conflict management and collaborative practice are the two most suitable strategies that
can support the health organizational relationship. Golom and Schreck (2018), suggested that in
order to involve in the collaborative practice and improve organization performance,
organizational leads are required to convey vision of the company and motivate them through
financial and non-financial incentives. For motivating the employees, the need of the employees

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is required to align with the organizational need though appropriate leadership skills so that they
feel motivated. On the other hand, Wilson et al. (2016), suggested that in order to cooperate with
the rival company and develop a cooperative team for maximum benefit and minimum cost,
alteration of the social behaviors and positive emotional regulation of employees can be an
effective strategy. It is often common instances where competitive organizations exhibit potential
conflicts and exhibit negative emotional regulation towards each other that resulted in poor
professional relationship and networking. As discussed by Bundy, Vogel and Zachary (2018),
conflict management using collaboration techniques and surface acting are two most potential
strategies that enable leaders of the organization to involve in the open discussion and explore
alternative solutions.
Suyono and Mudjanark (2017), suggested that for identifying the need of the organization and
motivate employees, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is the most suitable framework that enables
leaders to connect with their employees. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory suggested that
motivation of individuals comes from the ability to fulfil five basic needs such as social,
physiological, safety, esteem and self-actualizations. These needs influence individuals to alter
their behaviors. Taking a deep insight into the situation, two companies are competing with each
other’s and secretive about their idea. In this context, for motivating the employees, vision of the
companies for making productive team required to convey (Najjar & Fares, 2017). The leaders of
the company play crucial in motivating through positive communication with each employee.
The leaders of each company with the assistance of a consultant can create a friendly
environment for the employees and can provide a financial and non-financial incentive so that
their basic needs align with organizational need. It will empower and encourage employees of
both companies to work together.

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Moreover, since two companies are competing with each other, conflict management and
negative emotions towards each are required to alter for developing a cooperative team. The
social identity theory can be the most suitable theory that enables leaders to manage conflict by
altering emotions. Rast III, Axtell and McGlynn (2016), suggested that social identity theory
was developed by Tajfel and John Turne to explain intergroup behaviour of the employees and
consider it as at a social identity. The theory suggested that social identity of any organization
developed based on the social comparison, social identification and categorization. The
individuals maintain a positive social identity by exhibiting favorable behavior to the group and
similar to the negative social identity (Garcia-Prieto & Scherer, 2016). Therefore, the
organization can alter their social identity by altering individual behavior along with emotional
attachment to the group. In this current context, both the companies can alter their social identity
and impression about each other by changing their behavior according to the vision of a
productive team. The leaders are required to exhibit transformational leadership skills with the
assistance of consultant for altering the behavior of the employees individually (Lorinkova &
Perry, 2019). The consultant is required to involve both companies in the open discussion
regarding conflicts and cost-benefit analysis so that productive team can be formed.
Lastly, a productive team is formed when both the parties exhibit emotions and exchange
communication accurate for the situation. The social exchange theory is one such theory that can
guide to develop a healthy relationship between two companies (Cropanzano et al., 2017). The
social exchange theory was developed by sociologist George Homan for identifying individual
behavior based on cost-benefit analysis. The theory suggested that the social behavior of
individuals is the result of an exchange process. Therefore, an organization can collaboratively
work with other organization if they involve in social behavior which is beneficial for both the

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parties (Rast III, Axtell & McGlynn, 2016). Taking a deep insight into the situation, both
companies have conflict and negative emotion towards each other which may hinder the
formation of a productive team. In this context, the consultant can assist both the parties to
involve in the surface acting process using social exchange theory as a guide. Surface acting
occurs when employees display the emotion required for the job without altering the actual
feeling (Yam et al., 2016). Since surface acting is an integral part of the interpersonal skills and
regulating positive emotions, it will enable both the companies to form a team that is more
cooperative, productive and motivating.
Conclusion:
On a concluding note, it can be said that organizational behavior is a fundamental part of
achieving success in the business world. Therefore, for developing a productive team, the
organization is required to alter the social identity and focus on the surface acting so that
collaboration between two companies can facilitate the achievement of the desired goal. Three
theories such as mash low’s hierarchy, social exchange theory and social identity theory
can enable organizations to alter behaviors of the employees and motivate them to so that a
creative team can be formed. In this context, the consultant can assist leaders of the organization
to involve in effective communication, interpersonal skills and regulate their emotions according
to the vision of the companies. It will empower employees to improve their behavior and
improve their behavior accordingly.

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References:
Bridgman, T., Cummings, S., & Ballard, J. (2019). Who built Maslow’s pyramid? A history of
the creation of management studies’ most famous symbol and its implications for
management education. Academy of management learning & education, 18(1), 81-98.
Bundy, J., Vogel, R. M., & Zachary, M. A. (2018). Organization–stakeholder fit: A dynamic
theory of cooperation, compromise, and conflict between an organization and its
stakeholders. Strategic Management Journal, 39(2), 476-501.
Cropanzano, R., Anthony, E. L., Daniels, S. R., & Hall, A. V. (2017). Social exchange theory: A
critical review with theoretical remedies. Academy of Management Annals, 11(1), 479-
516.
Garcia-Prieto, P., & Scherer, K. R. (2016). Connecting social identity theory and cognitive
appraisal theory of emotions. In Social Identities (pp. 189-208). Psychology Press.
Golom, F. D., & Schreck, J. S. (2018). The journey to interprofessional collaborative practice:
are we there yet?. Pediatric Clinics, 65(1), 1-12.
Lorinkova, N. M., & Perry, S. J. (2019). The importance of group‐focused transformational
leadership and felt obligation for helping and group performance. Journal of
Organizational Behavior, 40(3), 231-247.
Najjar, D., & Fares, P. (2017). Managerial motivational practices and motivational differences
between blue-and white-collar employees: Application of maslow's theory. International
Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology, 8(2), 81.
Rast III, D. E., Axtell, C., & McGlynn, S. (2016). (Re) Applying social psychology to
organizational work, well‐being, and leadership. Journal of Applied Social
Psychology, 46(1), 3-6.

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Suyono, J., & Mudjanarko, S. (2017). Motivation Engineering to Employee by Employees
Abraham Maslow Theory. Journal of Education, Teaching and Learning, 2(1), 27-33.
Wilson, A. J., Palmer, L., Levett-Jones, T., Gilligan, C., & Outram, S. (2016). Interprofessional
collaborative practice for medication safety: Nursing, pharmacy, and medical graduates’
experiences and perspectives. Journal of interprofessional care, 30(5), 649-654.
Yam, K. C., Fehr, R., Keng-Highberger, F. T., Klotz, A. C., & Reynolds, S. J. (2016). Out of
control: A self-control perspective on the link between surface acting and abusive
supervision. Journal of Applied Psychology, 101(2), 292.