Organisational Behaviour Narrative Essay Example

fourth element, refers to how well-defined employees' specific tasks are within an organization. Some organizations establish clear guidelines and procedures for day-to-day tasks, while others may question whether employees should have rigid job definitions.

The level of freedom for staff within different organisations can vary. Some organisations have a strict approach to tasks and dictate how they should be carried out, while others allow their staff more independence. The degree of control differs between organisations. Work specialization is the fifth factor to consider when analysing an organisation's structure. The sixth factor, centralisation and decentralisation, determines where decision-making power lies in the organisation. A more centralised organisation grants top management greater decision-making authority, whereas a more decentralised organisation empowers lower-level managers. Thus, centralisation addresses the allocation of decision-making power within an organisation. Departmentalisation is the final factor in an organisation's structure which determines how separate departments are established and how tasks and jobs are performed based on their functions, products, processes, customers, and organisational needs.

Therefore, this demonstrates that organizational structure encompasses not only the physical framework of an organization but also encompasses the methods and systems in place for assigning tasks and roles to employees in order to maximize efficiency. There exist various types of organizational structures such as bureaucratic structure, matrix structure, simple structure, organic structure, functional structures, and divisional structures. According to esteemed theoretical authorities, each of these structures influences organizational behavior in distinct ways. To examine how an organization's structure and its components impact organizational behavior, I have chosen two organizations – the Aldo Group and The Chill Factor – for a comparative analysis to highlight their disparities and their resulting effects. I have

specifically selected these organizations due to my familiarity with their respective structures and operations, enabling me to conduct a more analytical comparison. Additionally, analyzing an organization's culture is vital as it has close ties to its structure and behavior. This analysis can either corroborate or challenge existing research that emphasizes the relationship between organizational behavior and structure.

The Aldo group structure is considered to be quite bureaucratic, as evidenced by its tall hierarchy and limited span of control. The company has multiple levels of employees, including salespeople, sales assistants, assistant managers, store managers, district managers, supervisors, heads of office, and a president/CEO. This structure implies a bureaucratic organization, as each store has several employees reporting to the assistant manager and store manager. Moreover, Aldo's structural elements align with those of a bureaucratic structure. The chain of command is highly restricted, requiring lower-level employees to seek managerial permission for most decisions. This was evident from my experience working at Aldo, where even minor changes to the stock room required approval from the store manager. Thus, the organizational structure of Aldo indicates its propensity for bureaucratic behavior.Leading theorists such as Frederick Taylor are of the belief that a bureaucratic organization should adhere to five principles. These principles involve identifying the optimal approach for each task, closely monitoring workers' performance, providing diligent supervision, utilizing rewards and punishments as motivators, and recognizing management's responsibility in terms of planning and control.

The connection between behaviour and structure is evident in Aldo's organization. The elements of a tall hierarchy, narrow span of control, and high chain of command align with Taylor's theory, indicating close supervision and strict adherence to rules. The Aldo organization

also emphasizes formalization, upholding conservative values and setting specific expectations for staff members. For example, salespeople and assistants are required to dress according to the Aldo image each season, and there are established procedures in place. This is further reinforced by the use of technology in stores to ensure compliance with these procedures, as well as the collective goals given to each sales team in each store.The level of formalization and emphasis on controlling employee behavior and work is evident in Aldo's recruitment system. Each new recruit is required to watch a video that instructs them on how to interact with customers. This exemplifies Taylor's principle of having a standardized approach. However, Aldo enforces this in a friendly manner, making employees feel included in the group and organization to promote loyalty and good conduct. This video, which is part of the organization's structure, greatly influences expected behavior. This supports Taylor's theory of closely supervising the workforce and aligns with Max Weber's idea of establishing clear lines of authority and control, as seen in Aldo. Another aspect to consider is whether Aldo's structure is centralized or decentralized.

The text highlights the typical characteristics of a bureaucratic organization, specifically a centralized structure where decision-making power is concentrated at the top. This can be observed in the tall hierarchy of Aldo, where major decisions are made by higher-level positions and rarely involve interaction with lower-level employees like sales assistants. This hierarchical setup in organizations like Aldo can significantly influence behavior, as acknowledged by leading theorists. In contrast, the Chill factor's organizational structure is relatively simple and differs greatly from Aldo. It features a flat hierarchy with numerous employees and

only a few managerial positions.

In the slope department of the organization, there are ski and snowboarding instructors, a manager, and a specialist at the rock climbing wall. This creates a short hierarchy as there are no district managers or supervisors, making it different from a larger organization like Aldos. The span of control is also short, with many employees reporting to one manager. On the other hand, Chill Factor has a different structure with a chain of command but a shorter one as instructors are trusted to teach visitors how to ski in a fun and professional manner without supervisors or assistants. They do not regularly report to a higher position. In the late 1920's, Mayo and Roethlisberger conducted experiments at the Western Electric plant in Hawthorne, New York (Mayo, 1933), manipulating conditions in the work environment.

, intensity of lighting), they discovered that any modification had a favorable effect on productivity. Simply paying attention to employees in a friendly and non-threatening manner was enough to boost output. Uris (1986) labeled this the "wart" theory of productivity. Almost any approach can eliminate a wart, and almost anything can enhance productivity. "The implication is clear: intelligent action frequently yields results" (Uris, 1986, p. 225).