MS-21 June, 2011
MS-21 : SOCIAL PROCESSES AND BEHAVIOURAL ISSUES
1. Briefly discuss the role of Manager with reference to paradigm shift in the present day business context.
2. What is perception ? Discuss the role of perception in organisations. How can errors in perception be overcome ? Justify your answer with suitable examples.
3. Describe the importance of Behaviour Modification in organisations. Briefly discuss the role of ethics in Behaviour Modification.
4. What are the various sources of conflict ? Explain any two Conflict Management styles and their relevance in an organizational set up.
5. Write short notes on any three of the following :
(a) Learning Organisations
(b) Barriers to Communication
(c) McClelland's Achievement Motivation Theory.
(d) Work Ethics
(e) Groups vs Teams
6. Read the following case carefully and answer the questions given at the end :
The lyer group of Hotels, Chief Manager Ashish (Bangalore Branch) was facing a unique problem. Inspite of being recognised as 'A Chain of Hotels which can he trusted for its excellent service delivery'. One of the main problems faced by its Bangalore branch was a high turnover of its housekeeping staff, since the past one year, which
led to its existing clientele's dissatisfaction. Two to three of the hotel's esteemed existing customers had made it a point to make a note of this in the customers suggestion book. Ashish realised that it was imperative to reduce if not stop the housing staff turnover as this apart from causing customer dissatisfaction was adversely affecting the hotel's overall performance. Ashish had a meeting with the housekeeping managers and the housekeeping executives and it was decided that a new reinforcement system would be effective from the following month when the housekeeping staff would get an additional bonus of Rs. 500/- every month, provided the employee had 100 percent attendance and a performance rating of above 90 per cent. Over and above, the first ten of best housekeeping as identified by the housekeeping manager, would be allowed to undergo training at the hotel's in- house centre of learning and development. Ashish had thought the above reinforcement system would be more effective since it would take care of the otherwise incurring costs involved in hiring new housing staff - the price to be paid for losing experienced housing personnel.
The housekeeping tasks were separated into vacuum cleaning, dusting, changing sheets,
changing water and flowers in the room etc. The managers (or supervisors) were asked to observe the housekeeping staff's behaviour while they performed their tasks and then forward the names of the best performers for the training programme. At the end of six months Ashish was surprised to see that the housing staff turnover remained the same at 40 per cent. A meeting with the housekeeping managers did not get anywhere because the reasons cited by them (those leaving the firm) were mentioned as 'personal reasons'.
One day when Ashish was on his way to greet a good old customer of the hotel, overheard a (chanced) conversation between two housekeeping staff Sagar and Vinay.
Sagar - "Our HM (House Manager) Maya madam had promised me that if my performance improves she would recommend my name for the training programme, but this time once again she has recommended the name of Trivedi - another sloppy worker".
Vinay - "Biswas Sir, my HM has said that he is happy with my cent per cent attendance and 92% (on an average) performance rating since the last three months, but he says that the bonus although promised monthly, will be paid as a single consolidated amount every six months, due to the accounting problems."
Questions for Discussion
(a) Was the contingency of positive reinforcement suggested by Ashish proper in the above context ?
(b) How do you feel the schedule of reinforcement can be modified to improve employee performance ?
(c) What reinforcement should be provided for changing the behaviour of the housekeeping managers in the above case ?
