High performance organizations and global dimensions of organizational behavior

Organizational Behavior Study Guide

Chapter 2 Study Guide- the high performance organization

High performance organizations deploy Total Quality Management strategies that are customer-responsive, as South West Airlines did in regards to keeping cost low, despite the expansion of the company. It knew what its customers desired, and continued this effective 'brand strategy.' Yet the company also responded to its employee's needs for flexible and challenging jobs, and treated employees with respect. Also, organizationally it was cost effective, as from the Southwest's organizational hierarchy was flat and lean, comprised of CEO, department heads, managers, supervisors, and employees and thus responsive to the challenges faced by the airline industry after 9-11 that leveled so many other businesses.

Global Dimensions of Organizational Behavior

Wal-Mart initially had difficulty deploying its United States advantages internationally because of its difficulty of integrating the unique company culture into that of European attitudes towards marketing. Its stress upon cheer, for example, was incomprehensible to its German staff, in terms of the employees' attitudes to their employment, just as Japanese firms were often faced with obstacles in integrating their collective ethos into more individualistic American cultures. Culture must not simply be inclusive to an organization. Organizational internal culture must shift with the larger national cultural context in light of the needs posed by globalization.

Chapter 12: Strategic Competency and Organizational Design