Organizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts American Companies

Organizational Behavior

Terminology and Concepts

American companies have suffered in recent years. In their efforts to reduce cost, restructuring and downsizing have affected almost every organization either directly or indirectly. These attempts to 'right the ship' so to speak will cause problems for these organizations in the terms of their ability to perform in the long-term. Organizational behavior has been cast aside in too many areas which entails that these companies have shown poor leadership by trying to capitalize on technological breakthroughs as opposed to building the human resource aspects of their businesses. This paper is a summary of some organizational behavior concepts and terminologies that are affected by the quest for profits. Through readings, articles, and my personal experiences, I have summarized what I feel can be construed as organizational behavior, culture, diversity, communication, effectiveness, efficiency and learning. I have been blessed by the fact that I hold a position that I love and that the organizational structure and culture there are strong and supportive. I have attempted to provide some examples from my own workplace to help demonstrate why I feel these definitions and concepts for organizational behavior are what they are.

I work for a medical Center that offers a vast amount of medical services for the public. Services include newer technological breakthroughs such as MRI, CT, PET, x-ray, and other important services. My function in the organization is that I am a part of a very successful sales team. Our Center has recently purchased three all new state of the art tesla GE Magnetic Resonance Imaging machines and an all new computer system to manage the image and the administrative functions of our offices. The computer system included new hardware and software that can be utilized in functions that are beneficial to not only the medical side of the company but also the human resource, accounting, billing and phone system. The entire project cost approximately four million dollars but it is already paying for itself in more efficient use of the various functions, increased sales and referrals to name a few.

Although our facility is highly technical as can be seen by the new equipment purchase, people always seem to come first. In other words, our medical and nursing staff, sales team and office administration have always been made to feel like we are at home with family more than at work with peers. We are allowed by our management to be patient and understanding with our internal and external customers.

Our team of employees is much diversified. We have Spanish, German, Indian, Vietnamese, Russian and the typical American employees who all speak their native tongues. The owner of the facility is from India. He is a great boss who holds monthly meetings for the employees in order to empower us and to help us strive to always do our best. I love working for this company and from my impression my fellow employees also love the atmosphere. Turnover is low and when new staff is added it seems that the hiring process is very capable of meeting the needs of the company while at the same time fulfilling the role of the corporate cultural needs.

Organizational behavior can be said to be theoretical and even micro-oriented. However, to me, organizational behavior represents an organization's value system. The company and the employees represent what the management or ownership does and says. Basically, management and their key functions, roles and skills decide what a company's behavior will be to its employees and to its customers.

Organizational behavior is a reflection of the top to the bottom of the totem pole. In other words, employees will perform according to the atmosphere and blueprint established by management. All aspects of a company such as communication, diversity, demographics and even esprit de corps are driven by management and their values and objectives. Those monthly meetings in my organization are never to say we are not working hard enough -- they are intended to show us that our management appreciates what we have been doing.

As mentioned, my company is very diverse and the organizational culture is a positive collaboration of those diverse backgrounds. In our organization, diversity means more than race and gender. We all understand that each individual is unique and different. Our diversity makes us see each of our customers in light that is brighter. We are basically nicer because we come from different worlds yet we all live in the same world now.

We are constantly complemented by our customers coming in for an MRI or when I am on a sales call because of our understanding and our views that age or handicap are none existent issues in the sense of judgment. Our organizational culture permits us to be this way. We are not penalized for being kind and understanding. For example, there was a young man who was recently handicapped by an accident who needed an MRI. Because of his new condition, he was unaware that he had gone to the bathroom while in the waiting room. Our owner was in the vicinity and personally helped the young man change into the hospital clothes that we gave to him. The example was that the owner is just as kind as any one of the staff. Lead by example and the culture will lead itself. In that gesture our owner and manager instantly broke down several common fears and barriers regarding diversity, corporate culture and organizational behavior.

Organizations are in a sense communication systems. Obviously our owner manage concurs because of the fact that he feels that it is important for management to develop a sense of common purpose and a willingness to cooperate with each other and the various office functions. Our management's ability to exercise authority is strongly determined by our acceptance of his philosophies and willingness to communicate with us. As employees, we try to understand what is being communicated from management. We also try to understand the organization's purpose so that we are prepared to go out of our way to carry out orders from our higher authority.