Organizational Behavior Trends

Introduction

Organizational Behavior is the study of what people think, feel, and do in and around organizations. Organizational Culture is the basic pattern of common assumptions, values, and beliefs leading the way employees within an organization think about and act on problems and opportunities. Organizational Trends are patterns of change over time in some variable of interest.

In this paper we will evaluate two trends in organizational behavior. The influence of ethics on decision-making and the impact of technology on work-related stress will be examined.

Organizational Behavior Trends

There are several trends in Organizational Behavior. One trend is globalization. Globalization requires corporate decision makers to be more sensitive to cultural differences as they venture towards a wider variety of employees and clients. Another trend in organizations is the increasingly diverse workforce. Diversity potentially improves decision-making, team performance, and customer service, but it also presents new challenges for the company. The values and ethics of the employees, enable organizations to apply certain principles in a global environment, and are under pressure to abide by the ethical values and higher standards of corporate social responsibility.

Periodically throughout an organization's life, leaders refine the purpose and direction of their organization's trends according to/based on what the current needs are. In considering their organization's mission and vision, managers usually use information about the organization's performance and trends in the business environment (market shifts, changes in customer needs, advances in technology, demographic patterns, new government regulations) to guide their way of thinking that is more in line with current trends.

Ethics on Decision-making

Ethics on decision-making is difficult. It is critical for leaders to develop a code of ethics and establish disciplinary actions and procedures for ethical violators. Most importantly, leaders should also develop a process in which employees are rewarded and publicly recognized for having positive ethical behaviors. Another important factor to keep in mind when making decisions around ethics is ensuring employee involvement when identifying ethical issues and consistency around the subject.

"When it comes to the ethics of decision making, the criteria individuals use to define problems and the values that underlie these criteria must be considered. Moral conduct is involved in choosing problems, deciding who should be involved, estimating the impacts of alternatives, and selecting an alternative for implementation. Moral conduct does not arise from after-the-fact embarrassment". (Schermerhorn, Hunt and Osborn, 2003, pg.24)

At my organization Wachovia, we designed an ethical and legal code of conduct as well. The code includes guidelines addressing the ethical handling of actual or potential conflicts of interest, compliance with laws, accurate financial reporting and handling, and procedures for promoting compliance and reporting violations of the code.

Overall, ethical decision making, is learning about ethical dilemmas in business and examining the process for identifying common influences in the decision-making process. Once the trends are found, leaders and subordinates must demonstrate and understand how to make an ethical decision in which all possible solutions are attempted - equally and without judgment.

Impact of Technology on Work-Related Stress

"Work-related stress can be defined as a pattern of emotional, cognitive, behavioral and physiological reactions to adverse and noxious aspects of work content, work organization and work environment. It is a state characterized by high levels of arousal and distress and often by feelings of not coping." (www.eiro.eurofound)

Work-related stress is a serious issue at many companies. Ideally, people should be aware of their stress levels and communicate stressful situations to their employer before stress develops into a problem. For this to happen, employers need to ensure that the organizational culture is one in which employees can openly and comfortably talk about work-related stress without repercussion.

There are many components that make up stress. With the world of technology racing news and information around the world as quick as we can blink, many more organizations are becoming sophisticated in applying information technologies. "Eventually, developments in