HUMAN BEHAVIOUR IN ORGANIZATION
DISCUSSION
This week you read about the role of conflict and how although it can be uncomfortable in the moment, there are definitely benefits to encountering and moving through it, especially when using effective communication techniques. For this week’s discussion, you will recall a conflict of some sort, this can be a conflict with another person, an institution, or any type of conflict that is memorable and you are comfortable sharing in this forum. I want you to apply your conflict to the seven-step process of conflict resolution as outlined in your textbook using the format below in bold (copy and paste this formatted outline [not the accompanying instructions in italics] into your own discussion). AND REPLY TO TWO CLASSMATES.
Brief overview: Provide a general overview of what this conflict was about. You can replace specific names with pseudonyms.
Step 1: Confront the opponent: What were your personal goals with regard to this conflict?
Step 2: Establish common ground: What was your definition of the problem? How did you emphasize the importance of the issue to the other party?
Step 3: Maintaining communication with your opponent: What communication techniques did you use or keep in mind to maintain effective and efficient communication?
Step 4: Willingness to work toward a satisfying solution: What did you do to minimize disagreement? What commonalities did you and your opponent have with regard to this conflict?
Step 5: Empathizing with your opponent: Why do you think your opponent thinks, feels, or acts as they do with regard to this conflict? Provide an example that supports your reasoning.
Step 6: Evaluating motivations: Was it worthwhile to expend the energy necessary to resolve this conflict? Briefly explain.
Step 7: Mutual agreement: What was the mutually satisfactory agreement addressing this conflict?
Closeout summary: Based on your application of the seven-step conflict resolution process, where do you believe you exist on the assertiveness continuum? Which of the four personal styles is your primary style for addressing conflict?
Week 9: Identifying Concepts in Total Quality Management
Objectives
- Critique and apply knowledge [about quality management] to understand person and environment.
- Utilize [the quality management] conceptual framework . . . to guide the process of assessing service provision in organizations.
Instructions
Match the following terms, all components of “quality” in management with their respective definitions:
- Accuracy
- Consistency
- Responsiveness
- Availability
- Perceived value
- Service experience
- ______ The ease with which customers can obtain services.
- _____ Service accuracy over time.
- __ The extent to which actual service provision matches customers’ expectations.
- _____ The extent to which the customers feel the service is worth it.
- ______ The sum of the total treatment experience with all of its nuances and innuendoes.
- _____ The timeliness of service provision.
Week 9: Service Sins
Objective
- Students will “critique and apply knowledge to understand person and environment” by identifying the seven sins of service portrayed in one definition of quality management.
Instructions
You are presented with seven short scenarios involving Shirley at her job. For each scenario, you will identify the service sin you think it most represents (there is only primary sin per scenario that you will identify) consistent with the information presented in your textbook. After identifying the sin, you will briefly mention why you believe this to be accurate.
INTRODUCTION: Shirley works for a county agency in its financial assistance unit. Her job is to solicit financial information from people seeking financial assistance and other social services to determine their eligibility. It’s 4:15 P.M. on a Friday; she only has 45 more minutes to go before she can finally get out of there and go home. She is exhausted and looking forward to a very big weekend. There are four people waiting in the small waiting room outside her office cubicle. Each has taken a number and is waiting for his or her turn.
Scenario #1: Shirley takes forms on clipboards out to the waiting clients and instructs them all to complete the forms and turn them back in to her. She does not attend to the fact that one client holds a cane with a red tip and a seeing-eye dog sitting on the floor besides him.
Which sin(s) of service does this portray? Explain why.
Scenario #2: Shirley is interviewing a client who states, “I’m having trouble understanding exactly what the questions on this form mean.” Shirley replies, “ Oh? It’s really easy. All you have to do is use your head.”
Which sin(s) of service does this portray? Explain why.
Scenario #3: Shirley is interviewing her next client. As the client painfully explains his current financial plight, Shirley notices her thoughts have been drifting away, focusing on her upcoming big weekend. She first catches herself yawning and then says, “What was that you said again?”
Which sin(s) of service does this portray? Explain why.
Scenario #4: A client enters Shirley’s third floor cubicle and asks where the agency’s foster care unit is. Shirley responds, “Go back to the information desk at the entrance on the first floor. They’ll tell you.” The foster care unit, Shirley knows, is on her own floor. However, an explanation of how to reach it would take a minute or two.
Which sin(s) of service does this portray? Explain why.
Scenario #5: A client explains to Shirley how the client is experiencing especially difficult financial circumstances at this time and explains why. Shirley responds, “Unfortunately, those circumstances don’t matter. Our policy is clear regarding the resources that are available to clients.”
Which sin(s) of service does this portray? Explain why.
Scenario #6: Shirley leaves her office to get a cup of coffee and walks through the waiting area. A client stands up and says, “Excuse me, can I talk to you?” With a stone-faced expression, Shirley curtly replies, “Don’t rush me. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Which sin(s) of service does this represent? Explain why.
Scenario #7: Shirley leaves her office to get a cup of coffee and walks through the waiting area. A client stands up and says, “Excuse me, can I talk to you?” Shirley smiles warmly and replies, “I’m sorry. I’ll be back in a few minutes. Let’s talk then.” Shirley returns 45 minutes later at closing time.
Which sin(s) of service does this represent? Explain why.
