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Chapter 1
An Overview of Organizational Behavior

As you read in Chapter 1, good managers know that employees are the lifeblood of any organization. Showing employees that they are valued and appreciated pays off in higher levels of performance--and no one is more active in nurturing its employees than Sun Microsystems, a global power in the highly competitive computing and networking industry.

To see how the company regards its employees and presents itself as an employer to job applicants, visit Sun Microsystems Employment Information. This page contains links to a description of Sun's "work hard/play hard" organizational culture, employee comments about working at Sun, and Sun's view of diversity and teamwork.

1. Which of the concepts and theories introduced in Chapter 1 does Sun's organizational culture reflect?
2. Do you think Sun's management leans toward Theory X or Theory Y assumptions? Explain your answer.
3. Based on what you have learned about Sun, is it the kind of organization you would like to work for? Why?

Chapter 2
Managing People, Organizations, and Diversity

1) The globalization trend has spurred many companies to buy or sell goods or services in other countries. McDonald's, for example, is based in Illinois, but it has been crossing national borders since 1967. Today, the company has 22,000 restaurants in 109 countries, selling billions of hamburgers from Boston to Brazil to Budapest to Beijing.

Point your web browser to McDonald's international home page and read about the company's global expansion. Also read about the company's presence in one particular region or country, such as Japan or South America.

1. What kinds of management challenges do you think local McDonald's managers face in the country you have selected?
2. How does McDonald's say it adapts to cultural differences in each area?
3. What management topics do you think would be particularly important to study as background for an international management career with McDonald's?

2) Workforce diversity is a function of the similarities and differences among employees, as you learned in Chapter 2. Valuing diversity is not just an ethical or legal imperative--it can open new doors to competitive advantage and lead to higher organizational performance, as well.

Xerox is a good example of a company that is continually working to improve its multicultural development. Using your Internet browser, visit Xerox's employment home page and read the company's views on diversity. Also examine the benefits policies Xerox has implemented to address the differing needs of its diverse workforce.

1. Why would Xerox change the way it handles medical coverage and other benefits?
2. Why would Xerox encourage the development of caucus groups for African-Americans, Hispanics, gay and lesbian employees, and other groups within its employee population?
3. After looking at Xerox's web site, how would you view this company as a potential employer?

Chapter 3
Foundations of Individual Behavior

The psychological contract between employers and employees has changed in recent years, in the wake of layoffs and increasing demand for worker flexibility. Yet if organizations are unable to offer long-term job security, they can certainly offer employees the opportunity to gain skills that will make them attractive to other employers if their current jobs go away.

A case in point is Deluxe Corporation, one of the largest U.S. check-printing companies. As you read in Chapter 3, Deluxe slowed a recent downsizing effort so that employees could brush up their skills in anticipation of finding new employment. The company continues to view training as a way to invest in its employees--and its future success. Go to Deluxe Corporation's human resources home page and read about the company's commitment to employees.

1. Why would Deluxe offer training to part-time as well as full-time employees?
2. How can Deluxe use training in management and leadership as well as training in industry and functional skills to improve the person-job fit?
3. If you worked at Deluxe, how would ongoing training be likely to affect your self-esteem and your organizational commitment?

Chapter 4
Perspectives on Motivation

1) Motivation is a concern for managers of permanent and temporary workers alike, as you learned in Chapter 4. But if the people who take temporary assignments have a somewhat different motivational foundation from those who prefer permanent jobs, how do temporary agencies motivate their workers?

To see one agency's approach, visit the web site of Accountemps. Accountemps specializes in providing businesses with temporary workers to handle accounting, bookkeeping, and financial duties. Among the benefits it offers are access to health care coverage; holiday pay; technical training; opportunities for certification; challenging assignments; and flexible work schedules.

1. In terms of the major theories presented in this chapter, why would a temporary worker be motivated by the opportunity to become certified in a software skill?
2. In terms of the major theories presented in this chapter, why would a temporary worker be motivated by the availability of health care coverage and holiday pay?
3. Considering your own need for security, does temporary work seem appealing? What are the pros and cons for your personal situation?

 2) Social learning, defined in Chapter 4, suggests that individual behaviors and attitudes are acquired partly in response to the expectations of others. How can employers initiate social learning from the very first contact with a prospective employee? One way Dow Chemical does this is by posting the comments of current employees on its web site so job candidates can see what employees have to say about their work and their view of Dow as an employer.

Visit the Dow Chemical web site. Click on the "About Dow" link and click on the "Careers at Dow" link to locate job profiles for several functional areas. Then read through the profiles of design engineering, chemistry, and one or two other jobs.

1. What specific cues do these profiles provide for prospective employees who will be learning to tailor their behavior to fit in at Dow?
2. How might these profiles help prospective employees understand the range of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards that can lead to job satisfaction at Dow?
3. If you were conducting a job search, what could you learn from these job profiles that would help you decide whether to apply to Dow?

Chapter 5
Applied Motivation Techniques and Job Design

1) More and more companies are offering telecommuting as an alternative work arrangement--a boon for employees who want flexible scheduling and want to avoid the grind of the daily commute. This flexibility is especially important for employees who must travel frequently and prefer to work from home when they are not required to be at some remote location.

Telecommuting is a popular option for internal auditors at VF Corporation, which makes apparel and accessories under the Wrangler and Lee brand names. You can read excerpts from the department's telecommuting policy by visiting the VF internal audit web site.

1. Why is it important for VF to explicitly state its telecommuting policy?
2. Why does the company expect productivity to rise now that telecommuting is encouraged?
3. If you were an internal auditor with VF Corporation, what would be your reaction to the requirement that you live within a two-hour driving range from one of the company's hubs?

2) The learning organization, a refinement of the total quality management approach, integrates continuous improvement with continuous employee learning and development. But an increasing number of larger companies are taking this a step further by establishing corporate universities to provide structured educational experiences for their employees.

One of the largest corporate universities in the world is Motorola University, which was established in 1981 as part of the quality movement at Illinois-based Motorola, a leader in wireless communications, semiconductors, and electronics. Every year, every Motorola employee is required to attend 40 hours of job-related training through the University. Access Motorola University's web site and read about its mission and services. 

1. Why would Motorola mandate 40 hours of training every year, even for employees with extensive expertise and experience?
2. In addition to technical courses, what else does MU offer to help employees contribute more effectively to organizational performance?
3. If you worked at Motorola, what do you think your attitude would be toward the requirement of yearly training?

Chapter 6
Managing Stress and the Work-Life Balance

Balancing work-life linkages is not easy, as Chapter 6 points out. But it is especially difficult in the fast-paced world of professional services. Consider the situation at Ernst & Young, a leading accounting and management consulting firm. On any given day, thousands of employees are flying to appointments with clients or working late to meet critical deadlines.

Now Ernst & Young has instituted programs specifically designed to help its employees better juggle their personal and professional responsibilities. You can read about some of these "Life Balance" initiatives by accessing the Ernst & Young career home page.

1. How do Ernst & Young's initiatives help reduce some of the stress its employees feel in trying to balance work-life linkages?
2. How do you think Ernst & Young is likely to benefit from helping its employees achieve a better balance between work and personal responsibilities?
3. If you were considering a career in accounting, what effect would these "Life Balance" programs have on your decision to seek employment at Ernst & Young?

Chapter 7 Communication in Organizations

The United States government, like many other large organizations, works hard to balance its information load and information-processing capabilities. The sheer volume of communications, however, can drown out some voices and prevent important messages from being exchanged.

Recognizing the need for a special system to carry certain messages up and down the hierarchy, some government agencies have appointed an ombudsman to focus on particular groups. At the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, for example, an ombudsman facilitates communication with small business owners who have questions or need assistance with environmental compliance and pollution prevention issues. Visit the home page of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Small Business Ombudsman and read about the duties, audience, outreach activities, and recent initiatives of this ombudsman.

1. What communication problems might prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from receiving, decoding, and responding to messages from small businesses?
2. Why would the government want to improve communications between the Environmental Protection Agency and small businesses around the United States?
3. If you were a small business owner, what kinds of questions might you ask this ombudsman? What media would you use to make this contact--and why?

Chapter 8
Group and Team Dynamics

1) As you learned in Chapter 8, many organizations are creating joint ventures with organizations from other countries. This is particularly common in the automobile industry. For example, Toyota and General Motors established New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI) in 1984 to build Toyota Corollas in a California factory that General Motors had previously closed.

To read about this joint venture, visit the New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. home page. Click on the link to NUMMI's background, which explains how competitors Ford and Chrysler tried unsuccessfully to block the joint venture through legal maneuvers. Also click on the link to NUMMI's management style, which discusses the implementation of Toyota's management philosophy by executives of Toyota, General Motors, and NUMMI.

1. Based on the factors that affect group cohesiveness, how do you think the actions of Ford and Chrysler affected NUMMI?
2. Why would NUMMI send its managers to Japan for training?
3. If you had just accepted a management job with NUMMI, what effect do you think your characteristics would have on the group? Explain your answer. 

2) Problem-solving teams are used in nearly every U.S. company to attack problems that affect performance. At General Electric, the problem-solving team has become a central ingredient in solving problems for continuous improvement and higher performance.

Visit the General Electric Work-Out page to learn about Work-Out, the company's program for bringing together employees at all levels and in all functions to focus on a particular problem or opportunity.

1. Why does General Electric stand to gain from the boundaryless nature of its problem-solving teamwork?
2. Why would General Electric include customers and suppliers on Work-Out teams?
3. If you were a customer of General Electric, would you want to participate in a problem-solving team? Why?

Chapter 9 Decision Making

In Chapter 9, you learned about a variety of approaches to management decision-making. At the Gap, a San Francisco-based apparel retailer, managers make a wide variety of decisions--large and small--every working day. Some of the most difficult decisions revolve around the creation of new store divisions such as GapKids and Old Navy Clothing.

Access the Gap company history page and read about its expansion into new markets and new product lines. Then browse the Gap web site to learn more about the Old Navy Clothing chain and about the Gap's overall financial results.

 Is the creation of a new store division such as Old Navy Clothing a programmed or nonprogrammed decision? Why?

1. Instead of starting Old Navy Clothing as an entirely new store division, what other kinds of alternatives might the Gap's senior managers have considered during the decision-making process?
2. On the basis of your research into the Gap's financial results, what is your opinion of the decision to create the Old Navy Clothing chain? Explain your answer. 

Chapter 10
Conflict, Negotiation, Power and Politics in Organizations

Power can be used in many ways within an organization, as you learned in Chapter 10. It is particularly critical for chief executive officers, who must exercise leadership over every manager and employee in the organization. Consider the power wielded by Carol Bartz, chairman and CEO of Autodesk, a leading maker of design software. Since Bartz was named chairman in 1992, the company's revenues have more than doubled.

To learn more about Bartz and the sources of her leadership influence, visit Autodesk's CEO Welcome page (http://www.autodesk.com/compinfo/welcome/welcome.htm). After reading Bartz's welcome, click on several of the activities links to read her interviews and speeches and find out about her background in the high-tech industry.

1. What would you identify as the source of Bartz's expert power over her employees? The source of her legitimate power?
2. Based on the interviews and speeches you have read, do you think Bartz has high or low personal power? Why?
3. If you worked at Autodesk, would you be likely to respond with commitment, compliance, or resistance to a request made by Bartz on the basis of her expert power? Why?

Chapter 11
Leadership Models and Concepts

As you saw in Chapter 11, Lou Gerstner has been credited with bringing about big changes at Big Blue. From a more casual corporate image to an updated product line, IBM has changed in many ways--thanks to Gerstner's ability to match his leadership behavior with the situational elements needed for renewed success.

You can gain insight into the leadership qualities that Gerstner brings to his tasks by browsing the IBM Chairman's Page. Read the chairman's welcome, his biography, and two or three of his recent speeches.

1. Why do you think IBM employees would be motivated by a leader who has had no previous experience in technology?
2. Why would Gerstner want to have his own home page on the company's web site?
3. If you were a long-time employee at IBM, how would you perceive Gerstner's leadership ability? Why?

Chapter 12 Dimensions of Organization Structure

Market-leading organizations do not let structure stand in the way of achieving goals such as superior customer service. As you saw in Chapter 12, these organizations deliberately rearrange their administrative hierarchies to boost efficiency as well as effectiveness.

Consider BankAmerica, the fifth-largest bank holding company in the United States. The complexity of the bank's operations clearly influences the way CEO David Coulter and his senior managers arrange the reporting relationships among the bank's 90,500 employees. To get a better sense of the company's size, results, goals, and activities, access the BankAmerica facts page. Also browse the bank's web site to read excerpts from recent presentations by senior managers. 

1. Given the wide geographic dispersion of BankAmerica's branches, do you think most decision-making authority should be centralized or decentralized? Why?
2. Knowing that bank operations are heavily regulated by the U.S. government, would you expect BankAmerica to exhibit more formalization or less formalization? Defend your answer.
3. If you were the manager of a group of BankAmerica loan officers who had responsibility for processing business loans up to $1 million, would you prefer a small or a large span of control? Why?

Chapter 13
Organization Design

Both environmental complexity and dynamism contribute to the degree of environmental uncertainty in which an organization operates, as you saw in Chapter 13. The complicated and fast-changing world of financial services can be classified as a cell 4 environment with high perceived uncertainty. For organizations in this industry, the level of uncertainty has a definite effect on choices of strategy and structure.

One example of a company caught in this highly uncertain environment is American Express. Just a few years ago, the financial services giant was battling increased competition and feeling the effects of slower revenue growth. To see how the company is faring today, visit its American Express corporate information page. Click on the latest annual report and go to the shareholder's letter, where top management discusses the previous year's performance, environment, challenges, and opportunities. Also scan the financial results to determine whether the company's revenues and profits are up or down.

1. What does the annual report say about the organization's environment? Do you think this indicates any change in the complexity or dynamism of the environment?
2. What does the annual report say about the organization's purposes and goals? Do these appear to have been changed as a result of the contextual factors?
3. If you were a manager at American Express, would you ignore the environment--because of its high perceived uncertainty--or carefully analyze specific aspects of the task environment that most clearly affect the organization? Why?

Chapter 14 Organization Culture

The unique culture of any organization is formed by its strategic and cultural values, its vision, its implementation strategies, and the cultural behaviors that are reinforced. As Chapter 14 explains, socialization helps employees learn about organizational culture and pass their understanding on to other employees.

At Dell Computer, one of the fastest-growing computer makers in the United States, socialization starts from the very first contact a prospective employee has with the company's web site. Visit Dell's Corporate Culture page and read about how founder and CEO Michael Dell's values have shaped the organization's culture.

1. Based on this brief explanation of Dell's culture, list the environmental and cultural values that appear most important to the organization.
2. How does the story of Michael Dell's business dealings from his dorm room serve to reinforce cultural behavior?
3. Given what you have learned about the culture at Dell, is this a company where you would like to work? Why?

Chapter 15
Organization Change and Development

Organization development, as defined in Chapter 15, is the process of planned change and improvement of the organization through the application of knowledge of the behavioral sciences. Over time, more and more organizations are making systemwide changes by introducing quality-of-work-life programs.

A case in point is S.C. Johnson Wax, which makes household products such as Pledge furniture polish, Windex glass cleaner, and Raid insect products. Visit S.C. Johnson Wax's "Who We Are" page and read about the company's commitment to employees. Then click on the link to read its "This We Believe" corporate principles.

1. Which of Walton's eight categories of quality-of-work-life programs seem to be in place at Johnson Wax?
2. How does S.C. Johnson obtain feedback from its employees as input for organization change and development?
3. Based on your examination of its web site, does S.C. Johnson appear to be resisting change or successfully managing change and development? Defend your answer.

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