Table of Contents

1.3.4. Evaluate the effectiveness and limitations of the above approaches and methods in understanding workplace behavior at large and in your organization in particular

3.1 Use theory to explain human reactions to change

3.1.2 Reactions, behavior, resistance and responses to change in Blackberry

3.2 Make justified recommendations for implementing change in a selected work group

3.3 Make justified recommendations for achieving attitude change amongst a group of stakeholders in a selected organizations

Conclusion

References:

Introduction

In today business, psychology in work life is more important than the past when stakeholders who relating to company operation, have impact on success of company. In this assignment, Blackberry ltd situation will be analyzed in which we will discuss different perspectives in occupational psychology and then apply the knowledge of impact of change in business

1.1 Describe the major theoretical approaches

Humanistic Approach

Humanistic is a psychological approach that highlight the research of human being. Advocate humanism examine human behavior not just from the view of observer but from the view of performing behave person. It is believed that individual’s behavior has the rapport with their inner feeling and human nature. Humanistic also specialized in the way people feel the world around them. The approach focuses on human’s ability to create our personal meaning from our experience (Spinelli, 1989). It is stated that human experience of the world consist of interaction concerning raw matter and mental of human.

Humanistic play an important role on the integrity and sense making of people due to the fact that the people interpretation of an event is widely agreed whereas others are individual and not widely agreed. In addition, a number of perspectives can generally be known as phenomenological and personal growth or self-actualization is one of them which usually be called humanism.

For example, bland and boring working environment could lead to boredom among employee. In this case, humanistic perspective will encourage them to do some soul-searching to fulfill their mind or to find better job offer.

Behaviorist approach

Behaviorist is a psychological approach that focuses on what people do and reward and punishments influence that. According to the theory, it is based on the notion that human behaviors are developed with conditioning and does not relate to internal mental state. Conditioning appear via condition with the world around people. Advocate behaviorist think that people’s reaction to environment form their behaviors and the research only focuses on observable behaviors whereas cognitions, emotion and mood are considered subjective.

For instance, if an employee is late to workplace many times, he or she will be disciplined, got salary deduction or even fined. Behaviorist encourage them to come to workplace on time.

Cognitive approach

Social cognition is psychological approach that examines how people think about, regulate their behaviors and themselves. Cognitive psychology high light the way human acquire, process, store information and interpret social psychological phenomena such as the self as well. This means that the cognitive psychologist examines the inner processes which consist of perception, attention, memory, thinking and language. Cognitive approach has numerous application that can apply to real life such as increasing decision making precision, enhancing memory and building educative curricula to improve learning.

For example, during operations of business, manager may face many problems that need to be considered carefully to have final decision. In this case, cognitive approach is applied in which the information is selected and processed. Consequently, appropriate judgment and decision could be reached.

In my opinion, behaviorist is the most suitable method for Blackberry due to the fact that it will behavior of employee to reach the best solution for the company. Additionally, company could also use cognitive approach to examine working processes and improve these process.

Theoretical approaches on occupational psychology

For humanism personality, teaching is a good place for them who see the potential in all human beings. Humanists believe that all people have the ability to learn and behave. A teacher with humanism personality will believes in students and encourage them to fulfill their life.

Behaviorism personality could find work which related to therapists, counselors and social workers for children, adults or the elderly. Counselors and therapist have study on human behavior so they can help individuals or families manage and control any problem they meet in life. They have good listening skills so that they can help patients overcome and handle emotional problems such as trauma, divorce or grief. For social workers, they can cure and detect people with a number of problems, including behavioral, psychological and emotional. They usually are employed by government to deliver aid and services to adults, families, children and the elderly.

For instance, in order to examine level of satisfaction of employees, a survey will be conducted among company’s staffs. Questionnaire will focus on employee current position, company strategy, objectives, issues, improvements … Satisfaction survey will help manager to understand and measure employees’ attitude, their ideas, satisfaction and motivation. Consequently, manager will have appropriate improvement to reduce turnover, absence, increase productivity, improve self-esteem, and have greater skills retention as well. Thus, business can become interested through improving working environment.

Interview

Interviews are different from survey since they include social interaction and could be structured or unstructured. As opposed to survey, it is required to be trained to know how to interview. During the interview, interviewer can ask many different questions which can lead to different informations. For example, general questions provide researchers fixed set of responses while advance question require participant express in their own words. In addition, the used language in the interview should be appropriate to participants and the topic should not be sensitive which could lead to participants uncomfortable.

For example, when company want to recruit new staff, they will organize interviews. The interviewers will prepare questions to check candidates skill whether they suitable or not.

1.3.2. Explain the differences between quantitative and qualitative approach

Quantitative approach

Qualitative approach

_Quantitative approach gather information that relating to a phenomenon in a large number of participants

_The approach is conducted with large number of individual and data is analyzed by statistic technique

_Moreover, the surveys can be conducted across groups. For instance, the same survey can be used different groups with different training.

_ The results of surveys can be used to compare on outcome, interest and determine what factor affect training course.

_It is easy to conduct a survey many times, thus we can conclude specific factors that affect outcomes.

_The qualitative method collect data related to a phenomenon in a deep way.

_This method is done by interviewing with open questions. It usually research on small number of participants

_ Interviews can be highly structured with open questions or unstructured with advance question.

_The number of participant is small so findings from qualitative approach cannot be generalized to the whole population. However, the approach have function as a spring board for larger studies and deeper understanding.

1.3.3. Identify the methods best used in your chosen organization

Both methods have their own strengths that need to apply to Blackberry. If manager want to do research across large number of participants to gather statistical data about responses, quantitative approach is the most suitable for the company. If they want to investigate in depth way to discover individual think and feel, qualitative approach is chosen. Therefore, using both methods are necessary for Blackberry during the crisis period.

1.3.4. Evaluate the effectiveness and limitations of the above approaches and methods in understanding workplace behavior at large and in your organization in particular

	Effectiveness	Limitations
Quantitative approach	_Gather information from a large number of participant _Allow cross conduct in different group for comparison _The result could be generalized to broader population _Outcome in numerical and rate _Can determining relationship among variables	_It is difficulty to recognize new and untouched phenomena _Should be careful in interpretation without a group control
Qualitative approach	_Permit to recognize new and untouched phenomena _Can reach deeper understanding of mechanisms _Gives a one by one and subjective information _Verbal information can be converted into numerical form.	_Are not able to extend to the general population _Difficulty in using statistical methods _Difficulty in evaluating relationship among characteristics

Quantitative and qualitative are highly informative, especially if using them combination. Each approach has its own benefits and disadvantages therefore it is needed to be aware of the methods used to collect information.

3.1 Use theory to explain human reactions to change

3.1.1. Blackberry changes

In late 2013, Blackberry fell into severe crisis that put itself up for sale. At that time, Blackberry was losing its customers, employees, share value, cash and revenue. This originated from the failure of new operating system called Blackberry 10, changes in Blackberry design in which 5 function keys was discarded and changes in strategies of former CEO Thorsten Heins who cut 40 percent company workforce. Facing this situation, Canadian smartphone maker had to fire its CEO and be replaced by John Chen. Company was sold at $4.7 billion dollars and received $1 billion dollars fundraising from its largest shareholder, Fairfax Financial. There are many significant changes after John Chen having position of Blackberry CEO.

At first, for the app store, company made a deal with Amazon to bring its app store to Blackberry devices. Thus Blackberry users can access more than 240,000 new apps without doing much work. For the hardware, company had a contract with Foxconn manufacturing to build entry level Blackberry phone so that company can concentrate on build higher end devices. On the other word, this help to reduce inventory risk of Blackberry. Moreover, company change product design by bringing back 5 function keys and provide more accurate typing experience with physical keyboard instead of touch screen. In addition, cost controlling is made one of top priorities of company in order to save cost.

Moreover, instead of just focus on individual customer, company returned to its origin market for business in which it already had reputation. In addition, Blackberry also focus on Blackberry Messenger (BBM) and operating system QNX which are strength of the company. BBM is opened up for used on IOS and Android, not just in Blackberry devices anymore whereas QNX focus on traditional in security and enterprises.

3.1.2 Reactions, behavior, resistance and responses to change in Blackberry

As reported by Kubler Ross, there are five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

· The first stage in Kubler Ross model is Denial. In this stage, people who suffer damage cannot accept the loss has taken place. The feeling is experiencing a bad dream, the loss is out of the real world and they are waiting for waking up to get rid of the dream.

· The second stage is Anger. After people passed denial stage, they accepted occurrence of the loss, feel anger with themselves or with others and unfairness of it.

· The next stage is bargain. This stage involves the hope that people can undo the loss or avoid the cause of loss. There also usually includes promises for better behaviors or life along with the hope to reverse the loss.

· When it is clear that anger and bargain cannot reverse loss, people will fell into Depression stage where they accept to be attached with sadness, regret, fear or uncertainty.

· Finally people will enter acceptance stage where people begin to accept their mortality or unavoidable future, or terrible event. This stage varies according to the person's situation.

In case of Blackberry, when new CEO apply his change, some employees and stakeholders may disagree with the change and go through five stages of grief of Kubler Ross model. At the first time, they deny the changes because company returned to its roots product which they leaved for a long time. Additionally, changing in product design and having partnership with Foxconn rise many disagreement among employees because they had spent much time on designing product. They doubt about the possibility of the changes. In the next stage, employee feel angry because what they did during the past have been changed. The following is that people think about opportunity for them to design the product more complete without the change. They seek to negotiate for change, however it is not going to change the decision. Thus employee fell into depression stage. Finally, they accept the change and try to follow the change.

3.2 Make justified recommendations for implementing change in a selected work group

When facing the resistance of change, there are several methods that could help to eliminate the change such as Education and Communication, Participation, Building support and Commitment, Implementing Changes fairly, Cooptation, Selecting people who accept change, Coercion. For Blackberry situation, I choose three methods for further analysis.

The first method is to use education and communication. Having partnership with Foxconn, company can focus its workforce to build high end devices. For employees who do not meet the requirement for designing or assemble such devices, company will offer them training course so that they can continue to work for Blackberry.

The next is to build support and commitment. The previous product of Blackberry was designed with touch green and brand-new new operating system (OS). When John Chen decide to change product design, he gave them time to design, build new product and fix the OS. In addition, it is ensured that Blackberry will not cut off job when signing contract with Foxconn.

Finally is to select who accept to change. For those who are willing to change, they can continue to work whereas who is not ready for change they will be fire.

Impact of attitudes on organizational change

The attitudes of employees won’t have much effect on organizational change. Due to the fact that company is in situation of severe crisis and put itself up for sale. Therefore changing is necessary for Blackberry to recover its position in market, this is also reason why CEO John Chen who had experience on recovering fail company is employed to run the business overcome the hard time. However, customers flavors also impact the company change especially in product design and product experience.

3.3 Make justified recommendations for achieving attitude change amongst a group of stakeholders in a selected organizations

Blackberry’s stakeholder consist of employees, managers, owner, customers, shareholders, government and suppliers. Employees concern about how much and how often they paid by company, therefore Blackberry change which is related to company economy health is very important to employee. In addition, shareholders and owner concern about company performance and revenue. The higher performance company have, the more profit they can get. Manager pay more attention to company activities, strategy… Their decisions are very important to Blackberry operations. Thus the change of Blackberry has important implication to them. Enterprise customer and government are largest customers of Blackberry, and they concern about the safety and security of product. Hence improving OS, and change design are special attended among them.

For owner and shareholder, they will doubt about the possibility of new change because company has suffered losses for a long time. When it comes to customers, they afraid that quality and security of product will not the same as it was when Foxconn assemble some product of Blackberry and their personal data may lose. Moreover, Blackberry is an important company of Canada government because they using services of Blackberry. If the change of company is fail and prompting itself up for sale, this will severely affect national security. Thus, government is looking forward Blackberry to recover it financial position.

In order to achieve organizational effectiveness in the process of organizational change, there are some method that company should use.

The first recommendation is about emotional commitment, CEO John Chen should spend more time on personal meeting with big enterprise customers to convince them that the products will be ensured quality and security. Additionally, company should save more money so that investor’s confidence can be maintained.

Secondly, it will be better if Blackberry return to their classical design. The belt to navigate the apps in classical devices was discarded from Blackberry 10, this contribute to reduce considerably a number of longtime Blackberry users, increasing product return rate and worsening the sales. Many customers prefer to use old phone rather than new one. By bringing back the belt and focus on developing physical keyboard, company try to make reprisal for loyal business and government customers.

Finally, for the cooperation with Foxconn, they just assemble entry level Blackberry devices for penetrating new market and this company is the biggest and most reliable manufacturing in the world, therefore, it is no need to worry about product quality and safety.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Approach	Pros	Cons
Humanistic	+ Concentrate on whole person rather than the unconscious mind, genes, observable behavior… + Humanistic psychology values personal belief and self-fulfillment. +Concentrate on the importance of more individual and idiographic methods of study.	+Humanism ignores the unconscious mind. + Qualitative data is difficult to compare. + Their belief in free will is in opposition to the deterministic laws of science. + Human and animal can be compared
Behaviorist	+ Scientific approach + Highly applicable + Emphasizes on objective measurement + Many experiments support for theories +Identified comparisons between animals and humans	+ Ignores biology + Too deterministic + Can’t compare animals to humans + Reductionist
Cognitive tradition	+ Scientific + Highly applicable + Combines easily with approaches + Many empirical studies to support theories	+ Ignores biology + Can’t objectively study unobservable behavior + Introspection is subjective + Machine reductionism

Free documents, essays and assignment sharing

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Business Psychology: Assignment 1