COMMERCE 1BA3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Occupational Stress, Organizational Identification, Job Satisfaction
3 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Culture & Socialization
Social Influence in Organizations:
Information dependence and Effect Dependence
- Information dependence: Reliance on others for information about how to think, feel
and act
o Gives others the opportunity to influence our thoughts, feelings and actions with
the signals they send us
- This is explained through Social information processing: Information from others is used
to interpret events and develop expectations about appropriate and acceptable
attitudes and behaviors
o Will opae o atios, thoughts ad feeligs to othes’ A,T,F
- Effect dependence involves 2 complementary processes:
o First, the group frequently has a vested interest in how individual members think
and act because such matters can affect the goal attainment of the group
o Second, the members frequently desire the approval of the group
The social influence process and conformity
- There are three different motives for social conformity
o Compliance: conformity to a social norm prompted by the desire to acquire
rewards or avoid punishment
o Identification: conformity to a social norm prompted by perceptions that those
who promote the norm are attractive or similar to oneself
o Internalization: conformity to a social norm prompted by true acceptance of the
beliefs, values and attitudes that underlie the norm
Socialization:
- Process by which people learn the attitudes, knowledge and behaviors that are
necessary to function in a group or organization
o process by which an employee begins to adapt to the values, norms and beliefs
of the organization and its members (culture)
- ioles leaig the ogaizatio’s liate ad leaig to fit i
- shows how different socialization methods influence a number of immediate or
proximal socialization outcomes such as learning which lead to more distal or longer
term outcomes such as attitudes and behaviours
- Climate:
o ees shaed peeptios of the otigeies etee ehaiou that
occur in the work environment and their consequences
o learning what behaviors are expected, acceptable and unacceptable
- Newcomers achieve a good fit through:
o 1st person-job fit
▪ the ath etee a eploee’s koledge, skills ad ailities ad
the requirements of the job
o 2nd person-organization fit
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▪ the ath etee a eploee’s pesoal alues ad the alues of
an organization
o organizational
identification: the
extent to which
individuals define
themselves in terms of
the organization and
what it is perceived to
represent (based on 2
above fits)
Strategic Importance of Socialization:
- sets the tone of employment relationship
- clarifies expectations/how things are done
- Reduces anxiety for new employees
o Will I fit in? Will I enjoy the job/coworkers/etc?
- Effects employee attitudes and behaviour
o Job satisfaction, commitment
o Job performance
Socialization vs Orientation
- Socialization
o Process of employees adapting to organization (culture/climate)
o Long-term process, often informal
- Orientation
o Program that informs new employees about their job and company
o Designed to introduce new employees to their job, the people they will be
working with and the organization
o Helps manage workplace stress
o Short-term, often formal
Stages of Socialization
- the first two represent hurdles for achieving passage into the third stage (where you
have been there awhile)
1. Anticipatory (Pre-Arrival):
a. Employees begin with certain expectations about the organization and job
i. More formal process of skill and attitude acquisition, what might occur by
attending college or uni?
ii. Or informal, such acquired through summer jobs
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b. Some organizations begin to socialize job candidates even before they are hired
at recruitment events
c. Realistic Job Preview (RJP):
i. Information
about job
demands and
working
conditions – both
positive and
negative aspects
ii. The provision of
a balanced,
realistic picture
of the positive
and negative
aspects of a job to applicants
iii. Poidig oetie atio to epetatios
2. Encounter:
a. Employee has started a new job
i. Formal aspects: orientation, tours
ii. Informal aspects: style and personality of co-workers/boss
b. Inconsistencies between expectations and reality emerge
i. Organization and its experienced members are looking for an acceptable
degree of conformity to organizational norms and appropriate role
behaviour
ii. Recruits, are interested in having their personal needs & expectations
filled
iii. If successful, the recruit will have complied with critical organizational
norms and should begin to identify with experienced organizational
members
c. Need information regarding policies, procedures, etc
i. E.g. via orientation program:
1. Benefits
2. Organizational issues, policies, etc
3. Introductions
4. Job duties
d. Benefits of a good orientation program:
i. Shows organization values to employee
ii. Reduces employee anxiety and turnover
iii. Reduces start-up costs
iv. Clarifies job and organizational expectations
v. Improves job performance
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Information dependence: reliance on others for information about how to think, feel and act: gives others the opportunity to influence our thoughts, feelings and actions with the signals they send us. This is explained through social information processing: information from others is used to interpret events and develop expectations about appropriate and acceptable attitudes and behaviors: will (cid:272)o(cid:373)pa(cid:396)e o(cid:449)(cid:374) a(cid:272)tio(cid:374)s, thoughts a(cid:374)d feeli(cid:374)gs to othe(cid:396)s" a,t,f. There are three different motives for social conformity: compliance: conformity to a social norm prompted by the desire to acquire rewards or avoid punishment. Identification: conformity to a social norm prompted by perceptions that those who promote the norm are attractive or similar to oneself. Internalization: conformity to a social norm prompted by true acceptance of the beliefs, values and attitudes that underlie the norm. Climate: (cid:862)(cid:373)e(cid:373)(cid:271)e(cid:396)s(cid:863) sha(cid:396)ed pe(cid:396)(cid:272)eptio(cid:374)s of the (cid:272)o(cid:374)ti(cid:374)ge(cid:374)(cid:272)ies (cid:271)et(cid:449)ee(cid:374) (cid:271)eha(cid:448)iou(cid:396) that occur in the work environment and their consequences learning what behaviors are expected, acceptable and unacceptable.
