Exercise 4. Open brackets choosing the right words:

Expectancy theory is based on the idea that the (weakness/strength) of one's motivation to work is the product of perceived probabilities of acquiring personally (valued/rejected) rewards.

The speaking module

II. Speaking Exercises:

Exercise 1. Describe motivation, needs hierarchy theory, two-factor theory, expectancy theory, limited exposure using the suggested words and expressions as in example:

Exercise 2. Ask questions to the given answers:

1) Question:

Answer: Job enrichment vertically loads jobs to meet individual needs for meaningfulness, responsibility, and knowledge of results.

2) Question:

Answer: Depending on how it is designed, a job can either hamper or promote personal growth and satisfaction.

3) Question:

Answer: Managers have the options of fitting people to jobs or fitting jobs to people when attempting to counter the specialization-of-labor dilemma.

The writing module

III. Writing exercises:

Exercise 1. Complete the sentences with the suggested words: misperception, though, above, from, ranked

Even _____the employees in one study _____“interesting work” the highest among the things they wanted _____their jobs, their supervisors believed that wanted “good wages” ______all else. This type of _____ of employees' needs can cripple a motivation program.

Exercise 2. Compose a story on one of the topics (up to 100 words):

“Motivation is an important area of study for managers”

“Motivation theories”

“Job design”

Lesson 10 The reading module

Read the text: Group dynamics

Managers need a working understanding of group dynamics because groups are the basic social building blocks of organizations. Both informal (friendship) and formal (work) groups are made up of two or more freely interacting individuals who have a common identity and purpose. After someone has been attracted to a group, cohesiveness--a "we" feelings encourages continued membership. Roles are social expectations for behavior in a specific position, whereas norms are more general standards for conduct in a given social setting. Norms are enforced because they help the group survive, clarify role expectations, protect self-images, and enhance the group's identity by emphasizing key values. Compliance with role expectations and norms is rewarded with social reinforcement; non-compliance is punished by criticism, ridicule, and ostracism. Ostracism, or rejection from the group, is figuratively the capital punishment of group dynamics. Informal groups derive much of their power over individual through the ever present threat of ostracism.

Mature groups that are characterized by mutual acceptance, encourage ment of minority opinion, and minimal emotional conflict are the product of a developmental process with identifiable stages. During the first three stages - orientation, conflict and challenge, and cohesion - power and authority problems are resolved. Groups are faced with the obstacle of uncertainty over interpersonal relations during the last three stages - delusion (members believe that all the difficult emotional problems have been solved), disillusion (the delusion of unlimited goodwill wears off, and there is a growing disenchantment with how things are turning out), and acceptance (greater personal and mutual understanding helps members adapt to situations without causing problems). Committees have a widespread reputation for inefficiency and ineffectiveness because they tend to get stalled in an early stage of group development.

Trust is a key ingredient of effective group action that is clearly evident in Japanese management but often underutilized by American managers. When work group members trust one another, there will be a more active exchange of information, more interpersonal influence, and hence greater self-control. Managers who prefer either/or thinking, rely solely on hard

data, and envision the world as basically an unsafe place foster a climate of mistrust. Political tactics such as posturing, empire building, making the boss look good, creating power and loyalty cliques, and destructive competition need to be kept in check if a healthy degree of trust is to be achieved.

Although a fairly high degree of conformity is necessary if organizations and society in general are to function properly, blind conformity is ultimately dehumanizing and destructive. Research shows that individuals have a strong tendency to bend to the will of the majority, even if the majority is clearly wrong. Cohesive decision-making groups can be victimized by groupthink when unanimity becomes more important than critically evaluating alternative courses of action.

I. Reading Exercises:

Exercise 1. Read and memorize using a dictionary:

Exercise 2. Answer the questions:

1) What obstacles are groups faced with?

2) What is compliance with role expectations and norms rewarded with?

3) Why is trust a key ingredient of effective group action?

4) Why are norms enforced?

Exercise 3. Match the left part with the right:

Exercise 4. Open brackets choosing the right words:

Compliance with role expectations and norms is (stalled/rewarded) with social reinforcement; non-compliance is (punished/accepted) by criticism, ridicule, and ostracism.

The speaking module

II. Speaking Exercises:

Exercise 1. Describe mature groups, trust, ostracism, norms, disillusion

using the suggested words and expressions as in example:

Exercise 2. Ask questions to the given answers:

1) Question:

Answer: Committees have a widespread reputation for inefficiency and ineffectiveness because they tend to get stalled in an early stage of group development.

2) Question:

Answer: Groups are faced with the obstacle of uncertainty over interpersonal relations during the last three stages .

3) Question:

Answer: Managers who prefer either/or thinking, rely solely on hard

data, and envision the world as basically an unsafe place foster a climate of mistrust.

The writing module

III. Writing exercises:

Exercise 1. Complete the sentences with the suggested words: victimized, majority, than, tendency, shows.

Research _____that individuals have a strong ______ to bend to the will of the majority, even if the ______ is clearly wrong. Cohesive decision-making groups can be ______ by groupthink when unanimity becomes more important _____ critically evaluating alternative courses of action.

Exercise 2. Compose a story on one of the topics (up to 100 words):

“Formal and informal groups”

“Mature groups”

“Trust and mistrust in groups”

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