Understanding Organizational Culture and Behavior
Organizational behaviour deals with the exploration of human behaviour in the workplace environment. From the study materials, organizational behaviour studies attempt to investigate the relationship between people and organizations. Individual actions in an organization are addressed by the aspect of organizational behaviour. For instance, we may talk about the personality, attitudes, perception, learning and motivational capacity of individuals as key parameters of organizational behaviour.
Employees usually spend a lot of time at their respective workplaces. This generates a particular impact on their qualities of life. For the period I have been working at the Road and Traffic Authority in Dubai, I have witnessed several employees whose quality of life are negatively affected by overworking. Employees who do not obtain adequate time for rest and leisure are highly likely to be stressed and depressed. To attain a positive relationship between employees and the organization, managers at my place of work have devised several motivational packages for workers such as overtime allowances, paid leaves and capacity building through training and workshops. An organization cannot thrive without well-defined values that are followed by its members. Basic assumptions must be adhered to in an organization. At my place of work, a culture of accountability has been developed by the management. Employees are supposed to be responsible and accountable for their actions.
Public Organizations and the Surrounding Environment
Public organizations have a distinct relationship with the environment. In regards to the two concepts, it is necessary to explore the systems concept in public organizations. This concept refers to an integrated set of intimate and dynamically related aspects. My workplace organization embraces a system concept in its operations whereby employees are supposed to be part and parcel of the team that seeks to achieve organizational objectives. The authority is very keen to safeguard both the operational and workplace environment. The key elements of a system include inputs such as resources, energy and information as well as outputs such as products and services. Subsystems are parts of systems that process all activities and usually constitute the individual parts of a whole system. The integrated subsystems are linked through a network of communications.
Limits refer to the separation between an organization and the external environment. The boundaries represent the periphery of an organization and are usually related to the external environment. The systems found in public organizations can also be classified as either open or closed. When public organizations are fully programmed, such systems are referred to as closed. Completely closed systems hardly exist even in my place of work while open systems are fully flexible. On the other hand, the environment refers to factors that affect the operations of an organization and may be beyond the control of a firm.
Change Management in Public Sector Organizations
Public sector organizations are often faced with the need to institute changes in the course of their operations. Organizational change is sometimes an inevitable undertaking that must be executed. Whenever a change process takes place, organizational managers should transit the operations of a firm to another desired level. Hence, it implies that planning and implementation are key parameters that must be put into consideration when undertaking the process of change.
From the lecture materials, one of the main hurdles of change management in public sector organizations is resistance from employees. While it might not be easy to convince some employees on the need to accept change, it is vital to note that managers in public sector organizations should be keen enough in making sure that any change process meets the set goals and objectives.
As an employee at the Roads and Traffic Authority in Dubai, I have witnessed several instances when even the top management finds itself too rigid to embrace change. For instance, the expansion of roads and bypasses proved to be a difficult task for the authority owing to divergent views. Regular changes are required in modern public sector organizations so that the latter can favourably compete with the private sector. Most of the changes proposed by the public sector organizations often arise due to the challenges faced by firms.
Relationship Management in the Public Sector
Modern public sector organizations have the mandate of forging a cordial working relationship with other organs. For example, there is a need to effectively manage relationships between the public sector and citizens bearing in mind that members of the public are the main consumers of products generated by the sector. The private sector should also be considered when developing and cultivating multi-agency relationships with organizations in the public sector.
At the Roads and Traffic Authority in Dubai, identification of emerging opportunities has been a major area of concern. The authority strives to make sure that customers are provided with the much-needed insights in an efficient and timely manner. Also, devising and managing positive relationships with citizens in regards to service delivery have assisted in building a strong relationship between the authority and members of the public. Coordination and careful planning of services are among the core mandates of organizations that seek to improve the working relationship with employees and customers. Also, myriads of challenges are faced by public sector organizations when customers expect effective services despite the low input by stakeholders. It is not possible to deliver high-quality services (to the satisfaction of customers) if an organization lacks adequate resources and the right pool of knowledge and skills. Besides, a positive relationship can only be cultivated if public sector organizations are managed in tandem with the demands of consumers.
Leadership in the public sector
The public sector cannot elude challenges posed by leadership in the new Millennium. To begin with, there have been incessant calls to modernize public services according to the tastes and preferences of consumers. The general members of the public have a very high degree of expectation towards the output of the public sector. However, the partnership between the public and private sectors has generated several opportunities.
Electronic delivery of government services and the demand to embrace modern technology have been desired by members of the public for a long time. Hence, it implies that a proper leadership structure must be put in place to attain the expectations of the public. Although the public sector is well endowed with skilled and competent leaders, there are still several challenges that demean the sector. The delivery of public services to consumers demands a vivid and shared understanding among stakeholders. For instance, the main players in the public sector are supposed to understand fundamental leadership behaviours that can yield positive results. The Road and Traffic Authority in Dubai has implemented various leadership measures to improve the performance and delivery of services to the public. The authority undertakes regular performance appraisal for both the top management and subordinate staff. Reinvigorating public sector leadership requires a thorough organizational and structural transformation of all work processes.