Homework #1 for MGT3000

Organizational Management 
Homework # 1

Matthew Henderson

Please type your answers, and submit in class by due date

1. What do you think are the most important forces in the external environment creating uncertainty for organizations today?  Do the forces you identified typically arise in the task environment or the general environment?

Customers – Task Environment
Competitors – Task Environment
Suppliers – Task Environment
Labor Market – Task Environment
Technological – General Environment
Natural – General Environment
Sociocultural – General Environment
Economic – General Environment
Legal/Political – General Environment
International – General Environment

2. Why do you think that many managers are surprised by environmental changes and unable to help their organizations adapt?  Can a manager ever be prepared for an environmental change as dramatic as that experienced by airlines in the United States following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington?

Many managers only deal with a few external factors.  This provides mostly internally focused environment.  However, when external factors increase or change, internally focused managers may be unprepared, unable or unwilling to adapt to these changes.

Managers can be prepared for environmental changes using various strategies, including: boundary-spanning roles, interorganizational partnership, and mergers or joint ventures.  These methods can help an organization adapt to even the most dramatic of environmental changes.

3. Why are symbols important to a corporate culture?  Do stories, heroes, slogans, and ceremonies have symbolic value?  Discuss.

Symbols help identify an organization’s key values, beliefs, understandings and norms.  They are important in helping an organization identify itself.

Stories, heroes, slogans and ceremonies all have symbolic value.  They serve as the rhetoric used within an organization to improve morale, set standards and reward exemplary work.

4. General Electric is famous for firing the lowest-performing 10 percent of its managers each year.  With its strict no-layoff policy, Valero Energy believes people need to feel secure in their jobs to perform their best.  Yet both are high-performing companies.  How do you account for the success of such opposite philosophies?

General Electric has created an achievement culture where Valero Energy has created an involvement culture.

General Electric has created a highly competitive, no-nonsense, environment where the manager’s performance literally determines whether he/she keeps his/her job.  This drives competitive people to perform to the best of their abilities, and if they don’t make the cut, there’s someone waiting to replace them.  So General Electric is always providing to their customers, people who strive for excellence in a very specific area.

Valero Energy’s involvement culture emphasizes involvement and participation of employees.  These employees are given the time to adapt and learn new and various ideas.  This fosters a well-rounded and adaptable employee/manager.

General Electric employees are most likely highly driven and experienced in a very specific area whereas Valero Energy employees may be more relaxed and able to address a broader area and adapt to new areas too.