We have noted that attitudes represent a powerful force in any organization. Sel

Question

We have noted that attitudes represent a powerful force in any organization. Select one organization for study, and assess the attitudes displayed by people who are associated with it. Your study might focus on a club within your school, a retail store in the community, a church, or a civic group. Step 1 should be the assessment of attitudes by personal interview, printed survey, observation, or some combination of these methods. Step 2 should involve summarizing your findings and preparing a final report. Your report should include the following: Overview of the methods used to gather information . Overview of findings from your research Analysis of how individual and group values may be affecting the attitudes observed Suggestions on how to improve the attitudes of individuals or the entire organization . A reflection on how your personal values and attitudes would fit into the current organizational environment.

Explanation / Answer

Attitudes in an Organisation

I am here selecting an educational institute and summarising the attitudes and how individual and group values affect the attitudes. The findings for this small case are collected by personal observation method. The case is about a school club that is volunterring to help blind people. The club does different kind of activities to show their support and motivate blind people, this involves paying visits to a nearby blind people's school and understanding their problems. The club members are undergraduate students in an engineering college. There are ten members coming from diverse economic and social background. Their upbringing has been done in environments very different which have shaped their attitudes towards circumstances and people. When they are thrown together to form a team and take up the activities of the club surprising facts are revealed. One of the task assigned to the team was visiting the blind people's school and assist them in their activities (like making cards which they also sell to earn livelihood). After some initial hurdles the team was able to accomplish the task. Most of the problems rose because of the conflicting personalities and attitudes that the club members had. There were some members who were emphathetic towards blind people while on other hand some were sympathetic. Team mostly rejected the ideas of one of the team members, but on the other hand accepted the leadership of one of the members.

Soon the whole college was talking about the club and in a short time it became one of the most prestigious clubs of the school. Being a member of the club was now considered a social status for the students and the club now thought of starting their online venture to garner more support for their noble cause. But after some time the club members face some challenges when some of the faculty members raise objections and doubts about the noble cause of the club

Method used to gather information:

The method used here was personal observation. The participant observation method was used where the attitudes can be observed in a natural environment and the club members do not become consious of being watched or modify behaviour.

Findings from the research:

1) Two of the club members believed that blind people had very special powers like enhanced hearing ability and sixth sense

2) There was some disagreement among the members of how they can assist the blind people some said that their disability was affecting their performance and some were more empathetic rather than sympathetic towards them

3) The club members had no idea about skills needed to work with blind people

4) Only few students resisted the idea of working with blind people

5) Some club members found it emotionally challenging working with blind people

6) Most of the club members agreed about increased participation in club activities

Analysis of Findings:

The club members are coming from diverse back grounds so they have different attitudes towards disability. Working in a team and accomplishing the task of carrying out activities with the blind people is challenging as some members believe that they must sympathise with the blind people and tend to carry out the activities by them selves instead of allowing the blind people to do so. There are a lot of disagreements as some club members feel it is unkind to let the blind people do the tasks by themselves. There are other hurdles when in one incidence the club members reject the idea of a member who is considered very egoistic. Finally consensus is reached when one of the members who has very good leadership qualities negotiates and based on information and facts from another team member who has prevoiusly worked with blind people reaches to a conclusion. So here we see that the different personal attitudes like leadership qualities have a positive contribution, while an egoistic attitude is not accepted. The egoistic member is not aware of the impact of his attitude on people around him. The members who feel emotional have very strong attitudes which makes them uncomfortable working with blind people and clouding their judgement in completing the task.

The analysis also reveals that a positive approach from most of the members creates a positive environment and a greater attachment between the team members. The club members find satisfaction from their tasks as their attitudes and values are in sync with the club objectives.

The member with good leadership qualities is able to understand the attitudes of his team members, values their beliefs, and is not selective in the way he responds to the issues around him. This shows how his objectivity is able to lead the group and encourage group members to develop similar attitude.

The positive attitude of the club members is reinforced by the recognition that the club receives and goes on to become a very strong force by the online initiative taht the club is planning.

Suggestions to improve the organisation:

We see that some of the students have no idea of how to work with the blind people the suggestion is the club can organise workshops and train the students to work with the blind people. This workshop can also work towards removing some of the mis conceptions in the mind of the students.

We see that the existence of the club is questioned by some of the faculty members. This could be because the values of the faculty members are different. Their belief system does not accept the club activities and they raise doubts about the club. Here it would be worthwhile to involve the faculty members in the activities of the club so they can understand and appreciate the efforts of the club and develop a positive attitude towards it.

My personal values and attitudes:

If I were to be a member of the club it would give me inner satisfaction. My value system encourages me to have an empathetic attitude towards blind people and that would fit with the club environment.

Thus we see that positive attitudes can be strong force.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse W
• Subjects

---

---

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.