Organizational Behavior
Ewa Kowalczyk
Report 2
March 26, 2010

Theories can be applied to a variety of things, and compared to individual, group and animal behaviors. After reading Adler, Mech and Morgan, it is possible that the relationship between humans and animals is very similar when we talk about organizations. In the book Images Of organization, Morgan suggests that we live in an “organizational” society and that organizations influence our every waking hour. And although this is very obvious, one has to wonder why people build their lives around organizational behavior. Examples of this would be, taking time off from work, going to work five times a week or being a full time student. These are routines that each of us has in our own lives, and we all relate to them within our culture in similar ways. In The Wolf, Mech talks about Courtship and Mating in wolves. I compared this reading to Morgan’s because in many ways it relates to culture. “Courtship and mating in the wolf are intimately related to each animal’s year –round ties with other members of its pack” (Mech pg. 111). This clearly shows the reader or whoever is studying wolves that this behavior occurs within the culture of the pack and how similar this behavior is with other animals living in the wild. Culture and organization played in my work life. I used to work at a grocery store and everyone one on the team had similar duties, especially the cashiers. We were pretty much programmed to say the same things, and if we forgot to ask the customer for their card or if they had reusable bags it would affect the entire front end of the store. This was because we had a “secret” shopper come in and grade us on our performance in customer service. If one person failed, then all of us did. In the “Learning organization”, the idea is that not everyone learns at the same time. Some individuals are slower than others and find learning certain things difficult. To add to that, many workers suffer with serve learning disabilities. The best way to solve this problem is to speak out. Morgan’s states “But the good news here is that awareness of a problem is often the first important step toward a solution” (p 87). This quote helps us understand that by speaking out about an issue, helps work on the problem that is being addressed. This section also mentions how important continuous learning is for a company. Certain skills and activities will create better possibilities for the company. Morgan states that “they must embrace the creation of insight and knowledge. Like the human brain, successful learning organizations need to be skilled in the art of representation” (p 88). This will create bigger possibilities in future business deals, such as the relationships that individuals, such as relationships that individuals will have with potential customers, the competition, and the environment they are in. Just like Morgan talks about learning organization, Mech talks about order in the pack. The way wolves learn from one another reflects on how they perform in their pack and what role they have within that pack. “For every five years, the original alpha female in the Brookfield Zoo kept her dominant position and each year produced the only litter born to the pack, even though the group also included at least two other mature females each year” (p 115.) This shows that the dominate one will fight for what she wants, in this case it was the male. When talking about successful learning organizations, this would not apply, simply because the females are working against each other and not together. When I worked with kids at the Northern Berkshire YMCA, not all of the children were at the same level. The counselors, including myself, had to find ways to engage all of the children in similar activities. We knew that every child was an individual and had their own way of communicating, playing and learning. We still treated all of them equally, regardless of the differences they shared. We made the afterschool program a welcoming and safe environment for everyone who was a part of it. Double loop learning is a concept that many organizations use to achieve goals. Double loop learning helps understand the aspect from the angle of a new setting. Some individuals become blind by their setting, but double loop learning helps overcome these challenges; challenges, creative thinking, brainstorming and other obstacles that keep individuals from creating new directions for themselves and the company. A more obvious example of how double loop learning is used is shown in the following quote by Morgan, “Employees are asked to dig beneath the surface or recurring problems and uncover the forces that are producing them” (p 91). By approaching the issues in this manner, it will create more insight and new developments. Double loop learning is a way that baby wolves learn best. Mech mentions how interaction and socialization within the pack is very important to the development of pups. The transition period is the most critical, because the animals are preparing for a more adult like life. Mech states, “At this stage, dog pups suddenly start to make associations between things and for the first time can be psychologically conditioned” (p 128). As an afterschool counselor at the Northern Berkshire YMCA, I was taught skills that would help me better understand the children that I have worked with. We were taught different ways to approach a child if they were in a panic or rage. My co- workers and I brainstormed and found solutions to keep the children safe and stimulated. This was very similar to double loop learning. We overcame challenges by taking the double loop approach, instead of single – loop learning. In the book International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior, Adler talks about how much of impact diversity can have in a group and work setting. Diversity can take forms in a variety of ways, such as in gender, race, age, profession, and cultural differences. When you have diversity in a group setting, many are faced with difficult challenges. This is because others may find it hard to understand and act in situations that they are not normally used to. “In culturally diverse teams, misperception, miscommunication, misinterpretation, and misevaluation abound” (p 134). This causes stress because it is difficult to make decisions that are due to disagreements. In The Wolf, Mech talks about the female wolves and how they become dominate and what happens when they are faced with a challenge. “This bitch dominated the other two females by assaulting them physically or psychically whenever they solicited a male or were receptive to a male” (p 116). This quote shows us how complex interactions can have complications towards its other members. Very similar to work groups and when they have mis communication amongst each other. Working at the YMCA gave me the opportunity to work with children from different cultures. An Asian girl in the program, who does not speak English, had an effect on the group as well as how she functioned in the classroom. The Language was an issue, so whenever she would be put in a group, the children had a difficult time trying to explain an activity to her. There was some frustration coming from the kids during certain times. She easily became frustrated, knowing that she was being left out during certain group games that the children played. Adler talks about Global Leadership Competencies. She states that, leadership is a skill that most people need in a work setting, not just something people at the top look for. She also states that having emotional intelligence will benefit more than cognitive abilities. It is a known fact that a company’s success has a lot to do with the emotional intelligence of its leaders. The meaning of emotional intelligence, is self- awareness, self – regulation, motivation, empathy and social skills. Having these qualities will help open many doors in the business world. So in other words, you have to have passion, control, and ability to do all the above. Without these competencies, there will be missing pieces that will affect everyone, including the company. Like humans, wolves are very similar when it comes to leadership skills and taking control of situations. Mech talks about Dominance order in relation to mating. “The alpha pair, or top- ranking male and female, are the only members of a pack to mate” (p 114). The females are very dominating and take control. They try to stop the other females from mating with the males. They pretty much want them all to themselves. And if that doesn’t go over, then there is trouble. The females will often interfere and make it stop. This is just an example of control in a group and how it has an effect on others. Having leadership skills helps set good examples for others. I considered myself a leader when I was working with the kids, simply because I am a kid myself. I know what kids want, and need. Some of my leadership skills included, vision. I had a clear picture of what I wanted to happen and the steps I was going to take to make it happen. I also looked at the children and saw what they were able to achieve and succeed in. If you know how to take control then everyone around you can feel that as well and will confine in you. I also have a passion for children and will do anything to see them achieve greatness. If there is no passion then there is no vision nor hope.
In Adler’s chapter, Motivating people from around the world, it is discussed that there is motives behind motivation. These motivations are achievement, power and affiliation. Although, these are very important to some, they are actually not universal. “Fredrick Herzberg suggested that certain extrinsic factors (those associated with the environment surrounding a job) have only the power to demotivate employees, whereas intrinsic factors ( those associated with the job itself) have the power to energize, or motivate, people” (p 187). The demotivating factors simply correspond to bad working conditions, such as, supervision, co – workers, the responsibility of the job or no recognition for the job well done. Motivation has to do with the environment one is put in. If I work somewhere where there is mess and chaos, I will more than likely turn into that person. If I work in a calm and peaceful setting then that is who I will become.
When relating this reading back to Mech and wolves, the one thing that comes to mind is motivation to get food and to hunt. The pack of wolves will travel far to get what they are looking for. Survival is their motivation. Without motivation to travel and walk long distances, they will be faced with harsh winters and no food.
Although, motivating children can be different than motivating someone your own age, it can also be very similar. Just like people in work groups, children appreciate getting praised and acknowledged for something they did correctly. Everyone needs some positive feedback. A child does better with positive reinforcement then if they were getting scolded. The proper behavior will be reoccurring if it is recognized and appreciated. This is how we handled behaviors at the YMCA. Learning, motivation, diversity, and dominance are behaviors that can be applied to wolves and human organizations. After reading Adler, Mech and Morgan, it is possible that the relationship between humans and animals is very similar when we talk about organizations.

Mech, L. The Wolf: the Ecology and behavior of an Endangered Species. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, 1981. Print.

Adler, Nacy, J. International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior. Boston, MA: PWS_ KENT Pub., 1991. Print.
Morgan, Gareth. Images of Organization. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications, 1986. Print.