Organisational Behaviour (Essay Sample)

Organisational Behaviour Theoretical Analysis-Lenovo Company
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Word Count: 3069 words

Table of Contents
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Introduction  PAGEREF _Toc427853141 \h
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Paradigm Applied  PAGEREF _Toc427853142 \h
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Literature Review  PAGEREF _Toc427853143 \h
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Organisational Analysis  PAGEREF _Toc427853144 \h
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Conclusion  PAGEREF _Toc427853145 \h
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Recommendations  PAGEREF _Toc427853146 \h
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References  PAGEREF _Toc427853147 \h
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Introduction
An organisation is described as the unit or a group of people joined together and working in unison with the aim of achieving specific shared goals and objectives both in the short nd long run periods. In order to enhance the success f such groups functioning and operations, organistions have specific management and organisational structure, that help in the allocaton of duties and functions. A key emerging issue in the development and functioning of organsations is the emergence and presence of an organisational culture (Naranjo-Valencia, Jiménez-Jiménez & Sanz-Valle 2011). An organisational corporate cuture can be described as the process of shared values and principles among an organisational members, which guides and sustains their operations towards goals attainment.
This essay offers a critical analysis on the concept of the Lenovo ompany corporate cultue. In order to critically analyse it, th essay first develops a paradigm analysis, evaluating the paradigm orientation to be used, prior to offering a Lenovo Company background. Moreover, the essay presents a critical analysis on the existing literatue on corporate culture, proior to conducting an indepth analysis of the Lenovo Company corporate culture. Finally, the essay offers recommendations on how the company can improve its corporate culture in the future.
Paradigm Applied
In the process of analysing organisations, the Burrell and Morgan  sociological sciencies model play a key role. The model classifies sociological theories applied in organisational analysis into four clusters namely the radical humanist, radical structuralist, interpretive, ad functionalist clusters respectively. The classification of the four sociology theories clusters are based on the use of two orthogonal dimensions of change vs regulation, and subjectivity vs objectiveity dimensions respectively (Burrell & Morgan, 1979). The four clusters, coupled with the change process and the dimesniosn for each are illustrated in figure 1 below


Figure 1: Burrell and Morgan  sociological sciencies model
Source: Summarised by the Essay
The radical humanist cluster is based on change and subjective values. On its part, the proponents of this structure argue that human beings face challenges and social constraints that liit their potential. As such, this is the keysource for existing human desire for change to realize their potential. The paradign perceives the society members s individual members rather than motivated as groups or teams in orgniations. The second cluster, the radical structuralist is based on the objective and change orthogonal dimensions. On its part, the paradigm proponents argue that there exists inherent structural failrs and conflicts that have often led to political and economic falires. Thus, the paradigm argues that based on the structural failures and resulting conflicts, individuals result to radicl changes in a bid to correct the situation (Deetz, 1996).
The third cluster is the interpretive paradigm that is based on the subsjetive and regulation orthogonal dimensions. On its part, the paradigm proponents seek to understand and evaluate the stability of human behaviuor form the individual point of view. In this case, its subjstive nature is based on the assumption that different individuals have different understandings of a phenomenon. Moreover, its regulated in that it perceives change as a gradual and ongoing process that can be analysed and studies (Hassard & Cox, 2013). Finally, the fourth cluster is the functionalist paradigm based on the objective and regulation dimensions. On its part, the paradigm holds that human beings function rtionaly, and thus their decisions and actions can be understood through an objective evaluation of shared values and principles. Moreover, it perceives change as n ongoing and measurable phenomenon, making it a regulated dimension based phenomenon.
The essay will apply the functionalist paradigm analysis approach for the Lenovo Company. On one hand, the paradigm is objective and thus will allow for the collection of data on actions and patterns of events by different employees in the organisation, aligning them as depicting a shared pattern of values and principles. In this regard, the objective dimension allows for the applicaton of the organisational behavior theory, that argues that the different systems and functions in an organisation function rationally and objectively towards a shared goal. Further, its regulation dimension orientation mean that it allows for hypothesis testing, that wll enable the resesrcher develop conclusions on the company corporate culture as well as formulate recommendations based on the hypothesis testing outcomes (Van Krieken et al, 2013).
The Lenovo Company is Chinese market electronics industry set up in1988 as Legend China mainly as an importer for the Chinese government computer and other electronic needs from the global market, However, with increased cost of importations, it evolved to manufacturing its own PCs. Legend changed its name to Lenovo in 2003 as a strategic measure to prepare for its iverseas market venturing. Its entry into the global market PC industry happned in 2004 following its acquisition of the IBM Company PC division, a renowned multinational personal computer (PC) manufacturer and information technology (IT) consultancy venture (Peng, 2010). The subsequent organisational operations after the acquisition influenced its organisational culture and operations as the venture expanded its employee and management base from the domestic Chinese market to the diverse global market workforce. This essay offes ana analysis of the organisational corporate culture in the Lenovo Company PC division as the largest organisational division in the Lenovo Company.
Literature Review
The functionalist paradigm perceives organisational culture as the supporting tools through which individuals in an organisation are equipped and prepared to meet the both individual and organisational needs. In this case, the functionalist paradigm perceives the organisational corporate culture as an exchange of the external environment and the internal organisational structures to establish a suitable operational balance through which the organisational operations can be effectively successful (Mueller, 2012). Under the socio-cultural systems theory, organisation culture was classified into two main categories namely the functional and the functional-structural aspects. The two functionalist paradigm orientations share one characteristic of evaluating culture over a given and specific period of time. In this case, both approaches are based on the principle that an organisational culture being an exchange between the external and internal organisational environment, it changes overtime (Alvesson, 2012). Therefore, a given culture can only be evaluated over a given specific period of time. However, the two approaches have their share of differences. On one hand, the functionalist approach argues that the manifestation of culture in organisations is evidenced by their functional necessity aimed at meeting the organisational respective functional needs (Moore, 2009).
Malinowski was among the first proponents of the functionalist theory on corporate culture. In this case, the author analogy postulated that cultures existed for the sole need of serving the individual society members needs (Malinowski, 2014). Thus, the analogy asserted that if a culture failed to meet the society needs it would eventually diminish. The situation is similar for corporate culture. In this case, the theory argued that organisational corporate cultures only exist to meet specific organisational needs. On one hand, if such a culture fails to meet the stated and intended organisational needs it is eventually changed and a new culture adopted. Moreover, the theory is cognizant of the changing nature of organisations as stipulated under the organisational behaviour theory. In this case, the theory holds that organisations are dynamic in nature and often change their operations, systems and structures based on the changing market dynamics (Schneider, Ehrhart & Macey, 2013). As such, in the event that an organisational needs change, based on other system changes, the existing organisational culture eventually changes, in order to allow for the development of a new corporate culture that meets the needs of the new organisational systems and structures. The theory analysis is used as a critical tool in elaborating the presence of different corporate cultures.
As Michailova and Minbaeva (2012), using the Danisco Company case study established, besides the existence of an organisational culture, some organisational functions and divisions possess sub-cultures. In this case, the Malinowski theory analysis can be used to offer an explanation for such culture diversity. In this case, although different organisational functions share in the overall organisational strategic goal and objectives, each of the functions has their unique and diverse goals and ob...