Waste Management Organization (Research Paper Sample)

Waste Management Organization
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Waste management Organization
An organization, be it a factory, a hospital, a transport company, will always possess one or more key element(s) that are common across all organizations; team work, group activity, specialization, hierarchy, and many more. The presence of groups in an organization is however inevitable (Xenikou & Furnham, 2012). A recently conducted research which forms the basis of the recommendations provided in this paper, centered on a waste management organization. As expected of any organization, a waste management organization is organized into various units, all working together to fulfill the main purpose of the organization. These activities include collection of solid waste, disposal, and transportation of waste. In some waste management organizations, there are further activities such as waste recycling, conversion of waste into energy, and measures for environmental protection.
The results of a recent research into a waste management organization identified four major problems relating to group activity: Role conflicts within groups, Communication problems among group members, lack of cohesiveness in groups that have diverse members, and excessive intergroup conflict. This paper discusses the potential effects of the problems on group productivity, provides recommendations to address the problems, and offers suggestions for company-wide training program on best practices for group activity.
Role conflict within groups
When an individual within a group is forced to assume different roles or undertake tasks that are not compatible or are outside the usual area of specialization, role conflict occurs (Pennington, 2002). More specifically, these conflicts arise because groups comprise different people whose expectations and perceptions of the group are distinct; conflicts will arise when such expectations are not met. Role conflicts create room for role ambiguity and this may lead a below par performance (Rahim, 2015). A group member may find it challenging satisfactorily satisfy the requirement and expectations of two or more incompatible roles leading to poor performance in both roles. For example, there a situations when a one supervisor will demand that group member improves his/her production while another asks the same member to improve on quality control. Similarly, a member may at one time be required to work at the solid waste collection section and at some other time be required to work at the waste disposal section. Duplicating top performance in both sections may be very challenging especially where the employee is a specialist in only one of the sections. A persistence of these role conflict circumstances may diminish the member’s level of focus, morale, and even overall interest in the organization’s activities. Where this affects many members of the organization, the result will be poor organizational performance.
Communication problems among members
Clarity of communication is important as it affects how duties and goals are expressed among the group and consequently impacts the performance levels (Losh, 2015). Communication problems will to a lack of clear sense of purpose and direction. If communication among group members is poor, misunderstandings may arise on what the group is focused on achieving. It may also significantly interfere with the efficiency of the group if some members go on to conclude that erroneous or inadequate information is the reason for ignoring a particular task or performing it poorly (Opitz & Hinner, 2003). Additionally, if messages are not conveyed in an efficient and clear manner, annoyance can set in quickly. Characteristically, productivity drops with increased levels of frustration. For example, if a particular waste is not properly labeled or classified, the members dealing with processes such as degradation or disposal would make mistakes due to the misinformation. Consequently, poor treatment and disposal procedures and processes are applied. This will have significant negative implication on productivity. Poor skills of communication in a group also results in inadequate attendance to projects which can hamper the company’s innovativeness and ability to enhance improve areas such as waste treatment, recycling, and other areas of the wastes management process.
Lack of cohesiveness in groups with diverse members
Lack of cohesiveness in a group can lead to situations where members resent one another and consequently result in a poor working relationship in a group of diverse members (Losh, 2011). Members may become vulnerable to habits such as trying to sabotage the efforts of other members leading to low group productivity. A group with low level of cohesiveness has little influence over its members. This influence can be looked at in terms of feelings, thoughts, and behavior, generally in the direction of the group’s goals (Losh, 2012). In such environment, members will not want to belong and this interferes with group harmony. Members start to wonder if other members in the group like them or if their membership in the group is accepted. Groups that lack cohesiveness cannot effectively set norms or evaluate behavior standards. Members are more unlikely to conform, behaviorally, to the group’s norms and are less willing to accept its influence (Rothwell, 2012). Members of a group that lacks cohesiveness may not support the organizational goals even if the group they belong to supports those goals. This means the performance of the group members may not witness any positive change. The members might not suggest ideas that can help the organization on improving on waste collection, treatment or recycling.
Excessive Intergroup Conflict
Intergroup conflict produces changes both between the groups in the conflict and within them. If there are individual differences within the groups, members are usually ready to overlook them and unite in order to triumph against the other side (Tropp, 2012). With such resolute efforts, the tasks of the groups become the main focus. The effectiveness and efficiency of the group in its various tasks can increase, accompanied by increased willingness to conform to group norms and loyalty. This can result in problems, however, if the intergroup conflict is excessive. This is especially the case if one or more of the groups fails to maintain focus of collective goals and becomes isolated from other groups. Isolation and haughtiness quickly give way to decreased communication which can have significant negative implications on productivity (Ashmore, Willder, Jussim, 2001). In reciprocally interdependent relationships, communication is the key facilitating factor. Such relationships are severely harmed when effective communication is absent. For example, excessive conflict between groups dealing with waste treatment or recycling can effectively stall communication between the groups. This will affect collaboration between the groups leading to a lack of focus on share goals which are the organizational goals. Such miscommunication may be a death knell for the communications as it will hamper progress toward fulfilling its main purpose.
Recommendations
Due to the negative effect on productivity that each of the problems have on the organization’s productivity, it is important that the organizations initiates concerted efforts to change the course of things. This section makes various recommendations.
In composite social groups, role conflicts are almost inevitable (Rahim, 2015). The uniqueness of each conflict makes it impossible to come up with a single method of preventing all forms of role conflicts. Open communication, however, helps control tensions arising from role conflicts. The organization should put in place measures for groups to openly express themselves on matters regarding role conflicts. Through this members can offer their views on how this is affecting and an appropriate guidance can be offered on this basis. This can prevent the potential counterproductive impacts of role conflicts. Additionally, doing so would avoid situations where group members feel that extra incompatible roles are being forced on them. Where multiple roles for group members are inevitable, a clear objective communication should be made to all members to make them understand and appreciate that all members have multiple roles to play in the group (Pennington, 2002). The organization should also handle role conflict by developing by developing and maintaining a working environment in which members are regularly consulted and can offer feedback on significant changes that are affecting their roles. Workers should be encouraged to talk to their manager or supervisor early in case they not clear about the responsibilities and/or the scope of their role.
The second identified issue, with potentially negative effects on the productivity of the waste organization, in this case, is communication problems among group members. With respect to this, it is recommended that various remedial measures be adopted. The organization should encourage group meetings where the group goals are restated. This can be very helpful especially when new members are, for the first time, joining the group. This orientation helps in limiting the possibility of future communication problems emerging due to inadequate understanding of the group’s norms, values, and goals (Losh, 2011). The group should encourage open dialogue, creativity, and exchange of ideas. The group should also ensure that complex information and instructions are provided to members in a logical order to avoid misunderstanding. In addition, complex information should be presented in multiple ways such as in print and verbally. Organizing get-acquainted and ice breaking activities can help the gro...