Question 1:

From the Past to the Present

"If you want truly to understand something, try to change it." Kurt Lewin, who's often called the father of modern social psychology (a discipline that uses scientific methods to "understand and explain how the thought, feeling, and behavior of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of other human beings"), made his name in management circles through his studies of group dynamics. His approach was based on the belief that "group behavior is an intricate set of symbolic interactions and forces that not only affect group structure but also modify individual behavior."

One of his research studies found that "changes were more easily induced through group decision making than through lectures and individual appeals."  His findings suggested that changes would be more readily accepted when people felt they had an opportunity to be involved in the change rather than when they were simply asked or told to change. Another of Lewin's major contributions was the idea of force field analysis, a framework for looking at the factors (forces) that influenced a situation.

Questions:

1. Do you like to participate in decision-making?  Why or why not?

2. What implications does Lewin's research have for today's managers?

Question 2:

A questions of Ethics

One in five companies offers some form of stress management program.  Although such programs are available, many employees may choose not to participate. They may be reluctant to ask for help, especially if a major source of that stress is job insecurity. After all, there's still a stigma associated with stress. Employees don't want to be perceived as being unable to handle the demands of their job. Although they may need stress management now more than ever, few employees want to admit that they're stressed.

Questions:

1. What can be done about this paradox?

2. Do organizations even have an ethical responsibility to help employees deal with stress?

Question 3:

A questions of ethics

Have you ever faked a smile? All of us have at sometime, somewhere. Now research has shown that employees "fake a positive outlook when the boss is around". Being ambivalent (or even negative) about your work or about working for your organization can be definite detriment. Employers want to see passion. They want you to love your job and be exited about coming to work and about doing your job. And when you don't ? if you want to keep your job, you fake it. But all that takes a toll.

Questions:

• What ethical issues might arise under these circumstances for both employees and for managers?
• Discuss ways managers could create an environment where employees don't have to fake a positive outlook?