Review your understanding of social learning theory, behaviour modelling, and the concept of provisional selves. How do
Question:
Review your understanding of social learning theory, behaviour modelling, and the concept of provisional selves. How do these approaches explain the ways in which new employees learn about the organization and their job? Interview a manager, a supervisor or team leader, and a front-line employee in an organization of your choice. Find out how each of those three individuals learned about the organization and their work when they first joined (and/or when they moved to a new job in another part of the organization). Collect examples of behaviour modelling, and of their experiments with provisional selves. How effective were those methods in helping the new employee to ‘fit in’? What other methods and sources of information did those individuals use in order to help them to ‘fit in’? From this evidence, what are the strengths and limitations of behaviour modelling and provisional selves as an explanation of how new employees are socialized by organizations?
Step by Step Answer:
Social Learning Theory Social learning theory proposed by Albert Bandura emphasizes the role of observation imitation and social interaction in learning It suggests that individuals can learn behaviors attitudes and values by observing the actions and experiences of others Behavior Modeling Behavior modeling is a specific aspect of social learning theory It involves presenting individuals with examples of desired behaviors and allowing them to observe and mimic those behaviors In organizations this can involve training programs mentoring or onthejob shadowing Provisional Selves The concept of provisional selves introduced by Erving Goffman refers to the idea that individuals adapt their behavior and presentation of self to fit different social situations or roles In the context of new employees this means that they may experiment with different behaviors and identities to fit into the organizational culture and role expectations New Employee Socialization When new employees join an organization or move to a new job within the same organization they often go through a process of socialization This process involves learning about the organizations culture values norms and their specific job roles Heres how these concepts may apply Behavior Modeling New employees may be exposed to behavior modeling through formal training programs mentorship by more experienced colleagues or by observing how their supervisors and colleagues behave in the workplace For example a new employee might learn how to interact with clients by observing their supervisors customer service skills Provisional Selves As new employees adapt to their new environment they may experiment with different ways of behaving and interacting to determine what is most appropriate within the organizations culture For instance a new employee might try different communication styles until they find one that aligns with the organizations communication norms Strengths and Limitations Strengths Observational Learning Behavior modeling can be an effective way for new employees to learn by observing and imitating experienced colleagues Cultural Integration Provisional selves allow individuals to experiment with different behaviors and identities facilitating integration into the organizations culture Limitations Incomplete Information Behavior modeling and provisional selves may not provide a comprehensive understanding of the organizations culture as they rely on observable behaviors and may not capture underlying values or unspoken norms Individual Variability New employees may interpret and apply what they observe differently leading to variations in behavior ...View the full answer
Organizational Behavior
ISBN: 978-0273774815
8th Edition
Authors: Andrzej A. Huczynski, David A. Buchanan
