Overview
Please respond to Shonnekey with 250 words apa style references please no plagiarism,no ai, no chat bots
When I think about organizational productivity, I do not define productivity as getting more work done. Robbins and Judge (2023) explain that productivity is "the combination of the effectiveness and efficiency of an organization" (p. 64). This means that an organization must accomplish the right goals while being mindful of how it uses its resources to achieve those goals. Productivity is as much about what is accomplish as how it is accomplished.
Effectiveness focuses on whether an organization is achieving the outcomes it is supposed to achieve. Robbins and Judge (2023) define effectiveness as "the degree to which an organization meets the needs of its clientele or customers" (p.64). It is asking the fundamental question of are we doing what we're supposed to be doing and are we meeting the needs of the people we serve? Organizations can accomplish a lot of work but if that work doesn't meet customer needs or contribute to the organization's mission, I don't consider an organization to truly be effective.
Efficiency focuses on the resources used to accomplish the organization's goals. (Robbins and Judge (2023) describe efficiency as "the degree to which an organization is making the best use of its employees, time, money, technology, and other resources. An organization may successfully accomplish its goals b, here may but if it requires an excessive amount, of resources to do so, there may be opportunities to improve its efficiency. I have had several jobs where the company could achieve a large amount of goals but at a high cost both financially (for the agency) and mentally (for the employees). When I worked for a state government there was a huge push to more quickly process applications for services. Management was pressured by their bosses, to produce more results and they applied that pressured to us, their employees. They were determined to meet these goals, and they employed a lot of tactics to do that. We were given a larger-than average amount of overtime and told to essentially approve the applications without being as stringent as the rules required. After months of this type of pressure, we had achieved the goals that were set out. However, many employees were completely worn out and, despite the higher paychecks, we had a lot of valuable employees retire or change careers. Also, it was determined during audits that there was a higher-than-average amount of critical mistakes that were made. Our agency was achieving goals but thee costs ended up not being very efficient and ultimately even the effectiveness of reaching the goals was a mixed bag.
Kao et al. (1995) supports the distinction between efficiency and effectiveness by examining productivity from both perspectives. Their research suggests that productivity improvement involves more than simply making an existing process more efficient. Organizations need to consider whether changes in technology and management can produce better overall results. This is important because improving one part of an organization does not automatically improve the organization as a whole. Leaders have to consider if the means to achieve the goals are worth the cost. A simple cost/benefit analysis can help clarify this issue.
Research conducted by Pritchard et al. (2008) states that "large improvements in productivity are associated with the Productivity Measurement and Enhancement System. This finding is significant because it demonstrates that productivity can be measured and intentionally improved rather than simply being an expectation placed on employees. I am certain that many employees can confirm that they did not need a survey to testify to the truth of that statement! Organizations can use the empirical data to improve its processes and make the necessary adjustments to improve performance.
Ultimately, I interpret organizational productivity as achieving meaningful results while making responsible and effective use of organizational resources. Productivity is less about doing things in a scattershot and unorganized way and more about doing more of the right thing, the right way. The most successful organizations have found the proper balance that allows them to achieve results today while positioning them for future success.
Question to the class:
How can organizations effectively balance employee well-being with the need to maintain high levels of productivity and what role should leadership play in ensuring that this balance supports both effectiveness and efficiency?
References
Kao, C., Chen, L-H., Wang, T.-Y., Kuo, S., & Horng, S.-D. (1995). Productivity improvement: Efficiency approach vs. effectiveness approach. Omega, 23(2), 197-204. http://doi.org/10.1016/0305-0483(94)00058-I
Pritchard, R.D., Harrell, M.M., DiazGranados, D., & Guzman, M.J. (2008). The productivity measurement and enhancement system: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(3), 540-567, https://doi.org/10.101037/0021-9010.93.3.540
Robbins, S.P., & Judge, T.A. (2023). Organizational behavior (19th ed.). Pearson