Socialization of New Members

Question 1

What do newcomers face when they enter an organizaiton?

Answer 1

Uncertainty (lack of information) and ambiguity (multiple sources) such as: job duties, role requirements (formal and informal or not written down) and cultural expectations and norms (Lunch 30 min example)

Question 2

How do newcomers address ambiguity?

Answer 2

• They seek information and attempt to influence the situation
• Organizations socialize the individual regarding culture, roles, and organization (off site training center, do your best)

Question 3

What is Organizational Assimilation?

Answer 3

Process by which an individual becomes integrated into the culture of an organization

Question 4

What are the two dimensions of organizational assimilation?

Answer 4

Socialization of employees
Individualization by employees
(These influence each other)

Question 5

What are the four stages of Organizational Assimilation?

Answer 5

• Anticipatory
• Encounter
• Metamorphosis
• Org exit

Question 6

What is Vocational Anticipatory Socialization? What are the five sources of information?

Answer 6

As kids we get socialized before we are actually members of work

• Family
• Peers
• Media
• Educational Institutions
• Part Time jobs

Question 7

What is the Organizational Encounter

Answer 7

When the newcomer confronts the reality of his or her organizational role. (Newcomer is not yet an insider) Other people know when you are an insider. The Newcomer desires “connection” to organization

Question 8

What is Organizational Identifciation?

Answer 8

A feeling of mutuality that enables individuals to share the emotions, values, and decisions that allow them to act together

Question 9

What is Consubtantiality?

Answer 9

Common substances (an overlap)

Question 10

What are the two parts that should be considered for organization identification?

Answer 10

It should be considered a process and a product
Process= activities that lead to more or less identification (there are things the individual can do and things the organization can do)
Product= can be measured at a point in time; level changes
It needs to be thought of as a communicative process

Question 11

What is Information Seeking?

Answer 11

Newcomers employ various tactics to gather relevant information

Question 12

What are the different information seekings tactics?

Answer 12

Overt Questions (What time is lunch) Downfall:seen as blunt
-Indirect- Indirect questions and disguising conversation
(advantage gaurding yourself, disadvantage, wont get the info you want or need)
-Third party- going to another person to get information when you need it from another person (this protects you but you can get really bad info)
-Testing- Attempt to figure out rule by intentionally breaking it
-Observe= Observation (Looking to figure out what to do) Surveillance (end of day reflect what you saw)

Question 13

What information seeking tactics are use most often in relation to social cost?

Answer 13

The higher the social cost of the piece of information leads to more likelyhood we will use covert strategies…(and vice versa)

Question 14

Which tactic is used most often?

Answer 14

Overt and obscure

Question 15

What tactic is used the least?

Answer 15

Testing (high risk)

Question 16

What happens in the metamorphosis stage?

Answer 16

Newcomer begins to change, and enacts some change to the organization

Question 17

What is organizational socialization?

Answer 17

The process by which an individual acquires the social knowledge and skills necessary to assume an organizational role. The organization has various ways of socializing the member and each way has different potential effects.

Question 18

What is the custodial response?

Answer 18

Newcomer does not question the status quo

Question 19

What is the innovative response?

Answer 19

Newcomer makes substantive changes to the knowledge base or strategy associated with the role or redefines the ends to which the role functions.

Question 20

What are socialization tactics?

Answer 20

6 pairs that the organization can use to socialize newcomers.
Collective vs Individual

Question 21

What is the collective vs individual?

Answer 21

(Group)
Collective- putting a group of recruits through a common set of experiences together
Individual- Processing recruits singly, in relative isolation from each other

Question 22

What is formal vs. Informal?

Answer 22

(segregation)
Formal- Newcomer is more or less segregated from regular members (Fast food training shirt)
Informal- Do not distinguish from regular members, recruits choose own socializing agents. Mistakes are “real” mistakes

Question 23

What is sequential vs Random?

Answer 23

(Steps)
Sequential= Degree to which the organization specifies a series of steps leading to the target role..probationary member, training certificate
Random- Sequence of steps to target role is unknown so you do everything you can to get to the next step

Question 24

What is fixed vs. variable?

Answer 24

(Time)
Fixed- precise knowledge of time it will take to complete a given passage
Variable- Recruit is given few clues as to when to expect boundary passage (don’t know when will be promoted

Question 25

Serial Vs. Disjunctive?

Answer 25

Mentor
Serial- Mentor is provided, an experience member grooms newcomers who are about to assume similar organizational roles.
Disjunctive- No role models available

Question 26

Invesiture vs divestiture

Answer 26

(Personal Characteristics)j
Investiture- Affirms the personal characteristics and identity of the newcomer
Divestiture- Bootcamp, strip away certain personal characteristics

Question 27

Which tactics lead to custodial response?

Answer 27

Collective (Group mentality)
Formal 
Sequential (won't alter the steps)
Fixed
Serial 
Divestiture