Organizational Behavior Case Assignment
Barbara Norris: Leading Change in the General Surgery Unit Fall 2010

1. What are the key issues that Barbara Norris faces at the GSU? Why are they important to the organization?

Barbara faces a bewildering array of obstacles to success in the General Surgery Unit (GSU) at Eastern Massachusetts University Hospital. Based on reputation alone, it was clear that her new unit had serious issues long before she took her position as Nurse Manager of its 33 member nursing staff. Having held an informal, off site meeting with her nurses, she has identified 9 of their chief complaints. These complaints can be mostly categorized under three of the most common stressors: incivility, work overload, and …show more content…

She is demonstrating that she is open to feedback, and likely to earn the trust of some of the staff that are suspicious of management. If she is successful in solving one or two problems early on, it is probable that the stress levels will decrease concerning those particular areas. Barbara can institute participatory and transparency policies and procedures to fix some of the problems that have been identified, but it will be difficult, though not impossible, to change the emotions, attitudes, and stress levels of the staff.

4. Use Expectancy Theory to describe how the motivational system currently works. How might Barbara Norris use Expectancy Theory to change motivation regarding the behaviors she wants to see? Make sure you define your theoretical terms, and consider the constraints of the environment in which the GSU currently operates. The motivational system at GSU, or lack thereof, is playing a significant role in the attitudes and behaviors of Barbara’s staff. As explained in Expectancy Theory, the staff is going to focus its job efforts on those tasks that will provide the most desirable rewards. There are three parts to Expectancy Theory, but the problem at GSU lies in the P-to-O portion. The staff believes that if they put in the effort, there is a very high probability they will achieve the performance levels they desire.