PYGMALION EFFECT CASE
The Pygmalion effect, attempts to explain how the perceiver’s positive expectation may enhance the target’s performance. The effect is named after Pygmalion a Cypriot sculptor, who fell in love with a female statue he had carved out of ivory.
It is a form of self-fulfilling prophecy, in this respect, people with poor expectations internalize their negative label, and those with positive labels succeed accordingly. (1)
Is important for employees to adopt positives attitudes at all levels, especially in commanding levels, it can help in the creation of a better organizational environment, and can also help in the achievement of goals. Is even more important to promote positive behaviors in companies, when you are dealing with cross-cultural groups of people, because in these cases harmony is difficult to achieve and people can be affected in different ways to the stimuli from the environment. Each person select, organize and interpret the information according to internal factors, which change a lot among different cultures.
As said before, cultures adopt different behaviors, and reflect the pigmalion effect in special ways. As an example I want to share with you a case study of the Germans behavior. It was developed by Daniel Wolfman, a writer with several publications on international trade.
This study refers to Germany's rule-oriented, hierarchical focus on task accomplishment as an example of an Eiffel Tower management style.
It is a form of self-fulfilling prophecy, in this respect, people with poor expectations internalize their negative label, and those with positive labels succeed accordingly. (1)
Is important for employees to adopt positives attitudes at all levels, especially in commanding levels, it can help in the creation of a better organizational environment, and can also help in the achievement of goals. Is even more important to promote positive behaviors in companies, when you are dealing with cross-cultural groups of people, because in these cases harmony is difficult to achieve and people can be affected in different ways to the stimuli from the environment. Each person select, organize and interpret the information according to internal factors, which change a lot among different cultures.
As said before, cultures adopt different behaviors, and reflect the pigmalion effect in special ways. As an example I want to share with you a case study of the Germans behavior. It was developed by Daniel Wolfman, a writer with several publications on international trade.
This study refers to Germany's rule-oriented, hierarchical focus on task accomplishment as an example of an Eiffel Tower management style.
The Eiffel tower management culture is most common in Northwest European countries, including Germany. In Germany, jobs are well-defined while assignments are fixed and limited. German employees know what they are supposed to do within an Eiffel Tower culture that is hierarchical, with orders coming down from the top with very little upward communication.
Germans generally accept the orders from higher authorities and have a high sense of self monitoring their actions in order to fulfill the task as they were said. These actions reflect in them the Pygmalion effect.
Germans generally accept the orders from higher authorities and have a high sense of self monitoring their actions in order to fulfill the task as they were said. These actions reflect in them the Pygmalion effect.
The case describe their leadership style as unique because they have styles in order to closely fit with the strongest German cultural characteristics. German leadership and motivation style synthesizes the most pertinent characteristics from Authoritative Theory X, Paternalistic Theory Y and Participative Theory Z.
From Theory X:
- Germans like to be directed.
- In Germany, job security is primary.
From Theory Y:
- Since Germans are committed to goals, they exercise high self-control.
- No threats of punishment are required to ensure task completion.
From Theory Z:
- Germans are motivated by a strong commitment to be part of a greater whole
- Through teamwork, Germans derive self-satisfaction while contributing
Next, these are some other results and conclusions from the case
Formal German Qualifications: German organizations rely heavily on formal qualifications in deciding how to schedule, deploy and reshuffle personnel
Difficulty Handling Organizational Changes: When changes need to be made, the German culture is often ill-equipped to handle the complex burdens that a rule-based Eiffel Tower bureaucracy demands. Manuals must be rewritten, procedures changed, job descriptions altered, promotions reconsidered and qualifications reassessed.
Difficulty Handling Organizational Changes: When changes need to be made, the German culture is often ill-equipped to handle the complex burdens that a rule-based Eiffel Tower bureaucracy demands. Manuals must be rewritten, procedures changed, job descriptions altered, promotions reconsidered and qualifications reassessed.
Germans Resist ChangesGenerally: German managers are slow to accept changes partly because of Germany's strong aversion to risk
References
(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmalion_effect
(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmalion_effect
case
- WOLFMAN, Daniel. Independent insights based on research from International Management, Culture, Strategy and Behavior (6th edition, Hodgetts-Luthans-DOH).
image http://www.informamenorca.com/fotos/cursos/110_1.jpg
i think you make a very intersting aproach to the pygmailon effect by using as an example the Eiffel manangment theory which is apply to north west european countries. your blog help undestand how organizations may deal acordind not only cultures but motivation facts , that traslade to a well use of the pygmalion effect.
ResponderEliminarregard great blog!
At the beginning you explained really well what the Pygmalion Effect is about. But later, in my point of view, the case is not totally fitting to the Pygmalion Effect. The theories X and Y are always extreme ones and I think they are not really related to the Pygmalion Effect. Maybe you should have explained the linkage between the case and the Pygmalion Effect in more detail. You might be right that some culture responds more to the Pygmalion Effect than others. That is really interesting!
ResponderEliminarreally comitted to the Blog, interesting point of view. The interpretation of the pigmalion effect is well focused.
ResponderEliminarWell done Juliana ! When we are dealing with cross cultural groups, it is really important for a positive organization environment, to addopt positive attitudes at all leves with you employees, because as the greek myth of Pygmalion the sculptor, you can help your colleagues to reach goals easly and moreover you can help them to overcome their expectations in order to improve and get better performance from them.
ResponderEliminarJulio Cèsar Escobar