Address the following questions regarding attitudes and behaviors.
• What is the relationship between attitudes and behaviors?
• How does this relationship impact ambiguity and change in an organization?
• Why are these ideas important to consider and discuss?
The following books are required for this course:
Organizational Behavior: Emerging Knowledge. Global Reality 9th Steven McShane and Mary Von Glinow
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
The Relationship Between Attitudes and Behaviors: Implications for Organizational Change
In the realm of organizational behavior, the connection between attitudes and behaviors plays a crucial role in shaping the dynamics within a workplace. Understanding how attitudes influence behaviors and vice versa is essential for fostering a positive work environment, managing change effectively, and enhancing overall organizational performance. This essay delves into the relationship between attitudes and behaviors, explores its impact on ambiguity and change in organizations, and underscores the importance of these ideas in the context of organizational behavior.
Relationship Between Attitudes and Behaviors
Attitudes can be defined as individuals’ predispositions to respond positively or negatively toward certain people, objects, or situations. On the other hand, behaviors encompass the actions or reactions that individuals exhibit in response to their attitudes. While attitudes serve as predictors of behaviors, the correlation between the two is not always straightforward. Various factors such as situational constraints, social norms, and individual differences can influence the alignment between attitudes and behaviors.
Research in social psychology has highlighted the complexity of the relationship between attitudes and behaviors. Factors like attitude strength, specificity, and accessibility play significant roles in determining whether attitudes will translate into corresponding behaviors. For instance, individuals with strong attitudes toward a particular issue are more likely to exhibit behaviors consistent with those attitudes, especially when they perceive their actions as aligning with their values or beliefs.
Impact on Ambiguity and Change in Organizations
In organizational settings, the interplay between attitudes and behaviors can significantly influence how employees respond to ambiguity and change. When employees hold positive attitudes toward organizational change initiatives, they are more likely to exhibit behaviors that support and facilitate the implementation of those changes. Conversely, negative attitudes can lead to resistance, lack of cooperation, and even sabotage of change efforts.
Ambiguity, which often accompanies periods of change in organizations, can further complicate the relationship between attitudes and behaviors. Employees may experience uncertainty about the rationale behind proposed changes, their potential impact on job roles, or the organization’s future direction. In such situations, aligning employees’ attitudes with desired behaviors becomes crucial for navigating ambiguity effectively and fostering a climate of trust and collaboration.
Importance of Considering and Discussing These Ideas
Understanding the relationship between attitudes and behaviors is essential for organizational leaders, managers, and HR professionals. By recognizing how employees’ attitudes shape their behaviors, organizations can design interventions that promote positive attitudes and desirable behaviors among staff. Moreover, addressing discrepancies between attitudes and behaviors can help identify underlying issues that may impede organizational effectiveness and hinder change initiatives.
Engaging in discussions around attitudes and behaviors can also enhance communication, foster transparency, and build consensus within organizations. By encouraging open dialogue about employees’ attitudes toward change, leadership styles, or organizational culture, organizations can create a culture of psychological safety where individuals feel empowered to voice their opinions and contribute to decision-making processes.
In conclusion, the relationship between attitudes and behaviors is a fundamental aspect of organizational behavior that influences employee engagement, organizational culture, and response to change. By recognizing the nuances of this relationship, organizations can leverage it to drive positive outcomes, mitigate resistance to change, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Embracing these ideas and integrating them into organizational practices can ultimately contribute to long-term success and sustainability in today’s dynamic business environment.
