Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management
Lecture 1
Organizational behavior = interdisciplinary field dedicated to understanding people at work
Human resource management = the policies, practices and systems that influence
employees’ attitudes, behaviors, and performance
Scientific approach: move beyond common sense
Multilevel approach: OB & HRM concepts and theories situated at individual, team, and
organizational level.
Contingency approach: no one best solution, depends on the situation
Interactional approach: attitudes, behavior and performance are influenced by personal and
situational factors.
Attitudes
Why study attitudes?
- Attitudes are an important predictor of behavior.
- Generating positive attitudes increases desired behaviors such as performance, health, and
OCB.
- Generating positive attitudes decreases undesired behaviors such as absenteeism and
turnover
What are attitudes?
Attitudes are evaluative statements or judgments concerning objects, people, events, or
ideas.
Attitudes are learned predispositions to respond in a consistently favorable or unfavorable
manner with respect to an attitude object.
They vary in complexity: E.g., attitude on the taste of apples vs attitude on death penalty.
Attitudes are an important predictor of organizational behavior.
1
,From behavior to attitudes: Cognitive Dissonance Theory by Festinger
• Cognitive dissonance = unbalance between cognition, affect and behavior
• (1) Change the attitude and/or behavior – (2) reduce the importance
• Attitudes -> Behavior AND behavior -> attitudes
• Work experience as predictor of attitudes (e.g., challenging work, fairness,
expectations, person-job fit)
• Attitudes are critical for predicting work-related behaviors
• Managers should be aware of them, and change them if necessary and possible
2
, How desirable is involvement really?
OCB = organizational citizenship behaviors.
These are individual, discretionary actions by
employees that are outside their formal job
description. Managers who are aware of the
pros and cons of OCBs can help employees
contribute optimally to the organization and
avoid burnout.
Extra notes from the book
Hard skills are the technical expertise and knowledge required to do a particular task or job
function, such as financial analysis, accounting, or operations.
Soft skills relate to human interactions and include both interpersonal skills and personal
attributes.
In 2020, the four skills most desired by employers were problem solving, critical thinking,
creativity and people management, all soft skills.
Ethics guides our behavior by identifying right, wrong, and the many shades of gray in-
between.
Ethical dilemmas are situations with two choices, neither of which resolves the situation in
an ethically acceptable manner.
A three-step approach to solving problems:
1. Define the problem.
2. Identify potential causes using OB concepts and theories.
3. Make recommendations and (if appropriate) take action.
OB concepts and theories can be classified into two broad categories-person factors and
situations factors.
Person factors are the infinite characteristics that give individuals their unique identities.
Situation factors are all the elements outside us that influence what we do, the way we do it
and the ultimate results of our actions.
Organizing framework: Inputs (Personal and Situation factors) -> Processes (Individual,
group, or organizational level) -> Outcomes (individual, group, or organizational level).
Lecture 2
After this lecture, you should be familiar with the concepts of personality, the Big 5
personality theory, proactive personality theory, and the Dark Triad personality traits and
their role in organizational behavior and HRM. Be aware of the debate surrounding
managing diversity, and its potential and challenges (e.g., stereotypes).
3
Lecture 1
Organizational behavior = interdisciplinary field dedicated to understanding people at work
Human resource management = the policies, practices and systems that influence
employees’ attitudes, behaviors, and performance
Scientific approach: move beyond common sense
Multilevel approach: OB & HRM concepts and theories situated at individual, team, and
organizational level.
Contingency approach: no one best solution, depends on the situation
Interactional approach: attitudes, behavior and performance are influenced by personal and
situational factors.
Attitudes
Why study attitudes?
- Attitudes are an important predictor of behavior.
- Generating positive attitudes increases desired behaviors such as performance, health, and
OCB.
- Generating positive attitudes decreases undesired behaviors such as absenteeism and
turnover
What are attitudes?
Attitudes are evaluative statements or judgments concerning objects, people, events, or
ideas.
Attitudes are learned predispositions to respond in a consistently favorable or unfavorable
manner with respect to an attitude object.
They vary in complexity: E.g., attitude on the taste of apples vs attitude on death penalty.
Attitudes are an important predictor of organizational behavior.
1
,From behavior to attitudes: Cognitive Dissonance Theory by Festinger
• Cognitive dissonance = unbalance between cognition, affect and behavior
• (1) Change the attitude and/or behavior – (2) reduce the importance
• Attitudes -> Behavior AND behavior -> attitudes
• Work experience as predictor of attitudes (e.g., challenging work, fairness,
expectations, person-job fit)
• Attitudes are critical for predicting work-related behaviors
• Managers should be aware of them, and change them if necessary and possible
2
, How desirable is involvement really?
OCB = organizational citizenship behaviors.
These are individual, discretionary actions by
employees that are outside their formal job
description. Managers who are aware of the
pros and cons of OCBs can help employees
contribute optimally to the organization and
avoid burnout.
Extra notes from the book
Hard skills are the technical expertise and knowledge required to do a particular task or job
function, such as financial analysis, accounting, or operations.
Soft skills relate to human interactions and include both interpersonal skills and personal
attributes.
In 2020, the four skills most desired by employers were problem solving, critical thinking,
creativity and people management, all soft skills.
Ethics guides our behavior by identifying right, wrong, and the many shades of gray in-
between.
Ethical dilemmas are situations with two choices, neither of which resolves the situation in
an ethically acceptable manner.
A three-step approach to solving problems:
1. Define the problem.
2. Identify potential causes using OB concepts and theories.
3. Make recommendations and (if appropriate) take action.
OB concepts and theories can be classified into two broad categories-person factors and
situations factors.
Person factors are the infinite characteristics that give individuals their unique identities.
Situation factors are all the elements outside us that influence what we do, the way we do it
and the ultimate results of our actions.
Organizing framework: Inputs (Personal and Situation factors) -> Processes (Individual,
group, or organizational level) -> Outcomes (individual, group, or organizational level).
Lecture 2
After this lecture, you should be familiar with the concepts of personality, the Big 5
personality theory, proactive personality theory, and the Dark Triad personality traits and
their role in organizational behavior and HRM. Be aware of the debate surrounding
managing diversity, and its potential and challenges (e.g., stereotypes).
3
