Organization and People
Chapter 1
Learning objectives:
- Define organizational behavior
- Show the value of systematic study to OB
- Identify the major behavioral science disciplines that contribute to OB
- Demonstrate why few absolutes apply to OB
- Identify managers’ challenges and opportunities in applying OB concepts
- Compare the three levels of analysis in this text’s OB model
Organizational behavior is a field of study that investigates the impact individuals,
groups, and structure have on behavior within organizations, for the purpose of
applying such knowledge toward improving an organization’s effectiveness.
Four managerial activities:
1. Traditional management: decision making, planning and controlling
2. Communication: exchanging routine information and processing paperwork
3. HR management: motivating, disciplining, managing conflict, staffing and
training
4. Networking: socializing, politicking and interacting with outsiders.
Systematic study
Behavior is generally predictable and the systematic study of behavior is a means
to making reasonably accurate predictions. When we use the term systematic study,
we mean looking at relationships, attempting to attribute causes and effects and
basing or conclusions on scientific evidence.
Evidence based management (EBM) complements systematic study by basing
managerial decisions on the best available scientific evidence.
Data, the foundation of EBM, is being used to evaluate behavior.
,Disciplines that contribute to OB
Psychology
The science that seeks to measure,
explain, and sometimes change the
behavior of humans and other animals.
Social psychology
An area of psychology that blends
concepts from psychology and sociology
to focus on the influence of people on
one another. One major study area is
change- how to implement it and how to
reduce barriers to its acceptance.
Sociology
The study of people in relation to their
social environment or culture.
Anthropology
The study of societies to learn about
human beings and their activities.
Absolutes OB
Humans are complex and few universal principles explain human behavior. Because
we are all different, people may react differently in the same situations. By using
contingency variables- Situational factors or variables that moderate the
relationship between two or more variables- we can make valid predictions about
human behavior. X leads to Y but only under condition Z.
Challenges and opportunities
The typical employee is getting older; the workforce is becoming more diverse;
global competition requires employees to become more flexible and cope with rapid
change, these are some major changes in organizations. Therefore, understanding
OB has become more important for managers.
- Continuing globalization: Organizations are no longer constrained by national
borders. Therefore, managers need to adapt to working with people from
different cultures and adapting to differing cultural and regulatory norms. To
be effective managers needs to know the cultural norms of the workforce in
each country where they do business
- Workforce demographics: The workforce has always adapted to variations in
the economy, longevity, birth rates, socioeconomic decisions and other
changes that have a widespread impact
- Workforce diversity: One of the most important challenges for organizations is
workforce diversity- The concept that organizations are becoming more
heterogenous in terms of gender, age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and
other characteristics.
- Social media: Many organizations struggle with employees’ use of social
media in the workplace.
- Employee well-being at work: virtual workplace, burnouts, other commitments
, - Positive work environment: Positive organizational scholarship- An area of
OB research that concerns how organizations develop human strengths,
foster vitality and resilience and unlock potential- is a growing area in OB.
- Ethical behavior: many employees feel pressured to engage in questionable
practices. They face ethical dilemmas and ethical choices- Situations in
which individuals are required to define right and wrong conduct.
Developing an OB model
Three types of variables (inputs,
processes and outcomes) at three levels
of analysis (individual, group and
organization.
- Inputs are variables like
personality, group structure and
organizational culture that lead to
processes.
- Processes are actions that
individuals, groups and
organizations engage in as a
result of inputs that lead to
certain outcomes.
- Outcomes are the key variables you want to explain or predict, and that are
affected by some other variables.
Chapter 2
Learning objectives:
- Contrast the three components of an attitude
- Summarize the relationship between attitude and behavior
- Compare the major job attitudes
- Identify the two approaches for measuring job satisfaction
- Summarize the main causes of job satisfaction
- Identify three outcomes of job satisfaction
- Identify four employee responses to job dissatisfaction
Attitudes
Attitudes are evaluative statements or judgements concerning objects, people or
events. Attitudes have three components:
- Cognitive component: the opinion or belief segment of an attitude
(description or belief in the way things are)
- Affective component: the emotional or feeling segment of an attitude
- Behavioral component: an intention to behave in a certain way toward
someone or something.
Attitudes and behavior
Contradictions individuals might perceive between their attitudes and their behavior
is called cognitive dissonance. People seek consistency among their attitudes and
between their attitudes and behavior. When there is dissonance people will alter their
attitudes. The desire to reduce dissonance depends on the importance of the
Chapter 1
Learning objectives:
- Define organizational behavior
- Show the value of systematic study to OB
- Identify the major behavioral science disciplines that contribute to OB
- Demonstrate why few absolutes apply to OB
- Identify managers’ challenges and opportunities in applying OB concepts
- Compare the three levels of analysis in this text’s OB model
Organizational behavior is a field of study that investigates the impact individuals,
groups, and structure have on behavior within organizations, for the purpose of
applying such knowledge toward improving an organization’s effectiveness.
Four managerial activities:
1. Traditional management: decision making, planning and controlling
2. Communication: exchanging routine information and processing paperwork
3. HR management: motivating, disciplining, managing conflict, staffing and
training
4. Networking: socializing, politicking and interacting with outsiders.
Systematic study
Behavior is generally predictable and the systematic study of behavior is a means
to making reasonably accurate predictions. When we use the term systematic study,
we mean looking at relationships, attempting to attribute causes and effects and
basing or conclusions on scientific evidence.
Evidence based management (EBM) complements systematic study by basing
managerial decisions on the best available scientific evidence.
Data, the foundation of EBM, is being used to evaluate behavior.
,Disciplines that contribute to OB
Psychology
The science that seeks to measure,
explain, and sometimes change the
behavior of humans and other animals.
Social psychology
An area of psychology that blends
concepts from psychology and sociology
to focus on the influence of people on
one another. One major study area is
change- how to implement it and how to
reduce barriers to its acceptance.
Sociology
The study of people in relation to their
social environment or culture.
Anthropology
The study of societies to learn about
human beings and their activities.
Absolutes OB
Humans are complex and few universal principles explain human behavior. Because
we are all different, people may react differently in the same situations. By using
contingency variables- Situational factors or variables that moderate the
relationship between two or more variables- we can make valid predictions about
human behavior. X leads to Y but only under condition Z.
Challenges and opportunities
The typical employee is getting older; the workforce is becoming more diverse;
global competition requires employees to become more flexible and cope with rapid
change, these are some major changes in organizations. Therefore, understanding
OB has become more important for managers.
- Continuing globalization: Organizations are no longer constrained by national
borders. Therefore, managers need to adapt to working with people from
different cultures and adapting to differing cultural and regulatory norms. To
be effective managers needs to know the cultural norms of the workforce in
each country where they do business
- Workforce demographics: The workforce has always adapted to variations in
the economy, longevity, birth rates, socioeconomic decisions and other
changes that have a widespread impact
- Workforce diversity: One of the most important challenges for organizations is
workforce diversity- The concept that organizations are becoming more
heterogenous in terms of gender, age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and
other characteristics.
- Social media: Many organizations struggle with employees’ use of social
media in the workplace.
- Employee well-being at work: virtual workplace, burnouts, other commitments
, - Positive work environment: Positive organizational scholarship- An area of
OB research that concerns how organizations develop human strengths,
foster vitality and resilience and unlock potential- is a growing area in OB.
- Ethical behavior: many employees feel pressured to engage in questionable
practices. They face ethical dilemmas and ethical choices- Situations in
which individuals are required to define right and wrong conduct.
Developing an OB model
Three types of variables (inputs,
processes and outcomes) at three levels
of analysis (individual, group and
organization.
- Inputs are variables like
personality, group structure and
organizational culture that lead to
processes.
- Processes are actions that
individuals, groups and
organizations engage in as a
result of inputs that lead to
certain outcomes.
- Outcomes are the key variables you want to explain or predict, and that are
affected by some other variables.
Chapter 2
Learning objectives:
- Contrast the three components of an attitude
- Summarize the relationship between attitude and behavior
- Compare the major job attitudes
- Identify the two approaches for measuring job satisfaction
- Summarize the main causes of job satisfaction
- Identify three outcomes of job satisfaction
- Identify four employee responses to job dissatisfaction
Attitudes
Attitudes are evaluative statements or judgements concerning objects, people or
events. Attitudes have three components:
- Cognitive component: the opinion or belief segment of an attitude
(description or belief in the way things are)
- Affective component: the emotional or feeling segment of an attitude
- Behavioral component: an intention to behave in a certain way toward
someone or something.
Attitudes and behavior
Contradictions individuals might perceive between their attitudes and their behavior
is called cognitive dissonance. People seek consistency among their attitudes and
between their attitudes and behavior. When there is dissonance people will alter their
attitudes. The desire to reduce dissonance depends on the importance of the
