introducing organizational behavior

People

Make the Difference

Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

What is organizational behavior and why is it

important?

What are organizations like as work settings?

What is the nature of managerial work?

How do we learn about organizational

behavior?

Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1-2

Organizational behavior

› Study of human behavior in organizations.

› An interdisciplinary field devoted to

understanding individual and group

behavior, interpersonal processes, and

organizational dynamics.


Scientific methods models

› Simplified views of reality that attempt to

identify major factors and forces

underlying real-world phenomenon.

› Link presumed causes of events

(independent variables) with outcomes

(dependent variables).Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1-4

A. Field Studies

B. Meta Analyses

C. Case Studies

1-6Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Meta analyses use statistical pooling

from many studies. This aggregating

technique allows OB researchers to

generalize and apply the conclusions to

many OB situations.


Scientific thinking is important to OB:

› The process of data collection is controlled

and systematic.

› Proposed explanations are carefully tested.

› Only explanations that can be scientifically

verified are accepted.


Contingency thinking

› Managers must understand the demands of

different situations and develop responses that

best fit the circumstances and people

involved.

› OB scientific models gather evidence of how

different situations can best be understood

and handled.Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1-9

Modern workplace trends

› Commitment to ethical behavior.

› Importance of human capital.

› Formal authority (command and control) replaced by

group decisions and consensus.

› Emphasis on teamwork.

› Pervasive influence of information technology.

› Respect for new workforce expectations.

› Changing concept of careers.


Organization

› A collection of people working together in

a division of labor to achieve a common

purpose.


The core purpose of an organization is

the creation of goods and services.

Mission statements focus attention on

the core purpose.


“Our Reason for Being:

To serve our customers' health needs with

imaginative science from plants and minerals;

To inspire all those we serve with a mission of

responsibility and goodness;

To empower others by sharing our knowledge,

time, talents, and profits; and

To help create a better world by exchanging our

faith, experience, and hope.”


Strategy

› Comprehensive plan that guides

organizations to operate in ways that allow

them to outperform their competitors.

› See Tom’s of Maine strategy that supports

their mission.


Stakeholders

› People, groups, and institutions having an

interest in an organization’s performance.

› Interests of multiple stakeholders

sometimes conflict.


Organizational culture

› The shared beliefs and values that

influence the behavior of organizational

members.

› Reflects the internal personality of the

organization.

› ‘How we do things around here’Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1-17

Constructive culture

› Members are encouraged to work together in ways that

meet higher order human needs.

Passive/defensive culture

› Members tend to act defensively in their working

relationships.

Aggressive/defensive culture

› Members tend to act forcefully in their working

relationships to protect their status and positions.


Describe an organization you have

worked for, or been a member of.

How was the culture constructive?

Defensive? Aggressive? Explain.


Workforce diversity

› Individual differences of organizational

members, based on gender, race and

ethnicity, age, able-bodiedness, and sexual

orientation.


Multiculturalism

› Refers to inclusiveness, pluralism and

genuine respect for diversity and individual

differences.


Your professor states: “One of your assignments

this term is a team project. Please select and

sign up for a team project.” Do you . . .

a) Signal your friends in the classroom, and agree

to sign up together for the same team.

b) Wait for everyone to sign up, and then decide.

c) Just pick a team randomly.


Manager

› Someone whose job it is to directly support

the work efforts of others.

Effective manager

› One whose team consistently achieves its

goals while members remain capable,

committed, and enthusiastic.


Task performance

› Quality and quantity of the work produced

by the work unit as a whole.

Job satisfaction

› How people feel about their work and the

work setting.


The management process.

› Planning

› Organizing

› Leading

› Controlling


The nature of managerial work.

› Managers work long hours.

› Managers are busy people.

› Managers are often interrupted.

› Managerial work is fragmented and variable.

› Managers work mostly with other people.

› Managers spend a lot of time communicating.


Managerial skills and competencies

Skill

› An ability to translate knowledge into

action that results in a desired

performance.


Technical skill

› Ability to perform specialized tasks.

Human skill

› Ability to work well with other people.

Conceptual skill

› Capacity to analyze and solve complex and

interrelated problems.


Emotional intelligence

› Ability to understand and deal with emotions.

Self-awareness

Self-regulation

Motivation

Empathy

Social skill1-32Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Moral Management – includes ethics

in decision-making.

› Immoral manager

› Amoral manager

› Moral manager

Practices ethics mindfulness.


Learning

› An enduring change in behavior that

results from experience.


Life-long learning

› Continuous learning from everyday work

experiences, colleagues, mentors, and training

seminars and workshops.

Organizational learning

› Process of acquiring knowledge and utilizing

information to adapt successfully to changing

circumstances.


introducing organizational behavior

Education

working relationships

team project

managerial

managers

work

people

organizations

nature