Essentials of ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR

 

 

CHAPTER 1

WHAT IS ORGANIZATIONAL

BEHAVIOR?

 

 

What we’ll learn in
Chapter One

·        Define organizational behavior.

·        Discuss origins of O.B.

·        Identify (3) goals of O.B.

·        Talk about managers’ challenges, and ways in which O.B. knowledge can assist them.

Organizational Behavior

A field of study

that investigates the impact

 that individuals, groups and structure

have on behavior within organizations,

for the purpose of

applying such knowledge toward improving an organization's effectiveness.

 

How do we measure effectiveness?

·        Quantity and Quality of work

·        Satisfaction and commitment of subordinates

 

Other ways to define effectiveness:

·        Adaptability/flexibility

·        Productivity

·        Satisfaction

·        Profitability

·        Resource acquisition

·        Control over environment

·        Development

·        Efficiency

 

A SIMPLE definition of O.B.:

·  Occam’s razor:

     All things being equal, when seeking a scientific explanation to a problem with few hypotheses, assumptions, choose the simplest possible solution.

 

·        William Ockham,

·        English philosopher, died 1349

·        Jodi Foster, 1997, in “Contact”

 

O.B. is the systematic study of the actions and attitudes that people exhibit within organizations.

 

Replacing Intuition with Systematic Study

·        Generalizations about behavior are generally wrong

·        Behavior is generally predictable

·        Systematic study enables reasonably accurate predictions

 

How about these generalizations? 

Which do you think are TRUE?

·        Happy workers are productive workers.

·        You have to scare people a little to get them to do their jobs.

·        Everyone is motivated by money.

·        The most effective groups are those that do not have conflict.

 

Toward an OB Discipline (from Figure 1-3)

 

Goals of O.B.:

·        Explain

·        Control

·        Predict

 

 

F These are goals common to all  SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

 

Explain...

·        Why an individual or group does something. 

·        E.g.,

–  Why people are absent

–  Why organizations are ineffective

–  Why employees are not promoted

–  Why organizations fail to produce at competitive levels 

 

Predict ...

·        What outcomes will result from a given action.  Focus is on FUTURE. 

·        E.g.,

–  How surviving employees will react to news of layoffs.

–  What will happen if we introduce a bonus pay plan.

–  How can we predict our recruitment expenses for next year?

 

Control ...

·        Sees to get others to behave in a manner desired by management. 

–   

·        Most controversial of all stated goals of O.B.

• WHY?

 

Modern thinkers replace “control” with “participation” and “consensus”.

 

·        Its hard to disagree with this thinking.

·        However...  what is a managers’ job all about?

 

Management Functions
(Henri Fayol, French Industrialist)

·        Plan

·        Organize

·        Direct

·        Control

 

Controlling =

·        To Monitor performance of organization,

·        Compare performance with set goals,

·        Correct systems, methods if necessary to achieve goals.

 

Do we have any CHOICE but to control our employees?

·        I think NOT.

·        Lots of people disagree with me.

–  Depends on type of culture you create.

–  Culture removes need for direct control.

 

Challenges and Opportunities for OB

·        Improving Quality and Productivity

·        Improving People Skills

·        Managing Workforce Diversity

·        Responding to Globalization

·        Empowering People

 

Challenges and Opportunities for OB

·        Stimulating Change and Innovation

·        Coping with “Temporariness”

·        Declining Employee Loyalty

·        Improving Ethical Behavior

           

Here’s a sampling of these topics...

 

TQM:
Brings Intense Focus on the Customer

·        Concern for continual improvement

·        Accurate measurement

·        Empowerment of employees

 

COMPOSITION OF THE NEW WORKER POOL  IN THE UNITED STATES
Percent  Increase Between 1987 and 2000

Changing Views of Loyalty: 1993 Vs. 1988

 

Talk to your neighbor:

 

·        What questions intrigue you about the behavior of humans in organizations?

–  Draft 4 questions

–  15 minutes

·        Samples: 

–  In what way does HUMOR effect productivity in organizations?

–  How does telecommuting benefit career progress/ promotion rate?

–  How do I motivate “Mr. Miserable?”

 

Basic OB Model

PRODUCTIVITY

 

ABSENTEEISM

 

TURNOVER

 

JOB SATISFACTION

 

 

What is a level of analysis?

 

·        Theoretical “Level” of data you’re interested in.

·        E.g.,

–  Studying culture? You need to study GROUPS, or ORGANIZATIONS.

 

–  Studying workers’ attitudes?  You’ need to study INDIVIDUALS.

 

Wrap-Up

·        OB focuses on multiple LEVELS OF ANALYSIS.

·        Borne out of many disciplines.

·        Many Goals

– Improve organizational effectiveness.

– Explain, Predict, Control

Next chapter:

·        Values

·        Attitudes

·        Perception