Dynamics of Behavior in Organizations

Dynamics of Behavior in Organizations

Dynamics of Behavior in Organizations

CHAPTER 17CHAPTER 17

2 Copyright © 2008 by South-Western, a division of Thomson Learning. All rights reserved.

Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

Define attitudes, including their major components, and explain their relationship to personality, perception, and behavior.

Discuss the importance of work-related attitudes.

Identify major personality traits and describe how personality can influence workplace attitudes and behaviors.

Define the four components of emotional intelligence and explain why they are important for today’s managers.


Learning Objectives (contd.)Learning Objectives (contd.)

Explain how people learn in general and in terms of individual learning styles.

Discuss the effects of stress and identify ways individuals and organizations can manage stress to improve employee health, satisfaction, and productivity.


Dynamics of Behavior in OrganizationsDynamics of Behavior in Organizations

Employees and managers bring their individual differences to work each day

Differences in attitudes, values, personality, and behavior influence

– how people interpret an assignment,

– whether they like to be told what to do

– how they handle challenges

– how they interact with others

Managers need to understand the way individuals & groups act


Organizational BehaviorOrganizational Behavior

• Interdisciplinary field dedicated to the study of

attitudes

behavior

performance

Commonly called OB


Organizational CitizenshipOrganizational Citizenship

Tendency of people to help one another and put in extra effort that goes beyond job requirements to contribute to the organization’s success.


AttitudesAttitudes

Cognitive and affective evaluation that predisposes a person to act in a certain way

Attitudes determine how people– Perceive the work environment– Interact with others– Behave on the job


Components of an AttitudeComponents of an Attitude

Exhibit 17.1


Components of AttitudesComponents of Attitudes

Cognitive component includes the beliefs, opinions, and information the person has about the object of the attitude

Affective component is the person’s emotions or feelings about the object of the attitude

Behavioral component of an attitude is the person’s intention to behave toward the object of the attitude in a certain way

Particularly important when attempting to change attitudes


High-Performance Work AttitudesHigh-Performance Work Attitudes

Two attitudes that might relate to high performance

– Job Satisfaction

– Organizational Commitment

Managers of today’s knowledge workers often rely on Managers of today’s knowledge workers often rely on job satisfaction to keep motivation and enthusiasm for job satisfaction to keep motivation and enthusiasm for the organization highthe organization high


High-Performance Work AttitudesHigh-Performance Work Attitudes

Job Satisfaction = positive attitude toward one’s job

Organizational Commitment = loyalty to and heavy involvement in one’s organization


Conflicts Among AttitudesConflicts Among Attitudes

Cognitive Dissonance = condition in which two attitudes or a behavior and an attitude conflict– Leon Festinger – 1950s– People want to behave in accordance with

their attitudes– Usually will take corrective action


PerceptionPerception

Cognitive process people use to make sense out of the environment by

● Selecting

● Organizing

● Interpreting information


The Perception ProcessThe Perception Process

Exhibit 17.4


Common Perceptual Distortions


Tendency to assign an individual to a group or broad category and then attribute generalizations about the group to the individual

Stereotyping




Overall impression of a person or situation based on one characteristic, either favorable or unfavorable

Halo Effect


Common Perceptual DistortionsCommon Perceptual Distortions

Tendency to see one’s own personal traits in other people

ProjectionProjection




Tendency of perceivers to protect themselves by disregarding ideas objects, or people that are threatening to them

Perceptual Perceptual DefenseDefense


AttributionsAttributions

Judgments about what caused a person’s behavior—either characteristics of the person or of the situation

As people organize what they perceive, they often draw conclusions


External or Internal AttributionsExternal or Internal Attributions

Exhibit 17.6


Attribution BiasesAttribution Biases

Fundamental Attribution Error = Fundamental Attribution Error = tendency to tendency to underestimate the influence of external underestimate the influence of external factors on another’s behavior and to factors on another’s behavior and to overestimate the influence of internal overestimate the influence of internal factorsfactors

Self-serving Bias = Self-serving Bias = tendency to overestimate tendency to overestimate the contribution of internal factors to one’s the contribution of internal factors to one’s successes and the contribution of external successes and the contribution of external factors to one’s failuresfactors to one’s failures


PersonalityPersonality

Set of characteristics that underlie a relatively stable pattern of behavior in response to ideas, objects, or people in the environment– Big Five Personality Factors

ExtroversionAgreeablenessConscientiousnessEmotional StabilityOpenness to Experience


Emotional Intelligence (EQ)Basic Components

Emotional Intelligence (EQ)Basic Components

Self-awareness: basis for all other components, being aware of what you are feeling

Self-management: control disruptive or harmful emotions and balance one’s moods so they do not cloud thinking

Social awareness: understand others and practice empathy

Relationship awareness: connect to others, build positive relationships, respond to emotions of others, and influence others


Locus of ControlLocus of Control

Tendency to place primary responsibility for one’s success or failure either within oneself (internally) or on outside forces (externally)● Internal locus of control- your actions

influence what happens to you

● External locus of control- represents pawns of fate


Behaviors Influenced by PersonalityBehaviors Influenced by Personality

Authoritarianism = belief that power and status differences should exist within the organization

Concerned with power and toughness

Obey recognized authority above them

Stick to conventional valuesStick to conventional values

Critically judge othersCritically judge others

Oppose the use of Oppose the use of subjective feelingssubjective feelings


Behaviors Influenced by PersonalityBehaviors Influenced by Personality

Machiavellianism = tendency to direct much of one’s behavior toward the acquisition of power and the manipulation of other people for personal gain


Problem Solving StylesProblem Solving Styles

Individuals differ in the way they solve problems and make decisions

Gathering and evaluating information are separate activities

● Gather information● Sensation● Intuition

● Evaluate information● Thinking● Feeling

Based on work of Carl Jung


Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

Personality test that measures a person’s preference for

– introversion vs. extroversion – sensation vs. intuition – thinking vs. feeling– judging vs. perceiving


Learning and Learning StylesLearning and Learning Styles

Learning = change in behavior or performance that occurs as the result of experience

Learning Styles Diverger Assimilator Converger Accommodator


Stress and Stress ManagementStress and Stress Management

Stress = physiological and emotional response to stimuli that place physical or psychological demands on an individual

Type A Behavior = pattern characterized by extreme competitiveness, impatience, aggressiveness, and devotion to work

Type B Behavior = pattern that lacks Type A and includes a more balanced, relaxed lifestyle


Causes of Work StressCauses of Work Stress

Four Categories Job Tasks Demands Physical Demands Role Demand (Sets of expected

behaviors) Interpersonal Demands

Dynamics of Behavior in Organizations

Technology

workplace attitudes

behavior influence

attitudes cognitive

certain way attitudes

dynamics of behavior

people projection

attitude exhibit

anothers behavior