Organizational Behavior ch 1.ppt

Organizational Behavior

Dr. Karim Kobeissi

Islamic University of Lebanon - 2014

Chapter ONE

Introduction to Organizational Behavior

IntroductionIntroduction

Nowadays, successful managers believe that

technical skills are necessary, but insufficient

alone for success.

In fact, effective managers need to understand

why their employees act the way they do in order

to find a way to change their behaviors at work in

order to improve organizational performance. 

Organizational Behavior - DefinitionOrganizational Behavior - Definition

Organizational Behavior (OB)

Organizational behavior is a field of study that investigates

the impact that individuals, groups and structure have on

behaviour within organizations, for the purpose of applying

such knowledge toward improving an organization’s

performance.

Organizational Behavior ConcernsOrganizational Behavior Concerns

Because OB is concerned specifically with

employment-related situations, it emphasizes

behaviour related to jobs, work, absenteeism,

employment turnover, productivity, human

performance and management.

Core Topics of Organizational Behavior Core Topics of Organizational Behavior

Although there is still considerable debate as to the

relative importance of each, there appears to be general

agreement that organisation behaviour includes the core topics

of motivation, leader behaviour and power, interpersonal

communication, group structures and processes, learning,

attitude development and perception, change processes,

conflict, work design and work stress.

The study of organizational behavior is

useful because human behavior is

predictable.

Predicting Behavior Complementing Intuition with Systematic Study

Predicting Behavior Complementing Intuition with Systematic Study

In order to predict human behavior accurately, it

is best to supplement our (1) intuitive opinions

with information derived from (2) systematic study

of behavior.

Predicting Behavior Complementing Intuition with Systematic Study (con)

Predicting Behavior Complementing Intuition with Systematic Study (con)

Predicting Behavior Complementing Intuition with Systematic Study (con)

Predicting Behavior Complementing Intuition with Systematic Study (con)

Systematic Study

Analyzing relationships, attempting to attribute causes and effects, and drawing conclusions based on scientific evidences.

Intuition

“Gut” feelings about “why I do what I do” and “what makes others tick”.

Disciplines That Contribute To The OB FieldDisciplines That Contribute To The OB Field

Organizational behaviour is an applied behavioural science that

is built on contributions from a number of behavioural disciplines

such as Psychology, Sociology, Social Psychology, and

Anthropology.

Contributing Disciplines to the OB FieldContributing Disciplines to the OB Field

Psychology

The science that seeks to understand, evaluate and sometimes change

individual behavior.

Contributing Disciplines to the OB Field (cont’d)Contributing Disciplines to the OB Field (cont’d)

Sociology

The science that focuses on the study of people in relation to their social environment (people relations with their fellow human beings).

Sociology has contributed to OB through its research on organizational culture and formal organization theory and structure.

Contributing Disciplines to the OB Field (con)Contributing Disciplines to the OB Field (con)

Social Psychology

An area within psychology that blends concepts from psychology and sociology and that focuses on the influence of people on one another.

Group behavior, power, and conflict are central areas of study for social psychologists.

Contributing Disciplines to the OB Field (cont’d)Contributing Disciplines to the OB Field (cont’d)

Anthropology

The study of societies to learn about human beings and their activities.

Anthropology has most helped us understand differences in fundamental values, attitudes, and behavior among people in different countries (Group).

Anthropology had the most influence on the subject of organizational culture (Organizational system).

There Are Few Absolutes in OBThere Are Few Absolutes in OB

Observational Behavior concepts can be used to predict

human behavior only if the situation is clearly specified

Observational Behavior concepts are NOT

based on universal truths. In fact, there are few if

any simple and universal principles that explain

organizational behavior.

There Are Few Absolutes in OB (con)There Are Few Absolutes in OB (con)

x y

Contingency variables: “It Depends!”

Contingency variables are situational variables that make the main relationship between two variables change—e.g., the relationship may hold for one condition but not another.

In order to predict human behavior with a degree of accuracy, contingency variables must be taken into account.  

Country 1

x yCountry 2

May be related to

May NOT be related to

In

In

Challenges and Opportunities for OBChallenges and Opportunities for OB

• Responding to Globalization– Increased foreign assignments– Working with people from different cultures– Coping with anti-capitalism backlash (differences in values)– Overseeing movement of jobs to countries with low-cost labor

(balancing organizations’ interests with their responsibilities to the communities in which they operate)

• Managing Workforce Diversity– Embracing diversity (a heterogeneous workforce in terms of

gender, age, race, physical capabilities…). Implications for managers

Recognizing and responding to the workforce diversity (e.g.,providing diversity training and benefits programs toaccommodate the different needs of different employees).

DomesticPartners

DomesticPartners

Major Workforce Diversity CategoriesMajor Workforce Diversity Categories

RaceRaceNon-ChristianNon-Christian

NationalOrigin

NationalOrigin

AgeAge

DisabilityDisability

GenderGender

Challenges and Opportunities for OB (con)Challenges and Opportunities for OB (con)

Whereas globalization focuses on differences

among people from different countries,

workforce diversity addresses differences

among people within given countries.  

Challenges and Opportunities for OB (con)Challenges and Opportunities for OB (con)

• Improving Quality and Productivity– Quality management (QM)– Process reengineering

• Responding to the Labor Shortage– Changing work force demographics– Fewer skilled laborers– Early retirements and older workers

• Improving Customer Service– Increased expectation of service quality– Customer-responsive cultures

Challenges and Opportunity for OB (cont’d)Challenges and Opportunity for OB (cont’d)

• Improving people skills

• Stimulating innovation and change

• Coping with “temporariness”

• Working in networked organizations

• Helping employees balance work/life conflicts

• Improving ethical behavior

Basic OB Model, Stage I : The SkeletonBasic OB Model, Stage I : The Skeleton

Model

A simplified representation of some real-world phenomenon.

There are three levels of analysis in OB: 1)Individual behavior.2)Group behavior.3)Organizational Systems Level (Organizational structure). The three basic levels are analogous to building blocks; each level is constructed upon the previous level Group concepts grow out of the foundation laid in the individual section; we place structural restrictions on top of the individual and group in order to arrive at organizational behavior.

The Dependent VariablesThe Dependent Variables

x

y

Dependent Variable (Y)

A response (what organizational behavior researchers try to understand) that is affected by an independent variable (X)

The Dependent Variables (con)The Dependent Variables (con)

Absenteeism

The failure to report to work

Turnover

The voluntary and involuntary permanent withdrawal from an organization

The Dependent Variables (con)The Dependent Variables (con)

Productivity

A performance measure that includes effectiveness and efficiency

Effectiveness

Achievement of goals

Efficiency

Meeting goals at a low cost.

Popular measures of organizational efficiency include return on investment, profit per euro of sales and output per hour of labor.

The Dependent Variables (con)The Dependent Variables (con)

Deviant Workplace Behavior

Voluntary behavior that violates significant organizational norms and thereby threatens the well-being of the organization and/or any of its members

The Dependent Variables (con)The Dependent Variables (con)

Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB)

Optional behavior that is not part of an employee’s formal job requirements, but that nevertheless promotes the effective functioning of the organization

The Dependent Variables (con)The Dependent Variables (con)

Job Satisfaction

A general attitude (not a behavior) toward one’s job; a positive feeling of one's job resulting from an evaluation of its characteristics

The Independent VariablesThe Independent Variables

IndependentVariables Can Be

IndependentVariables Can Be

Individual-Level Variables

Individual-Level Variables

OrganizationSystem-Level

Variables

OrganizationSystem-Level

Variables

Group-LevelVariables

Group-LevelVariables

Independent Variable

The presumed cause of some change in the dependent variable; major determinants of a dependent variable

Basic OB Model, Stage

II