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