Introduction to
Organizational Behavior
THE CANVAS OF OB
Overview of the Field
Meaning
Application of OB knowledge
Fundamental assumption in OB
Contributing Disciplines
OB Today
Amitai Etizioni: “Our Society is an Organizational Society”
We are:
Born in Hospitals
Educated in Schools
Employed by Business Firms/ Government
Agencies
Join Trade Unions/ Professional Associations
Are laid to rest in churches
In sickness and in health, at work and play life in
modern industrial society is increasingly
conducted in Organizational Settings
Overview of the Field
Oragnisational studies encompass the study of organizations
from multiple viewpoints, methods and levels of analysis.
Micro level – Organisational Behaviour encompassing
Individual & Group dynamics in an organisational setting.
Meso level – Power, Culture and Network of individuals and
units in organizations
Macro level- Organisational theory which studies the whole
organsations, how they adapt and the strategies and
structures that guide them.
Workplace Challenges
Organizational Level
• Productivity
• Developing Effective Employees
• Global Competition
• Managing in the Global Village
Group Level
• Working With Others
• Workforce Diversity Workplace
Individual Level
• Job Satisfaction
• Empowerment
• Behaving Ethically
Organization
A consciously coordinated social unit
composed of two or more people that
function on a relatively continuous basis to
achieve a common goal or set of goals.
An Organization can be defined as a social
arrangement for achieving controlled
performance in pursuit of collective goals.
Organisational Behaviour
A multidisciplinary field that seeks knowledge of
behavior in organisational settings by systematically
studying individual, group and organisational
processes.
A field of study that investigates the impact that
individuals, groups, and structure have on behavior
within organization for the purpose of applying such
knowledge towards improving an organization’s
effectiveness.
Applications of OB Knowledge
By Scientists for understanding of
human behavior
By Practicing Mangers to enhance
organisational effectiveness and
individual well being
Application of OB
Managers rely heavily on the knowledge derived
from OB research like
How can goals be set to enhance people’s job
performance
How may jobs be designed so as to enhance
employees’ feeling of satisfaction
Under what conditions do individuals make better
decisions than groups
What steps can be taken alleviate the work related
stress
How can leaders enhance the effectiveness of their
teams.
Fundamental assumptions in OB
Organisations are OPEN SYSTEMS, i.e self
sustaining entities that use energy to
transform resources from the environment
in to some form of output.
TRANSFORMATION
( e.g. training,
manufacturing)
INPUT OUTPUT
from the environment to the environment
( e.g. natural resources, ( e.g. products,
skilled workforce) wages earned)
Source : Social Psychology of organisations- Katz & Kahn 1978)
Fundamental assumption in OB
There is no “ One Best” Approach, hence
it embraces a Contingency approach – a
perspective suggesting that organisational
behavior is affected by a large number of
interacting factors. How some one will
behave is said to be contingent upon many
different variables at once.
Generalizations about behavior
Happy workers are productive workers
Everyone wants a challenging job
Everyone is motivated by money
The most effective work groups are devoid
of conflict.
You have to scare people a little to get
them to do their jobs.
A systematic approach is required
Contributing Disciplines
Economics
Psychology
Sociology
Social Psychology
Anthropology
Political Science
Systems theory
Towards an OB Discipline
Behavioural Contribution Unit of Output
science analysis
Learning
Motivation
Perception
Training
Leadership effectiveness
Job satisfaction
Psychology Individual decision making
Performance appraisal
Attitude measurement
Employee selection
Work design
Work stress
Individual
Group dynamics
Work teams
Communication
Power
Conflict
Intergroup behaviour
Sociology
Formal organization theory Study of
Organizational technology Group Organizational
Organizational change Behaviour
Organizational culture
Behavioural change
Attitude change
Social psychology Communication
Group processes
Group decision making
Organization
Comparative values system
Comparative attitudes
Cross-cultural analysis
Anthropology
Organizational culture
Organizational environment
Conflict
Political science Intraorganizational politics
Power
Chapter 1, Stephen P. Robbins and Nancy Langton, Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition.
Copyright © 2003 Pearson Education Canada Inc.
OB Today: The Infotech Age
Technology in the last decade or so has changed
the way people work
Easy access of information has made decision
making faster
OB evolved as a contemporary field and some
prominent trends are
The rise of global businesses with culturally diverse
workforces.
Rapid advances in technology.
Rising expectations of people.
Impact of Globalisation on OB
Today's organisations are global in nature,
are populated by women, people from
diverse backgrounds and people working
well beyond their retirement age.
The implications on OB on account of the
above factors are very challenging
Objective
To examine various aspects of individual
behavior
To understand how your behavior affects
others and how others affect you .
To learn how to mould your behavior in
order to be more effective.
