Human Behavior in Organization
Organizational Behavior (OB) – It is the systematic study and careful application of knowledge
about how people – as individuals and as groups – act within organizations
Goals of studying Organizational Behavior
Describe – the behavior of people under a variety of conditions.
Understand – the reasons behind people’s behavior.
Predicting – the behavior of the employee in the future.
Control – performance outcomes.
4 Key Forces affecting the Nature of Organizations
People – diversity of individuals and small and large groups
Structure – the formal relationship and use of people in the organization.
Technology – the resources with which people work and affects the tasks they perform.
Environment – internal and external, and all organizations within.
Positive Characteristics of the OB Field
Interdisciplinary Nature.
Psychology – the study of cognitive functions and behaviors.
Sociology – the study of human society and institutions.
Social Psychology – the study of how people’s thoughts, feelings, and actions are
influenced by the presence of others.
Group Dynamics – the study of behaviors within or between groups.
Anthropology – the study of the evolution of humans and their cross-cultural
relationships.
Emerging base of Research Knowledge, Theories, Models, and Conceptual Frameworks.
Research – the process of gathering and interpreting relevant evidence that will
either support a behavioral theory or help change it.
Theories – explanations of how and why people think, feel, and act as they do.
The Interaction of Theory, Research, and Practice in Organizational Behavior
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
The Nature of People The Nature of Organization
* Individual differences * Social systems
* Perception * Mutual interest
* A whole person * Ethics
* Motivated behavior
* Desire for involvement
* Value of the person
Individual Differences – idea that each person is different from all others and that these
differences usually are substantial rather than meaningless.
Perception – individual’s own view of the world.
Social systems – is a complex set of human relationships interacting in many ways.
Mutuality of Interests – idea that people need organizations and organizations need people,
which gives them a super ordinate goal of joint interest to bring them together.
Ethics – is the use of moral principles and values to affect the behavior of individuals and
organizations with regards to choices between what is right and wrong.
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR SYSTEM
Organizational Behavior System Defined
Is an integrated framework of elements that portrays how behavior is guided toward
achievement of organizational goals?
Philosophy of Organizational Behavior
Integrated set of explicit or implicit assumptions and beliefs about the way things are and
the way they should be in organizations.
2 Sources of Organizational Behavior Philosophy
Fact Premises – descriptive views of how the world behaves, based on research and
personal experience.
Value Premises – personal views of the desirability of certain goals and activities
Vision Defined
Is a challenging and crystallized long-range portrait of what the organization and its
members can and should be – a possible, and desirable, image of the future.
Mission Defined
Is a statement that identifies what business an organization is operating in, the market
niches it is trying to serve, its customers, and the reasons for its existence.
Goals Defined
It is the concrete formulations of achievements that the organization aims for within set
periods of time, such as one to five years.
5 MODELS OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
Definition of Communication
– Is the transfer of information and understanding from one person to another.
– It is a way of reaching others by transmitting ideas, facts, thoughts, feelings, and values.
Importance of Communication
Helps accomplish all the basic management functions:
– Planning
– Organizing
– Leading
– Controlling
COMMUNICATION PROCESS
Communication Symbols
Words – main communication symbols used at work
Pictures – used to clarify word communication
Action – also called non-verbal communication
What is Download Communication
– Is the flow of information from higher to lower levels of authority
Examples:
– job instruction, performance feedback
– annual reports, loudspeaker, announcements and group meetings
– circulars, letters, memos, bulletins, handbooks
What is Upward Communication
Is the flow of information from lower to higher levels in an organization
Examples:
– suggestions box, questionnaires, job satisfaction surveys, reports, social gatherings,
employee meetings
Lateral Communication
– Communication across chains of command. Also known as cross-communication.
– Communication within departments and external community.
Social Networking & Electronic Communication
Network is a group of people who develop and maintain contact to exchange information
informally, usually about a shared interest. Social Networking is one example that allow people to
link together. (facebook, youtube, myspace, linkedin). Wikis are web pages that enable users to
add or modify content (wikipedia)
Electronic Mail (e-mail) is a computer-based communication system that allows you to
send a message to someone – or to a hundred of people- almost instantaneously.
Blogs – online diaries or journals created and updated frequently by individuals to express
their thoughts, musings, and commentaries on topics of interest to them.
Twittering – involves expressing oneself in a brief (max of 140 characters) message.
Telecommunicating – works all or part of their work at home, or at satellite location
through computer links to their offices.
Virtual Offices – physical office space and individual desks are being replace with an
amazing array of portable communication tools – cellular phones, voice mail systems, laptop
computers, fax machines, videoconferencing systems.
Informal Communication
Grapevine – communication system within informal organizations, between employees
and people in the community.
Ex. Rumor
