ORGANIZATIONAL

BEHAVIOR

ADM501
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER OUTLINE

What is Organizational Behaviour (OB) ?

Why Study OB ?

OB Foundations

Types of Individual Behavior

Challenges and Trends in OB

Anchors of OB knowledge

Conclusion
WHAT IS ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR (OB)

The study of what people think, feel and do in and

around organizations (Mc Shane 2013).
The study that investigates the impact that individuals,
groups and structure have on behavior, and how that
behavior affect the performance of the organization
(Robbins et al., 2004; Saha 2006).
The study of human behavior, attitudes and performance
within an organizational setting; drawing on theory,
methods, and principles from such disciplines as
psychology, sociology and cultural anthropology to learn
about individual, groups, structure and processes
(Ivancevich & Matteson, 2002)
WHAT IS ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR (OB)

OB studies identify three determinants of behavior in

organizations: individuals, groups and structure
Employee behavior, decisions, perceptions and
emotional responses
How individuals and teams in organizations relate to
one another and to their counterparts in other
organizations
Encompasses the study of how organizations interact
with their external environments especially in the
context of employee behavior and decisions
DEFINITION OF ORGANIZATION

According to Mc Shane (2013) organizations are group of

people who work interdependently toward some
purpose (public sector more to give service to
people/private sector they are gaining the profit for the
organization) – internal environment
Organization’s environment – various factors impinge
effectiveness; clients, legal, political, economic and
technological change and development – external
environment
DEFINITION OF ORGANIZATION

A coordinated unit consisting at least two people who

function to achieve a common goal or set of goals
Large and small, domestic and global, successful and
unsuccessful (Gibson, Ivancevich, Donelly and
Konopaske, 2009)

Consists of
communicate Coordinate collaborate
people who:
FOUNDATIONS OF OB

It emerged as a distinct field around late 1930s early 1940s.

But organizations have been studied by experts in other field for many
centuries e.g.
 Greek philosopher Plato wrote – the essence of leadership

 Chinese philosopher Confucius – the virtues of ethics and leadership

 1776 – Adam Smith – the benefits of job specialization and division of labor
(organization as a machine)

 German Sociologist Max Weber – Rational organizations, work ethic and

charismatic leadership (humanizing the organization)

In 1920s and 1940s Elton Mayo and a few other scholars introduced the
human relations where they emphasized the study of employee attitudes
and informal group dynamics in the workplace.

And so many others scholars that had their own findings in this area.
WHY STUDY OB?

To understand, predict, influence and control the

behavior
As an organizational and personal success factor

OB is a way of thinking (develop personal mental

models) – how an individual define and appraise the
environment – important element in selecting new
employees
Utilizes principles, models, theories and methods from
other disciplines (multidisciplinary)
WHY STUDY OB?

People and their attitudes, perception, learning

capacities, feelings and goals are importance to the
organization (humanistic orientation within OB) –
masculine and feminisme
OB determine level of performance, and provide ways to
improve performance (performance oriented)
The scientific method in OB explain variables and its
relationship
Provide answer to the questions that arise in the
organisation
(Ivancevich & Matteson, 2002; Saha, 2006)
TYPES OF INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOUR

Task performance

Organizational Citizenship

Counterproductive Behavior

Joining and staying with the organization

Maintaining work attendance

TASK PERFORMANCE

 Goal directed behaviors under the individual’s control that

support organizational objectives .

 Job description, performance outcomes and client’s charter in

government agency – counter service meet client
expectations

 E.g concern work related matters, no delay, punctuality,

participative, contributive
ORGANIZATIONAL CITIZENSHIP

 Various forms of cooperation and helpfulness to others that support

the organization's social and psychological context (voluntary
act).

 Agency public image – show good attitude, corporate uniform,

attending voluntary project, discretionary action to help agency
avoid potential problem

 Conscientiousness personality – helping the needy, innovative,

giving ideas for improvement, aware, concern, willing to help
COUNTERPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR

 Voluntary behaviors that have the potential to directly or indirectly

harm the organization (organizational and interpersonal)

 e.g. corruption, inappropriate communication, harassing

coworkers, creating unnecessary conflict, deviating from
preferred work methods (shortcuts that risk work quality,
corruptions, breaching trust etc.)
JOINING AND STAYING WITH THE ORGANIZATION

 Agreeing to employment relationship; remaining in that

relationship (attracting and retaining talented people).

 In order to avoid existing employee leaving the agency (lost

knowledge, lower productivity, poor customer service)- nurturing
an enjoyable work environment.

 Employment brand – good employment relationship

MAINTAINING WORK ATTENDANCE

 Attending work at required times.

 Low in absenteeism- high in presenteeism
CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES FOR ORGANIZATIONS/
OB TRENDS

Globalization

Workforce Diversity

Evolving Employment Relationship

Virtual Work

Work Values and Ethics

- Tutorial – Introduction, challenges, ways to overcome,

real world examples, conclusion, citation
GLOBALISATION
 Economic, social and culture
connectivity and interdependency
with people in other parts of the
world. It offers larger markets, lower
costs and greater access to
knowledge and innovation.

 Catalyzed by IT, ICT and

transportation systems

 Implications - increasing work

intensification (variety), reducing job
security, work life balance

 Leadership, organizational practices,

high performance organizations and
OB
WORKFORCE DIVERSITY

 Surface level diversity

The observable demographic or physiological differences in
people (race, ethnicity, gender, age and physical disabilities)
 Deep Level Diversity
The differences in the psychological characteristics of employees
(personalities, belief, values and attitude)
 Opportunities and challenges
Figure 1: Generational Cohort
Silents (before 1946) Different
expectations

Baby Boomers
(1946-1964)

Generation X
(1965-1979)

Millennials (Generation Y)
(after 1979)

Different Generation Z
attitudes
(after 1990)

Source: Mc Shane (2013) back

EVOLVING EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP

 Aligning the workplace with employees’ expectations –

work-life valance
 Flexibility
 Contingent work
VIRTUAL WORK

 Telecommuting or teleworking
 Promote work-life balance, however lead social isolation
 Benefitting self motivated, organized, broadband
technologies
ANCHORS OF OB KNOWLEDGE

Multidisciplinary

Systematic Research

Contingency

Multiple Level of Analysis

Open Systems
MULTIDISCIPLINARY

 Many OB concepts adopted from other disciplines

 OB develops its own theories, but scans other
fields. Can help the field of OB nurture a diversity of
knowledge and perspectives about organization
 Created very much drawback such as lack of
common identity
 Traditional disciplines; psychology, sociology,
anthropology, political science, economics
 Emerging disciplines; communication, women
studies
SYSTEMATIC RESEARCH

 OB study organizations using systematic research

 Bombarded with theories and model
 Challenge translating general theories to specific
situations
 Scientific method; quantitative research
 Grounded theory; qualitative research
Example 1: Systematic Research
Example 2: Systematic Research

back
CONTINGENCY

 A particular action may have different consequences in

different situations. Need to diagnose the situation and
select best strategy under those conditions.
 Be selective in identifying best strategies most
appropriate under different conditions.
 No strategy fits all
Example 1: Contingency Research

back
MULTIPLE LEVELS OF ANALYSIS

 Individual, team, organizational level of analysis. OB

topics usually relevant at all three levels of analysis.
 Motivation, perception, personalities, attitudes
OPEN SYSTEM

 OB views organizations as open systems that interact

with the environment
 Monitor and able to maintain a close fit with external
environment and stakeholders
 Organisation consists of internal subsytems that need to
be aligned with each other
CONCLUSION

OB studies about people think, feel and act, in and

around the organization
People work interdependently for common purpose

Analysis covers three main aspects; people, team and

structure
Studies indicate various OB trends and challenges

OB anchors generally impose the significance of OB field

End of presentation