Introduction to Organizational Behavior
Chapter 1 : Understanding Organizational Behavior
Definition of Organizational Behavior
Management Roles
Interpersonal Roles
Informational Roles
Decision Roles
Management Skills
Technical Skills
Human Skills
Conceptual Skills
Consistency Vs Individual Differences
Theoretical Framework
Cognitive Framework
Behavioristic
Framework
Social Learning Framework
A Model of Organization
Behavior
Challenges and Opportunities for Organizational Behavior
The Creation of a Global Village
Adapting to Different People
Improving Quality and Productivity
Improving People Skills
Management Control to Empowerment
Stability to Flexibility
Improving Ethical Behavior
Environmental Challenges: Globalization Information Technology, Total Quality, and Diversity and Ethics
Models of Organizational Behavior
The Autocratic Model
The Custodial Model
The Supportive Model
The Collegial Model
Chapter Summary
|
Organizational behavior is the study and application of knowledge about how
people as individuals and as groups act within organizations. It can be defined
as the understanding, prediction and management of human behavior in
organizations. OB is related to other disciplines like Organizations Theory,
Organization Development and Personnel/Human Resources Management.
Henry Mintzberg classified management roles depending on the extent of
interpersonal relationships, the transfer of information and decision-making
involved in the job. Managers need certain skills and competencies to
successfully achieve their goals. The most significant management skills are the
technical, human and conceptual skills. People develop generalizations by
observing, sensing, asking and listening to various people around them. They use
these generalizations to explain or predict the behavior of others. |
|
A systematic approach to the study of behavior will bring to light important
facts and relationships that provide the basis for more accurate
understanding, prediction and control of behavior. It is important to know
how a person perceives a situation to predict his behavior. There are
differences as well as consistencies that can be seen in people's behavior.
An overall model of organizational behavior can be developed on the basis of
three theoretical frameworks. They are the cognitive, behavioristic and
social learning frameworks. The cognitive approach gives more credit to
people than the other approaches and is based on the expectancy, demand and
incentive concepts. Edward Tolman has made significant contributions to this
approach.
Behavioristic framework focuses on observable behaviors. Ivan Pavlov and John
B.Watson were the pioneers of the behavioristic theory. They explained human
behavior on the basis of the connection between stimulus and response. The
social learning approach incorporates the concepts and principles of both the
cognitive and behavioristic frameworks. In this approach, behavior is
explained as a continuous reciprocal interaction between cognitive,
behavioral and environmental determinants. The organization behavior model
(S, O, B, C) has incorporated the best aspects from the three frameworks of
human behavior. In this model, the letters S, O, B, C represent situation,
organism, behavior and consequences, respectively.
In modern times, managers confront many challenges and opportunities. The
greatest challenges among all of them are the result of environmental changes
occurring due to globalization, information technology, total quality, and
diversity and ethics. OB models help managers to face these challenges and
take appropriate actions. The four models of OB are the autocratic model, the
custodial model, the supportive model and the collegial model. The autocratic
model is based on power. It works well especially in times of an
organizational crisis.
The custodial model of OB takes into consideration the security needs of
employees. A custodial environment gives a psychological reassurance of
economic rewards and benefits. The supportive model of OB seeks to create
supportive work environment and motivate employees to perform well on their
job. In the collegial model, the management nurtures a feeling of partnership
with its employees, and makes the employees feel themselves as an asset to
the organization.
Next Chapter>>
|
|
Short Case Studies / Caselets