Business
The Study of Organizational Behavior
The study of organizational behavior focuses on understanding how individuals, groups, and structures within an organization interact and influence one another. It explores topics such as leadership, communication, motivation, and decision-making to improve organizational effectiveness and employee well-being. By examining these dynamics, organizations can enhance their performance and create a more positive work environment.
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9 Key excerpts on "The Study of Organizational Behavior"
eBook - PDF- Mary Uhl-Bien, Ronald F. Piccolo, John R. Schermerhorn, Jr.(Authors)
- 2020(Publication Date)
- Wiley(Publisher)
• Describe the essential nature of organizational behavior. • Explain the importance of understanding human behavior in organizations. • Summarize several trends in the modern workplace and the changing nature of work. Try this exercise. Ask people you meet a simple, unqualified question, “How are things at work?” More often than not, the answer will have something to do with people. In our expe- rience, rarely will responses to that question describe economic conditions that constrain the efficient use of limited resources affecting the company’s ability to consistently deliver an above market-average return on the use of its assets! Instead, the most common default reference point for the evaluation of how things are at work is some aspect of the motivation, performance, teamwork, creativity, and commitment of people in the workplace. Even though we are in an information age that draws heavily on artificial intelligence, user-friendly computer interface, and smart devices, most organizational functioning involves people interacting with other people. Sure, many business transactions are now conducted electronically, but human beings still do most of the work in modern organizations, while in- dividuals in networks, teams, or departments remain the building blocks of most organiza- tional systems. Whether you are talking about accountants, lawyers, musicians, carpenters, engineers, software developers, or writers, people vary in how they perform and in how sat- isfied they are in their work. The systematic study of organizational behavior helps us under- stand why. What Is Organizational Behavior? Organizational behavior is the study of human behavior in organizations, focusing on individ- uals, teams, interpersonal processes, and organizational structures. It is an interdisciplinary body of knowledge with strong ties to the behavioral sciences—psychology, sociology, and an- thropology—as well as to social sciences such as economics and political science.
eBook - PDF- Ronald R. Sims(Author)
- 2002(Publication Date)
- Praeger(Publisher)
Whether we want to be or not, we are all part of organizations. In your daily activities you move from one organization to another. You may deal with a government agency, go to work, or shop at a store. Understanding organizations and their management can give us significant insights into systems that have major effects on us all. WHAT IS ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR? We define organizational behavior as the actions and attitudes of people in organizations. The field of organizational behavior (OB) is the body of knowledge derived from the study of these actions and attitudes. Organi Page 2 zational behavior can help managers identify problems, determine how to correct them, and establish whether the changes would make a difference. Such knowledge can help people better understand situations they face in the workplace and change their behavior so that their performance and the organization’s effectiveness increase. As a field of study, organizational behavior includes a collection of separate theories and models, ways of thinking about particular people and events. It has its roots in the disciplines of psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, and political science. Organizational behavior can help managers understand the complexity within organizations and that most organizational problems have several causes. Organizational behavior principles play an essential role in assessing and increasing organizational effectiveness, which is a central responsibility of and focus for all managers. Three Levels of Analysis: Individuals, Groups, and Organizations To appreciate behavior in organizations, researchers and specialists in OB cannot focus exclusively on individuals acting alone. After all, in organizational settings, people frequently work together in groups and increasingly in teams. Furthermore, people—whether alone or in groups—both influence and are influenced by their work environment.
eBook - PDFOrganizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior
Evidence-based Lessons for Creating Sustainable Organizations
- Steve M. Jex, Thomas W. Britt, Cynthia A. Thompson, Cynthia A Thompson(Authors)
- 2024(Publication Date)
- Wiley(Publisher)
Chapter 1 1 Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior: Evidence-based Lessons for Creating Sustainable Organizations, Fourth Edition. Steve M. Jex, Thomas W. Britt, and Cynthia A. Thompson. © 2024 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Published 2024 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Companion website: www.wiley.com/go/organizationalpsychology4e T he behavior of individuals acting as members of formal organiza- tions has a tremendous impact on many aspects of our lives. The food we eat, the cars we drive, and the houses we live in all depend on the coordinated effort of individuals in organizations. This impact, in fact, is so pervasive that we often take it for granted. Typically, we only take notice when the results are at the extremes. For example, many marveled at the coordinated effort between the federal government and phar- maceutical companies that led to the devel- opment and testing of COVID-19 vaccines in record time but expressed disdain and strong criticism when COVID-19 led to problems with the supply chain resulting in higher prices and shortages. Most often, the impact of behavior in formal organizations goes unnoticed. Organizational psychology and organiza- tional behavior are two remarkably similar fields that utilize scientific methodology to better understand the behavior of individuals working in organizational settings. This knowledge is also used to help make organi- zations more effective and improve the health and well-being of employees. Effective organ- izations are typically more productive, often provide higher-quality services to their con- stituents, and are usually more financially successful than less effective organizations. For private organizations, financial success often translates into higher wages and greater job security for employees, and increased shareholder wealth for investors. For public Introduction to the Fields of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior Source: Rawpixel.com/Adobe Stock
- Jane W. Gibson, Richard M. Hodgetts(Authors)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- Academic Press(Publisher)
It is often called a study of organization behavior and the term organization may be taken to mean the system, or pattern, of any set of group relationships in a company, a government agency, a hospital, or any o t h e r kind of undertaking. S o m e t i m e s the term is used as C h e s t e r Barnard employed it, meaning the cooperation of two or more persons, and formal organization as an organization with conscious, deliberate, joint pur-pose [ 1 9 3 8 , p. 6 5 ] . Chris Argyris has even used the t e r m organization to include all the partici-pants in a group undertaking [1957, p. 2 3 9 ] . It is not difficult to see that a practicing man-ager would not likely recognize that organiza- 1. The Management Theory Jungle Revisited 7 tions cover such a broad area of group behavior patterns. At the same time, m a n y of the problems of managers do arise from group behavior patt-erns, attitudes, desires, and prejudices, some of which c o m e from the groups within an enter-prise, but m a n y c o m e from the cultural environ-m e n t of people outside of a given company, department, or agency. W h a t is perhaps most disturbing about this school of thought is the tendency of its m e m b e r s to draw an artificial and inaccurate line b e t w e e n organization behavior and managing. G r o u p behavior is an important aspect of m a n a g e m e n t . B u t it is not all there is to management. T H E C O O P E R A T I V E S O C I A L S Y S T E M A P -P R O A C H . A modification of the interpersonal and group behavior approaches has been the focus of some behavioral scientists on the study of h u m a n relationships as cooperative social sys-tems. T h e idea of h u m a n relationships as social systems was early perceived by the Italian sociol-ogist Vilfredo Pareto. His work apparently af-fected modern adherents to this school through his influence on C h e s t e r Barnard.
eBook - PDFProgress in Behavior Modification
Volume 12
- Michel Hersen, Richard M. Eisler, Peter M. Miller, Michel Hersen, Richard M. Eisler, Peter M. Miller(Authors)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- Academic Press(Publisher)
The unit of analysis is both the individual and the group. Likewise, the focus is on virtually any kind of behavior that has an impact on the effectiveness of the organization in achieving its goals (e.g., task completion, absenteeism, safety, customer service, delivery of clinical services, etc.). 4. Purpose. The purpose of OBM is both the experimental analysis and the control of organizationally relevant behavior. There is a need to develop an empirically sound understanding of the variables that influence behavior in organizations. Without such an understanding, interventions must be based on past expérience or speculation. There is also a strong emphasis on the application of this understanding to the achievement of organizational goals. How can behavior be managed in such a way as to improve the effectiveness or productivity of the organization while main-taining a rewarding work environment? Put another way, OBM is very much oriented toward improving performance rather than simply describ-ing, classifying, or labeling it. II. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT Organizational behavior management arises from two converging fields of inquiry. One of these has been the work on behavior modification. Much of the early work of behavior modification was conducted in institu-tional settings with clinical populations. As pilot programs were developed and evaluated, it became clear to many that the people actually running the programs were controlled by contingencies in the same manner that the program participants were. Hence, there was a need to systematically investigate the management of staff behavior as well as that of the clients. As we shall see in the review of the literature, such investigations form a major part of the literature of OBM. At about the same time, other individuals working in behavior modification began to explore its applicability to individuals working in businesses and industries.
eBook - PDF- James L. Bowditch, Anthony F. Buono, Marcus M. Stewart(Authors)
- 2015(Publication Date)
- Wiley(Publisher)
C H A P T E R O N E Management and Organizational Behavior M anagement education and development have traditionally emphasized what might be termed the content of managerial work. Indeed, much of management edu- cation today continues to focus on upgrading the technical competence of managers and managers-to-be in such areas as accounting, finance, marketing, operations, and information technology–related services. This focus on content has been referred to as the what of a manager’s job, encompassing such concerns as: developing appropri- ate procedures for auditing and inventory control; creating new marketing programs; establishing management information systems, just-in-time inventory, and produc- tion systems; enhancing global supply chain efficiencies; and other specific aspects of managerial work. 1 While the technical aspects of management are, of course, quite important for the successful functioning of an organization, understanding the process of management or the how of a manager’s job is also a critical component of management educa- tion. Within this process view of management, attention is often given to the roles, behaviors, and skills that are necessary for effective managerial performance. Some of these behavioral skills are communicating with peers, subordinates, and bosses; obtaining and sharing information; running meetings; allocating resources to differ- ent groups; and handling conflict within or between teams. 2 This understanding of management processes, often referred to as organizational behavior (OB), thus ex- tends managerial education to the study of people, groups, and their interactions in organizations. Recent analyses of our changing business environment reflect the importance of this dimension of management, and corporations are demanding a much broader range of skills and competencies from their business professionals.
eBook - PDF- Mary Uhl-Bien, Ronald F. Piccolo, John R. Schermerhorn, Jr.(Authors)
- 2023(Publication Date)
- Wiley(Publisher)
45 https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/rationalizations. 46 This is based on the NYT article “What Happened the Day After I Was Sexually Harassed at the Pentagon,” Maya Guzdar, https:// www.nytimes.com/2021/09/05/opinion/culture/sexually- harassed-pentagon.html?referringSource=articleShare. 2-1 Boguslaw Mazur/Alamy Stock Photo To understand behavior in organizations, we need to first consider the context in which it occurs. OB isn’t just about people and their person- alities. It’s also about understanding organizations and how they drive behavior within them. For example, strategy is important because it helps bring to life the organization’s mission, vision, and values. This makes working at Starbucks different from working at JP Morgan. Orga- nizational structure determines how people coordinate and interrelate with one another. People who like formality, standard procedures, and stability will much prefer working for an insurance company than a more uncertain and volatile tech startup. In this chapter we help you understand this by starting with the big picture of OB. This will help you know what kind of organization might be the best fit for you and the things you should pay attention to as you begin your exploration of OB. By the time you finish this chapter you should be more aware of critical factors that will help you drive success in organizations, including aligning your behavior with strategy, know- ing how to operate within the structure, and acting in line with cultural norms and values. LEARNING OBJECTIVES At the end of this chapter, students will be able to: • Describe what strategy is and how it works. • Explain how organizations are structured to fit with the environment. • Outline how organizational culture affects people and performance.
eBook - ePub- David Langford, R.F. Fellows, M. R. Hancock, A.W. Gale(Authors)
- 2014(Publication Date)
- Routledge(Publisher)
Chapter 4Organizational behaviour
Modern society abounds with organizations. Whether it is as the most junior member of a youth club or the chairman of a multinational corporation we all belong to an organization of some kind during our lives. It might seem easy in that case to define what we mean by the word, but this does not appear to be the case. Wherever we look in the management literature we find differing definitions of the organization.The organization
Consider the following few examples:• Organizations are grand strategies individuals create to achieve objectives that require the effort of many (Argyris, 1965).• By organization, we mean social units devoted to the attainment of specific goals. In this sense, organization stands for ‘complex bureaucratic organization’ (Etzioni, 1964).• An organization is a social device for efficiently accomplishing through group means some stated purposes; it is the equivalent of the blueprint for the design of the machine which is to be created for some practical objective (Katz and Kahn, 1966).• The process of co-ordinating different activities to carry out planned transactions with the environment (Lawrence and Lorsch, 1967).The distinguishing features between organizations like the youth club and a major corporation are the purpose of the organization and the need to be formally structured and organized. This need is likely to arise from the complexity of task and size of organization. We might, then, usefully separate business or formal organizations from social or (relatively) informal organizations.Organizational planning
For an organization to be efficient, effective and robust, it must be able to cope with risk and uncertainty. Rarely can this state of health be achieved by chance so plans must be made. Aims and objectives must be agreed upon and goals and targets established.
eBook - PDF- James C. Naylor, Robert D. Pritchard, Daniel R. Ilgen(Authors)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- Academic Press(Publisher)
In fact, we are not sure what such a term means, except that the primary unit of interest, or focus, is not the individual but is instead some macro entity. In fact, we are some-what uncomfortable with the notion that we have a theory of organiza-tional behavior—a term that Karl Weick once referred to as being utter nonsense. A second point worth remembering is that whereas the theory was developed with the intent of creating a theory of individual behavior in organizations, it soon became clear that such a theory inevitably becomes a general theory of behavior. That is, work behavior is not idiosyncratic; it does not require a theory that would apply only to that specific context or environment. I f a theory is capable of dealing with individual behavior in an organization, it should be as capable of dealing with individual behav-ior outside the organization. What is unique about the environment in any type of organization that would call for a special theory of behavior peculiar only to that setting? Therefore, the theory presented here is proposed as a general theory of behavior applicable to the behavior of an individual in any context, within or outside the work environment, al-though admittedly our contextual emphasis will be that of the work setting. T h e theory presented in the following pages is a cognitive theory of behavior. It assumes that man is rational (or at least nonrandom) for the most part, and that as a systematic or nonrandom generator of behavior, man's actions are explained best in terms of conscious, thinking acts on the part of the individual. Furthermore, the theory is founded upon the concept that the basic conscious action of the individual is the action of 1. A Viewpoint Concerning Organizational Behavior 3 choice, or the process of choosing among alternatives.
Index pages curate the most relevant extracts from our library of academic textbooks. They’ve been created using an in-house natural language model (NLM), each adding context and meaning to key research topics.
