BUSORG 1020 Test #1

organizational behavior

the study of behavior in work organizations

quantitative data

number-based, countable data

qualitative data

interpretation-based, descriptive data

deduction

theory testing

induction

theory building

rational decision making

process where an individual processes information fully and considers all possible outcomes of decisions, chooses highest “pay-off”

bounded rationality

process where an individual chooses the option that satisfies, but is not the option of highest optimization due to limited information

intuitive thinking

going with one’s first instinct and deciding quickly based on one’s cognitive processes

reflective thinking

process of fully considering all possible outcomes, consequences, or other factors that may affect an individual’s decision

satisficing bias

bias where one chooses the option that is acceptable, rather than optimal

framing effects

bias where one chooses an option based on it the option is presented with a positive or negative connotations

loss aversion

when two things are presented the same, individuals prefer a gain to an equivalent loss (example: receive $20 or start with $40 and lose $20)

risk effects

when two things are presented as a loss, individuals prefer to take a risk (example: would you rather lose $20 or have a 50/50 chance of losing $40)

overconfidence bias

bias where an individual trust their plans, actions, and thoughts while underestimating others

salience bias

bias where an individual focuses on items or information that are more important while ignoring information that doesn’t grab one’s attention

confirmation bias

bias where an individual favors information that aligns with their prior/current beliefs

sunk cost fallacy

bias where an individual continues with something they’ve invested money, effort, or time into

motivation

psychological forces that cause people to choose to invest their effort into

positive motivation

motivation focused on gaining a reward that lies in the future where the expectation of reward drives an individual

negative motivation

motivation used to avoid an activity that results in pain/consequence if action is not acted upon

expectancy theory

beliefs that an individual chooses their behaviors based on what they believe leads to the most beneficial outcome

goal-setting theory

setting specific and measurable goals to improve productivity

equity theory

theory of motivation that suggest employees motivation at work is driven by a sense of equity in work place

job design

characteristics of the work or task

expectancy

belief that effort will lead to better performance

instrumentality

belief that performance will lead to a positive reward

valence

belief that the outcome and reward are valuable

intrinsic reward

internal reward that employees achieve from the completion of a task

extrinsic reward

rewards that are only received after the completion of a task

autonomy

internal feeling of having control over one’s actions

mastery

individuals are driven to achieve capability

purpose

individuals are driven to do work that has positive effects on others

maslow’s hierarchy of needs

theory of psychology and personality that concerns people innate growth tendencies and psychological needs (basic → internal needs, extrinsic → intrinsic reward)

self-determination theory

theory of human motivation and personality that concerns internal growth and psychological needs

overjustification effect

occurs when an external incentive decreases a person’s intrinsic motivation to complete a task

inequity

perceived unfairness or a lack of justice, reduction in motivation and effort

SMART

features of effective goal setting that are time specific and result oriented

SMART meaning

Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-Specific

goal

cognitive representation of a target or behavior

equity theory

focuses on perceptions of fairness of outcomes in proportion to the inputs

input

what one puts into their job

output

what comes from the job

o/i ratio

comparison on inputs and outputs

reference point

basic or standard for evaluation, assessment, or comparison

referents

individual that employees compare themselves to

distributive justice

perceived fairness of outcome

procedural outcome

perceived fairness of the process used to determine the outcome

interactional justice

perceived degree to which one is treated with dignity and respect and others are not treated similarly

pay dispersion

differences in pay levels across jobs

scientific management

method to analyze the most efficient process to maximize productivity (adam smith)

job characteristics theory

work design that finds a way to make a job motivating

division of labor

task simplification, clear instructions, breaking down tasks to ensure productivity

skill variety

degree to which a job has a variety of activities in which the employee can use a wide range of skills

task identity

process to which the employee is involved in all tasks of the job from the beginning to the end of the process (full production process)

task significance

degree to which a job affects the lives or work of others

flexibility

degree to which a job provides freedom, independence, and discretion to schedule tasks and carry them out

feedback

degree to which a manager provides responses and assessments to its employees

cross-training

process of being taught multiple responsibilities at one’s job to ensure well-roundedness

job crating

employees actively changing their formal jobs to better suit their values

task crafting

changing the scope of job to make it more interesting, such as completing extra tasks that interest them

rational crafting

employees creating a connection with costumers and employees

cognitive crafting

employees changing how they think about the job

personality

combination of characteristics and qualities that form an individual’s character

personality trait

habitual pattern of cognition, emotion, and behavior

big five

broad category of personality, “OCEAN”

openness

emphasizes imagination and insight the most out of all five personality traits, broad range of interests.

conscientiousness

defined by high levels of thoughtfulness, good impulse control, and goal-directed behaviors

extraversion

characterized by excitability, sociability, talkativeness, assertiveness, and high amounts of emotional expressiveness, outgoing and tend to gain energy in social situations

agreeableness

attributes such as trust, altruism, kindness, affection, and other prosocial behaviors, more cooperative compared to other personality types

neuroticism

characterized by sadness, moodiness, and emotional instability, tend to experience mood swings, anxiety, irritability, and sadness

interview

qualitative research method that relies on asking questions to collect data

focus groups

qualitative methods that bring together a group of people to answer the same questions

survey

method in which participants are selected and data is collected through open-ended questions and ranking

closed-survey questions

form of research method that gives a limited set of answer options, rather than allowing the subject to express themselves

observation

process of observing someone/something to gain information

secondary data

data collected by someone/organization that is not the primary user

active listening

communication skill that involves hearing words that another person is speaking while simultaneously understanding the meaning and emotion behind them

diversity

involving people from a range of different social and ethnic backgrounds and of different genders, sexual orientations, etc.

bias

prejudice in favor or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair

demographics

socially constructed individual characteristics that shape how people are both treated and evaluated

surface-level diversity

visible differences in a demographic such as age and gender

deep-level diversity

differences among personalities, values, and attitudes

implicit association test

measures strength of associations between evaluation or stereotypes

status characteristic theory

theory that explains how beliefs about characteristics get translated into performance expectations

expectation states theory

approach to understanding how people evaluate other people’s competence in small task groups amount to credibility and influence they give them as a result

implicit bias

attitudes or stereotypes that unconsciously affect our actions and thoughts

contact theory

theory in psychology which suggests that prejudice and conflict between groups can be reduced in members of different groups work together

career

sequence of employment positions a person holds over their life

macro-social

societal

occupation

a job one is paid to do

occupational boundaries

social structure that define access to job opportunities within a specific occupation

profession

degree or completed education at a higher-education institution

social network

pattern of past interactions among individuals

tie

pattern of past interactions between two individuals

strong tie

connection with frequent interaction, many third party connections, and increases the depth of one’s professional network

weak tie

connection with few interactions, few third party connections, increases the scope of one’s professional network by increasing opportunities

brokerage

straddling groups in social networks

directionality

direction of resource flow between individual

negotiation/bargaining

process in which 2+ people decide how to allocate scarce resources

best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA)

one’s “walk away point”