Chapter 1 – What Is Organizational Behavior?

Twenty question-and-answer flashcards covering the chapter’s key definitions, models, scientific foundations, and practical implications.

What is the formal definition of Organizational Behavior (OB)?

A field of study devoted to understanding, explaining, and ultimately improving the attitudes and behaviors of individuals and groups in organizations.

Name the two individual-level outcomes highlighted in the Integrative Model of OB.

Job Performance and Organizational Commitment.

According to the Integrative Model, which three broad categories feed into Individual Mechanisms?

Organizational Mechanisms, Group Mechanisms, and Individual Characteristics.

Give two examples of Organizational Mechanisms in the Integrative Model.

Organizational Culture and Organizational Structure.

Give two examples of Group Mechanisms in the Integrative Model.

Leadership (Styles & Behaviors; Power & Negotiation) and Teams (Processes & Communication; Characteristics & Diversity).

Why does OB matter from a profitability standpoint?

Firms that manage OB concepts effectively gain valuable, rare and inimitable human resources, leading to superior financial performance.

In the resource-based view, what three qualities make a resource inimitable?

History, Numerous Small Decisions, and Socially Complex Resources.

What does the Rule of One-Eighth state?

Only about 12.5% of organizations will believe in the people–profit link, implement comprehensive OB practices, and persist long enough to see economic benefits.

List the four ‘Methods of Knowing’ discussed in the chapter.

Experience, Intuition, Authority, and Science.

What are the four key steps of the Scientific Method as outlined in the lecture?

Theory ➜ Hypotheses ➜ Data ➜ Verification.

Define ‘theory’ in the context of OB research.

A collection of assertions—verbal and symbolic—that specify how and why variables are related and the conditions under which they are related or not related.

What statistical tool is most commonly used in OB to test hypotheses about variable relationships?

The correlation coefficient (r).

Interpret an r value of 1.00, .50, and .00.

1.00 = perfect positive relationship; .50 = moderate positive relationship; .00 = no relationship.

State the three requirements for proving causation.

Correlation, Temporal Precedence, and Elimination of Alternative Explanations.

What is meta-analysis and why is it important in OB?

A technique that averages correlations from multiple studies, forming the basis for evidence-based management.

Which survey item in Table 1-2 links to Chapters 2 and 9–10 by assessing pre-hire testing?

"What proportion of the workforce is administered an employment test prior to hiring?"

What practice is measured by asking, “What proportion of the workforce has access to company incentive, profit-sharing, or gain-sharing plans?”

Compensation practices that relate to motivation (covered in Chapter 6).

Why are companies like Hilton, Salesforce, and Cisco cited in the ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ list?

They exemplify organizations that effectively apply OB principles to create high employee satisfaction and strong firm performance.

How can OB knowledge help explain differences between your best and worst coworkers?

By using OB theories and evidence, we can understand how individual mechanisms (e.g., motivation, stress), characteristics (e.g., personality), and contextual mechanisms (e.g., leadership style) drive divergent attitudes and behaviors.

What chapter structure will each subsequent OB chapter follow, according to the summary slide?

A theory diagram, meta-analytic results linking the topic to performance and commitment, and practical applications for organizations.