Chapter 1

Organizational behaviour

The study of individual and group dynamics (microorganizational) in an organizational setting and the nature of organizations themselves (macro organizational).

Organization

Social invention (group of people) that accomplishes common goals through group effort.

Management

The functional unit that coordinates the rest of the organization, they get things accomplished through others.

Human resources management

Programs, practices, and systems to acquire, develop, motivate, and retain employees in organizations.

Human capital

the knowledge, skills and abilities embodied in an organization’s employees.

Social capital

The social resources that individuals obtain from participation in a social structure

Resource theory

• Valuing people in an organization can create good people, which are considered rare.

  • The job someone does cannot be copied; small daily activities, socially complex resources (groups of people together creating things that only occur within groups).

Goals of organizational behaviour

• Predicting behaviours of others with a scientific foundation.

• Explaining events in organizations.

• Creating more profit by treating employees better; making them feel more valuable.

• Creating strong management

1/8th rule

1/8th rule- only 50% of CEOs believe that people matter, 50% of those actually make large scale changes, another 50% will actually persist long enough to see an outcome.

Evidence-based management

Making decisions based on the best available scientific evidence.

Meaningful work

Work that is satisfying and fulfilling, contributing to a broader cause.

How organizations manage meaningfulness

• Job design (enhancing skill variety)

• Human resource practices (recruitment selection and training).

• Leadership styles

• Culture and values (community)

Classical viewpoint

Advocates high specialization and coordination in management; each department tending to its own affairs.

Frederick Taylor

Known as the Father of scientific management; promoting efficiency through standardization.

Bureaucracy

An ideal job model according to Max Weber characterized by strict rules and a chain of command.

Human relations movement

Advocated for more people-oriented management styles, believed classical management and beureaucracy was dysfunctional

Hawthorne studies

1920’s and 30’s, research showing psychological and social factors impact productivity; fatigue, rest and lighting.

Specific issues with bureaucracy

• Specialization limiting human growth and achievement as well as overall goals of organization.

• Centralization and reliance on formal authority fails to take advantage of cretive ideas and knowledge of lower-level members.

Contingency approach

Recognizes that management styles should adapt to situational demands.

Mintzberg’s managerial roles

Informational, interpersonal, and decision-making roles of managers.

Informational (3 types)

concerned with the different ways managers receive and transmit information.

• Moniter; scanning internal and external environments to follow performance.

• Disseminator; managers send information on facts to each other.

• Spokesperson; sending messages into organizations external environment.

Interpersonal (3 types)

• expected behavioours to establish and maintain interpersonal relations.

  • Figurehead - managers serving as symbols versus active decision makers.

  • Leadership - managers select, mentor, reward and discipline employees.

  • Liaison - managers maintain horizontal contacts in and out of the organization.

Decision making (4 types)

• Entrepreneur - managers turn problems and opportunities into plans.

• Disturbance handler - managers deal with problems stemming from employee conflicts and address threats.

• Resource allocation - managers decide how to deploy time, money, personal, etc.

• Negotiator - managers conduct major negotiations with the other organizations or individuals.

4 manegerial activities

• Routine communication - formal sending and receiving of information + paperwork.

• Traditional management - planning, decision making and controlling.

• Networking - interacting with people outside of the organization and informal soccializing.

• Human resouce management - motivating, punishing, conflict, staffing + training.

John Kotter Managerial Agendas

Managers can be grouped with 3 categories:

• Agenda setting - informal and unwritten, concerned with people issues.

• Networking - formal and informal network relevent to agendas.

• Agenda implementation - used the networks to implement their agendas

Contemporary management concerns (6)

• diversity,

• employee health and well-being

• talent management

• work engagement

• precarious work/alternative work arrangements

• corporate social responsibility

Positive organizational behaviour (POB)

the study and application for positively oriented human resource strengths and psychological apacities that can be measured, developed and effectively managed for performance improvement in today’s workplace.

Psychological capital (PsyCap)

A positive psychological state characterized by self-efficacy, optimism, hope, and resilience.

Self-efficacy

one’s confidence to take on and put in the necessary effort to succeed at challending tasks.

Corporate social responsibility

Organizations taking responsibility for their impact on stakeholders.

Pros and cons of technology

• PROS

  • Created more efficient work

  • Different work styles, hybrid work and different skills

  • Increase in automation: replacing people with machines especially in the creation stages of products.

  • Outsourcing - organizations sending secondary tasks outwards/offshoring.

• CONS

  • Stress, anxiety, concerns with AI