OB chapter 8 -Social Influence & Socialization and Culture

Social information processing theory

People use information from others to understand situations and form expectations about proper attitudes and behaviors.

ex. Employees watch coworkers’ responses to a new policy and decide how to feel and act.

Two kinds of dependence are:

Information dependence: Reliance on others for information about how to think, feel, and act.

Effect dependence: Reliance on others due to their capacity to provide rewards and punishment. (ex.changing ur behaviour cuz u know ur manager can punish u )

motives for social conformity (CII)

• Compliance: Following a norm to gain rewards or avoid punishment.

• Identification: Following a norm because you relate to or admire the people who support it.

• Internalization: Following a norm because you genuinely believe in its values and principles.

Socialization

process of learning the attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors needed to function effectively within a group or organization

Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Newcomers seek information to make their work environment more predictable and understandable.

Person-job fit

alignment between an employee’s knowledge, skills, and abilities with the demands of the job.

stages of socialization (AER)

Anticipatory Socialization

• Before joining the organization

• Learning via school, past jobs, media, recruitment

• Can be formal (education) or informal (TV, internships)

Encounter

• Right after joining

• Newcomers face real work environment and adjust

• Includes orientation, meeting coworkers, learning culture, starting to conform

Role Management

• After settling in

• Fine-tune role, build deeper connections

• Balance work/life and internalize company value

Psychological contract

employee’s belief about the mutual promises and obligations between them and their organization.

Psychological contract breach

When an employee feels the organization has broken a promise or failed to meet an expected obligation.

Methods of organizational socialization

Socialization Resources Theory – Provide newcomers resources during onboarding to help adjustment and success.

Realistic Job Previews – Show both pros and cons of the job before hiring.

Employee Orientation Programs – Structured intro to job, coworkers, and organization.

ROPES (Realistic Orientation Program for Entry Stress) – Onboarding program teaching coping with job stress.

Socialization Tactics – Methods organizations use to shape early new hire experiences.

Formal mentoring programs

Organization-led programs where experienced employees are matched with newcomers as mentors.

Developmental networks

Groups of people, both inside and outside the organization, who actively support and advance a protégé’s career.

organizational culture

shared beliefs, values, and assumptions that shape how people behave and work within an organization.

subculture

smaller groups inside a larger culture, formed based on training, occupation, or departmental goal
ex. Hardware vs. software engineers have different values and work styles.

Strong culture

means beliefs, values, and assumptions are intensely shared across almost everyone in the organization, creating a clear, unified sense of what the organization stands for

layers of organization

Observable artifacts: The visible, tangible aspects of culture like dress code, office layout, rituals, and ceremonies.

Espoused values: The stated values and rules of behavior an organization claims to follow (e.g., “innovation,” “teamwork”).

Basic underlying assumptions: Deeply embedded beliefs and unconscious perceptions that truly guide behavior and are often taken for granted.

contribute to strong culture

• Culture reflects founder’s values

• Top management shapes culture

• Founder culture can conflict with new management

• Socialization process is crucial for culture

• Strong cultures use consistent, step-by-step socialization

• Reinforced socialization builds and maintains strong culture