Organizational Behavior – Weeks 9-13 Review

Vocabulary flashcards covering leadership, trust, power, politics, conflict, negotiation, structure, job design, culture, change, and stress from Weeks 9-13 lecture notes.

Leader

Individual who inspires people, sets a vision, and guides change.

Manager

Person who plans, organizes, and controls day-to-day operations.

Trait Theory (Leadership)

View that certain inborn characteristics (e.g., personality, intelligence) predispose people to lead, though traits alone do not ensure success.

Behavioral Theory (Leadership)

Approach that studies what leaders do—especially task-focused and people-focused behaviors—to understand effectiveness.

Contingency Theory

Idea that no single leadership style works in all circumstances; effectiveness depends on fitting style to situation.

Situational Leadership

Model that leaders must adapt behavior to followers’ readiness and the task at hand.

Charismatic Leadership

Style where leaders inspire through personal sacrifice, vision, and emotional appeal.

Transformational Leadership

Leadership that elevates followers by articulating a vision and fostering personal growth.

Emotional Intelligence

Ability to recognize, understand, and manage one’s own and others’ emotions; critical for leading teams.

Trust

Belief that another party will act honestly, fairly, and reliably.

Deterrence-Based Trust

Reliance on others that stems from fear of punishment for breaking faith.

Knowledge-Based Trust

Confidence grounded in predictable behavior learned over time.

Identification-Based Trust

Deep trust arising from shared values and mutual understanding.

Power

Capacity to influence others to do what you want.

Coercive Power

Formal power derived from the ability to punish.

Reward Power

Formal power based on granting benefits or rewards.

Legitimate Power

Authority that comes from a formal position or title.

Information Power

Influence obtained by controlling needed data or facts.

Expert Power

Personal power rooted in specialized knowledge or skills.

Referent Power

Personal power arising from admiration or desire to identify with someone.

Charismatic Power

Influence based on personal magnetism and emotional appeal.

Dependency (Power)

Condition where power grows as others rely on your resources, information, or skills.

Rational Persuasion

Power tactic that uses logical arguments and facts to influence.

Inspirational Appeals

Tactic that arouses enthusiasm by linking a request to values or ideals.

Political Behavior

Activities aimed at influencing decisions for personal or group gain.

Legitimate Politics

Normal, accepted political actions such as networking or lobbying.

Illegitimate Politics

Unethical political tactics like sabotage, lying, or manipulation.

Impression Management (IM)

Deliberate actions to shape how others perceive you (e.g., self-promotion, flattery).

Conflict

Process that begins when one party perceives its interests are opposed by another.

Task Conflict

Disagreement about the content or goals of work.

Relationship Conflict

Interpersonal incompatibility that produces tension and animosity.

Process Conflict

Dispute over how work should be accomplished.

Traditional View of Conflict

Perspective that conflict is inherently negative and should be avoided.

Human Relations View

Belief that conflict is natural and inevitable in groups.

Interactionist View

Concept that a limited amount of conflict can improve group performance.

Conflict Process

Five-stage model: potential opposition, cognition & personalization, intentions, behavior, outcomes.

Negotiation

Process of two or more parties exchanging goods/services and agreeing on a mutual decision.

Distributive Bargaining

Win-lose negotiation over a fixed amount of resources.

Integrative Bargaining

Win-win negotiation seeking mutually beneficial solutions.

BATNA

Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement; fallback option if talks fail.

Mediator

Neutral third party who facilitates communication to help reach agreement.

Arbitrator

Third party with authority to impose a binding decision in a dispute.

Organizational Structure

Formal arrangement of jobs and authority that dictates how activities are divided, grouped, and coordinated.

Work Specialization

Degree to which tasks in an organization are subdivided into separate jobs.

Departmentalization

Basis on which jobs are grouped together (e.g., function, product, geography).

Chain of Command

Unbroken line of authority from top to bottom of the organization.

Span of Control

Number of subordinates a manager can effectively oversee.

Centralization

Extent to which decision making is concentrated at upper levels.

Decentralization

Dispersion of decision authority to lower levels in the hierarchy.

Formalization

Degree to which rules, procedures, and job descriptions are written and enforced.

Simple Structure

Flat organization with few rules and one central authority.

Bureaucracy

Highly formalized structure with rigid rules and a clear hierarchy.

Matrix Structure

Design that combines functional and product reporting lines, creating dual authority.

Virtual Organization

Small core firm that outsources most major functions to external partners.

Boundaryless Organization

Flexible, team-based design with little hierarchy and open information flow.

Mechanistic Structure

Rigid, highly formal structure with narrow spans of control.

Organic Structure

Flat, flexible structure with wide spans of control and adaptability.

Job Design

Process of specifying the content and methods of jobs to improve efficiency and satisfaction.

Job Specialization

Assigning a single, narrow task to each worker for efficiency.

Job Enlargement

Horizontal expansion—adding more tasks at the same level of responsibility.

Job Enrichment

Vertical expansion—adding autonomy, responsibility, and control to a job.

Job Rotation

Periodic shifting of workers among different tasks to reduce boredom.

Empowerment

Granting employees authority and autonomy to make decisions.

Hawthorne Studies

Research showing that social attention and concern for workers improve performance.

Work Stress

Adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or demands.

Organizational Culture

Shared system of values, beliefs, and meanings that shapes employee behavior.

Dominant Culture

Core values shared by the majority of members in an organization.

Subculture

Distinct set of values or behaviors within a small group or department.

Strong Culture

Culture where core values are intensely held and widely shared.

Socialization Process

Stages (Prearrival → Encounter → Metamorphosis) through which newcomers learn the culture.

Founder’s Effect

Impact of founders’ values and hiring on shaping organizational culture.

Workplace Spirituality

Organizational value system emphasizing meaning, community, and inner life at work.

Change Agent

Person who acts as a catalyst and manages the change process.

Lewin’s Three-Step Model

Change framework: Unfreeze → Change → Refreeze.

Kotter’s 8-Step Model

Comprehensive plan for leading change from creating urgency to anchoring new ways.

Action Research

Change method that collects data to diagnose problems and select interventions.

Organizational Development (OD)

Planned efforts using behavioral science to improve organizational health and effectiveness.

Learning Organization

Company that continually acquires, shares, and applies knowledge for adaptation.

Challenge Stress

Stressors that can enhance motivation and performance when managed well.

Hindrance Stress

Stressors that obstruct performance and personal growth.