Organizational Behavior Flashcards

Flashcards based on Organizational Behavior lecture notes.

Organizational Behaviour (OB)

A field of study that investigates the impact of individuals, groups, and structure on behavior within organizations to improve organizational effectiveness.

OB as a Science

An applied behavioral science that draws from psychology, social psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, political science, and medical science.

Organization

A consciously coordinated social unit composed of a group of people that functions on a continuous basis to achieve a common goal.

Clan Culture

Members are seen as a family, valuing cohesion and participation

Adhocracy Culture

Risk takers, dynamic, and entrepreneurial.

Market Culture

Based on developing tangible results with Customer Driven.

Hierarchy Culture

Values structure control, stability, and timeliness

Job crafting

Lets people design their own jobs and escape the virtual space.

Perception

The process by which individuals interpret and make sense of their environment.

Unconscious bias

Interviewers making up their mind about candidates within two minutes of first meeting them.

Heuristics

Judgmental shortcuts in decision making.

Attribution theory

The theory that when we observe atypical behavior we look to see if it is internally or externally caused.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The tendency to underestimate the influence of external factors and overestimate the impact of internal factors when making judgments about the behaviour of others.

Self-serving bias

The tendency for individuals to attribute their successes to internal factors while putting the blame for failure on external factors.

Selective Perception

People's selective interpretation of what they see based on interest, background, experience, and attitudes.

Attitude

Evaluative statements, favorable or unfavorable, concerning objects, people, or events.

Personality

The sum of total ways an individual reacts and interacts with others.

Machiavellianism

The degree an individual is pragmatic, maintains emotional distance, and believes that ends can justify means.

Narcissism

A tendency to be arrogant, have a grandiose sense of importance, require excessive admiration, and have a sense of entitlement.

Psychopathy

A tendency for a lack of concern for others and lack of guilt or remorse.

Surface-level diversity

Age and Generational Differences, Race and Ethnicity, Gender and Sexuality, Physical and Mental Ability

Deep Level Diversity

Personality Traits, Values, Attitudes, Beliefs

Values

Beliefs that motivate people to act or behave in a particular manner

Ethic

Moral compass.

Terminal Values

Goals that individuals would like to achieve during their lifetime

Instrumental Goals

Preferable ways of behaving

Ethics

The study of moral principles that guide our behaviour and inform us whether actions are right or wrong

Organizational commitment

An employee identifies with a particular org and wishes to remain a member.

Affective commitment

Emotional attachment to an organization and a belief in its values.

Normative Commitment

An obligation an individual feels to stay with an organization for moral or ethical reasons

Continuance commitment

An individual's perceived economic value of remaining with an organization

Percieved Organizational Support

People perceive their organization as supportive when they feel heard, rewarded, and supported

Motivation

Process that accounts for an individual's intensity, direction and persistence toward reaching a goal

Direction

The decision to initiate a behaviour

Persistence

Is the continued effort toward a goal even though obstacles may exist

Intensity

Concentration and vigor that goes into pursuing a goal.

Discipline

A consistent commitment regardless of feelings or circumstances.

Hygiene factors

Extrinsic motivators which tend to represent more tangible basic needs (salary, security, benefits etc )

Maslow's hierarchy needs of needs

Argued that humans always want more and that desires are based on what they already have. - Abraham Maslow

Herzberg's two factor theory

Job satisfaction is determined by intrinsic factors such as growth, recognition, and responsibility and that extrinsic factors are sources of dissatisfaction such as pay and quality of supervision - Frederick Herzberg

McClelland's achievement motivation theory

Individual behaviour is influenced through need for achievement power and affiliation - David McClelland

Expectancy Theory

That motivation is determined by a rational calculation of the desired outcome based upon their actions - Victor Vroom, Porter, and Lawler

Equity Theory

That employees perceive inequality in the way they are treated relative to others and they will seek to eliminate inequality - Stacy Adams

Goal Setting Theory

If managers set specific challenging goals employees will be more motivated - Edwin Locke

Reinforcement theory

Behavioral approach where an employee can be manipulated or controlled by consequences of the behavior - B.F. Skinner

Theory X

NEGATIVE, suggests that employees dislike work and will attempt to avoid it, This must be coerced, controlled or threatened with punishment to achieve goals. Motivated extrinsically - Douglas McGregor

Theory Y

POSITIVE: suggests employees like work and are creative and seek responsibility. Will exercise self direction and self control if they are committed to the objectives. Suggest people are motivated intrinsically - Douglas McGregor

 6 dimensions of culture

• Hofstede

• Power Distance Index (inequality) 

• Individualism vs collectivism (how dependent we are on extended family) 

• Masculinity vs femininity (how a man or woman should behave)

• Uncertainty Avoidance Index (how afraid are we of unknown ideas or people )

• Long Term vs Short Term Normative Orientation (do we focus on future present or past) 

• Indulgence vs restraint (fun vs serious)