Organizational Behaviour

Organizational Behaviour Study Hall

Presented to you by your CLs!

What is Organizational Behavior (OB)?

  • Definition: A field of study that investigates the impact of individuals, groups, and structure on behavior within organizations, and applies such knowledge to improve overall effectiveness.
      - Inputs:
        - Individual Level: Factors such as diversity, personality, and values.
        - Group Level: Elements like group structure, roles, and responsibilities.
        - Organizational Level: Aspects including structure and culture.
      - Processes:
        - Individual Level: Emotions & moods, motivation.
        - Group Level: Communication & leadership.
        - Organizational Level: Human resource management, change practices.
      - Outcomes:
        - Individual Level: Attitudes & stress, job performance.
        - Group Level: Team performance.
        - Organizational Level: Productivity & survival.

Psychological Contract

  • Definition: An individual's beliefs, shaped by the organization regarding the terms and conditions of a reciprocal exchange agreement between individuals and their organizations.

  • Elements:
      - Explicit elements (e.g., written agreements).
      - Implicit elements (e.g., unwritten expectations).
        - Metaphor: Think of an iceberg - what is visible above water vs. what lies beneath.

  • Examples of explicit/implicit parts: Consider job descriptions (explicit) vs. assumed norms (implicit).

Contract Violation Responses

  • When an employee feels that elements of their psychological contract are violated, they may respond in four ways:
      - Exit: Leaving the organization entirely.
      - Silence: Keeping concerns to themselves, not raising awareness of ongoing issues.
      - Neglect: Putting in less overall effort into their role.
      - Voice: Addressing concerns head-on with those who can bring about change (e.g., upper management).

Perception, Attribution, & Diversity

What is Perception?

  • Definition: The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information to give meaning to our environment.

  • Influencing Factors: Can be distorted through:
      - Stereotyping
      - Halo/Horns Effect: Positive or negative impression based on one trait.
      - Contrast Effect: Comparison with others influencing perception.
      - Confirmation Bias: Recognizing information that supports existing beliefs and ignoring contrary evidence.

What is Attribution?

  • Definition: How we explain others' behavior. Can be:
      - Internal: Caused by the person.
      - External: Caused by the situation.

  • Fundamental Attribution Error: Over-attributing others' actions to internal causes while underestimating external factors.

Kelley's Covariation Theory

  • Purpose: Allows determination of internal and external attributions based on three characteristics:
      1. Consistency: Does the person always do this?
      2. Consensus: Do others also do this?
      3. Distinctiveness: Does the person do this in other situations?

  • Attribution Analysis:
      - Internal Attribution: High consistency, low consensus, low distinctiveness.
      - External Attribution: Low consistency, high consensus, high distinctiveness.

Test Your OB Knowledge

  • Scenario: Jack arrives late to work and is reprimanded by his boss.
      - Context: Previously known for timeliness; others are generally late.
      - Attribution Analysis: Use Kelley's covariation model to evaluate internal vs. external causes for Jack's late arrival.

Textbook Insights

Hofstede's Framework

  • Dimensions include:
      - Power Distance: Equality vs. inequality in power relations.
      - Individualism vs. Collectivism: Focus on individual success vs. group cohesion.
      - Masculinity vs. Femininity: Distribution of emotional roles between genders.
      - Uncertainty Avoidance: Tolerance for ambiguity.
      - Short vs. Long Term Orientation: Planning for the future vs. immediate results.

  • Functional Diversity: Differences in skills, abilities, and experiences relevant to team dynamics.

Job Attitudes, Emotions, & Moods

What are Attitudes?

  • Definition: Evaluative statements or judgments about objects, people, or events.
      - Types:
        - Affective: Feelings/emotions.
        - Behavioral: Actions/intent.
        - Cognitive: Opinions/beliefs.

  • Job Satisfaction: The extent to which individuals feel positively or negatively about their jobs.

  • Organizational Commitment: The psychological attachment to the organization.
      - Types of Commitment:
        - Continuance: "I have to be here" (lack of alternatives).
        - Normative: "I'm obligated to be here" (value alignment).
        - Affective: "I want to be here" (emotional identification).

Emotions vs. Moods

  • Emotions:
      - Intense, discrete, short-lived, often caused by specific events.
      - Examples: Anger, enthusiasm, sadness.
      - Can be categorized as positive or negative affect.

  • Moods:
      - Longer-lasting, less intense; without a specific contextual stimulus.
      - Example: "I'm just in a good mood today, I guess."

Impact on Organizations

  • Emotions and moods can impact:
      - Decision-making
      - Leadership styles
      - Negotiation processes

Controlling Emotions

  • Emotional Intelligence (EI): The ability to:
      - Perceive emotions in oneself and others.
      - Understand the meaning of those emotions.
      - Regulate one’s emotions accordingly.

  • Emotion Regulation: Process of identifying and modifying felt emotions; strongly tied to job performance and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs).

Consequences of Employee Attitudes

Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (OCBs)

  • Definition: Discretionary behavior that is not part of formal job requirements, positively related to job satisfaction and commitment.
      - Examples include helping others, civic virtue, courtesy.

Counterproductive Workplace Behavior (CWB)

  • Definition: Opposite of OCBs, can cause harm to the organization and its members.
      - Ranges from minor offenses to major infractions:
        - Production Deviance: Wasting resources.
        - Property Deviance: Sabotage, theft.
        - Organizational Political Deviance: Gossiping.
        - Personal Aggression: Harassment, interpersonal aggression.

Individual & Organizational Motivation

McLelland's Theory of Needs

  • N-Power: Influence and leadership.
      - Socialized Power: Leadership that benefits others.
      - Personalized Power: Seeking control for self-interest.

  • N-Achievement: Accomplishing goals and striving for improvement.

  • N-Affiliation: Seeking friendly, close relationships.

Job Characteristics Model (JCM)

  • Key components influencing job motivation:
      - Skill Variety
      - Task Identity
      - Task Significance
      - Autonomy
      - Feedback

Decoding Behaviour & Personality

The BIG 5 Personality Traits (CANOE)

  • Conscientiousness: Organization and dependability.

  • Agreeableness: Cooperative and compassionate nature.

  • Neuroticism: Emotional instability vs. stability.

  • Openness: Willingness to try new things.

  • Extraversion: Sociability and assertiveness.

Trait Activation Theory

  • Personality influences behavior when a situation calls for a particular personality characteristic.

Situation-Strength Theory

  • The strength of a situation influences behavior:
      - Weak Situation: Less behavioral cues, more personality influence.
      - Strong Situation: More behavioral cues, less personality influence.

Personality Tests and Employment

  • Caution: Personality tests like Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) should not be used to hire employees due to lack of scientific validity.
      - Implications for hiring: Must rely on evidence-based management practices.

Ethics

Values and Ethics

  • Terminal Values: Desirable end states of existence or goals a person wants to achieve.
      - Types:
        1. Personal Values.
        2. Social Values.

  • Instrumental Values: Means to achieve terminal values.
      - Types:
        1. Moral Values.
        2. Competence Values.

  • Ethical Values: Related to beliefs concerning what is right and proper.

  • Unethical Values: Beliefs rooted in immoral behavior.

  • Nonethical Values: Personal likes or desires without ethical consideration.

Ethical Development Levels (Kohlberg's Moral Reasoning Framework)

  • Level 1: Self-Centered
      - Stage 1: Obedience and Punishment (behaving to avoid negative consequences).
      - Stage 2: Instrumental (self-interest).

  • Level 2: Instrumental
      - Stage 3: Conformity (social approval).
      - Stage 4: Law and Order (doing one's duty).

  • Level 3: Principled
      - Stage 5: Social Contract/Individual Rights (compromise for harmony).
      - Stage 6: Universal Ethical Principles (acting based on conscience).

Power & Influence

Influence Styles

  • Pushing Energy: Assertive persuasion, reward and punishment.

  • Pulling Energy: Trust and participation, common vision.

Influence Tactics

  1. Rational Persuasion: Logical arguments.

  2. Inspirational Appeals: Appeals to aspirations.

  3. Consultation: Asking for support or assistance.

  4. Ingratiation: Praise and flattery.

  5. Personal Appeals: Loyalty and friendship.

  6. Exchange: Offers of favors.

  7. Coalition Tactics: Seeking alliances.

  8. Legitimating Tactics: Use of authority.

  9. Pressure and Threats: Ultimatums.

Strategic Decision Making

Models of Decision Making

  • Rational Decision-Making: All information is known, unlimited resources; often unrealistic in real-world situations.

  • Bounded Rationality: Limited information and resources; decisions made based on available information.

  • Intuitive Decision-Making: Quick decisions based on gut feelings derived from past experiences.

Organizational Culture & Change

Schein's Levels of Culture

  • Artifacts: Visible structures and processes.

  • Espoused Values: Strategies, goals, and philosophies.

  • Basic Underlying Assumptions: Taken-for-granted beliefs and feelings.

Socialization Process

  • Prearrival Stage: Learning before joining an organization.

  • Encounter Stage: Understanding the organization, where expectations may diverge.

  • Metamorphosis Stage: Adjusting to the job and organization.

Group Dynamics & Work Teams

Task Behavior

  • Related to completing tasks:
      - Initiating discussions.
      - Testing consensus.
      - Seeking and giving information.
      - Reality testing.
      - Clarifying and elaborating ideas.
      - Orienting towards goals.
      - Summarizing discussions.

Maintenance Behavior

  • Related to maintaining relationships:
      - Gatekeeping.
      - Setting standards of behavior.
      - Encouraging group members.
      - Using humor to reduce tension.
      - Harmonizing and compromising.

Group Member Roles

  1. Tough Battler: Controls through confrontation.

  2. Friendly Helper: Utilizes kindness to alleviate tension.

  3. Logical Thinker: Relies on facts and logic to inform others.

Conflict & Negotiation

Conflict Handling Modes

  • Competition: Win at others' expense (win-lose).

  • Compromise: Give and take (50-50).

  • Avoidance: Neither party gets what they want (lose-lose).

  • Accommodation: Satisfying the concerns of others (lose-win).

  • Collaboration: Creative problem-solving that satisfies both parties (win-win).

Bargaining Approaches

  • Principled Negotiations: Integrative, win-win.
      - Key Tenets:
        1. Separate people from the problem.
        2. Focus on interests, not positions.
        3. Invent options for mutual gain.
        4. Insist on objective criteria.

  • Distributive Negotiations: Win-lose, divided fixed resources.

Negotiation Components

  • Seller's worst case and alternatives (BATNA).

  • Buyer's desired case and alternatives (BATNA).

  • Reservation points for both parties in bargaining zones.

Good Luck!

  • Questions Encouraged: Engage in discussions for clarification and understanding.