ADMN 2220 Chapter 1

Chapter One: Introduction to the Field of Organizational Behaviour

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the field of Organizational Behaviour (OB)

  • Identify the building blocks of OB

  • Recognize the importance of OB in the workplace

What is Organizational Behaviour?

  • Organizations: Groups of people working interdependently towards a common purpose.

    • Defined as collective entities with a shared purpose.

  • Organizational Behaviour (OB) Defined:

    • A field of study investigating the impact of individuals, groups, and structures on behaviour within organizations to improve organizational effectiveness. (Langton et al., 2010)

The OB World

  • Key Organizations in OB:

    • Academy of Management (MAM)

    • Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP)

The Building Blocks of OB

  • Disciplines Contributing to OB:

    • Psychology: Understanding individual behaviour and mental processes.

    • Social Psychology: Examines how group dynamics affect individual behaviour.

    • Sociology: Focuses on groups, social structures and their influence on behavior.

    • Anthropology: Studies cultural differences and their impact on behavior in the workplace.

Why Study OB at Work?

  • Understanding OB is crucial for improving workplace dynamics and employee interactions.

Levels of Analysis in OB

  • Three levels of analysis in OB:

    1. Individual Level: Examines personal behaviour and attitudes.

    2. Team Level: Focuses on group dynamics and interactions.

    3. Organizational Level: Considers the overall organizational structure and culture.

  • Concepts will be analyzed at these levels throughout the course.

Integrative Model of OB

Organizational Inputs and Processes

  • Organizational Elements:

    • Structure, change, culture, human resource practices, technology, strategy.

  • Individual and Team Inputs:

    • Personality, team tasks, self-concept, emotions, communication, motivation.

  • Outcomes:

    • Behaviour/performance, team performance, organizational effectiveness, collaboration, decision-making.

Organizational Behaviour Anchors

  • Systematic Research: Building OB knowledge through research.

  • Practical Orientation: Ensuring OB theories are applicable.

  • Multidisciplinary Approach: Integrating knowledge from various fields.

  • Contingency Approach: Effectiveness of actions can vary based on context.

  • Multiple Levels of Analysis

  • Examining individual, group, and organizational dynamics to gain a comprehensive understanding of behavior in organizations.

Human Capital as Competitive Advantage

  • Definition: Refers to the skills and abilities workers bring to the organization.

  • Importance:

    • Crucial for organizational success and survival.

    • Difficult to replicate and replace by technology.

  • Enhances individual and organizational effectiveness.

Emerging Workplace: Employment Relationships

  • Types of Employment Relationships:

    • Direct Employment: Employees directly working with the employer.

    • Indirect Employment: Outsourced or agency work.

    • Contract Employment: Independent contractors.

  • Consequences:

    • Direct employment leads to higher work quality and satisfaction, while indirect employment may result in lower job satisfaction and weaker social networks.

Emerging Workplace: Remote Work

  • Definition: Job performed away from the physical work site.

  • Connection maintained through information technology.

Remote/Telework Benefits and Problems

Benefits:

  • Improved work-life balance.

  • Higher productivity and lower costs.

  • Positive environmental impact.

Problems:

  • Increased social isolation.

  • Reduced coworker interaction and informal communication.

Increasing Workforce Diversity

  • Definition: Diverse mix of individuals within an organization.

  • Inclusive Workplace: Values diverse identities and encourages full self-expression.

Increasing Workforce Diversity - Consequences

  • Surface-level vs. Deep-level Diversity:

    • More diversity leads to better team creativity but can also slow development.

  • Recognizing community needs and addressing conflicts are crucial.

Emerging Workplace: Work-Life Integration

  • Definition: Balancing work and non-work roles with minimal conflict.

  • Strategies include flexible scheduling and aligning roles with personal values.

Predictors of Individual Behaviour and Performance

  • Performance is influenced by:

    • Person x Situation: Combined impact of ability and motivation.

MARS Model of Individual Behaviour and Results

  • Components of the Model:

    • Situational factors, personality, motivation, values, self-concept, emotions.

  • Illustrates how these elements interact to influence behaviour and results.

Types of Individual Behaviour

  1. Task performance

  2. Organizational citizenship behaviour

  3. Counterproductive behaviours

  4. Joining/staying with the organization

  5. Maintaining attendance

Organizational Effectiveness

  • Defined as the ultimate dependent variable in OB.

  • Comprised of four perspectives:

    1. Open systems

    2. Organizational learning

    3. High-performance work practices (HPWP)

    4. Stakeholder satisfaction

Three Types of Job Performance

  • Proficient - Effective and efficient

  • Proactive - Going above and beyond

  • Adaptive - Adapting to scenarios

Role of Moderating and Mediating Variables in OB

  • Mediating Variables: Explain why/how relationships occur (e.g., self-esteem mediating between grades and happiness).

  • Moderating Variables: Influence the strength/direction of relationships (e.g., managerial experience affecting leadership outcomes).

Critical Thinking Questions

  • Why might employees display presenteeism?

  • What can organizations do to reduce presenteeism and what are the ethical implications of these strategies?