Introduction to Organizational Behaviour
UNIT I: INTRODUCTION TO ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR
PSY 2061: Psychology at Work
PAGE 1: Introduction to Organizational Behaviour
PAGE 2: What Are Organizational Settings?
Definition: Organizational settings are contexts consisting of a group of people with formally assigned roles.
Examples: Various examples encompass workplaces, non-profit settings, teams, and clubs.
PAGE 3: Study of Human Behaviour in Organizational Settings
Focus: The study examines how individuals and groups interact with each other within these organizational frameworks.
Definition of Organizational Behaviour (OB)
Organizational Behaviour (OB): Refers to the study of human behaviour in organizational settings and the application of that knowledge to improve an organization’s effectiveness.
PAGE 4: Primary Outcomes of Organizational Behaviour (OB)
1. Job Performance
Definition: Job performance includes employee behaviours that contribute to the accomplishment of organizational goals.
Components: This encompasses the completion of work-related duties, responsibilities, and the overall contribution to the organization's success.
2. Organizational Commitment
Definition: Organizational commitment is defined as an employee’s desire to remain a member of an organization.
PAGE 5: Factors Affecting Primary Outcomes
Individual Factors: These include personality, ability, and motivation of the employees.
Relational Factors: This encompasses communication, teamwork, and leadership dynamics.
Organizational Factors: These refer to the structure and culture of the organization itself.
PAGE 6: Benefits of Organizational Behaviour (OB)
Increased Employee Retention: Good OB practices lead to greater retention rates of employees.
Resource Efficiency: Less resources are expended on recruitment, selection, and training due to higher retention.
Reduced Costs: As a consequence of better retention and efficiency, organizational costs decrease.
Employee Dedication: Employees become more dedicated to their roles and the organization as a whole.
Crisis Management: Organizations with low turnover and high commitment can navigate crises more effectively.
Higher Survival Rates: Increased organization survival is a result of committed employees.
Enhanced Performance: This leads to better employee performance and productivity, ultimately yielding better products and increased profits.
PAGE 7: Research Methods in Organizational Behaviour
PAGE 8: Organizational Behaviour as An Evidence-Based Field
Characteristics: Concepts and practices within OB are based on scientific study rather than anecdotal evidence.
Foundation: This evidence comes from the collection and analysis of data, as well as the testing of theories.
Outcome: Consequently, all recommendations in this field are rooted in evidence-based research.
PAGE 9: Research Methods: Primary Research
Objective: Primary research aims to generate new information concerning a specific research question.
Process:
Involves collecting data
Analyzing data
Drawing conclusions based on findings.
Types of Primary Research Methods: True experiments, quasi-experiments, and surveys are all included.
PAGE 10: Research Methods: Primary Research Variables
Definition: Variables are characteristics or features researchers intend to study.
Distinction: For many studies, a distinction is made between:
Independent Variable (IV): The grouping variable.
Dependent Variable (DV): The response variable that is measured.
PAGE 11: True Experiments
Research Questions
Primary Question: Does the independent variable (IV) have an effect on the dependent variable (DV)?
Characteristics
Conducted in controlled settings.
Participants are randomly assigned to groups.
Each participant is measured on the same outcome variable.
True Experiments: Example
Scenario: Does access to social media affect productivity?
Group 1: Unlimited access to social media.
Group 2: No access to social media.
Task: Each group is instructed to write a report, which is then assessed by the researcher as an indicator of productivity.
PAGE 12: True Experiments Results
Conclusion Capability: True experiments allow for causal conclusions regarding the impact of the IV on the DV.
PAGE 13: Quasi-Experiments
Research Questions
Primary Question: Does the independent variable have an effect on the dependent variable?
Characteristics
Conducted in field or natural settings.
Participants are randomly selected from existing groups.
All participants are measured on the same outcome variable.
Quasi-Experiments: Example
Scenario: Assessing the same relationship between access to social media and productivity.
Organization 1: Policy allowing unlimited access.
Organization 2: Policy indicating no access.
Task: Instructed to write a report, with productivity assessed as per previous methods.
PAGE 14: Quasi-Experiments Results
Benefit: Quasi-experimental results are more applicable to real-world scenarios, making findings more generalizable.
PAGE 15: Survey Research
Research Questions
Primary Question: Are two variables related?
Characteristics
Conducted in either controlled or natural settings.
Surveys/questionnaires are administered to measure each variable among participants.
Analytical processes are carried out to determine the existence of a relationship between scores on the surveys.
Survey Research: Example
Scenario: Examining the relationship between daily social media access and productivity.
Survey 1: Assesses daily social media access.
Survey 2: Assesses daily productivity.
Both surveys administered to a group of participants, with the analysis aimed at understanding the relationship.
PAGE 16: Correlation Findings
Positive Correlation: Greater social media use is related to higher productivity.
Correlational Indicator: A positive correlation coefficient (e.g., $0.50$) indicates this relationship.
PAGE 17: Negative Correlation Findings
Negative Correlation: Greater social media use is related to lower productivity.
Correlational Indicator: A negative correlation coefficient (e.g., $-0.50$) indicates this relationship.
PAGE 18: Correlation Strength
Information Provided: Correlation coefficients offer insights into the strength of the relationship between two variables.
Value Ranges:
-1.0: Perfect negative correlation
0: No correlation
+1.0: Perfect positive correlation
PAGE 19: Caution in Correlational Data Interpretation
Key Takeaway: Avoid making causal conclusions based solely on correlational data:
Variable 1 may cause changes in Variable 2.
Variable 2 may cause changes in Variable 1.
The relationship between Variable 1 and Variable 2 may be spurious or coincidental.
PAGE 20: Research Methods: Secondary Research
Definition: Secondary research examines existing information derived from studies utilizing primary methods.
Goal: Involves compiling existing findings and conclusions to formulate new ideas and gain novel insights.
PAGE 21: Research Methods: Secondary Research - Source Types
1. Popular Sources
Target Audience: Aimed at general audiences.
Authorship: Typically written by journalists.
Review Process: Reviewed by the editor of the publication.
Research: Often involves interviews, general facts, and statistics.
2. Scholarly Sources
Target Audience: Intended for academic audiences.
Authorship: Typically authored by scientists and field experts.
Review Process: Reviewed by 2-3 experts in the field (peer-reviewed).
Research: Utilizes the author's own primary data collection.