What is Organizational Behaviour? Chapter 1 What is Organizational Behaviour?

Chapter 1 Outline Defining Organizational Behaviour OB: Making Sense of Behaviour in Organizations How Will Knowing OB Make a Difference? Today’s Challenges in the Canadian Workplace Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 1-2 Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

What Is Organizational Behaviour? Isn’t organizational behaviour common sense? Or just like psychology? How does knowing about organizational behaviour make work and life more understandable? What challenges do managers and employees face in the workplace of the twenty-first century? Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 1-3 Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

Organizational Behaviour . . . a field of study that investigates how individuals, groups and structure affect and are affected by behaviour within organizations, for the purpose of applying such knowledge toward improving an organization’s effectiveness.

Why Do We Study OB? To learn about yourself and others To understand how the many organizations you encounter work. To become familiar with team work To help you think about the people issues faced by managers and entrepreneurs Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition 1-5 Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

What is an Organization? . What is an Organization? A consciously coordinated social unit, composed of two or more people, that functions on a relatively continuous basis to achieve a common goal or set of goals

Roles and Skills in the New Workplace Flexibility Mentor Innovator Facilitator Broker Internal Focus External Focus Monitor Producer Coordinator Director Control

How Companies are Changing “Cool” Companies Believe casual days are progressive Believe titles are obsolete Don't impose on employees' personal time Allow staff to come and go as they please   Offer all employees stock options Let employees make decisions that affect their work Offer assistance with childcare Have minimal bureaucracy (red tape) “Old” Companies Think casual Fridays are pitiful Charge employees for perks and incentives Hold events on employee time Have flex time: but only between 7:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Hide financial results from their employees Encourage employee input -- but rarely act on it Employ rigid hierarchies (chain of command) Stop at “open door” policies

Exhibit 1-1 Challenges Facing the Workplace Organizational Level • Productivity Developing effective employees Global competition Managing in the global village Group Level Working with others Workforce diversity Individual Level Job satisfaction Empowerment Behaving ethically

Today’s Challenges in the Canadian Workplace Challenges at the Organizational Level Productivity Effectiveness Efficiency

Developing Effective Employees Organizational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB) Discretionary behaviour that is not part of an employee’s formal job requirements, but that nevertheless promotes the effective functioning of the organization.

Putting People First committed workforce and positively affects the bottom line. “more control and say in their work.” How do you Put people first?

Global Competition In recent years, Canadian businesses have faced tough international competition, as well as from other companies within our borders. Reduce costs, increase productivity, and improve quality. This material is found in more detail on page 19.

Managing and Working in a Multicultural World Managers and employees must become capable of working with people from different cultures:

Exhibit 1-4 The Layers of OB The Organization Change Organizational culture Decision making The Group Leadership Power and politics Negotiation Conflict Communication The Individual Groups and teams Groups and teams Motivating self and others Emotions Values and attitudes Perception Personality

How Will Knowing OB Make a Difference? For Managers For Individuals

Exhibit 1-3 Toward an OB Discipline Social psychology Psychology Behavioural science Contribution Unit of analysis Output Anthropology Sociology Political science Study of Organizational Behaviour Organization system Learning Motivation Perception Training Leadership effectiveness Job satisfaction Individual decision making Performance appraisal Attitude measurement Employee selection Work design Work stress Group dynamics Work teams Communication Power Conflict Intergroup behaviour Formal organization theory Organizational technology Organizational change Organizational culture Intraorganizational politics Organizational environment Behavioural change Attitude change Group processes Group decision making Group Comparative values Comparative attitudes Cross-cultural analysis Individual

The Rigour of OB OB looks at consistencies OB is more than common sense OB has few absolutes OB takes a contingency approach

Exhibit 1-2 Research Methods in OB Source: J. R. Schermerhorn, J.G. Hunt, and R. N. Osborn, Organizational Behaviour, 9th Edition, 2005, p. 4. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Bottom Line: OB Is For Everyone Organizational behaviour is not just for managers. OB applies equally well to all situations in which you interact with others: on the basketball court, at the grocery store, in school, or in church.

Summary and Implications OB is a field of study that investigates the impact that individuals, groups, and structure have on behaviour within an organization. OB focuses on improving productivity, reducing absenteeism and turnover, and increasing employee job satisfaction and organizational commitment. OB uses systematic study to improve predictions of behaviour.