an introduction to organizational behaviour

8/14/2019 An Introduction to Organizational Behaviour

1/16

Section 1Section 1An Introduction toAn Introduction to

Organizational BehaviourOrganizational Behaviour


2/16

How do you define anHow do you define an

organization?organization?

A machine oiled by money?A machine oiled by money?

A social space run by people?A social space run by people?

A network of relationships?A network of relationships? An office with machines and people?An office with machines and people?


3/16

Different definitionsDifferent definitions

An organisation is a collection of people working togetherAn organisation is a collection of people working togetherthrough divisions of labour to achieve a common purpose.through divisions of labour to achieve a common purpose.

(Source: Wood et al. 2004)(Source: Wood et al. 2004) An organization is defined as a cooperative social systemAn organization is defined as a cooperative social system

involving the coordinated efforts of two or more people pursuinginvolving the coordinated efforts of two or more people pursuinga shared purpose. In other words when people gather anda shared purpose. In other words when people gather and

formally agree to combine their efforts for a common purpose,formally agree to combine their efforts for a common purpose,an organisation is the result.an organisation is the result. (Source: Kreitner 2001)(Source: Kreitner 2001)

(An organisation is a) consciously coordinated social unit,(An organisation is a) consciously coordinated social unit,composed of two or more people, that functions on a relativelycomposed of two or more people, that functions on a relativelycontinuous basis to achieve a common goal or set of goalscontinuous basis to achieve a common goal or set of goals

(Source: Robbins et al. 2008)(Source: Robbins et al. 2008)


4/16

What is the important part of thisWhat is the important part of this

definition?definition?

The emphasis on peopleThe emphasis on people

Often seen as most importantOften seen as most important

resourceresource

Organizations seen as a collection ofOrganizations seen as a collection of

peoplepeople

Or a social unitOr a social unit


5/16

However, organizationsHowever, organizations

Do not have to be a large group ofDo not have to be a large group of

peoplepeople

Work towards a similar or commonWork towards a similar or common

purposepurpose

May or may not share actual spaceMay or may not share actual space

May or may not interact on a dailyMay or may not interact on a dailybasisbasis


6/16

Thought ProvokerThought Provoker

The ultimate limitation on humanThe ultimate limitation on human

aspirations lies neither in intelligenceaspirations lies neither in intelligence

nor in technology, but in our abilitynor in technology, but in our ability

to work together effectively in ourto work together effectively in our

organisations (Buchanan &organisations (Buchanan &

Huczynski 1997, p. 2).Huczynski 1997, p. 2).


7/16

Organizational Behavior definedOrganizational Behavior defined

A field of study that investigates theA field of study that investigates the

impact ofimpact of

People, groups and structures onPeople, groups and structures on

behaviors within an organizationbehaviors within an organization

To improve overall effectivenessTo improve overall effectiveness


8/16

Why study OB?Why study OB?

To discuss the impact onTo discuss the impact on

organizational effectiveness oforganizational effectiveness of

situationssituations


9/16

A storyA story

A storyA story

Imagine you and a friend graduate from USQ on theImagine you and a friend graduate from USQ on thesame day, having invested the same time and effortsame day, having invested the same time and effortand achieved the same results in all your courses. Byand achieved the same results in all your courses. By

coincidence you are appointed by the same employercoincidence you are appointed by the same employerto exactly the same job starting on exactly the sameto exactly the same job starting on exactly the sameday. The first year goes by and you both work today. The first year goes by and you both work toexactly the same standard and undergo yourexactly the same standard and undergo your

performance review on exactly the same day.performance review on exactly the same day.Imagine that you get a promotion, a better office andImagine that you get a promotion, a better office anda pay rise as a result of your performance review anda pay rise as a result of your performance review and

your friend gets nothing not even a thank youyour friend gets nothing not even a thank you..


10/16

OB will help you analyze the impactOB will help you analyze the impact

on your friendson your friends futurefuture productivityproductivity the likelihood they will quit (the likelihood they will quit (turnoverturnover)) tendency to take sick leave or not turn up attendency to take sick leave or not turn up at

work (work (absenteeismabsenteeism)) general attitude towards their work (general attitude towards their work (jobjob

satisfactionsatisfaction)) willingness to go that extra mile for thewillingness to go that extra mile for the

company (company (organisational citizenshiporganisational citizenship))

and the likelihood they will become a liabilityand the likelihood they will become a liabilityas a result of poor behaviour (as a result of poor behaviour (deviantdeviantworkplace behaviourworkplace behaviour).).


11/16

Your friends unhappiness isYour friends unhappiness is

important becauseimportant because

Management is often defined as theManagement is often defined as the

art of getting things done throughart of getting things done through

other peopleother people


12/16

How can you optimizeHow can you optimize

organizational performance?organizational performance?

Look at it as a wholeLook at it as a whole

Then identify its groupsThen identify its groups

Finally focus on individualsFinally focus on individuals In other words, there are threeIn other words, there are three

categories of human input:categories of human input:

individual, group and system levelindividual, group and system level


13/16

What do managers do?What do managers do?

Functions: planning, organizing,Functions: planning, organizing,

leading and controllingleading and controlling

Roles: Interpersonal, informationalRoles: Interpersonal, informational

and decisionaland decisional

Skills: Technical, Human andSkills: Technical, Human and

ConceptualConceptual


14/16

Influences on OrganizationsInfluences on Organizations

nowadaysnowadays

Workforce diversity managementWorkforce diversity management

Improving people skillsImproving people skills

Empowering peopleEmpowering people Coping with temporarinessCoping with temporariness

Innovation with changeInnovation with change

Ethical behaviourEthical behaviour


15/16

A contingency model for OBA contingency model for OB

The dependent variables:The dependent variables:

productivity, absenteeism, turnover,productivity, absenteeism, turnover,

organizational citizenship and joborganizational citizenship and job

satisfactionsatisfaction Independent variables: IndividualIndependent variables: Individual

level variables, group level variableslevel variables, group level variables

and system level variablesand system level variables


16/16

End of Section 1End of Section 1

an introduction to organizational behaviour

Documents