Organizational Behaviour Notes
Chapter 1
Defining Organizational Behaviour * OB is a field of study that looks at the impact that individuals, groups, and structure have on behaviour within organizations * Managers apply the knowledge gained from OB research to help them manage their organizations more effectively
* An organization is a consciously coordinated social unit, composed of a group of people, that functions on a relatively continuous basis to achieve a common goal
* Wages and benefits are not the main reasons why employees stay with employers * Far more important is quality of employee’s job and supportiveness of the work environment
* OB considers that organizations are made up of individuals, groups and the entire organizational structure
Challenges at the Individual Level * Individual differences * People enter groups and organizations with certain characteristics that influence behaviour * Job Satisfaction * Job satisfaction is also of concern because it is negatively related to absenteeism and turnover, which cost organizations considerable amounts of money annually * Motivation * 2004 Survey: Only 34% employees agreed that to a great extent they received recognition for work well done * Empowerment * In many organizations, employees have become associates and employees * Decision making is being pushed down to the operating level where employees have choice in schedules and procedures * Empowerment: managers are giving employees more responsibility for what they do. * American Survey: 46% companies hierarchical structure, 31% empowered * Behaving Ethically * Ethics is the study of moral values or principles that guide our behaviour and inform us whether actions are right or wrong
Challenges at the Group Level * Working with Others * Survey: 40% of managers either leave or stop performing within 18 months of starting at an organization because they
Defining Organizational Behaviour * OB is a field of study that looks at the impact that individuals, groups, and structure have on behaviour within organizations * Managers apply the knowledge gained from OB research to help them manage their organizations more effectively
* An organization is a consciously coordinated social unit, composed of a group of people, that functions on a relatively continuous basis to achieve a common goal
* Wages and benefits are not the main reasons why employees stay with employers * Far more important is quality of employee’s job and supportiveness of the work environment
* OB considers that organizations are made up of individuals, groups and the entire organizational structure
Challenges at the Individual Level * Individual differences * People enter groups and organizations with certain characteristics that influence behaviour * Job Satisfaction * Job satisfaction is also of concern because it is negatively related to absenteeism and turnover, which cost organizations considerable amounts of money annually * Motivation * 2004 Survey: Only 34% employees agreed that to a great extent they received recognition for work well done * Empowerment * In many organizations, employees have become associates and employees * Decision making is being pushed down to the operating level where employees have choice in schedules and procedures * Empowerment: managers are giving employees more responsibility for what they do. * American Survey: 46% companies hierarchical structure, 31% empowered * Behaving Ethically * Ethics is the study of moral values or principles that guide our behaviour and inform us whether actions are right or wrong
Challenges at the Group Level * Working with Others * Survey: 40% of managers either leave or stop performing within 18 months of starting at an organization because they