Ch 1: What is Organizational Behavior?

What are the methods of knowing what works in OB?

Experience, Intuition, Authority, and Science

What are the three basic levels of OB analysis?

Individual, Group, Organization

What makes a resource valuable?

1. Not imitable: history, numerous small decisions, socially complex resources. 2. Rarity

What are the three things that must be established in order to make a causal inference?

1. The two variables are correlated 2. The presumed cause precedes the presumed effect in time. 3. No alternative explanation exists.

Organizational Behavior

A field of study devoted to understanding, explaining, and improving the attitudes and behaviors of individuals and groups in organizations.

Contingency Approach to management

Based on the theory that the dependent variable, is dependent upon the interplay between the independent variable and specific situations.

What are the two Organization Mechanisms?

Organizational culture and Organizational structure

Meta-analysis

Takes all of the correlations found in studies of a particular relationship and calculates a weighted average

What is the Qualitative research method and what are examples?

Researchers observe and interview organizations and organizational members and develop theories based on their observations. Examples include case studies, field interviews, participant observation.

What are the four steps in the Scientific Method?

Theory, Hypothesis, Data, Verification.

Human resource management

takes the theories and principles studied in OB and explores the "nuts-and-bolts" applications of those principles in organizations.

What is the Quantitative research method and what are examples?

Data sets are either found or collected, and statistical analyses are conducted to determine patterns (correlations) among variables. Examples include laboratory studies, surveys, archival research, meta-analysis.

resource-based view

Describes what exactly makes resources valuable -- that is, what makes them capable of creating long-term profits for the firm.

What are the pros/cons of using Qualitative research methods?

Pros: Good for theory building, captures complexities of the situation, tells a rich story Cons: Less generalizable, difficult to determine causality, potential for bias.

What are the pros/cons of using Quantitative research methods?

Pros: Lab studies are good to establish causality, field studies are good for ecological validity, research less susceptible to bias. Cons: Can be susceptible to data mining, doesn't tell the full story (omitted variables), self report.

What factors affect the two primary OB outcomes?

Stress, motivation, Job satisfaction, learning and decision making, and Trust, justice, and ethics.

Strategic management

focuses on the product choices and industry characteristics that affect an organization's profitability.