1. Organizational Behavior

Organizational Behavior (OB)

A field of study that investigates the impact that individuals, groups, and structure have on behavior within organizations, for the purpose of applying such knowledge toward improving an organization's effectiveness.

Management Functions

Planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Because organizations exist to achieve goals, they do so through management. The planning function encompasses defining an organization's goals, establishing an overall strategy for achieving those goals, and developing a comprehen- sive set of plans to integrate and coordinate activities. Managers are also responsible for designing an organization's structure. We call this function organizing, it includes determining what tasks are to be done, who is to do them, how the tasks are to be grouped, who reports to whom, and where decisions are to be made. Every organization contains people, and it is management's job to direct and coordinate those people. This is the leading function. When managers motivate employees, direct their activities, select the most effective communication channels, or resolve conflicts among members, they're engaging in leading. To ensure things are going as they should, management must monitor the organization's performance and compare it with previously set goals. If there are any significant deviations, it is management's job to get the organization back on track. This monitoring, comparing, and potential correcting is the controlling function.

Organizational Behavior -Challenges and Opportunities

Positive Work Environments Ethics Responding to Globalization Managing Workforce Diversity Improving Quality and Productivity Improving Customer Service Improving People Skills Stimulating Innovation Temporary Workforce Characteristics Networking Work-Life Balance

Organizational Behavior - Sub Disciplines

Psychology seeks to measure, explain, and sometimes change the behavior of humans and other animals. Social psychology, generally considered a branch of psychology, blends con- cepts from both psychology and sociology to focus on peoples' influence on one another. One major study area is change—how to implement it and how to reduce barriers to its acceptance. While psychology focuses on the individual, sociology studies people in rela- tion to their social environment or culture. Sociologists have contributed to OB through their study of group behavior in organizations, particularly formal and complex organizations. Anthropology is the study of societies to learn about human beings and their activities. Anthropologists' work on cultures and environments has helped us understand differences in fundamental values, attitudes, and behavior between people in different countries and within different organizations.

Management Skills

Technical skills encompass the ability to apply specialized knowledge or expertise. The ability to understand, communicate with, motivate, and support other people, both individually and in groups, defines human skills. Managers must have the mental ability to analyze and diag- nose complex situations. These tasks require conceptual skills.

Performance Outputs

The key variables that you want to explain or predict, and that are affected by some other variables. Key performance outputs: Effectiveness, Disciplined Action, Coordination, Satisfaction, Motivation, Good Decisions, and Cooperation

Performance Inputs

The variables like personality, group structure, and organizational culture that lead to processes. These variables set the stage for what will occur in an organization later. Many are determined in advance of the employment relationship. Individual Level: Diversity, Personality, Values Group Level: Group Structure, Group Roles, Team Responsibilities Organizational Level: Structure, Culture