Ch 1: Introduction to the Field of Organizational Behavior

organizational effectiveness

A broad concept represented by several perspectives, including the organization's fit with the external environment, internal-subsystems configuration for high performance, emphasis on organizational learning, & ability to satisfy the needs of key stakeholders.

lean management

A cluster of practices to improve organizational efficiency by continuously reducing waste, unevenness, & overburden in the production process.

intellectual capital

A company's stock of knowledge, including human capital, structural capital, & relationship capital.

high-performance work practices (HPWP)

A perspective which holds that effective organizations incorporate several workplace practices that leverage the potential of human capital.

organizational learning

A perspective which holds that organizational effectiveness depends on the organization's capacity to acquire, share, use & store valuable knowledge.

open systems

A perspective which holds that organizations depend on the external environment for resources, affect that environment through their output, & consist of internal subsystems that transform inputs to outputs.

deep-level diversity

Differences in the psychological characteristics of employees, including personalities, beliefs, values, & attitudes.

Globalization

Economic, social, & cultural connectivity with people in other parts of the world.

organizations

Groups of people who work interdependently toward some purpose.

stakeholders

Individuals, organizations, & other entities, that affect, or are affected by, the organization's objectives & actions.

corporate social responsibility (CSR)

Organizational activities intended to benefit society & the environment beyond the firm's immediate financial interests or legal obligations.

values

Relatively stable, evaluative beliefs that guide a person's preferences for outcomes or courses of action in a variety of situations.

absorptive capacity

The ability to recognize the value of new information, assimilate it, & use it for value-added activities.

organizational efficiency

The amount of outputs relative to inputs in the organization's transformation process.

work-life balance

The degree to which a person minimizes conflict between work & non work demands.

surface-level diversity

The observable demographic or physiological differences in people, such as their race, ethnicity, gender, age, & physical disabilities.

evidence-based management

The practice of making decisions & taking actions based on research evidence.

human capital

The stock of knowledge, skills, & abilities among employees that provides economic value to the organization.

organizational memory

The storage & preservation of intellectual capital.

ethics

The study of moral principles or values that determine whether actions are right or wrong & outcomes are good or bad.

organizational behavior (OB)

The study of what people think, feel, and do in & around organizations.

organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs)

Various forms of cooperation & helpfulness to others that support the organization's social & psychological context.

counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs)

Voluntary behaviors that have the potential to directly or indirectly harm the organization.

virtual work

Work performed away from the traditional physical workplace by means of information technology.