INTRODUCTION TO ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR -- WHAT IS IT?

OBNotes.HTM by WILF H. RATZBURG

To begin this discussion, let's examine the notion of behaviour first. For purposes of our discussion, we will assume that a person's behaviour is a function of that person and his/her environment, or B = f (P, E).

Next, let's put the individual into a specific environment; in an organizational environment. What does this person's behaviour look like?

Like other inputs into an enterprise, human beings employed by the enterprise constitute a resource - in this case, a human resource. All an enterprise's resources must be managed to ensure both the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization. It takes economists, accountants, and financial analysts to understand and utilize the firm's monetary resources.

Similarly, technologists, engineers, and trades people serve to help management utilize the firm's material and production facilities efficiently. It is the role of the Human Resource Manager, and others, skilled in the analysis of human interaction with the work environment, to assist management in the proper utilization of human resources.


The study of Organizational Behaviour facilitates the process of explaining, understanding, predicting, maintaining, and changing employee behaviour in an organizational setting.

• Organizational Behaviour:
• explaining,
• understanding,
• predicting, 
• maintaining, and
• changing 
• employee behavior

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To facilitate the study of Organizational Behaviour we will look at human behaviour in the organization from three perspectives.

Psychological Perspective

First, we will examine human behavior from a psychological perspective. This level of analysis will permit us to examine human traits and characteristics with a view to understanding how elements of personality may influence an individual's responses to his or her organizational environment.

Sociological Perspective

Second, we will look at how individuals interact in small group or team environments (a sociological perspective).

Perspective of organizational factors

Finally, it will be necessary to examine the impact of larger or wider organizational factors on the individuals within that organization.

Organizational Behaviour is the sum
of individual processes, other
processes that occur within
smaller groups and, finally, processes
pertaining to aspects of
the organization itself

In summary, to understand behaviour in the organization, we must examine the interaction of individuals with the various factors the individuals are likely to encounter in that organizational setting. The behaviours encountered in the organization are, of course, exceedingly diverse. The diversity of human personalities, interacting with a vast array of organizational environments, results in considerable variation in resulting behaviours.

It may be useful, in an introduction to Organizational Behaviour  to ask some questions about what human beings expect from an organization. The answers are, of course, as varied as the people in organizations are diverse. However, some generalizations may be made. Employees generally expect respect. Furthermore, employees want meaningful work that uses their skills and respects their ability to use their minds in efforts to organize their work.

The organization, having a mission or mandate, has certain expectations of its employees. Most importantly, employees are hired to enable the firm to meet its production, service, and economic objectives.

• Employees expect respect and meaningful work
• The organization expects its employees to follow the rules and policies of the firm and to perform its required tasks

Less obvious is the dependency relationship that exists between the firm and its employees. Since employees depend on the firm for some reason (pay, as an example), then the firm can exert power over these employees. The result of this power relationship might be that the firm is able to demand even more of the employee in terms of task performance and obedience.
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It is apparent from an examination of employee and organizational expectations, that an incongruity may exist between these expectations. Employees naturally respond to this incongruity in a number of ways. Some may seek a promotion within the firm in the hope that, at higher levels on the hierarchy, they will be able to fulfill their various needs to grow and use their skills. However, if the prospects for promotion are limited or thwarted, there is a chance that employee response will be manifested more negatively. Such negative responses include withdrawal, militant unionism, reduction of output or, in extreme cases, theft or sabotage of product or equipment.

For an interesting discussion of the differing expectations of employees and employers, see Peter Drucker's Employing the Whole Man

In attempting to understand, cope with, and react to employee responses to the incongruity of expectations, managers turn to the models, theories, and conceptualizations of Organizational Behaviour.

In conclusion, we recall that the employees of the firm are resources - human resources. Just as accountants provide the expertise the firm requires to best manage its financial resources, so the Organizational Behaviour specialist provides the expertise needed to manage the firm's human resources.

To gain further insight into the field of Organizational Behaviour  we will examine the multidisciplinary origins of the subject.

ORIGINS OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR

Many of the important contributions to Organizational Behaviour have come from Psychology. Psychological theories have helped us explain and predict individual behaviour.  Many of the theories dealing with personality, attitude, learning, motivation, and stress have been applied in Organizational Behaviour to understand work-related phenomena such as job satisfaction, commitment, absenteeism, turnover, and worker well-being.

Sociologists, studying the structure and function of small groups within a society have contributed greatly to a more complete understanding of behaviour within organizations. Taking their cue from Sociologists, scholars in the field of Organizational Behaviour have studied the effects of the structure and function of work organization on the behaviour of groups, as well as the individuals within those groups. Many of the concepts and theories about groups and the processes of communication, decision making, conflict, and politics used in Organizational Behaviour, are rooted in the field of Social Psychology.

The field of Political Science has helped us understand how differences in preferences and interests lead to conflict and power struggles between groups within organizations.

Economics has assisted students of Organizational Behaviour in understanding how competition for scarce resources both within and between organizations leads these organizations to increase their commitment to efficiency and productivity (with concomitant influences on the behaviour of individuals and groups).

Furthermore, Organizational Behaviour draws on the field of Anthropology for lessons about how cultures and belief systems develop.

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