Basic Concepts on OB

Graduate Teaching Notes on OB

(2015)

Dr Chanakya P Rijal

Nepal College of Management

In Affiliation with

Kathmandu University, School of Management

Lalitpur, Nepal

March 22, 2015 1OB teaching notes by Dr Rijal

UNIT I: INTRODUCTION

1. Concept of human and organizational behavior

2. Basic disciplines contributing to the field of organizational behavior

3. Model of organizational behavior study

4. Levels of organizational behavior analyses

5. The roles of institutional leadership in promoting organizational behavior

6. Challenges facing the managerial jobs from OB perspective in the Nepalese hospitality industry

March 22, 2015 2OB teaching notes by Dr Rijal

Concept of Human and Organizational Behavior

An organization is referred to as a well coordinated set of people and other resources brought together to accomplish a specified purpose.

Human behavior refers to the way how people perceive, receive and react to each other so as to contribute collectively for personal as well as institutional betterment.

Organizational behavior (OB) is the study of how people and organizational systems behave or interact each other.

Study of OB is precisely a learning of social science. March 22, 2015 3OB teaching notes by Dr Rijal

Concept …

Study of OB also contributes to the study of – Organizational relations

Industrial relations

Industrial psychology

Organizational psychology

Behavioral science

And so on …

It precisely specializes in the study of human dimension in an organizational setting.

March 22, 2015 4OB teaching notes by Dr Rijal

Industrial/Organizational PsychologyIntroduces to the World of Work

March 22, 2015 5OB teaching notes by Dr Rijal

6

Centrality of work to human existence In the any country today, you are what you do. Your choice of a

job/occupation determines as much about what you will be, the status and prestige you will be afforded, what your children will do and who they will do it with, where they go to school, as do your choice of a spouse/partner and your own values.

Go to a mall, your favorite bar, a construction site, etc., and ask anybody who will talk to you, “What are you?” How many define themselves in terms of their job or occupation?

How does one know when one is “successful?” What is our cultural measuring-stick?

Success = moneySuccess = happyHappy = what you wantWhat you want requires $$$ or accomplishing goal. Goal usually is professional.

One of the first questions you ask someone: what’s your major? Or what do you do? Or

perhaps identify by religion or spouse, not as likely

March 22, 2015 OB teaching notes by Dr Rijal

7

Work is a source of…1. Identity: last name ‘Smith’ ‘Cooper’

2. Relationships: outside the family.

3. Obligatory activity: Provides structure to our days and deadlines

4. Autonomy: Independence

1. Values: in terms of money, products, and associated dignity (women).

5. Opportunity: for developing skill competence.

6. Self-esteem: i. What would you do if you didn’t have college or a job, ii. You can afford to be lazy for a break, what about when no end in sight.

March 22, 2015 OB teaching notes by Dr Rijal

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Implicit Themes of Work

When work is discussed, people mention--

–Good Provider: Heavily influenced by social constructions of gender and gender identity.

– Independence: “Stand on one’s own two feet.”

• Being separate from your parents

– Success: “Hard work pays off.”

– Self Respect: Hard work of any type has dignity; a person’s worth is reflected in work.

March 22, 2015 OB teaching notes by Dr Rijal

OB is the study of behavioral science…

In management, behavioral science or organizational psychology is the science of study of human behavior at work.

It has dual focus-- i. efficiency/productivity of the organizations, and ii. health/well-being of the employees.

It is of dual nature – i. application of the science of psychology to the workplace, and ii. development or discovery of scientific psychological principles at workplace.

March 22, 2015 9OB teaching notes by Dr Rijal

SPECIFIC AREAS OF CONCERN Recruiting and selecting employees for jobs. Training employees. Assessing employee performance. Defining and analyzing jobs. Determining how people feel about work. Determining why people act as they do at work. Assessing the work effects on people. Assessing the effects people have on one another. Learning about how organizations are structured and

functioning. Designing work. Designing tools and equipment for assessment. Employee health, safety and security.

March 22, 2015 10OB teaching notes by Dr Rijal

2. Basic disciplines contributing to the field of OB

In fact, OB is an integrated study of a number of social sciences rather than itself being a stand alone subject of study.

More specifically, psychology, social psychology, sociology and anthropology are the basic disciplines that contribute significantly in the field of OB.

March 22, 2015 11OB teaching notes by Dr Rijal

2. Basic disciplines contributing to the field of OBBehavioral Contribution Unit of Analysis Output

Sciences

March 22, 2015 12

Learning, motivation, personality, emotions, perception, training, leadership effectiveness, job satisfaction, individual decision-making, performance appraisal, aptitude measurement, employee selection, work design, work stress

Behavioral and attitude change, communication, group processes, group decision-making

Communication, power, conflict, intergroup behavior

Individual

Study of OB

Comparative values, attitudes and cross-cultural diversity

Organizational culture, environment, power and politics

Formal organizational theory, technology, change and culture

Group

Organizational System

OB teaching notes by Dr Rijal

3. Model of OB

Needs discussion on various dependent and independent variables at individual, group and systems level and their collective outcomes.

Refer the day1 class instructional discussions.

March 22, 2015 13OB teaching notes by Dr Rijal

4. Levels of OB Analyses

Basically, the analyses of organizational behavior is performed at three levels of human input and transaction leading to organizational outcomes as the collective results of behavioral exchanges at each level of OB system.

The study of individual characteristics, interpersonal relationship, group dynamics, intergroup behavior, and organizational systems level operations’ analyses are the key levels of analyses in OB.

March 22, 2015 14OB teaching notes by Dr Rijal

5. Roles of Leadership in Promoting OB

Incubating organizational system

Establishing and promoting organization’s strategic thrusts, setting priorities and working principles

Providing stewardship, role modeling and coaching

Coordinating and collaborating with individuals and work groups

Managing diversity, conflict and work stress among the individuals and work groups

Establishing and promoting organizational culture and value system

March 22, 2015 15OB teaching notes by Dr Rijal

6. Challenges facing managerial jobs from OB perspectives

Managing with diversity

Compliance with HR policy level liberalization

Challenges created by globalization

Dealing with the environmental uncertainty

Managing with technological changes

Changing culture, human interest and habit

Responding to unionized workforce

Changing nature of work

Changing organizational design and structure

Global economic crisis

March 22, 2015 16OB teaching notes by Dr Rijal

Pleasure learning…

March 22, 2015 17OB teaching notes by Dr Rijal