Consumer BehaviorExam 1 Review GuideLecture 1Define and Understand the Importance of OB• Definition – 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• We study it to o Gain an understanding of the effect of organizational settings on human behavioro Understand the dynamics of different settingso Provides a set of tools that allow people to understand, analyze, and describe behavior in organizationsIdentify the contributing fields and early contributors• During the early years of the industrial revolution employee discipline was the major issue confronting managers• Early Contributors – o Principles of scientific management – Frederick Taylor Felt that money was the way to motivate workers to their fullest capability Principle problem with his work is that it required employees to move in a robotic fashion… and people are not machineso The Giving of Orders – Mary Parker Follett Believed that the key to effective management was coordination • In order for managers to be successful they must act with employees in meaningful ways Developed 4 Principles to promote effective work groups• Coordination requires direct contact with employees• Coordination is essential during the initial stages on any project• Coordination must address all relevant factors on any project• Coordination is a continuous, ongoing processo Hawthorn Studies – Mayo and Roethlisberger Found that the special attention that workers received and informal interaction among employees improved performance and productivity• Contributing fieldso Psychologyo Social psychologyo AnthropologyDefine Ethical Behavior• That which is morally accepted as good and rightUnderstand factors that contribute to unethical behavior• Stems from several areas:o Cultural differences No global standard for ethical behavioro Personal differences Individual valueso Relativism All decisions are relative to some personal, social, or cultural standardRecognize the relationship b/t social responsibility and ethical behavior• Ethical responsibilitieso Things that organizations should do• Social responsibilities o Things that organizations might doo Defined as actions that protect and improve the welfare of society along with companies own interest• Ethical and social responsibilities appear to be optionalUnderstand the major challenges facing managers today• Responding to economic pressure• Responding to globalization• Managing workforce diversity• Improving customer service• Improving people skills• Stimulating innovation and change• Coping with “temporariness”• Working in networked organizations• Helping employees balance work-life conflicts• Creating a positive work environment• Improving ethical behaviorLecture 2• Diversityo A characteristic of a group of people where differences exist on one or more dimensions such as gendero Refers to the ways in which people are similar or different from each otherDifference between Ability & Aptitude:• Aptitude o Represents a person’s capability of learning something, whereas ability reflects a person’s existing capacity to perform the various tasks needed for a given jobo Potential abilities• Abilities o Are the knowledge and skills that an individual currently possessesVarious Forms of Ability• Physical Abilityo The capability of performing some physical task• Intellectual abilityo The mental capacity to do somethingo Abilities needed to perform mental activities such as thinking, reasoning and problem solvingManagement of Abilities• Selectiono Managers need to be able to identify the needed ability level• Placement o The process of matching abilities within the organization Relates more towards promotion and moving individuals through the organization• Training o The key for giving individuals the needed skills to gain added responsibilities within the organizationo Job specificAn Understanding of The Demographic Changes Occurring Within Our Society• By 2020, almost 1 in 3 Americans will be Asian, African American, or Hispanic• Immigration is going to be a large factor in the traditional industrial powers (like the U.S.)• The workforce has grown older, increased in women, open to ethic and cultural differences…The Importance of Managing Diversity• Diversity is of strategic importance to the organization because it improveso Corporate cultureo Recruitmento Relationships with clients and consumers• And helps build competitive advantageo Understand and serve diverse customer baseo Heterogeneous teams deal better with complex problems and challenging taskso More commitment to organization’s mission• Managing diversityo Should be viewed as providing a perspective that can enhance creativity and growtho Provides a way of thinking that allows us to view our organizational activities through an objective eyeo Help the organization fully utilize its human resourceso Is an opportunity for development, not a problem to be solved• Two Major Forms of Diversityo Surface-level Represents characteristics such as race, gender, and ageo Deep-level Represents characteristics such as values, attitudes and personalityChallenges Associated with The Diverse Workforce• Group Identity o Who are we and how does this affect our actions within organizations?• Managerially challenging because:o We are opening ourselves and our organizations to the perspectives of those who have had less managerial voice in the past o Causes us to step outside the traditional frame of decision making• Psychologically challenging because:o Issues such as differences in personality, perception, attitudes and values arise We all differ on these issues and they affect our response to different individuals Individual differences are largely responsible for stereotyping, discrimination, and prejudiceLearning as a Process• Learning o is the process that helps us adapt to and master our environmento an ongoing processo a relatively permanent change in knowledge or behavior that results from practice or experience• 3 Major Theories of Learningo Classical Conditioning Takes place when the learner recognizes the connection b/t an unconditioned stimulus and a conditioned stimulus • Unconditioned Stimulus – anything in the environment
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