1 13 2014 Reading 1 Chapter 1 Intro to Organizational Behavior Understanding human behavior plays a significant role in determining a manager s effectiveness o Developing managers interpersonal skills also helps organizations attract and keep high performing employees Social relationships among co workers and supervisors were strongly related to overall job satisfaction associated with lower stress and lower intentions to quit Makes the workplace pleasant and is easier to hire and keep qualified people o Also generates superior financial performance Enter Organizational Behavior Organizational Behavior field of study that investigates the impact of individuals groups and structure have on behavior within organizations so as to improve an organization s effectiveness o Study of what people do in an organization and how their behavior affects the organization s performance Emphasizes behavior as related to concerns such as jobs work absenteeism employment turnover productivity human performance and management Complementing Intuition with Systematic Study Systematic approach provides a base from which to make more accurate predictions of behavior o Behavior is not random We can identify fundamental consistencies underlying the behavior of all indivviduals and modify them to reflect individual differences A systematic study of behavior is a means to making reasonable accurate predictions o Systematic Study looking at relationships attempting to attribute causes and effects and basing our conclusions on scientific evidence data gathered under controlled conditions and measured and interpreted in a rigorous manner Evidence based Management EBM complements systematic study by basing managerial decisions on the best available scientific evidence o Managers should become more scientific in how they think about managerial problems Pose a managerial question search for best available evidence and apply the relevant information to the question or case at ahand Systematic Study and EBm add to intuition gut feeling Disciplines that Contribute to the OB Field Psychology Social Psychology o Seek to measure explain and sometimes change the behavior of humans Study problems of fatigue boredom learning perception personality emotions training leadership effectiveness needs and motivational forces etc o Branch of psychology that blends concepts from both psychology and sociology to focus on people s influence on one another One major area of study is change how to implement it and how to reduce barriers to its acceptance Also measure understand and change attitudes identify community patterns and build trust Sociology Anthropology o Studies people in relation to their social environment or culture Study of group behavior in organizations formal and complex o Study of socieities to learn about human beings and their activities Work on cultures and environments help us understand difference in fundamental values attitudes and behavior between people in different countries and within different organizations There are Few Absolutes in OB OB concepts must reflect situational or contingency conditions o Can say that x leads to y but only under conditions specified in z Contingency variables OB was developed by applying general concepts to a particular situation person or group Challenges and Opportunities for OB Responding to Economic Pressures o With economy plummeting in 2008 layoffs and job losses were widespread along with pay cuts When times are bad managers are on the front lines with employees who must bee fired who are asked to make do with less and who worry about their futures Issues like stress decision making and coping come to the fore Responding to Globalization o Organizations are no longer restrained by national borders World has become a global village and manager s job has changed in the process Increased Foreign Assignments used to back home Working With People From Different Cultures o Have to manage a workforce with very different needs and attitudes from those you are o What motivates you may not motivate them o Communication style may be straightforward and open while others may find it uncomfortable and threatening o Need to understand how their culture geography and religion have shaped them and how to adapt your management style to their differences Overseeing Movement of Jobs to Countries with Low Cost Labor o Difficult for managers in advanced nations where min wage is 6 and hour or more to compete with firms that rely on workers from China and other developing countries where labor is available for cheap Jobs tend to flow where lower costs give businesses a comparative advantage Labor groups politician and local community leaders see exporting jobs as undermining the job market at home o Managers face task of balancing the interests of their organizations with their responsibilities to the communities in which they operate Managing Workforce Diversity o Organizations are becoming more heterogeneous ins terms of gender age race ethnicity sexual orientation and inclusion of other diverse groups Workforce Diversity workforce of men and women many racial and ethnic groups individuals with a variety of physical or psychological abilities people who differ in age and sexual orientation Managing this diversity is a global concern o Most significant change in US labor force is the increase in number of female workers Workforce is now aging as well Improving Customer Service o The majority of employees in developed countries work in service jobs requiring substantial interaction with organization s customers Management needs to create a customer responsive culture Employees are friendly and courteous accessible knowledgable prompt in responding to customer needs willing to do what s necessary to please the customer o Design motivating jobs techniques for improving your listening skills how to create Improving People Skills more effective teams Stimulating Innovation and Change o Organizations must foster innovation and master the art of change or else they will go Victory goes to organizations that maintain their flexibility continually improve their quality and beat their competition to the marketplace with innovative products and services o The organization s employees can be the impetus for innovation or change or a major extinct stumbling block Managers must stimulate their employees creativity and tolerance for change Coping with Temporariness o Organizations must be fast and