Marianne Marando

Week 1 – Applied Business Management

Course Introduction

What is Organizational Behaviour?

Winter 2007

Winter 2007

MRK360 – Applied Business Management

Our plan for today:A new course – why?IntroductionsReview course outlineCourse expectations and topical outline

Next Class: Chapter 1

Winter 2007

What is Organizational Behaviour?

1. What is organizational behaviour?2. What challenges do managers and employees face

in the workplace of the 21st century?3. How does knowing about organizational behaviour

make work and life more understandable?4. Isn’t organizational behaviour common sense? Or

just psychology?5. What are the building blocks to understanding

organizational behaviour?

Questions for Consideration

Winter 2007

Organizational Behaviour

. . . a field of study that investigates how individuals, groups and structure affect and are affected by behaviour within organizations, for the purpose of applying such knowledge toward improving an organization’s effectiveness.

Winter 2007

Why Do We Study OB?

To learn about yourself and how to deal with others

You are part of an organization now, and will continue to be a part of various organizations

Organizations are increasingly expecting individuals to be able to work in teams, at least some of the time

Some of you may want to be managers or entrepreneurs

Winter 2007

Group Exercise

In groups of three – try to group with people you don’t know

Introduce yourself to each otherThe BEST job you’ve ever hadThe WORST job you’ve ever had

You will be introducing each other to the class!

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Course Overview

Subject Outline/Topical Outline

EvaluationTests – 2 of them – 20% eachAssignments – 4 of them – 5% eachBusiness Plan – 25%Participation – 15%

Winter 2007

Assignments – 20%

Will be handed out and completed (usually) in class on the day indicated in the topical outline

Some will be completed in groups, some individual

If you are not in class – you won’t be in a group – you will not be able to submit the assignment

Will be based on the chapters and material covered in previous weeks – you will not be able to complete the assignment if you have not completed the readings!

Winter 2007

Participation – 15%

Participation DOES NOT equal attendance – so you can attend every single class and still score 0 on participation.

Participation is assessed by: Participation in class discussions Bringing relevant topics/newspaper

articles to class for class discussion Being prepared to discuss relevant

newspapers brought in by others/professor

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My Expectations

That you come to class preparedThat you participate, question and

discussThat you deliver things professionally

and on timeThat you have some fun

Winter 2007

What you can expect from me

Be here and preparedAvailable as a resource - quick response Fair evaluationOpen to your ideasCommitted to your successHave fun!

Marianne Marando

Chapter 1

Winter 2007

Exhibit 1-1 Challenges Facing the Workplace

Workplace

Organizational Level

• Productivity• Developing effective employees• Global competition• Managing in the global village

Group Level

• Working with others• Workforce diversity

Individual Level

• Job satisfaction• Empowerment• Behaving ethically

Winter 2007

Today’s Challenges in the Canadian Workplace

Challenges at the Individual LevelJob SatisfactionEmpowermentBehaving Ethically

Challenges at the Group LevelWorking With OthersWorkforce Diversity

Winter 2007

Today’s Challenges in the Canadian Workplace

Challenges at the Organizational LevelProductivityDeveloping Effective Employees

AbsenteeismTurnover Organizational Citizenship

Competition From the Global EnvironmentManaging and Working in a Global Village

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Productivity

ProductivityA performance measure including

effectiveness and efficiencyEffectiveness

Achievement of goalsEfficiency

The ratio of effective work output to the input required to produce the work

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Effective Employees

Absenteeism Failure to report to work

Turnover Voluntary and involuntary permanent withdrawal

from the organization

Organizational citizenship behaviour Discretionary behaviour that is not part of an

employee’s formal job requirements, but is helpful to the organization

Winter 2007

How Will Knowing OB Make a Difference?

For ManagersKnowing organizational behaviour can help

you manage well and makes for better corporations.

Managing people well leads to greater organizational commitment.

Finally, managing well may improve organizational citizenship.

Winter 2007

How Will Knowing OB Make a Difference?

For Individuals What if I’m not going to work in a large

organization? The theories generally apply to organizations of any size.

What if I don’t want to be a manager? To some extent, the roles of managers and employees are

becoming blurred in many organizations. While self-employed individuals often do not act as

managers, they certainly interact with other individuals and organizations as part of their work.

Winter 2007

Bottom Line: OB Is For Everyone

Organizational behaviour is not just for managers. The roles of managers and employees are

becoming blurred in many organizations. Managers are increasingly asking employees to

share in their decision-making processes rather than simply follow orders.

OB applies equally well to all situations in which you interact with others: on the basketball court, at the grocery store, in school, or in church.

Winter 2007

Exhibit 1-3 Toward an OB Discipline

Social psychology

Psychology

Behavioural science

Contribution Unit ofanalysis

Output

Anthropology

Sociology

Political science

Study ofOrganizational

Behaviour

Organizationsystem

LearningMotivationPerceptionTrainingLeadership effectivenessJob satisfactionIndividual decision makingPerformance appraisalAttitude measurementEmployee selectionWork designWork stress

Group dynamicsWork teamsCommunicationPowerConflictIntergroup behaviour

Formal organization theoryOrganizational technologyOrganizational changeOrganizational culture

ConflictIntraorganizational politicsPower

Organizational cultureOrganizational environment

Behavioural changeAttitude changeCommunicationGroup processesGroup decision making

Group

Comparative valuesComparative attitudesCross-cultural analysis

Individual

Winter 2007

The Rigour of OB

OB looks at consistencies What is common about behaviour, and helps

predictability?

OB is more than common sense Systematic study, based on scientific evidence

OB has few absolutes OB takes a contingency approach

Considers behaviour in context

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Beyond Common Sense

Systematic StudyLooking at relationships, attempting to

attribute causes and effects and drawing conclusions based on scientific evidence

This means data are gathered under controlled conditions, and measured and interpreted in a reasonably rigorous manner—rather than relying on common sense.

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Exhibit 1-4The Layers of OB

The Organization

NegotiationConflictCommunicationGroups and teams

Power and politics

The Group

EmotionsValues and attitudesPerceptionPersonality

Motivating self and others

The Individual

ChangeOrganizational cultureDecision makingLeadership

Winter 2007

Summary and Implications

OB is a field of study that investigates the impact that individuals, groups, and structure have on behaviour within an organization.

OB focuses on improving productivity, reducing absenteeism and turnover, and increasing employee job satisfaction and organizational commitment.

OB uses systematic study to improve predictions of behaviour.