Organizational Behavior

 

Organizational Behavior (OB) is the study of human behavior in organizational settings, the interface between human behavior and the organization, and the organization itself. Organizational Behavior researchers study the behavior of individuals primarily in their organizational roles.

One of the main goals of organizational behavior is to revitalize organizational theory and develop a better conceptualization of organizational life. As a multi­disciplinary field, organizational behavior has been influenced by developments in a number of allied disciplines including sociology, psychology, economics, and engineering as well as by the experience of practitioners.

History and Evolution of Organisational Behavior Studies

Origin of Organizational Behavior can trace its roots back to Max Weber and earlier organizational studies.

The Industrial Revolution is the period from approximately 1760 when new technologies resulted in the adoption of new manufacturing techniques, including increased mechanization.

The industrial revolution led to significant social and cultural change, including new forms of organization.

Analyzing these new organizational forms, sociologist Max Weber described bureaucracy as an ideal type of organization that rested on rational-legal principles and maximized technical efficiency.

In the 1890’s; with the arrival of scientific management and Taylorism, Organizational Behavior Studies was forming it as an academic discipline.

Failure of scientific management gave birth to the human relations movement which is characterized by a heavy emphasis on employee cooperation and morale.

Human Relations Movement from the 1930’s to 1950’s contributed to shaping the Organizational Behavior studies.

Works of scholars like Elton Mayo, Chester Barnard, Henri Fayol, Mary Parker Follett, Frederick Herzberg, Abraham Mas low, David Mc Cellan and Victor Vroom contributed to the growth of Organisational Behaviour as a discipline.

Works of scholars like Elton Mayo, Chester Barnard, Henri Fayol, Mary Parker Follett, Frederick Herzberg, Abraham Maslow, David Mc Cellan and Victor Vroom contributed to the growth of Organisational Behaviour as a discipline.

Herbert Simon’s Administrative Behavior introduced a number of important concepts to the study of organizational behavior, most notably decision making.

Simon along with Chester Barnard; argued that people make decisions differently in organizations than outside of them. Simon was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for his work on organizational decision making.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the field became more quantitative and produced such ideas as the informal organization, and resource dependence. Contingency theory, institutional theory, and organizational ecology also enraged.

Starting in the 1980s, cultural explanations of organizations and organizational change became areas of study.

Organizational Behavior Model

The OB model Shows the 3 levels, Individual-level, Group level, and Organization System-level and how they impact the elements of human output.

The above figure presents the skeleton on which constructed the OB model.

It proposes that there are three levels of analysis in OB and that, as we move from the individual level to the organization systems level, we add systematically to our understanding of behavior in organizations.

The three basic levels are analogous to building blocks; each level is constructed on the previous level.

Group concepts grow out of the foundation laid in the individual section; we overlay constraints on the individual and group in order to arrive at organizational behavior.

Key Forces Affecting Organizational Behavior

There is a complex set of key forces that affect organizational behavior today. These key forces are classified into four areas;

• People.
• Structure.
• Technology.
• Environment.

There is an interaction between people, structure, and technology and these elements are influenced by the environment. 4 key forces affecting Organizational Behavior and it is applied.

Contributing Disciplines to the Organizational Behavior field

There are some important disciplines in the organizational behavior field which developed it extensively.

Due to the increase in organizational complexity, various types of knowledge are required and help in many ways.

The major disciplines are;

• Psychology.
• Sociology.
• Social Psychology.
• Anthropology.
• Political Sciences.
• Economics.

Learn more about the Contributing Disciplines to the Organizational Behavior field.

4 Approaches to Organizational Behavior studies

Organizational behavior approaches are a result of the research done by experts in this field.

These experts studied and attempted to quantify research done about the actions and reactions of employees, with regard to their work environments.

1. Human resources approach.
2. Contingency approach.
3. Productivity approach.
4. Systems approach.

Learn how the 4 Approaches to Organizational Behavior studies work.

Research Methodology of Organizational Behavior

The understanding and effective application of organizational behavior depend on a rigorous research methodology.

The search for the truth of why people behave the way they do is a very delicate and complicated process.

In fact, the problems are so great that many scholars, Chiefly from the physical and engineering sciences, argue that there can be no precise science of behavior.

The research method of organizational behavior start with Theory, use of research designs, and checking the validity of studies

Reasons for Studying Organizational Behavior

Organizational Behavior is concerned with the study of what people do in an organization and how that behavior affects the performance of the organization.

OB studies put the focus on motivation, leader behavior and power, interpersonal communication, group structure and processes, learning, attitude development and perception, change processes, conflict, work design, and work stress.

OB draws heavily from behavioral and social sciences, most importantly from psychology.

There are several practical reasons, why we study Organizational Behavior;

1. OB is the study of learning how to predict human behavior and, then, apply it in some useful way to make the organization more effective. It helps in the effective utilization of people working in the organization guarantees the success of the organization.
2. OB helps the managers to understand the basis of motivation and what he should do to motivate his subordinates.
3. OB helps to maintain cordial industrial relations which help to increase the overall productivity of the industry.
4. It helps greatly in improving bur inter-personal relations in the organizations.
5. It helps managers apply appropriate motivational techniques in accordance with the nature of individual employees who exhibit a learning difference in many respects.