Managing Organizational Behavior

Chapter 3
BEHAVIOR OF
INDIVIDUALS
Chapter Learning Objectives
After studying this chapter you should be able to:

1. Explain the nature of the individual-organization relationship.

2. Define personality and describe personality attributes that affect
behavior in organizations.
3. Describe basic perceptual processes and the role of attributions
in organizations.
4. Explain how workplace behaviors can directly or indirectly
influence organizational effectiveness.
PEOPLE IN ORGANIZATIONS

 Psychological Contract

A person’s overall set of expectations regarding what he or she will contribute to the
organization and what the organization, in return, will provide to the individual

© 2012 SOUTH-WESTERN, A PART OF CENGAGE LEARNING 3–3

PEOPLE IN ORGANIZATIONS

 Person-Job Fit
 The extent to which the contributions made by
the individual match the inducements offered by
the organization
 Individual Differences
 Personal attributes that vary
from one person to another
 personality
 PERSONALITY AND ORGANIZATIONS
 The “Big Five” Personality Traits
 A set of fundamental traits that are especially relevant to organizations

Agreeableness The ability to get along with others

Conscientiousness The number of goals on which a person focuses
Neuroticism Experiencing anger, anxiety, moodiness/insecurity

Extraversion The quality of being comfortable with relationships

Openness The capacity to entertain new ideas and to change
as a result of new information
THE “BIG FIVE” PERSONALITY FRAMEWORK
PERSONALITY AND ORGANIZATIONS (CONT’D)

 Emotional Intelligence (EI or EQ)

 The extent to which people are self-aware, can manage their emotions, can motivate
themselves, express empathy for others, and possess social skills

© 2012 SOUTH-WESTERN, A PART OF CENGAGE LEARNING 3–7

DIMENSIONS OF EQ

© 2012 SOUTH-WESTERN, A PART OF CENGAGE LEARNING 3–8

ATTITUDES IN ORGANIZATIONS

Key Work-Related Attitudes

Job satisfaction The extent to which a person is gratified or
fulfilled by his or her work
Organizational A person’s identification with and
commitment attachment to an organization
(job commitment)
 PERCEPTION IN ORGANIZATIONS
 Perception
 The set of processes by which an individual becomes aware of and
interprets information about the environment
WORKPLACE
BEHAVIORS
TYPES OF WORKPLACE BEHAVIOR
 Workplace Behavior

 A pattern of action by the members of an organization that directly or indirectly

influences organizational effectiveness

 Performance Behaviors

 All of the total set of work-related behaviors that the organization expects the
individual to display
 Dysfunctional Behaviors

 Behaviors that detract from organizational performance

 Absenteeism: when an individual does not show up for work

 Turnover: when people quit their jobs

 Organizational Citizenship

 The extent to which a person’s behavior makes a positive overall contribution to the
organization