1.

Organizational Behavior and human perception

1.1 Organizational Behavior (OB):

Organizational Behavior (OB) can be defined as the understanding, prediction

and management of human behavior both individually or in a group that
occur within an organization.

Internal and external perspectives are the two theories of how organizational
behavior can be viewed from an organization’s point of view. In this tutorial,
we will be learning in detail about both the theories.

1.1.1 Importance of OB

While working in an organization, it is very important to understand others

behavior as well as make others understand ours. In order to maintain a
healthy working environment, we need to adapt to the environment and
understand the goals we need to achieve. This can be done easily if we
understand the importance of OB.

Following points bring out the importance of OB −

 It helps in explaining the interpersonal relationships employees share

with each other as well as with their higher and lower subordinates.
 The prediction of individual behavior can be explained.
 It balances the cordial relationship in an enterprise by maintaining
effective communication.
 It assists in marketing.
 It helps managers to encourage their sub-ordinates.
 Any change within the organization can be made easier.
 It helps in predicting human behavior & their application to achieve
organizational goals.
 It helps in making the organization more effective.
Thus studying organizational behavior helps in recognizing the patterns of
human behavior and in turn throw light on how these patterns profoundly
influence the performance of an organization.

1.2 Human Perception:

Perception is an intellectual process of transforming sensory stimuli to

meaningful information. It is the process of interpreting something that we see
or hear in our mind and use it later to judge and give a verdict on a situation,
person, group etc.

It can be divided into six types −

 Of sound − The ability to receive sound by identifying vibrations.

 Of speech − The competence of interpreting and understanding the

sounds of language heard.

 Touch − Identifying objects through patterns of its surface by touching

it.

 Taste − The ability to receive flavor of substances by tasting it through

sensory organs known as taste buds.

 Other senses − They approve perception through body, like balance,

acceleration, pain, time, sensation felt in throat and lungs etc.

 Of the social world − It permits people to understand other individuals

and groups of their social world. Example − Patrick goes to a restaurant
and likes their customer service, so she will perceive that it is a good
place to hang out and will recommend it to her friends, who may or may
not like it. Patrick’s perception about the restaurant is good.

1.2.1 Perceptual Process

Perceptual process are the different stages of perception we go through. The
different stages are −

 Receiving

 Selecting

 Organizing

 Interpreting

Receiving

Receiving is the first and most important stage in the process of perception. It
is the initial stage in which a person collects all information and receives the
information through the sense organs.

Selecting

Selecting is the second stage in the process. Here a person doesn’t receive the
data randomly but selectively. A person selects some information out of all in
accordance with his interest or needs. The selection of data is dominated by
various external and internal factors.

 External factors − The factors that influence the perception of an

individual externally are intensity, size, contrast, movement, repetition,
familiarity, and novelty.

 Internal factors − The factors that influence the perception of an

individual internally are psychological requirements, learning,
background, experience, self-acceptance, and interest.

Organizing

Keeping things in order or say in a synchronized way is organizing. In order to

make sense of the data received, it is important to organize them.
We can organize the data by −

 Grouping them on the basis of their similarity, proximity, closure,

continuity.

 Establishing a figure ground is the basic process in perception. Here by

figure we mean what is kept as main focus and by ground we mean
background stimuli, which are not given attention.

 Perceptual constancy that is the tendency to stabilize perception so that

contextual changes don’t affect them.

Interpreting

Finally, we have the process of interpreting which means forming an idea

about a particular object depending upon the need or interest. Interpretation
means that the information we have sensed and organized, is finally given a
meaning by turning it into something that can be categorized. It includes
stereotyping, halo effect etc.

1.2.2 Importance of Perception in OB

We need to understand what the role of perception in an organization is. It is

very important in establishing different role of perceptions like −

 Understanding the tasks to be performed.

 Understanding associated importance of tasks allotted.

 Understanding preferred behavior to complete respective tasks.

 Clarifying role perceptions.

1.3 The scope and nature of OB

 In a very broad sense, the scope of OB is the extent to which it can
govern or influence the operations of an organization. The scope of OB
integrates 3 concepts respectively −

1.3.1 It is the Individual Behavior

study of individual’s personality, learning, attitudes, motivation, and job

satisfaction. In this study, we interact with others in order to study
about them and make our perception about them.

Example − The personal interview round is conducted to interact with

candidates to check their skills, apart from those mentioned in the
resume.

1.3.2 Inter-individual Behavior

It is the study conducted through communication between the

employees among themselves as well as their subordinates,
understanding people’s leadership qualities, group dynamics, group
conflicts, power and politics.

Example − A meeting to decide list of new board members.

1.3.3 Group Behavior

Group behavior studies the formation of organization, structure of

organization and effectiveness of organization. The group efforts made
towards the achievement of organization’s goal is group behavior. In
short, it is the way how a group behaves.

Example − Strike, rally etc.

1.4 Key determinants of Organizational Behavior

There are three major factors that affect OB. The working environment being
the base for all three factors, they are also known as the determinants of OB.
The three determinants are −

 People

 Structure

 Technology

1.4.1 People

An organization consists of people with different traits, personality, skills,

qualities, interests, background, beliefs, values and intelligence. In order to
maintain a healthy environment, all the employees should be treated equally
and be judged according to their work and other aspects that affects the firm.

Example − A company offers campus placement to trainees from different

states like Orissa, Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh and many more. However,
during and after training, all trainees are examined only on the basis of their
performance in the tasks assigned.

1.4.2 Organizational Structure

Structure is the layout design of an organization. It is the construction and
arrangement of relationships, strategies according to the organizational goal.

Example − Organizational structure defines the relation of a manager with

employees and co-workers.

1.4.3 Technology

Technology can be defined as the implementation of scientific knowledge for

practical usage. It also provides the resources required by the people that
affect their work and task performance in the right direction.

Example − Introduction of SAP, big data and other software in the market
determines individual and organizational performance.

1.4.4 Environment

All companies function within a given internal and external environment.

Internal environment can be defined as the conditions, factors, and elements
within an enterprise that influences the activities, choices made by the firm,
and especially the behavior of the employees. While external environment can
be defined as outside factors that affect the company's ability to operate. Some
of them can be manipulated by the company’s marketing, while others require
the company to make adjustments.

Some examples of internal environment include employee morale, culture

changes, financial changes or issues, and some examples of external
environment include political factors, changes to the economy and the
company itself.

2.0 Changing employee behavior and motivating employees

2.1 Learning and motivation.