Organizational Behavior 2024_5A1O03

Introduction to the course

Dr. Lotta Harju

harju@em-lyon.com, room 209A

Nice to meet you!

Lotta Harju
assistant professor of OB

Over 10 years of international experience in

improving employee well-being

• Consultant, Dazzle Ltd, Helsinki, Finland

• Project management, R&D, consulting,
Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
• PhD in Work and Organizational
Psychology, KU Leuven, Belgium
• Post Doctoral research fellowVU Amsterdam
Research
Stress and well-being at work
How people maintain their motivation and well-being at work?
Social conformity and speaking out in teams
 Today‘s agenda

I. Introduction to the course

II. Decision making biases
Why should I study Organizational Behavior?
 Within five years of appointment,
managers with a business school degree
reduced employees‘ salaries and labor
share by 3% - 6% in the US and in Denmark.

Firms appointing business managers do

not enjoy higher revenue, productivity,
growth or investment.

Acemoglu, He, le Maire (2022):Eclipse of Rent-Sharing: The Effects of Managers' Business Education on
Wages and the Labor Share in the US and Denmark. NBER Working Paper No. 29874
Unsplash.com
Traditional Information People Network
mgmt mgmt mgmt mgmt

People skills

Robbins & Judge, 2018

Organizational behavior will help you to…

ü Make better decisions in complex environments

ü Motivate employees even when the times are tough
ü Attract and keep the best and the brightest
ü Navigate increasing teamwork and self-management
ü Manage conflict and change
ü Respond to stress and enhance well-being at work
 Influences and application of OB

Economics
Medicine
Psychology
Management
Sociology
Antropology
Social psychology
 Applications of Organizational Behavior

1900 – 1945 1920s – 1960s 1960s ->

Scientific management Human relations Symbolic interactionism
Taylorism, Fordism Worker motivation in Social relationships and
Rationalization of work productivity meaning at work
processes
Contingency approach
Job characteristics and roles
vary across organizations
Do you think scientific management approach is useful
in contemporary organizations?

https://app.wooclap.com/PYUMPN
 1.-2. Decision making 6. Leadership

2. Group Theory Organizational 5. Personality

behavior

3. Motivation and well-being 4. Job design and job crafting

 COURSE AGENGA
3.1. Introduction to OB
Decision making biases
17.1. Groups and decision making
24.1. Motivation and well-being
31.1. Job design and job crafting
7.2. Book assignment - debates
14.2. Personality - online

21.2. Leadership - online

• Introduction of the fieldwork assignment
• Exam briefing
28.2. Coaching - online
6.3. Coaching - online
13.3. Final exam
Fieldwork assignment – poster presentations
Course evaluation
▪ MCQ - 50% of your grade (13.3.)

▪ Group projects - 50%

▪ 1st groupwork: Book assignment - 20%
▪ Video submission (DL 5.2.) + debate at class (7.2.)
▪ Statement of individual contribution (SIC)

▪ 2nd groupwork: Fieldwork + presentation - 30% (13.3)

▪ Two online coaching sessions – one is obligatory
▪ Poster presentation + SIC

Submissions: Brightspace dropbox (evaluation -> assignments)

See guidelines at BS (course content -> course assignments)
Book assignment by 5.2.

Sign up to a group on BS: collaboration -> groups

Cain, S. (2013). Quiet: The power of introverts in a world that can't stop talking. Broadway Books.

Graeber, D. (2018). Bullshit jobs: A Theory. Penguin.

Kahneman, D. (2013). Thinking, fast and slow. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

Pfeffer, J. (2018). Dying for a paycheck: How modern management harms employee health and company
performance—and what we can do about it.

Grant, A. (2013). Give and take: A revolutionary approach to success. Penguin.

Note: Two groups per book

Summary of the project
1. Choose a group (note: two groups for each book)
2. Read the book assigned to the group and identify its main points/ideas
(find pdf –versions at BS)
3. Develop a case in video format (max. 6 min) illustrating the key
arguments/ideas of the book and their implications for organizational
practice. Submit by 5.2.2024 (will be reviewed at class 7.2.2024)
4. Prepare arguments for both the strengths and limitations of the book. For
example, identify why/where the book and its notions are feasible and
applicable today and why/where they may not be. These will be debated at
class 7.2.2024.

Ø Ability to analyze and apply ideas / theories to discuss current

organizational challenges
Ø Find instructions in BS (course content ->course assignments)
Online activities at BS

ü Prepare with introductory readings

(Course content -> Introduction -> Introductory readings)
ü Robbins & Judge chapter: What is organizational behavior
ü Cummings (1978): Towards organizational behavior

ü For next week: Gary Hamel video at BS

(Course content -> Decision making)

ü Next: Sign up to a book group