14e

Organizational
Behavior
Human Behavior at
Work

Chapter One
The Dynamics of
People and
John W. Newstrom Organizations

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 Outline
• Understand OB and Definition
• Goals
• Forces
• Fundamental Concepts (Figure 1.2)
• The Nature of People
• The Nature of Organizations

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 Organizational Behavior (OB)
• Organizational Behavior is Systematic study
and application of knowledge about how
people – as individual and as group - act
within organizations (P-4)
• Identifies ways in which people can act more
effectively
• Is a scientific discipline and an applied science
• Provides a useful set of analysis tools

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 Benefits of Organizational Behavior
• Helps observe the behavior of individuals
within an organization
• Aids in understanding the complexities
involved in interpersonal relations
• Examines the dynamics of relationships within
small groups
• Aids in viewing and managing organizations as
whole systems

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 Goals of Organizational Behavior
• To systematically describe how people behave
under various circumstances
• To understand people’s behavior
• To predict an individual’s behavior
• To control human behavior at work (P5)

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 Forces of Organizational Behavior
• People
– Constitute the internal social system of the
organization
– Diversity: Occurs when employees bring a wide
array of educational backgrounds, talents, and
perspectives to their jobs
• Structure
– Formal relationship and use of people in
organizations
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 Forces of Organizational Behavior
(P5-6)
 People must be related in some structural way so
their work can be effectively coordinated
 Technology
 Provides the tools necessary for employees to
carry out their tasks
 Environment
 Organizations operate in internal and external
environments

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 Forces of Organizational Behavior
– Changes create demands on organizations
– External environment affects human behavior
• Influences people’s attitudes
• Affects working conditions
• Provides competition for resources and power

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 Figure 1.2 - Fundamental Concepts of
Organizational Behavior

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 Nature of People
 Individual differences: Requires managers to
employ a unique approach to every individual
employee
 Law of individual differences: Belief that each
person is different from all others
 Perception: Unique way in which each person
sees, organizes, and interprets things
 Selective perception: Paying attention to features
of work environment that are consistent with or
reinforce one’s own expectations
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 Nature of People
 Whole person - Organizations employ a whole
person rather than certain characteristics
 Home life is not totally separable from work life
 Emotional conditions are not separate from
physical conditions
 Ways to develop a better employee and person
 Motivated behavior
 Desire for involvement
 Value of the person
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 Nature of Organizations
Social systems

• Activities in organizations are governed by social laws as well

as psychological laws

Mutual interest

• Organization and its employees depending on each other to

achieve their respective goals

Ethics

• Use of moral principles and values to affect the behavior of

individuals and organizations

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 Figure 1.3 - Mutual Interest Provides a
Superordinate Goal for Employees, the
Organization, and Society

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