Organization behavior

Organizational behavior is an applied behavioral science that is built on contributions from a

number of behavioral disciplines. The predominant areas are psychology, sociology, social
psychology, anthropology, and political science. Psychology contributions have been mainly at
the individual or micro level of analysis, while the other four disciplines have contributed to our
understanding of macro concepts such as group processes and organization.

6 Contributing Disciplines (Principles) to the Organization Behavior Field

are:

1. Psychology (Personality system).

2. Sociology (Social system).
3. Social Psychology.
4. Economics.
5. Anthropology (Cultural system).
6. Political Sciences.

Psychology:

Psychology is the science that seeks to measure, explain, and sometimes change the behavior of
humans and other animals. Psychologists concern themselves with studying and attempting to
understand individual behavior. Those who have contributed and continue to add to the
knowledge of OB are learning theorists, personality theorists, counseling psychologists, and,
most important, industrial and organizational psychologists.

More recently, their contributions have been expanded to include

 the learning process,

 motivation techniques,

 personality determinants and development,

 perceptual process and its implications,

 training process,

 leadership effectiveness,

 job satisfaction,
  individual decision making,

 performance appraisal,
Group dynamics,
 attitude measurement, Design of work teams,
Communications,
Power,
 employee selection, Conflict,
Intergroup Behavior
 Job design and work stress.

Sociology:
While psychology focuses on the individual, sociology studies people in relation to their fellow
human beings. Specifically, sociologists have made their greatest contribution to OB through
their study of group behavior in organizations, particularly formal and complex organizations.
Some of the areas within OB that have received valuable input from sociologists are;

Sociology
Organization system
Organizational culture,
Organization theory,
Organizational technology,

Group

Social Psychology:
Social psychology blends concepts from both psychology and sociology. It focuses on the
influence of the people on one another. One of the major areas under considerable investigation
by social psychologists has been change— how to implement it and how to reduce barriers to its
acceptance. In addition, we find social psychologists making significant contributions in the
areas of measuring , understanding, and changing attitudes; communication patterns; building
trust; the way in which group activities can satisfy individual needs; and group decision-making
process.
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of societies to learn about human beings and their activities. For
instance, anthropologists work on cultures and environments has helped us understand
differences in fundamental values, attitudes, and behavior between people in different countries
and within different organizations. Much of our current understanding of organizational culture,
organizational environments, and differences between national cultures is the result of the work
of anthropologists or those using their methods.
Political Science
Although frequently overlooked, the contributions of political scientists are significantly to the
understanding of behavior in organizations. Political science studies the behavior of individuals
and groups within a political environment. Specific topics of concern here include the structuring
of conflict, allocation of power, and how people manipulate power for individual self-interest

Economics:
Economists study the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. Students
of organisational behaviour share the economist’s interest in such areas as labour market
dynamics, productivity, human resource planning and forecasting, and cost benefit analysis.
The economic conditions of a country have long lasting impact on organizational behavior. If
psychological and economic expectations of employee are met, they are satisfied and become
high performers. Economic systems include financial, commercial and industrial activities which
have greater influences on the behaviour of the people. The consumption pattern in society
monitors the behaviour of employees. Consumption oriented society witnesses a different
employee behaviour from that of a production oriented society.
Science:
Science is systematized knowledge. The scientific methods attempt to produce information that
is objective in the sense that it is certifiable and independent of a person’s opinions or
preferences. Scientific method is the backbone of organisational behaviour. Organisational
behaviour is based on the systematized study of facts, behaviour, their relationships and
predictions.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
New scientific methods viz. observation of facts and behaviour, explanation of facts and
relationships and coming to conclusion thereon have become important bases of the study of
organisational behaviour. The cause and effect relationship is also established in organisational
behaviour like that of science. The verification of the relationship and its quantification has
added to the importance of organisational behaviour.
It becomes relatively easy to predict and mould the people at work. A researcher, in the field of
OB investigates new facts, tests theories, hypothesis and models. Personal bias, superfluous
conclusions and whimsical approaches are avoided in the study. A systematized form of inquiry
is used for the study of various problems.
Technology:
The level of technological development affects the behaviour of the employees. Modern age is
the age of computerization. It has come within the framework of the model of organisational
behaviour. The study of technological development is becoming essential for understanding the
organisational behaviour, because people are influenced by the technological development.
Human behaviour relations and environments develop as a result of technological innovations.
Technology changes consumer behaviour, production activities, distribution and storage
activities. To cope up with the technological development people have to become educated
and/or technically skilled. They should have to be responsibility conscious and development
oriented. Unskilled or irresponsible will have no place in the modern innovative age. Thus,
technological development leads to effective work behaviour, improved organisational culture
and helpful work environment.
Engineering:
Engineering also influences the study of organisational behaviour. Some topics are common to
engineering as well as organisational behaviour e.g. work measurement, productivity
measurement, work flow analysis, work design, job design and labour relations. In fact,
organisational behaviour is dependent on engineering for these technical jobs.
Medicine:
Nowadays, medicine has also come in connection with the study of human behaviour at work.
Stress is becoming a very common problem in the organisations as well as in the people working
in the organisations. Research shows that controlling the causes and consequences of stress in
and out of organisational settings, is important for the well being of the individual as well as the
organisations. Medicine helps in the control of stress as well as stress related problems.
Thus, it can be concluded that organisational behaviour has an interdisciplinary focus. It draws
from a variety of other fields and attempts to describe behaviour as opposed to prescribing how
behaviour can be changed in consistent and predictable ways.
The relationship of OB with other fields of study is depicted in the following diagram:

PSYCHOLOGY
SCIENCE

SOCIALOGY
ORGANIZATIONAL TECHNOLOGY
ANTHROPOLOGY BEHAVIOR

ENGINEERING
POLITICAL SCIENCE

MEDICINE
ECONOMICS