Organizational Behavior

BBA,LL.B. (Hons.) IIIrd Sem

Abhishek Kumar Jain

Assistant Professor
School of Law
Jagran Lakecity University, Bhopal
 Summary of the Course (1/2)
• Unit 1 – Understanding Human Behavior
– Concept
– Significance of Human Behavior
– Factors affecting Human Behavior
– Levels of Human Behavior
• Unit 2 – Individual Behavior
Individual differences
– Personality
– Perception
– Learning
– Theories of Learning
• Unit 3 – Motivation
– Concept and Theories
– Motivation at work
– Attitude (Meaning and Nature)
– Job Related attitudes
 Summary of the Course (2/2)
• Unit 4 – Interpersonal Behavior
– Interpersonal dimensions of behavior
– Transactional Analysis
– Organizational Communication (Types, Barriers and Effective Communication)
• Unit 5 – Group Behavior
– Group (Types, Functions)
– Determinants of Group Behavior
– Inter Group Problems
– Leadership (Concept, Nature and Significance)
– Leadership Styles
– Theories of Leadership
• Unit 6 – Change and Conflict
– Organizational Conflict
– Management of Organizational Conflict (Approaches)
– Organizational Culture (Learning and Maintaining)
– Organizational Change
– Planned change, Resistance to change
– Organizational Development
– Organizational Development Process
 Unit 1
Understanding Human Behavior
 Organizational Behaviour
Consists of two words:

• Organization
• Behaviour

Organisation is a place where two or more people work together in a structured way
to achieve a specific goal or set of goals.

Behaviour is response of an individual to stimulation. So organisational behaviour is

the behaviour of an individual in an organisation to achieve organizational and self
objectives.
 Definitions
According to Baron and Greenberg:

"Organisational behaviour is the field that seeks knowledge of behaviour in

organisational settings by systematically studying individual, group and
organisational processes.“

According to Joe Kelly:

"Organisational behaviour is an academic discipline concerned with

understanding and describing human behaviour in an organisational
environment. It seeks to shed light on the whole complex human factor in
organisations by identifying causes and effects of that behaviour."
 Definitions Continued
According to Robbins:
"Organisational behaviour is the field of study that investigates the impact
that individuals, groups and structures have on behaviour within
organisations for the purpose of applying such knowledge towards
improving organisations effectiveness."

According to Daniel Goleman

"People tend to be very effective at managing relationships when they can
understand and control their own emotions and can empathize with the
feelings of others."
 Features and Characteristics
1. The multi disciplinary factor (Psychology, sociology,
anthropology, political science, engineering, economics,
communication, IT)
2. The scientific method
3. The multiple levels of analysis (Individual, interpersonal,
group, organizational and environmental issues)
 Challenges and Opportunities for OB

• Responding to Globalization
– Increased Foreign Assignments
– Working with people from different cultures
– Overseeing movement of jobs to countries with low-cost
labor
– Managing people during war on terror
• Managing workforce diversity
– Workforce diversity – gender, race, origin, age, disability,
religion etc.
 Challenges and Opportunities for OB (2/2)

– Embracing diversity
– Changing demographics
• Improving quality and productivity
• Improving customer service
• Improving people skills
• Stimulating innovation and change
• Creating a positive work environment
• Improving ethical behavior
Factors that affect human behavior at work (1/4)
• Leadership

• Work Culture
Factors that affect human behavior at work (2/4)
• Job Responsibilities
Few people are not having the right job

…Some of them love their job, no matter how ugly or challenging it may be
Factors that affect human behavior at work (3/4)

• Effective Communication

• Family and Personal Life

Factors that affect human behavior at work (4/4)

• Relationship at Work
 What other factors may also change things?

• Values
• Religion
• Expectations
• Health
• Conflict between personal and professional
objectives
 Approaches to OB
• Human Resources (supportive) approach
Employee growth and development toward higher levels of competency,
creativity and fulfillment are encouraged and supported because people
are the central resource in any organization and society.
• Contingency approach
Different managerial behaviors are required by different environments for
effectiveness.
• Results-oriented approach
Outcomes of organizational behavior programs are assessed in terms of
their efficiency.
• Systems approach
All parts of an organization interact in a complex relationship.
 Unit 2
Individual Behavior
 Individual Differences

• Demographic Factors
• Abilities and Skills
• Perceptions
• Attitude (tendency to respond favourably or
unfavorably to certain objects, persons or situations)
• Personality (characteristics and distinctive traits of
an individual)
 16 - Personality Types

• The Duty Fulfiller • The Guardian

• The Mechanic • The Performer
• The Nurturer • The Caregiver
• The Artist • The Inspirer
• The Protector
• The Giver
• The Idealist
• The Visionary
• The Scientist
• The Thinker • The Executive
• The Doer
 Other Types
• Introverts vs Extroverts
• Type A (impatient, achievement oriented) vs
Type B (easy-going, relaxed)
• Trait Theory initiated by Gordon Allport (next
slide)
 Traits making personality distinct
• Openness to experience • perfectionism
• conscientiousness
• Alexithymia (inability to
• Extraversion
Someone who enjoys being center of express emotions)
attraction
• rigidity
• Agreeableness
Agreeableness is a personality trait • impulsivity
manifesting itself in individual behavioral
characteristics that are perceived as kind, • disinhibition
sympathetic, cooperative, warm and
considerate. • Psychoticism
• Neuroticism (anxiety, Being reckless, disregard to common
moodiness, worry, envy and sense, good in creativity
jealousy) • obsessionality
• self-esteem (low)
• harm avoidance
• novelty seeking
 Profession and Personality
• Teacher
• Politician
• Author
• Lawyer
• Social Activists
 Major Personality Attributes
Influencing OB
• Locus of control
• Machiavellianism
• Self-esteem
• Self-monitoring
• Risk taking

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All

4–23
rights reserved.
 Locus of Control
Locus of Control
The degree to which people believe they are
masters of their own fate.

Internals
Individuals who believe that they control what happens to
them.

Externals
Individuals who believe that what happens to them is
controlled by outside forces such as luck or chance.

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All

4–24
rights reserved.
 Machiavellianism
Machiavellianism (Mach) by Niccolò Machiavelli
Degree to which an individual is pragmatic,
maintains emotional distance, and believes that ends
can justify means.

Conditions Favoring High Machs

•Direct interaction
•Minimal rules and regulations
•Emotions distract for others

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All

4–25
rights reserved.
 Self-Esteem and Self-Monitoring
Self-Esteem (SE)
Individuals’ degree of liking or disliking themselves.

Self-Monitoring
A personality trait that measures an individuals
ability to adjust his or her behavior to external,
situational factors.

© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All

4–26
rights reserved.
 Risk-Taking
• High Risk-taking Managers
– Make quicker decisions
– Use less information to make decisions
– Operate in smaller and more entrepreneurial organizations
• Low Risk-taking Managers
– Are slower to make decisions
– Require more information before making decisions
– Exist in larger organizations with stable environments
• Risk Propensity
– Aligning managers’ risk-taking propensity to job
requirements should be beneficial to organizations.
© 2005 Prentice Hall Inc. All
4–27
rights reserved.
Learning
 INDIVIDUAL LEARNING
Learning is relatively permanent change in behaviour,
which occurs as a result of experience or practice.

Discussion -
Recall one of the mistakes you ever made that taught
you important lesson.
 INDIVIDUAL LEARNING
Learning changes following cognitive areas:
• Strategic overview : A broader view of business.
• Thinking Style : Clear and more informal thinking.
• Action orientation: Became more proactive and started taking
more initiative.
• Reflection : Learning from mistakes.
• Personal Style : More sensitive and caring.
• Self Awareness : Toning down aggressive behaviour as a
result of feedback.
• Way of dealing with others : More honest, more team worker
and follow more human democratic management style.
 Definitions: Learning is:
1. “a persisting change in human performance or
performance potential . . . (brought) about as a result of
the learner’s interaction with the environment”
(Driscoll, 1994, pp. 8-9).

2. “the relatively permanent change in a person’s

knowledge or behavior due to experience” (Mayer, 1982, p.
1040).

3. “an enduring change in behavior, or in the

capacity to behave in a given fashion, which results
from practice or other forms of experience” (Shuell, 1986, p. 412).
 Learning Theory
Q: How do people learn?
A: Nobody really knows.
But there are 6 main theories:
Behaviorism

Cognitivism

Social Learning Theory

Social Constructivism

Multiple Intelligences

Brain-Based Learning
 Behaviorism
Confined to observable and measurable
behavior

 Classical Conditioning - Pavlov

 Operant Conditioning - Skinner

 Behaviorism

 Classical Conditioning - Pavlov

A stimulus is presented
in order to get a response:

S R
 Behaviorism
 Classical Conditioning - Pavlov

S US
UR

CS US

CR
 Behaviorism
 Operant Conditioning - Skinner

The response is made first,

then reinforcement follows.
 Behaviorism
• Learning is defined by the outward expression
of new behaviors
• Focuses solely on observable behaviors
• A biological basis for learning
• Learning is context-independent
• Classical & Operant Conditioning
– Reflexes (Pavlov’s Dogs)
– Feedback/Reinforcement (Skinner’s Pigeon Box)
 Behaviorism in the Classroom
• Rewards and
punishments
• Responsibility for
student learning
rests squarely with
the teacher
• Lecture-based,
highly structured
 Critiques of Behaviorism
• Does not account for processes taking place in the
mind that cannot be observed
• Advocates for passive student learning in a
teacher-centric environment
• One size fits all
• Knowledge itself is given and absolute
• Programmed instruction & teacher-proofing
 Learning Theory

 Behaviorism
 Cognitive Learning Theory
 Social Learning Theory
 Cognitivism

• the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding

through thought, experience, and the senses.
• Grew in response to Behaviorism

• Knowledge is stored cognitively as symbols

• Learning is the process of connecting symbols in a meaningful & memorable

way

• Studies focused on the mental processes that facilitate symbol connection

 Cognitivism
• Information Processing looks at how information is retrieved and stored.
• This theory focuses on how to store and retrieve information.
• Learning is attained through rehearsal and consistent use of the information.
– Retention strategies such as breaking down information and comparing the
information to long term storage are great techniques.
Cognitive Learning Theory

 Discovery Learning -
Jerome Bruner

 Meaningful Verbal
Learning - David
Ausubel
 Cognitive Learning Theory
 Discovery Learning

1. Bruner said anybody can learn anything at

any age, provided it is stated in terms
they can understand.
 Cognitive Learning Theory
 Discovery Learning

2. Powerful Concepts (not isolated facts)

a. Transfer to many different situations
b. Only possible through Discovery Learning
c. Confront the learner with problems and help
them find solutions. Do not present
sequenced materials.
 Cognitive Learning Theory
 Meaningful Verbal Learning
Advance Organizers:

New material is
presented in a
systematic way, and
is connected to
existing cognitive
structures in a
meaningful way.
 Cognitive Learning Theory
 Meaningful Verbal Learning

When learners have

difficulty with new
material, go back to
the concrete anchors
(Advance Organizers).
Provide a Discovery
approach, and they’ll
learn.
 Cognitivism in the Classroom

• Inquiry-oriented
projects
• Opportunities for the
testing of hypotheses
• Curiosity encouraged
• Staged scaffolding
 Critiques of Cognitivism
• Like Behaviorism, knowledge itself is given and
absolute
• Input – Process – Output model is mechanistic
and deterministic
• Does not account enough for individuality
• Little emphasis on affective characteristics
 Learning Theory

 Behaviorism
 Social Learning Theory
 Cognitive Learning Theory
 Social Learning Theory (SLT)
• Grew out of Cognitivism
• A. Bandura (1973)
• Learning takes place through observation and
sensorial experiences
• Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
• SLT is the basis of the movement against
violence in media & video games
 Social Learning Theory
Learning From Models -
Albert Bandura
1. Attend to pertinent clues
2. Code for memory (store a visual image)
3. Retain in memory
4. Accurately reproduce the observed
activity
5. Possess sufficient motivation to apply
new learning
 Social Learning Theory
Research indicates that the following factors influence the
strength of learning from models:

1. How much power the model seems to have

2. How capable the model seems to be
3. How nurturing (caring) the model seems to be
4. How similar the learner perceives self and model
5. How many models the learner observes
 Social Learning Theory

Four interrelated processes establish and

strengthen identification with the model:

1. Children want to be like the model

2. Children believe they are like the
model
3. Children experience emotions like
those the model is feeling.
4. Children act like the model.
 Social Learning Theory

Through identification, children come to

believe they have the same characteristics
as the model.
When they identify with a nurturant and competent
model, children feel pleased and proud.
When they identify with an inadequate model,
children feel unhappy and insecure.
 SLT in the Classroom
• Collaborative learning
and group work
• Modeling responses
and expectations
• Opportunities to
observe experts in
action
Critiques of Social Learning Theory
• Does not take into account individuality,
context, and experience as mediating factors
• Suggests students learn best as passive
receivers of sensory stimuli, as opposed to
being active learners
• Emotions and motivation not considered
important or connected to learning
 Social Constructivism

• Grew out of and in response to Cognitivism, framed

around metacognition
• Knowledge is actively constructed
• Learning is…
– A search for meaning by the learner
– Contextualized
– An inherently social activity
– Dialogic and recursive
– The responsibility of the learner
• Lev Vygotsky
– Social Learning
• Zone of Proximal Development
Social Constructivism in the Classroom

• Journaling
• Experiential activities
• Personal focus
• Collaborative &
cooperative learning
 Critiques of Social Constructivism
• Suggests that knowledge is neither given nor
absolute
• Often seen as less rigorous than traditional
approaches to instruction
• Does not fit well with traditional age grouping
and rigid terms/semesters
 Basic Concepts
• Motivation is the consequence of an interaction
between the individual and the situation. People
who are “motivated” exert a greater effort to
perform than those who are ‘not motivated’.
• Motivation is the willingness to do something. It is
conditioned by this action’s ability to satisfy some
need for the individual

Rti, Jammu 61
 Motivational process

Unsatisfied need

Tension

Drives

Search behaviour

Goal achievement

Need satisfaction

Reduction of tension

Rti, Jammu 62
 Definition
Motivation is a process which begins with
a physiological or psychological need or
deficiency which triggers behaviour or a
drive that is aimed at a goal or an
incentive.

Rti, Jammu 63
 Types of Motives

• Primary Motives

• General Motives

• Secondary Motives

Rti, Jammu 64
 Primary Motives
• Hunger
• Thirst
• Clothing
• Sleep
• Maternal concern

Rti, Jammu 65
 General Motives
• Motives which can not be termed primary or
secondary
• Primary needs try to reduce the tension or
stimulation whereas the general need induces
the individual to enhance the amount of
stimulation.
• Also called stimulus motives-Love ,concern
and affection.

Rti, Jammu 66
 Secondary Motives
• Learned drives become secondary
motives
• Includes
Curiosity
Manipulation

Rti, Jammu 67
 Achievement drive
The desire of an individual to
perform in terms of a particular
standard of excellence or the desire
to be successful in competitive
situations.

Rti, Jammu 68
 Specific characteristics of a high
achiever
• Takes moderate risks.
• Prefers immediate feedback
• Derives satisfaction on the successful
accomplishment of a task
• Has total concentration or preoccupation
with the assigned task

Rti, Jammu 69
 Unit 3
Motivation
 Basic Concepts
• Motivation is the consequence of an interaction
between the individual and the situation. People
who are “motivated” exert a greater effort to
perform than those who are ‘not motivated’.
• Motivation is the willingness to do something. It is
conditioned by this action’s ability to satisfy some
need for the individual

Rti, Jammu 71
 Motivational process

Unsatisfied need

Tension

Drives

Search behaviour

Goal achievement

Need satisfaction

Reduction of tension

Rti, Jammu 72
 Definition
Motivation is a process which begins with
a physiological or psychological need or
deficiency which triggers behaviour or a
drive that is aimed at a goal or an
incentive.

Rti, Jammu 73
 Types of Motives

• Primary Motives

• General Motives

• Secondary Motives

Rti, Jammu 74
 Primary Motives
• Hunger
• Thirst
• Clothing
• Sleep
• Maternal concern

Rti, Jammu 75
 General Motives
• Motives which can not be termed primary or
secondary
• Primary needs try to reduce the tension or
stimulation whereas the general need induces
the individual to enhance the amount of
stimulation.
• Also called stimulus motives-Love ,concern
and affection.

Rti, Jammu 76
 Secondary Motives
• Learned drives become secondary
motives
• Includes
Curiosity
Manipulation

Rti, Jammu 77
 Achievement drive
The desire of an individual to
perform in terms of a particular
standard of excellence or the desire
to be successful in competitive
situations.

Rti, Jammu 78
 Specific characteristics of a high
achiever
• Takes moderate risks.
• Prefers immediate feedback
• Derives satisfaction on the successful
accomplishment of a task
• Has total concentration or preoccupation
with the assigned task

Rti, Jammu 79
 Theories of Motivation
Some important theories:
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory
Mcclelland’s Achievement Motivation Theory
Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene theory
Expectancy Theory

Rti, Jammu 80
 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory
 Works on the assumption that the
behaviour of individuals at a particular
moment is usually determined by their
strongest need.
 Based on hypothesis that within every human
being there exists a hierarchy of five needs.

Rti, Jammu 81
 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Theory(contd)
Five needs:
 1. Physiological : Basic needs of hunger, thirst, shelter, sex and other
body needs.
 2. Safety: security and protection from physical and emotional harm
 3. Social: affection, belongingness, acceptance and friendship
 4. Esteem: Need for both self esteem(self respect, autonomy and
achievement) and external esteem (status, recognition and attention)
 5. Self-actualization the drive to become what one is capable of
becoming: includes growth, achieving one’s potential, self fulfillment.

Rti, Jammu 82
 David McClelland’s Achievement
Motivation Theory
• McClelland and colleagues studied the
behavioral effects of three needs
– Need for Achievement
– Need for Power
– Need for Affiliation
• Emphasized the Need for Achievement,
although they investigated all three needs
McClelland’s Achievement Motivation
Theory (Cont.)
• Strong need for achievement people
– Take responsibility for results of behavior
– Willing to take calculated risks
– Set moderate achievement goals
– Prefer to set performance standards for
themselves
– Prefer nonroutine tasks to routine assignments
– Welcome feedback about how well they are doing
McClelland’s Achievement Motivation
Theory (Cont.)
• Strong Need for Power people
– Focuses on "controlling the means of influencing
the behavior of another person”
– Having strong effects on other people
– Means of influence: anything available to the
person to control the behavior of another
– Actively searches for means of influence
McClelland’s Achievement Motivation
Theory (Cont.)
• Two ways of expressing the Need for Power
– Dominance, physical aggression, exploitation
• View situations from a win-lose perspective
• Must win and the other party must lose
– Did not feel such power behavior resulted in the
type of leadership required by organizations
McClelland’s Achievement Motivation
Theory (Cont.)
• Two ways of expressing the Need for Power
(cont.)
– Persuasion and interpersonal influence
• Tries to arouse confidence in those he or she wants to
influence
• Clarifies group’s goals and persuades members to
achieve those goals
• Emphasizes group members’ ability to reach goals
McClelland’s Achievement Motivation
Theory (Cont.)
• Two ways of expressing the Need for Power
(cont.)
• Tries to develop a competence belief in group
members
• McClelland felt this type of power behavior
characterized effective leaders in organizations
McClelland’s Achievement Motivation
Theory (Cont.)
• Strong Need for Affiliation people
– Focuses on "establishing, maintaining, and
restoring positive affective relations with others"
– Want close, warm interpersonal relationships
– Seek the approval of others, especially those
about whom they care
– Like other people, want other people to like them,
and want to be in the company of others
McClelland’s Achievement Motivation
Theory (Cont.)
• Need for achievement and behavior
– Money: important to both high and low
achievers, but for different reasons
• High achiever wants concrete feedback about
performance
• Making a profit, or receiving a bonus, is a statement
about success or failure
• Symbol of success and feedback about job performance
McClelland’s Achievement Motivation
Theory (Cont.)
• Need for achievement and behavior (cont.)
• High achiever wants a challenging job and responsibility
for work
• Want to feel successful at doing something over which
they have control
McClelland’s Achievement Motivation
Theory (Cont.)
• Need for achievement and behavior (cont.)
– Low achiever views monetary reward as an end in
itself
– Get increased performance from low Need for
Achievement person by rewarding with money
McClelland’s Achievement Motivation
Theory (Cont.)
• Managers and executives usually have a
stronger Need for Achievement than people in
other occupations
• Evidence points to strong Need for
Achievement as an entrepreneur
characteristic
• Nature of Need for Achievement behavior fits
well with such role demands
McClelland’s Achievement Motivation
Theory (Cont.)
• Need for Achievement and Need for Power:
some relationships
– Strong Need for Achievement person
• Task centered
• Future oriented
• Performs to internal standard of excellence
McClelland’s Achievement Motivation
Theory (Cont.)
• Need for Achievement and Need for Power:
some relationships (cont.)
– Strong Need for Power person
• Draws attention
• Risk taking
• Present oriented
• Assesses situations for change potential
Attitude
 Attitude
A settled way of thinking or feeling about something.
The Basis of Attitudes
• Predisposed feeling, thought or behavioral response to a particular
stimulus
• Consistency in behavior towards something or someone (like
school, university, parents, work, politics, sports, religion etc.)
• Some attitudes are difficult to change and
• Others are difficult to amend (affection)
 Components of Attitude
• Cognitive component
– Beliefs - trust, faith, or confidence
– Values - principles or standards of behavior; one's judgment of what is
important in life
• Affective component
– Feelings
– Emotions
• Behavioral component
– An intention to behave in a certain way towards someone or
something
 Major Job Attitude (1/2)
• Job Satisfaction
 which describes a positive feeling about a job, resulting from an
evaluation of its characteristics.
• Job Involvement
 which measures the degree to which people identify psychologically
with their job and consider their perceived performance level
important to self-worth.
 Employees with a high level of job involvement strongly identify with
and really care about the kind of work they do.
• Organizational Commitment
 In organizational commitment , an employee identifies with a
particular organization and its goals and wishes to remain a member
 Major Job Attitude (2/2)
• Perceived Organizational Support
 the degree to which employees believe the organization values their
contribution and cares about their well-being
• Employee Engagement
 an individual’s involvement with, satisfaction with, and enthusiasm for,
the work she does
 Cognitive Dissonance Theory
• Introduction
– Leon Festinger proposed cognitive dissonance theory in 1950s. The
theory seeks to explain linkage between attitudes and behavior.

• Definition
– A psychologically disturbing state of inconsistency between an
individual’s attitudes and his or her behavior.

• Cognitive dissonance can be reduced by:

– Changing the underlying attitude.
– Changing future behavior.
– Developing new ways of explaining or rationalizing the inconsistency.
 Job Satisfaction
“A positive feeling about a job resulting from an evaluation of
its characteristics” – Robins and Judge

Aspects related to Job Satisfaction

1. Work itself
2. Pay
3. Promotion
4. Work
5. Security
6. Supervision
7. Coworkers
 The Impact of satisfied and dissatisfied
employees on the workplace
• Exit
 The exit response directs behavior toward leaving the organization,
including looking for a new position as well as resigning.
• Voice
 The voice response includes actively and constructively attempting to
improve conditions, including suggesting improvements, discussing
problems with superiors, and undertaking some forms of union
activity.
• Loyalty
 The loyalty response means passively but optimistically waiting for
conditions to improve, including speaking up for the organization in
the face of external criticism and trusting the organization and its
management to “do the right thing.”
• Neglect
 The neglect response passively allows conditions to worsen and
includes chronic absenteeism or lateness, reduced effort, and increased
error rate.
 What does Job Satisfaction brings?

• Organizational Citizenship
– Behaviors that represent employees’ willingness to go the
extra mile in their work.
• Advancing organizational interests, positive attitudes and public
comments.
• Helping behaviors that are unsolicited (volunteering, mentoring).
Interpersonal Behavior
 Interpersonal relationship
• Interpersonal relationship. Attraction between
individuals brings them close to each other and
eventually results in a strong interpersonal relationship.
• Forms of Interpersonal relationship
– Individuals working together in the same organization.
– People working in the same team.
– Relationship between a man and a woman (Love, Marriage).
– Relationship with immediate family members and relatives.
– Relationship of a child with his parents.
– Relationship between friends.
 Factors affecting Interpersonal
Relationship at Work
• Compatibility
on the basis of:
– Social and Cultural Background
– Personal preference
– Aims and Goals in life
• Communication
– Formal
– Informal
• Organizational Culture
– Rigid
– Liberal
– Formal
– Casual
• Conflict
• Policies and Work Environment
 Importance of Healthy Interpersonal
Relationship
• To accept society within the organization
• Better coordination
• Harmony between employees
• For avoiding any dispute
• A helping tool for better supervision
• Motivating and Competitive environment
Organizational Communication
 Framework for Understanding
Communications
• Communication is defined as the transmission of mutual
understanding through the use of symbols
• If mutual understanding does not result from the
transmission of symbols, there is no communication
• The elements in the process of communication are:
– Source
– Encoding
– Message
– Medium
– Decoding
– Receiver
– Noise
– Feedback
 Formal Channels
• The three formal channels of communication
are downward, upward, and horizontal
– Downward
• Flows from higher to lower levels
• Key aspect—subordinates react most effectively to
those matters judged to be of the greatest interest to
the boss
• Selective screening is a problem
• Example forms: job instructions, memos, policies,
procedures, manuals, etc.
 Formal Channels (cont.)
– Upward
• Flows from lower to higher levels
• Most ineffective of the three channels
• Employees need opportunities to be:
– Heard
– Anonymous
• Example devices: suggestion boxes, group meetings,
participative decision making, grievance procedures, etc.
– Horizontal
• Flows from one level to an equal level
• Necessary for coordination of diverse organizational
functions
• Most effective of the three channels
• Example devices: Internet, corporate intranets
Interpersonal Communication
 Interpersonal Communication
• Interpersonal communication travels from
person to person in face-to-face and group
settings
• It is the primary means (75%) of managerial
communication
• Communication problems can be traced to
perceptual and interpersonal style differences
Types of Interpersonal Communication

• Two types of interpersonal communication are

verbal and non-verbal
• Verbal
– Oral communication
• Conversations in person, telephone, etc.
• Major benefits—ideas can be interchanged, prompt
feedback can be provided, allows use of gestures, facial
expressions, and other emotions such as tone or voice
• Can result in poor communication—immediacy, not well
thought out, not clearly encoded, noise in the process
Types of Interpersonal Communication
(cont.)
– Written communication
• Major benefits—allows sender to think about
message, reread it, have others review it, provides a
record of the communication
• Major drawbacks—takes more time to prepare, no
interaction, no immediate feedback, discourages
open communication
• Non-verbal
– Sending and receiving messages by some medium other than
verbal or written
– 93% of message is via non-verbal content
– Examples: voice, face, body, proxemics
Approaches to Communication in Organizations
• Formal Small Group Networks
Approaches to Communication in Organizations
• Grapevine
 Groups
Two or more individuals, interacting and
interdependent, who come together to
achieve particular objectives

Formal
• Defined by the organization’s structure

Informal
• Neither formally structured nor organizationally determined

8-119
 Four Types of Groups
Formal Groups Informal Groups
• Command – determined by • Interest – affiliate to attain
the organization chart a specific objective of
shared interest
• Task – working together to
complete a job task • Friendship – members have
one or more common
characteristics

8-120
 Why Do People Join Groups?

• Security
• Status
• Self-esteem
• Affiliation
• Power
• Goal achievement

8-121
 The Five-Stage Model
of Group Development
• Forming:
1 • Uncertainty about purpose, structure, and leadership

• Storming:
2 • Intragroup conflict as members resist constraints

• Norming:
3 • Group is cohesive with strong group identity

• Performing:
4 • Group fully functional and working toward goals

• Adjourning:
5 • For temporary groups: breaking up

8-122
 Key Points & Critique
of Five-Stage Model
• Group Effectiveness:
– Generally groups are more effective as they progress
– Reasons for this are complex
• Group Conflict:
– Some groups need conflict, most productive in Stage II
• Blurred Stages:
– Stages not always sequential
– Multiple stages may be taken simultaneously
– May regress a stage

8-123
 Group Properties

• Roles
• Norms
• Status
• Size
• Cohesiveness

8-124
 Conflict is…
The interaction of
interdependent people
who perceive
incompatible goals and
interference from each
other in achieving those
goals.
-Hoeker & Wilmot
 Examples of Conflict
• Generational change:
– Housestaff clash with primary care providers
• Technology driven change:
– Upgrading to electronic medical records
• Change in scope of practice:
– Should we admit to the hospitalists?
• Something just isn’t fair:
– What about our salaries?
• Others
 Advantages of Conflict
• Diffuse more serious conflicts
• Stimulate search for new facts or solutions
• Enhance relationships
• Increase cohesiveness

Conflict should be managed not eliminated

 Disavantages of Conflict
• Time consuming
• Disrupts progress/ problem solving
• Detracts from job at hand
• Keeps people apart; if unresolved
• Poor quality, lowers productivity
• Reduces team effectiveness
 Types of Conflict

Intrapersonal Interpersonal

Intragroup Intergroup
 Sources of Conflict

• Fear
• Mishandling conflict in
• Dishonesty
the past
• Boundaries
• Hidden agenda
• Negligence
• Revenge
• Need to be right
• Fighting the “last war”
• Miscommunication
ORGANIZATION CULTURE
POWER, POLITICS AND CONFLICTS
 CULTURE IN ORGANIZATIONS

Expressed in terms of norms, values,

attitudes and beliefs shared by
organisational members
 CHARACTERISTICS
• Innovation and risk taking • Structure
• Attention to details • Support
• Outcome orientation • Identity
• People orientation • Performance reward
• Team orientation
• Conflict tolerance
• Aggressiveness
• Attitude toward change
• Stability
• Individual autonomy • Focus
• Commitment • Standards, values, rituals
• Excitement, pride and espirit • Openness communication and
de corps supervision
DEVELOPING ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE
 POLITICS
• Organisational politics is associated with
resource allocation, conflict resolution, and
decision making process in organisation.
Politics is fact of life for almost every
organisation. When employees in
organisations convert their power into action,
we describe them as being engaged in politics
 Types of political behavior
• Legitimate Political Behaviour
• Illegitimate Political Behaviour
Steven and Mary Ann Von have suggested seven
categories of political activity
• Attacking or Blaming Others
• Selectively Distributing Information
• Controlling Information Channels
• Forming Coalitions
• Cultivating Networks
• Creating Obligations
• Managing Impressions
 Factors affecting Politics in organizations

• Individual factors
• Organizational factors
 The Dark Side of
Organizational Politics

Lying
Deception

Organizational
politics

Intimidation
 The Dark Side of
Organizational Politics (Cont.)
• Deception
– Trick another party into picking wrong decision
alternative
– Personal goals more important than organizational
goals
 The Dark Side of
Organizational Politics (Cont.)
• Lying
– Intentional misstatement of the truth
– Trying to mislead other party
– Distorts information in favor of the liar
– Can have long-term negative effects if discovered
 The Dark Side of
Organizational Politics (Cont.)
• Intimidation
– Direct or indirect pressures on a person by
someone with power over the person
– Restrict communication of person with others
– Isolate from others
– Includes sexual harassment of anyone
Thank you…