Introduction to Organizational Behavior

Session 1: The Importance of People Management

Session Objectives

• Introduction to organizational behavior

• Understand the evolution of OB as a field of study
• Person by situation interaction model
• Understand the various components of OB model
• Challenges & opportunities in the field of OB
Introduction

• Most serious challenges of business organizations revolve around a common focus— PEOPLE.

• Challenges:
o What makes people more productive and satisfied with their jobs?

o How can we find out the best ways to organize the way work is done?

o What motivates people?

o How can we be more innovative?

o What kind of compensation structure in desired by workforce belonging to different

generational cohorts?
• What are organizations?
“A consciously coordinated social unit, composed of two or more people, that
functions on a relatively continuous basis to achieve a common goal or set of
goals.”

• Management

Management Functions Management Roles Management Skills

• Planning • Interpersonal Roles • Technical Skills

• Organizing • Informational Roles • Conceptual Skills
• Leading • Decisional Roles • Human Skills
• Controlling
• Staffing
Organizational Behavior

• Organizational Behavior: “A field of study that investigates the impact the individuals, groups,
and structure have on behavior within organizations, for the purpose of applying such knowledge
towards improving the organizational effectiveness.”

• Three determinants of behavior in organizations:

i. Individuals Focus of this course
ii. Groups

iii. Structure
OB: Where it was and where is it headed ?

• The Pre-Scientific Era (Pre 1000-1880)

• The Classical Era (1880-1930)

o Administrative theory

o Scientific Management

• The Behavioral Era (1930-1960)

• The Modern Era (1960 Onwards)

Is OB based on only intuition?

• No, it is a systematic study based on evidences.

• Absolute in OB: Person by Situation interaction
• Two important aspects: dispositional factors (e.g. personality) and situational factors
A Basic OB Model

Source: Book on Organizational Behavior by Stephen P. Robbins

Challenges and Opportunities of OB

Globalization Issues
Workforce Diversity
Automation

Improving People Skills

Improving Ethical Behavior
Employee work-life balance

Stimulating Innovation
Managing Change
Thriving in a flattening world