organizational behaviour assignment examples

Faculty Resources

Assignments.

The assignments in this course are openly licensed, and are available as-is, or can be modified to suit your students’ needs.

If you import this course into your learning management system (Blackboard, Canvas, etc.), the assignments will automatically be loaded into the assignment tool.

The Organizational Behavior course includes a series of openly licensed written assignments and discussions aligned to specific learning outcomes and chapters. Both the discussion questions and the assignments follow the “Workplace Solutions Consulting LLC” narrative created where students act as a consultant working on a project involving a large technology company, Informational Systems Inc. The student is asked to assume the role of an organizational consultant faced with real-world workplace issues using the principles from the course, examining their own personal values to develop recommendations that would contribute to a successful organizational culture.

You can view them below or throughout the course.

Rubric for Assignments

There is also a sample rubric to assist you in grading. Instructors may modify these guidelines or use their own.

Discussions

The following discussion assignments will also be preloaded (into the discussion-board tool) in your learning management system if you import the course. They can be used as is, modified, or removed. You can view them below or throughout the course.

Rubric for Discussion Posts

Open Pedagogy Assignments

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Organizational Behavior

(18 reviews)

Copyright Year: 2017

ISBN 13: 9781946135155

Publisher: University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing

Language: English

Formats Available

Conditions of use.

Learn more about reviews.

Reviewed by Jalal Maqableh, Instructor - Ph.D. Candidate, James Madison University on 11/29/21

This book is comprehensive in two ways: (1) The organizational behavior topics it covers. The most important topics that new employees (fresh graduates) would need to know are included in this book. (2) The learning methodology includes the... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This book is comprehensive in two ways: (1) The organizational behavior topics it covers. The most important topics that new employees (fresh graduates) would need to know are included in this book. (2) The learning methodology includes the topics' content, discussion questions, key takeaways, and exercises.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

This book is accurate and provides relevant content. In general, no key mistakes were identified.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The book is relatively new (2019). It talks about current practices in today's organizations. Some topics in organizational behavior are stable while others are changing very fast. Therefore, it will be important to look to the places where there will be a need for updates.

Clarity rating: 5

The book is clear and helps the reader to move through sections smoothly.

Consistency rating: 5

The structure of the chapters is very consistent. This facilitates the learning process.

Modularity rating: 5

Although the size of the book is large and not logical to be used all in one semester. The design of the book separates the learning topics into small learning packages that can be selected based on the need.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The flow of the book makes it logical to build each chapter based on the previous one. This is good for educational purposes because it helps the instructor during the transition from one topic to another.

Interface rating: 5

Easy to use and to move through different parts.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammar issues were found.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The book clearly highlights cultural diversity within the organizational context.

This is a very well-written book for university students. It gives the opportunity for readers to comprehend organizational behavior in an interesting way.

Reviewed by Brittni Heiden, Senior Director of Graduate Programs, Trine University on 4/16/21

The text, Organizational Behavior provides a comprehensive overview of several topics, including: motivation, communication, managing groups and teams, conflict resolution, power and politics, making decisions, etc. Within each chapter, the author... read more

The text, Organizational Behavior provides a comprehensive overview of several topics, including: motivation, communication, managing groups and teams, conflict resolution, power and politics, making decisions, etc. Within each chapter, the author provides key takeaways and exercises that allow the students to apply their knowledge of the topic.

Each topic is presented in an accurate manner, supported by current practices, and relevant examples.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

For the most part, the content with the book is supported by current practices and many relevant examples. However, some of the examples, particularly those within the case studies can be outdated. Being that the book was written in 2019, it is likely missing vital examples and case studies from 2020 and 2021.

The book flows well and is written in a manner that is easily understood by undergraduate students.

Each chapter is set up in a similar fashion, making it easy for the reader to navigate the material. Along with this, each chapter has appropriate examples and exercises that correspond with the covered material.

Modularity rating: 4

The book is extensive, but each chapter is easily navigated by students. It would be very doable for instructors to piece together important information, or prioritize chapters without disrupting the students. The textbook is very lengthy, as are many Organizational Behavior texts, so it may be difficult for each chapter to be covered during a semester. However, due to the fact that each chapter is easily and readily divisible into smaller sections, or subsections, instructors can prioritize the information they would like to cover.

The organization of the textbook is clear and logical. There are proper transitions so the students are aware regarding what they should expect next.

Navigation is very easy for students to use. There are very few, if any, distractions throughout the text.

No grammatical errors were found throughout the text.

Great examples are used throughout the text to highlight cultural diversity within the workplace.

Overall, this is a great text for undergraduate Organizational Behavior courses. It is well written, offers many opportunities for students to apply their knowledge, and also covers a diverse range of topics.

Reviewed by Amanda Hinojosa, Assistant Professor, Howard University on 4/13/21

This book covers all of the topics one might expect from an Organizational Behavior course. Where it seems to differ from other Organizational Behavior books is the level of attention devoted to topics (some might for example focus less on... read more

This book covers all of the topics one might expect from an Organizational Behavior course. Where it seems to differ from other Organizational Behavior books is the level of attention devoted to topics (some might for example focus less on negotiation, while this book has a chapter on it; other books might have a chapter devoted just to individual differences, while this one focuses on individual differences and perception within one chapter).

The book contains accurate discussion of concepts, theories, and application.

The book has several case studies (usually one at the beginning and end of each chapter). These are great, but over time they may be a bit dated, for example if they reference a CEO of a company who is no longer the CEO of that company. However, users could create their own follow-up questions that account for what has happened since the case was written. Alternatively. if any future updates were made to this content, readers could benefit from a standard set of questions to add to the end of each case that would encourage the instructor and students to find out more to see if the implications of that case still apply based on the newer information on the company/CEO/manager described. For example, they use the case of Indra Nooyi as CEO of Pepsi and talk about her as though she is currently the CEO, but her tenure as CEO ended in 2018.

The book is easy to read and all terms are appropriately explained and defined.

There is not much of an underlying framework that requires terms to be used from one chapter to the next (e.g. there are not many cases where something is defined early on and then revisited later in the book). In other words, the chapter numbers don't imply sequence so there is enough consistency across chapters to allow for users to skip around the book and still have the relevant information within that chapter without having to consult other sections to understand. There is consistency in the way each chapter is presented and the supplementary points in each. I describe more about this consistency in organization in the modularity and organization sections.

The content is very modular and can easily be referred to in larger or smaller parts. The chapters are each broken into sub-sections, which can be linked directly (e.g. https://open.lib.umn.edu/organizationalbehavior/chapter/3-2-the-interactionist-perspective-the-role-of-fit/) or the chapter as a whole could be linked https://open.lib.umn.edu/organizationalbehavior/part/chapter-3-understanding-people-at-work-individual-differences-and-perception/) Each page is dedicated to a sub-section, and the links are embedded to the sidebar table of contents which would allow users to further click through to the area that they are looking for if they know the number and/or title of the sub-section they are interested in.

The topics are presented clearly and in a logical fashion. The book does not require much sequential introduction of content, so users could easily find only chapters they want to teach in the order they wish to teach them and assign them in a way that differs from the numerical sequence in the book.

Images are displayed clearly. Content navigation is easy with the clickable sub-section links, but users might also be able to use the pdf version if they are unable to access the internet. Users of the pdf version would need information on section titles, as there are no page numbers in the web-based interface for the version. However, if they have the information for chapter and/or sub-section number and title, they would be able to sufficiently navigate the pdf to find the content needed.

I have not found any grammatical errors in my use of this book.

The book designates a chapter to demographic diversity and cultural diversity and includes one sub-section at the end of each chapter that briefly describes cultural differences in relation to the content from that chapter. It could be more comprehensive in its discussion of cultural diversity, but I have not found evidence to suggest that it is insensitive or offensive in its coverage of topics.

I have used this book in my course for three years now, and overall I really like it. The links are really easy to integrate into my LMS (BlackBoard) to guide discussions and assign specific parts of the reading. There are some places where the book makes reference to "your instructor has this information" as though there are accompanying Instructor Resources but I am unaware of how to access those if they do exist. It tends to be on active learning possibilities (e.g. the negotiation chapter references roles that the instructor would distribute). It doesn't affect the use too much, it just means that I end up choosing a different activity that doesn't reference other resources which I don't have access to.

Reviewed by Jim Hickel, Adjunct Instructor, American University on 3/15/21

The book covers all the relevant topics for organizational behavior. No index or glossary, but the search function is effective for that purpose. read more

The book covers all the relevant topics for organizational behavior. No index or glossary, but the search function is effective for that purpose.

No errors or biases were uncovered in my use of this book.

The book was current as of its 2017 publication date, which is about as high as most expectations would go for a free online textbook. Instructors will have to provide class updates, particularly in the rapidly-changing field of diversity. For example: I didn't find any reference to "inclusion" in the diversity chapter (or anywhere else in the book, if the search function was accurate), which is an important concept and should be stressed by the instructor.

The text is very clear, and written to be understood at the undergraduate level.

No inconsistences were uncovered in my use of the book.

Each chapter works effectively as a stand-alone discussion of the topic. They can readily be realigned.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The book is generally well organized. The organization could be enhanced if there were an up-front "umbrella" model for organizational behavior that tied together all the subjects covered in the textbook. The Organization-Group-Individual model introduced in Chapter 1 doesn't easily relate to the concepts discussed in each chapter. An instructor may find it useful to present a different OB model (for example, Inputs-Processes-Outputs) that to show how all the chapter topics fit together into one overall concept, so students can track where they are in the model.

The interface worked out very well for my class. I was able to set up links to each chapter in the relevant sections of the learning management system (in this case, Blackboard). Students appreciated the ability to have direct links to the relevant textbook readings for each class -- and also appreciated that it was available at no additional cost to them.

No grammatical or language errors were uncovered in my reading and use of the book.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

Generally sensitive to cultural issues. Instructors may want to point out to their class that the "Masculinity-Femininity" dimension of Hofstede's Cultural Framework (Section 2.3 of the book), which draws upon stereotypes that were used in Hofstede's time, has largely evolved into the "Aggressive-Nurturing" dimension.

Very useful book, as good as any fundamental Organizational Behavior textbook I've ever read from any publisher. However, because of its age and the rapid evolution of organizational behavior, instructors will have to be careful to provide in-class updates.

Reviewed by Laura Boehme, Chief Information/Human Resources Officer; Faculty, Central Oregon Community College on 1/12/21

This book is extremely comprehensive and covers a the broad variety of organizational behavior topics. Each chapter is clearly titled, provides an outline, key terms, and summary of learning outcomes. Additionally, it includes critical thinking... read more

This book is extremely comprehensive and covers a the broad variety of organizational behavior topics. Each chapter is clearly titled, provides an outline, key terms, and summary of learning outcomes. Additionally, it includes critical thinking cases and assessments to expand and practice learning concepts. One additional feature is a link to a collaborative group area to further engage in the topics.

The book content are accurate and rooted in current organizational practices. The topics are also relevant to existing issues in organizations such as cultural awareness, diversity, ethics, stress/well-being, and power and politics. No significant errors or bias were found in the contents. The book also includes numerous authors with a variety of expertise, further enhancing the accuracy and relevance of topics.

The book was written in 2019 and includes current and relevant topics facing organizations. Each chapter is comprised of concepts, strategies, questions, and practical applications, allowing the learner to gain an in-depth exposure to the organizational behavior content. The text is written in a way that will allow easy updates in the future and the content has staying power.

The textbook and chapters are clearly outlined with key terms, learning outcomes, and high levels of structure and consistency. The text is written in understandable terms, with appropriate introductions for the learner, relevant examples to demonstrate concepts, and opportunities to practice to further gain clarity.

The structure of the book is internally consistent for each chapter, giving the learner an opportunity to understand the layout and approach of the book and its chapters. This structure enhances the learner's ability to absorb and practice the materials, cases, and assessments.

The text is very modular and could be assigned and/or used as structured or can be utilized out of order. Chapter 1 appears to be a foundational chapter so it would be best to start there as it gives a nice overview of organizational behavior. The lower rating on this aspect of the textbook is primarily because there are so many chapters (19 total), that it might be challenging to cover all of the content in a typical term or semester. So the instructor and student would need to prioritize the most important concepts.

The organization, structure, and flow of the textbook, the chapters, and the information within the chapters is highly structured. It is consistent for both the learner and the instructor, offering predictability and ease of planning. The table of contents is well-organized with clear chapter titles, sub-sections, and additional resources. The flow of topics makes sense, but also allows for modularity and flexibility.

The interface is user-friendly, easy to find information, and intuitive. Navigation is straight-forward and there are helpful guides and prompts to ensure the reader knows how to progress through the content. The images and data within the chapters is laid out and organized in a professional manner. This is a very mature-looking OER textbook.

No obvious grammatical or spelling errors were found in the text. It appears to have been well-edited and prepared for use. There are multiple author contributors which helps ensure content validity and accuracy.

The textbook appears to be culturally aware. There are multiple chapters on diversity, inclusion, and cultural awareness. The pictures include people of color and also address diversity of approaches and perspectives in organizational behavior.

This OER textbook book is ready to go for both the instructor and student. The topic is interesting and relevant. The content is well-organized. There are additional chapter resources to enhance learning and teaching. Overall I highly recommend this textbook. The instructor would have a relatively easy time developing a syllabus and course activities that are based on the identified learning outcomes.

Reviewed by Tracey Sigler, Associate Professor, The Citadel on 11/30/20

Covers all the traditional topics read more

Covers all the traditional topics

High quality

The book is a few years old but it is easy to supplement with new concepts and current examples.

the online format makes it easy to read find and small sections of the chapters.

Well organized - make sense to the reaer

high quality

appropriate

I have used this book for a couple of years for an MBA OB class. It provides good coverage of the basic concepts and some cases and activities that have been useful. I supplement the class with my own links to videos and articles. I am thinking of using this in my undergrad class as well. The author is disguised but is well-known and respected in the field. Students appreciate being to use an open resource.

Reviewed by Ken Grunes, Assistant Professor, Framingham State University on 5/27/20

The layout of the textbook follows a logical progression which is both complete and the proper depth. read more

The layout of the textbook follows a logical progression which is both complete and the proper depth.

The authors have allowed multiple perspectives and theories are supported by empirical evidence.

The most relatable topics are covered proportional to students' interest levels.

Clarity rating: 4

Most of the material could be enhanced by a terminology glossary at the beginning of each chapter.

Terms and concepts carry the same explanation and context from one chapter to the next.

Chapters and subject matter are clearly delineated and can be appreciated as a stand alone module.

The text is presented in a logical progression from "Individual", "Groups", and finally "Organizations".

Interface rating: 4

Information is presented in a straight forward manner with few distraction.

the text appears to be free from grammatical errors.

Good sensitivity to multi-cultural class composition.

The textbook appears to be complete.

Reviewed by Leslie Bleskachek, Adjunct professor, Minnesota State College Southeast, Minnesota State University System on 3/7/20

The textbook includes some valuable topics that are often not discussed in other texts, namely the study of power and politics. The first chapter also includes an introduction of why this study is important, which is an interesting inclusion. At... read more

The textbook includes some valuable topics that are often not discussed in other texts, namely the study of power and politics. The first chapter also includes an introduction of why this study is important, which is an interesting inclusion. At the start of each section, the learning objectives are listed. The toolbox and exercises are great additions that allow students to quickly apply new learning in their environment. This is a sort of embedded workbook that assists instructors in developing activities related to the text. This work is more than a narrative or relevant facts; there are a lot of activities and case studies included to aid student understanding.

The work is accurate. There are in text citations as well as bibliographies to provide opportunities for further research.

Much of the research and information included is very recent and citations are included if readers wish to read the original work. Section 1.5 on Trends and Changes could easily be updated as needed, allowing the work to remain up to date in future iterations.

The language is clear, has little jargon, and is easy to read and interpret. The key takeaways aid student understanding and ensure the main objective is understood for each section.

There is consistency throughout the document with similar formatting in each section to aid navigation and understanding.

With the learning objectives clearly outlined, it would be easy to break this work into smaller modules or recombine sections into lessons. Also, with exercises, case studies and other tools provided, this work could easily be utilized in various ways.

It was an unusual choice to include the learning style inventory in this text and unclear why it was placed after the introduction to this specific material. It might be more appropriately placed in a preface. While the information was organized clearly within sections and was well labeled, it is not clear why the authors decided to start with specifics first rather than an overview of organizational behavior first and then following with specifics. It might be more logical to begin with the content that is in sections 14 and 15.

The exercises, key takeaways, etc. are well organized and help focus learning. The use of graphics and visual representation of data was well deployed throughout to help break up long sections of text. The inclusion of case studies in each section was a great way to aid understanding and demonstrate the concepts on real world situations. The interface worked smoothly and consistently with no difficulties noted. The organization was easy to navigate for the end user.

There were no grammatical errors identified

The work uses appropriate language and displays cultural sensitivity. Although it is also addressed in other sections, there is a section that specifically addresses various concerns related to multiculturalism and the diverse nature of organizations today.

This is a comprehensive work that includes engaging, current organizational situations to illustrate concepts. This is more than just a narrative or literature review of the subject. The textbook also includes numerous current case studies, exercises, ways to apply the learning and challenge thinking. Combined with the learning objectives outlined at the start of each section, this work provides a great deal of easy to understand content and is user friendly for both students and teachers alike.

Reviewed by Yefim Khaydatov, Lecturer, LAGCC on 12/5/18, updated 12/12/18

Textbook covers the appropriate range of topics in the course. read more

Textbook covers the appropriate range of topics in the course.

Organizational Behavior - 2017 accurately

The content is up-to-date, consists of recent research and literature. The textbook reflects the most recent information and arranged in a manner that makes necessary updates easy to implement.

The textbook is written in a clear, appropriate and accessible language.

The text is consistent in terminology and framework within and throughout the chapters.

The textbook has easily divided sections to quickly navigate through the various chapters and sections of the textbook.

The textbook follows the sequence of topics as expected in the industry when compared with other textbooks written on the same subject of organizational behavior.

No issues have been encountered and use of the online version is user friendly.

No grammatical errors were noted.

The text reflects appropriate and inclusive language.

The textbook provides a wonderful resource in each chapter for discussion through the case scenarios, short vignettes, questions, group activities and a wide range of exercises. A rich selection of video clips to complement the Ethical Dilemma exercises in the chapters would be a wonderful addition to see added in the next publication or version of the textbook. Thank you.

Reviewed by Rose Helens-Hart, Assistant Professor, Fort Hays State University on 11/28/18

Text covers the major topics one would expect to see in a 200-300 level OB course. Would have liked to see more on vocational/workplace socialization. read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Text covers the major topics one would expect to see in a 200-300 level OB course. Would have liked to see more on vocational/workplace socialization.

Did not notice errors.

Uses relevant business cases, which will need to be updated in a few years.

Very readable but still sounds like a textbook. Formatting of bold words and summary/break out boxes makes the book conventional but also easy to access.

Terminology seemed to be used consistently.

Chapters are divided into short subsections making it easy to assign only portions of chapter reading.

Logical progression. I like that the chapter on managing demographic and cultural diversity is at the beginning. If you are following the order of information in the text, your class would begin with these important concepts.

Clear table of contents. Easy to navigate.

No grammatical errors noticed.

Text discusses "The Role of Ethics and National Culture" in each chapter, which is nice. More elements of diversity and intersectionality, however, could be considered in examples. "Managing" diversity is a very traditional way to look at difference.

Using sections of it for a professional business communication class. Many topics covered such as managing conflict and teams, are relevant to professional, business, and organizational communication classes.

Reviewed by Justin Greenleaf, Associate Professor, Fort Hays State University on 11/1/18

This book does an excellent job of providing an overview of the major topics associated with organizational behavior. Given the comprehensive nature of the book, it could potentially be a relevant resource in a variety of classes/topics related to... read more

This book does an excellent job of providing an overview of the major topics associated with organizational behavior. Given the comprehensive nature of the book, it could potentially be a relevant resource in a variety of classes/topics related to communication, group dynamics, organizational leadership, and others.

The content included in this book is both accurate and well supported. It does a good job of connecting important theories and concepts with helpful practical examples.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

Many of the theories and concepts in this book are up-to-date and will not be obsolete anytime soon. However, many of the examples will fail to be relevant in the near future. The book could be improved by providing permanent links to some of the external resources.

The text is easy to read and flows in a way that is engaging. The presentation of the content is free from technical jargon.

The text is consistent in the way the chapters are presented. As the reader moves from section to section, it is clear that the chapters have a unifying theme and format throughout.

The text is chunked into logical and easily readable sections. The various chapters are accompanied by tools and resources to help the reader think critically about the content in the chapter.

I was impressed with the way the book was organized. When thinking about the topic of Organizational Behavior, it can be challenging to decide where to start and how to organize the content. This book does a nice job organizing the various topics by themes and providing appropriate sub-headings to help the reader make sense of the overarching concepts of the book.

The website interface seems to be the easiest to use and navigate. When I downloaded the pdf, there were some issues with the formatting of the content. Some of the pictures were not there anymore and some of the formatting was a little off. I feel like the impact these issues had on the usefulness of the book was minimal, but they were noticeable.

I did not notice any grammatical errors, which was nice.

There was nothing in this book that I found to be culturally insensitive or offensive. If anything the book content provided insights into how to be more culturally competent.

I appreciate the time and effort that was put into creating this resource. One of the challenges of using open educational resources is finding a one that is high-quality, and I believe the content in this book to be high-quality.

Reviewed by Stephanie McWilliams, ClinicInstructor, West Virginia University on 5/21/18

This book includes many topics that others in this area do not, such as interpersonal interaction tactics and diversity considerations. Segments that are boxed that include applied ideas are especially pertinent for my internship students. read more

This book includes many topics that others in this area do not, such as interpersonal interaction tactics and diversity considerations. Segments that are boxed that include applied ideas are especially pertinent for my internship students.

The text is relatively error free that appears to be all-inclusive from my perspective.

In the area of professionalism, the dynamics are always changing, especially with the influence of technology. As a result, I imagine that this book may need updates every 5 years or so to stay relevant.

This text is easy to read and follow. Terms are used correctly, and defined if not commonly understood.

There is a definite framework to this text. Information interlaces with cases and applied examples will allow students to connect ideas to real-life scenarios.

With just 15 chapters, each is well divided in a predictable fashion. This also aligns well with a typical semester of 16 weeks.

The flow of this text makes it easy to follow and to break up into what may be presented in a lecture format and what students can work through on their own.

The flow of topics builds in a logical manner for students learning about working in a professional setting.

There do not appear to be any major distortions what would cause confusion. The clarity of some of the graphics or photos are a bit grainy, but not so much so that it is difficult to read or see.

The grammar appears correct throughout.

With a large section devoted to multicultural diversity, I would rate this text highly for cultural relevance.

It is a challenge to find a text for an internship course, but this text fits the bill nicely. I will likely supplement with a chapter or two from other text or some articles, but plan to use this book in the very near future.

Reviewed by Meredith Burnett, Professorial Lecturer, American University on 2/1/18

The text covers all areas and Ideas of organizational behavior including aspects of both demographic and cultural diversity, individual differences and perception, individual attitudes and behaviors, and theories of motivation. This text also... read more

The text covers all areas and Ideas of organizational behavior including aspects of both demographic and cultural diversity, individual differences and perception, individual attitudes and behaviors, and theories of motivation. This text also includes a table of contents.

The content includes accurate, error-free, and unbiased information. For instance, the section on diversity refers to the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act and other laws prohibiting discrimination.

The content is up-to-date and can be easily updated with more recent information. There is a photo of Ursula Burns, who became president of Xerox Corporation in 2007. Her photo can be replaced, for instance, by a photo of another black female who becomes president of a corporation.

In general, the text is free from jargon and US colloquialisms. However, the text defines and expatriate as as someone who is temporarily assigned to a position in a foreign country. Some readers may be sensitive to the use of the term "foreign" to describe a country.

The text is consistent is in terms of terminology and framework. The terms culture and society are used interchangeably to describe national culture and some readers may be confused by the use of both terms.

The text is easy to read and divided into sections with headings and subheadings to make it easier for readers to navigate the text.

The topics in the text are presented in a logical, clear fashion. However, organizational culture and organizational structure are near the end of the text and student might benefit from learning about those topics before being asked to understand the design of work environments and individual attitudes and behaviors.

The text is free of interface issues.

There are no obvious grammatical errors in the text.

The text includes examples of successful individuals from a variety of ethnic backgrounds including Guy Kawasaki.

The book includes exercises following each chapter. However, may of the exercises such as those in Section 2.4 are, in fact, discussion questions rather than exercises.

Reviewed by Stacey Young, Associate Professor, Northern Virginia Community College on 6/20/17

This book does a good job in covering relevant topics related to organizational behavior. The format is user friendly, along with providing discussion questions, case studies, exercises, and takeaways. There are appropriate graphics/pictures... read more

This book does a good job in covering relevant topics related to organizational behavior. The format is user friendly, along with providing discussion questions, case studies, exercises, and takeaways. There are appropriate graphics/pictures that quickly support and reinforce key concepts. Moreover, I love that there are ongoing references to the importance of ethics with an activity related to an ethical dilemma.

The book overall is accurate. There weren't any major issues identified.

The content is relevant and covers normal organizational behavior topics address in any text.

The writing in this book is rather clear. However, there are opportunities to improve the grammar and sentence structure.

This text is consistent with other text's terminology, structure, and data to support he position offered.

This text is ready to be separated into unique, standalone learning packages.

I like the book's flow. It's logically organized in a way that each chapter builds on the previous one.

No interface issues identified.

There aren't any noticeable grammar issues, but the sentence structure should be reviewed for better clarity

Cultural Relevance rating: 1

There are opportunities to select pictures that are reflective of a diverse population.

This is the first open textbook I've reviewed. Previously, I had considerations that open source material might not be that good; however, with this book, I was amazingly surprised. I will seriously consider using this text for my organizational behavior class.

Reviewed by Atul Mitra, Professor, University of Northern Iowa on 2/15/17

This OB textbook covers all major as well as supporting topics related the OB field. The last two chapters are devoted to macro topics (Chapter 14: Organizational Structure and Change and Chapter 15: Organizational Culture); thus, implying... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

This OB textbook covers all major as well as supporting topics related the OB field. The last two chapters are devoted to macro topics (Chapter 14: Organizational Structure and Change and Chapter 15: Organizational Culture); thus, implying authors’ intent to provide comprehensive coverage. The textbook, though, is dated both in terms of scholarly references and the case studies used to inform the reader about the relevance of OB topics. Also, the textbook is more reliant on applied sources to support concepts. The pdf version of the textbook does not have a list of scholarly references. The HTML version does have these references, but they are included in within the text and, thus, negatively impact the flow and readability. I could not find a subject index or “glossary of terms” at the end of the textbook. Finally, the book lacks instructor’s resource material.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The book reads well and provides good examples to clarify basic concepts. The authors provide unbiased and thoughtful insights from scholarly sources in a very relatable fashion.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 1

This is one of the significant weakness of this textbook. The scholarly sources are dated. Case studies are also old, though still useful. Some of the in-text online links do not work. In short, this textbook is due for a major revision and would require the authors to revise all aspects of the textbook considerably. This revision would be a major undertaking and a challenge for the authors.

Clarity rating: 3

Each chapter is divided into several sub-sections. Each sub-section covers a major OB topic. The authors have done an excellent job of providing a logical and clear description of topics within each chapter. However, there is no overall framework that can easily connect topics across all 15 chapters. This may explain a somewhat random sequence of topics of 15 chapters. For example, “emotions,” “communication” or “decision-making” topics are useful in the understanding of concepts of motivation and teamwork. However, these topics are not covered prior to the coverage of motivation.

Consistency rating: 3

The coverage of each topic within a chapter by the authors is consistent. The formatting and style are also highly consistent throughout the textbook. An addition of an overall framework and an integrative case study would help provide consistency of topics across chapters.

The textbook is very modular. Specifically, the HTML format of this textbook allows each sub-section to act as a module. Any instructor, interested in adopting this textbook should look into HTML format based modules (sub-sections) as a way to customize the textbook. This may be this textbook’s significant strength.

Organization/structure of this textbook is clear within a chapter. As I have stated in my review in another section, the textbook can be improved by connecting topics across chapters using a broad framework as well as by incorporating an integrated case study.

Interface rating: 2

The pdf version of the textbook is difficult to navigate. Even though I found the HTML version to be more user-friendly, this format did have some weaknesses as well. The scholarly references in the HTML version are included within the text and negatively impact readability. I could not find a subject-index or “glossary of terms” at the end of the textbook. Many online links do not work anymore. Since the textbook does not include a subject index or glossary of key terms, it would make it difficult for students to find definitions easily. Overall, the textbook can significantly benefit from a much-improved interface.

The textbook is free of any grammatical errors.

Chapter 2 of the textbook offers a comprehensive coverage about the relevance and importance of demographic and cultural diversity. In addition, each chapter contains a sub-section “The Role of Ethics and National Culture” to ensure that students understand cultural relevance of OB concepts. This issue is clearly a strength of this textbook.

Overall, this textbook is a good option for those instructors that already have a good portfolio of instructional resources. The textbook does not appear to provide PowerPoint slides or a Test Bank. However, if an instructor is looking for a good OB textbook for an introductory OB course; s/he might wish to take a look at this textbook as a possible option because it is well-written and provides a comprehensive coverage of major OB topics. It also provides students with several useful applied examples, though these examples are somewhat dated. This textbook may not work for those instructors that wish to use an OB textbook based on current examples or an OB textbook that cites current scholarly references. To conclude, with significant interface improvements and a major revision, this could become an excellent option for both students and instructors.

Reviewed by Christopher Reina, Assistant Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University on 2/8/17

The major areas of OB are covered comprehensively. The textbook goes into an appropriate amount of depth for each of the expected topics. It discusses each of the topics through both an ethics and national culture lens at the end of each chapter... read more

The major areas of OB are covered comprehensively. The textbook goes into an appropriate amount of depth for each of the expected topics. It discusses each of the topics through both an ethics and national culture lens at the end of each chapter which represents a major strength of the textbook. The PDF version did not include a table of contents, index, or glossary which would further add to the comprehensiveness of the textbook.

The content was accurate and unbiased. The information was presented in a straight-forward way and cited published work from a wide variety of sources.

The topics covered are relevant and timely-- however, many of the citations are a bit dated. The case studies still are largely relevant even though there may exist better, more recent examples to discuss. I really appreciate the extent to which the authors integrate real-life examples of companies/leaders but the downside of this is that it limits the time the textbook can remain highly relevant without being updated. Additionally, there were several broken weblinks that need to be updated.

The writing is clear, easy to understand, and flows well. The authors do a good job of making concepts and ideas accessible for students. Authors avoided use of jargon without first defining it well and establishing the context.

The structure is easy to follow, straight-forward, and consistent.

The textbook does a good job of re-introducing ideas later in the text hat may have been covered earlier in the text which adds to the modularity of the textbook. I would not hesitate to assign specific chapters and/or assign chapters out of order for this reason.

The topic order makes logical sense and the topics build well off of each other. In the first chapter, the authors discuss levels of analysis (individual, team, and organizational) and they could perhaps return to this framework more frequently in order to guide the reader.

Interface rating: 3

For the most part, the figures and tables are clear and easy to understand. There are some figures that appear a bit distorted and/or difficult to read due to color choices. Bolding concepts or words that are defined in the text and adding a definition of the word in the margin would aid students in studying and easily identifying new concepts/concepts to study. In the PDF, there were several instances in which chapters did not start on a new page (and instead started mid-page) which was distracting.

Grammar was strong throughout the text.

This text's chapter on diversity as well as the reference to diversity issues throughout the text is a major strength. Ending each chapter with a discussion of how national culture and ethics is relevant to the topic was a powerful way to discuss diversity and continually challenge students to consider the topics from diverse perspectives.

This textbook is well-written, comprehensive, and is an excellent resource for students and faculty. The material is presented in an effective, accessible way and the integration of the "OB Toolbox" is especially useful for students to understand how to practically apply the concepts they are learning. I especially appreciated the attention to detail and comprehensiveness of the diversity chapter as well as the discussion of diversity topics throughout each chapter. The questions at the end of each chapter for reflection could push students a bit further in engaging with the material, and I would like to see some updates to the textbook when it comes to topics that should be covered (such as mindfulness and presenteeism) as well as case studies and examples from the last 3-5 years. A glossary, works cited, table of contents, and index would all be useful additions to the PDF version of the textbook, and it would be helpful if concept words defined in the text were also defined in the margins of the text in order to facilitate student recognition of topics they need understand and be able to define. Overall, this textbook is solid and I would not hesitate to use it for an undergraduate class in Organizational Behavior (although I would supplement it with readings and material from other sources as I would with any other textbook).

Reviewed by Rae Casey, Associate Professor , George Fox University on 2/8/17

The text was comprehensive, covering areas that are important when teaching organizational behavior. Some of the topic areas, such as diversity and ethics, are more comprehensive than others, but all topics are covered well enough for entry-level... read more

The text was comprehensive, covering areas that are important when teaching organizational behavior. Some of the topic areas, such as diversity and ethics, are more comprehensive than others, but all topics are covered well enough for entry-level students. The text included a comprehensive table of contents, but no index or glossary.

The textbook was accurate and covered a number of important topics in an interesting manner. I thought the advertised experiential approach was evident and well done.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 2

The concepts described in the text can survive over time, but the cases quickly date the contents. Since the concepts in the cases are integrated into the text, updating could be time consuming. I tried the text in both the .pdf and online formats, and found difficulties with the links in both. I had the best luck with the online format, although many of the links were no longer valid. When I copied and pasted the links from the .pdf version, I got many errors, some indicating I needed login information to access the site.

I liked this text. The information was presented in way that made it easy to understand and apply. Jargon and terms were well explained.

This text was well written and consistent throughout.

This text is well organized. The subheadings in the chapters create appropriate modules to support teachers as they create assignments, and students as they complete them.

The text is well organized and structured. The content flow is great, but, as previously mentioned, there are a number of links, some of which no longer lead anywhere.

Navigating the text by using the online Table of Contents was straightforward, although I did want to simply scroll to the next page instead of having to use a "next section" link, but that was minor. The .pdf format of the text was convenient if one wants to print the pages, but navigation of the .pdf format online required scrolling through the text. It would have been helpful to have a "bookmark" or similar feature to easily highlight important concepts or see where I stopped reading.

I noted no errors.

I especially appreciated the way this text discussed sensitive topics associated with gender, race, ethnicity, perception, etc.

I liked this textbook. I thought the exercises were generally good, as were the "Key Takeaway" and "OB Toolbox" sections. The text was dated, which tends to be noted by students and can lead to lost credibility. I appreciate the work that went into writing this text and could use portions of it, but would need to check the links before each course, or provide others for my students. Overall, this is a great text, but I recommend checking the details before adoption.

Reviewed by Marcia Hagen, Associate Professor, Metropolitan State on 8/21/16

Has chapters on the major themes such as diversity, decision making, motivation, ethics, and leadership to name a few; goes over the major theories. It does not go particularly deeply into any one area, but provides a solid look at a wide variety... read more

Has chapters on the major themes such as diversity, decision making, motivation, ethics, and leadership to name a few; goes over the major theories. It does not go particularly deeply into any one area, but provides a solid look at a wide variety of topics, concepts, and theories.

In terms of editing and proofing, this book does quite well. Writing is unbiased and reports materials that are accurate.

This is an area in which the text needs improvement. Few if any examples are from 2009 or later. The book is a good one, but cases need updating. Updating may be difficult for instructors to implemenet, due to the imbedding of cases into so many areas of the text. In addition, nearly half of the links provided in the text no longer work.

Text is very clear. I am impressed with the writing. In particular they did a good job of describing relatively complex theories with simple and understandable language.

The books is highly consistent in terms of formatting and style--as soon as Chapter 1 is complete, students should have a clear vision of what to expect for upcoming chapters.

This text is highly modular. In particular, the use of objectives for each section of each chapter allows for picking and choosing by instructors.

This book is well-organized and clear. Because OB is generally a set of very inter-related concepts, organization/flow is not perfect, but this book is as good as others I have seen in this area.

This is an area of improvement for this text. In particular links to outside web sites are out of date and many link to dead web sites. In addition, of the few images that are included in the text, several flow over 2 pages making them difficult to read.

Good grammar used throughout the text--few issues detected.

This text includes a good deal of discussion related to diversity, ethnicity, gender, and other issues culture in this text. I found the discussion in these areas to be both relevant and thoughtful.

There are several things about this text that I like. In particular, I think this would be a great book to use within an introductory OB course; it is well-written and thorough in terms of the breadth and depth of topics covered. The "OB Toolbox" sections give students many tips on getting, keeping, and succeeding their first professional job--that is great. However, there are a few areas of concern, as well. In particular, many links do not work and the cases are somewhat out of date (which poses a particular challenge due to the major economic changes that have taken place for several companies referred to in the text and cases). Before implementing this text, I would take time to review any potential overlap with other courses. But overall, this is a solid intro OB text.

Table of Contents

• Chapter 1: Organizational Behavior
• Chapter 2: Managing Demographic and Cultural Diversity
• Chapter 3: Understanding People at Work: Individual Differences and Perception
• Chapter 4: Individual Attitudes and Behaviors
• Chapter 5: Theories of Motivation
• Chapter 6: Designing a Motivating Work Environment
• Chapter 7: Managing Stress and Emotions
• Chapter 8: Communication
• Chapter 9: Managing Groups and Teams
• Chapter 10: Conflict and Negotiations
• Chapter 11: Making Decisions
• Chapter 12: Leading People Within Organizations
• Chapter 13: Power and Politics
• Chapter 14: Organizational Structure and Change
• Chapter 15: Organizational Culture

Ancillary Material

About the book.

Organizational Behavior bridges the gap between theory and practice with a distinct "experiential" approach.

On average, a worker in the USA will change jobs 10 times in 20 years. In order to succeed in this type of career situation, individuals need to be armed with the tools necessary to be life-long learners. To that end, this book is not be about giving students all the answers to every situation they may encounter when they start their first job or as they continue up the career ladder. Instead, this book gives students the vocabulary, framework, and critical thinking skills necessary to diagnose situations, ask tough questions, evaluate the answers received, and to act in an effective and ethical manner regardless of situational characteristics.

Often, students taking OB either do not understand how important knowledge of OB can be to their professional careers, or they DO understand and they want to put that knowledge into practice. Organizational Behavior takes a more experiential angle to the material to meet both of those needs. The experiential approach can be incorporated in the classroom primarily through the "OB Toolbox." This feature brings life to the concepts and allows students to not only see how the OB theories unfold, but to practice them, as well.

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1.2 Understanding Organizational Behavior

Learning objectives.

• Learn about the layout of this book.
• Understand what organizational behavior is.
• Understand why organizational behavior matters.
• Learn about OB Toolboxes in this book.

About This Book

The people make the place.

Benjamin Schneider, Fellow of the Academy of Management

This book is all about people, especially people at work. As evidenced in the opening case, we will share many examples of people making their workplaces work. People can make work an exciting, fun, and productive place to be, or they can make it a routine, boring, and ineffective place where everyone dreads to go. Steve Jobs, cofounder, chairman, and CEO of Apple Inc. attributes the innovations at Apple, which include the iPod, MacBook, and iPhone, to people, noting, “Innovation has nothing to do with how many R&D dollars you have.…It’s not about money. It’s about the people you have, how you’re led, and how much you get it” (Kirkpatrick, 1998). This became a sore point with investors in early 2009 when Jobs took a medical leave of absence. Many wonder if Apple will be as successful without him at the helm, and Apple stock plunged upon worries about his health (Parloff, 2008).

Steve Jobs is known for developing innovative products by hiring the right people for the job and fostering a culture of hard work and creativity.

Wikimedia Commons – CC BY 3.0.

Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Inc., a billion-dollar cosmetics company, makes a similar point, saying, “People are definitely a company’s greatest asset. It doesn’t make any difference whether the product is cars or cosmetics. A company is only as good as the people it keeps” [1]

Just like people, organizations come in many shapes and sizes. We understand that the career path you will take may include a variety of different organizations. In addition, we know that each student reading this book has a unique set of personal and work-related experiences, capabilities, and career goals. On average, a person working in the United States will change jobs 10 times in 20 years (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2005). In order to succeed in this type of career situation, individuals need to be armed with the tools necessary to be lifelong learners. So, this book will not be about giving you all the answers to every situation you may encounter when you start your first job or as you continue up the career ladder. Instead, this book will give you the vocabulary, framework, and critical thinking skills necessary for you to diagnose situations, ask tough questions, evaluate the answers you receive, and act in an effective and ethical manner regardless of situational characteristics.

Throughout this book, when we refer to organizations, we will include examples that may apply to diverse organizations such as publicly held, for-profit organizations like Google and American Airlines, privately owned businesses such as S. C. Johnson & Son Inc. (makers of Windex glass cleaner) and Mars Inc. (makers of Snickers and M&Ms), and not-for-profit organizations such as the Sierra Club or Mercy Corps, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) such as Doctors Without Borders and the International Red Cross. We will also refer to both small and large corporations. You will see examples from Fortune 500 organizations such as Intel Corporation or Home Depot Inc., as well as small start-up organizations. Keep in mind that some of the small organizations of today may become large organizations in the future. For example, in 1998, eBay Inc. had only 29 employees and $47.4 million in income, but by 2008 they had grown to 11,000 employees and over $7 billion in revenue (Gibson, 2008). Regardless of the size or type of organization you may work for, people are the common denominator of how work is accomplished within organizations.

Together, we will examine people at work both as individuals and within work groups and how they impact and are impacted by the organizations where they work. Before we can understand these three levels of organizational behavior, we need to agree on a definition of organizational behavior.

What Is Organizational Behavior?

Organizational behavior (OB) is defined as the systematic study and application of knowledge about how individuals and groups act within the organizations where they work. As you will see throughout this book, definitions are important. They are important because they tell us what something is as well as what it is not. For example, we will not be addressing childhood development in this course—that concept is often covered in psychology—but we might draw on research about twins raised apart to understand whether job attitudes are affected by genetics.

OB draws from other disciplines to create a unique field. As you read this book, you will most likely recognize OB’s roots in other disciplines. For example, when we review topics such as personality and motivation, we will again review studies from the field of psychology. The topic of team processes relies heavily on the field of sociology. In the chapter relating to decision making, you will come across the influence of economics. When we study power and influence in organizations, we borrow heavily from political sciences. Even medical science contributes to the field of organizational behavior, particularly to the study of stress and its effects on individuals.

OB spans topics related from the individual to the organization.

Those who study organizational behavior—which now includes you—are interested in several outcomes such as work attitudes (e.g., job satisfaction and organizational commitment) as well as job performance (e.g., customer service and counterproductive work behaviors). A distinction is made in OB regarding which level of the organization is being studied at any given time. There are three key levels of analysis in OB. They are examining the individual, the group, and the organization. For example, if I want to understand my boss’s personality, I would be examining the individual level of analysis. If we want to know about how my manager’s personality affects my team, I am examining things at the team level. But, if I want to understand how my organization’s culture affects my boss’s behavior, I would be interested in the organizational level of analysis.

Why Organizational Behavior Matters

OB matters at three critical levels. It matters because it is all about things you care about. OB can help you become a more engaged organizational member. Getting along with others, getting a great job, lowering your stress level, making more effective decisions, and working effectively within a team…these are all great things, and OB addresses them!

It matters because employers care about OB. A recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) asked employers which skills are the most important for them when evaluating job candidates, and OB topics topped the list (NACE 2007 Job Outlook Survey, 2008).

The following were the top five personal qualities/skills:

• Communication skills (verbal and written)
• Honesty/integrity
• Interpersonal skills (relates well to others)
• Motivation/initiative
• Strong work ethic

These are all things we will cover in OB.

Finally, it matters because organizations care about OB. The best companies in the world understand that the people make the place. How do we know this? Well, we know that organizations that value their employees are more profitable than those that do not (Huselid, 1995; Pfeffer, 1998; Pfeffer & Veiga, 1999; Welbourne & Andrews, 1996). Research shows that successful organizations have a number of things in common, such as providing employment security, engaging in selective hiring, utilizing self-managed teams, being decentralized, paying well, training employees, reducing status differences, and sharing information (Pfeffer & Veiga, 1999). For example, every Whole Foods store has an open compensation policy in which salaries (including bonuses) are listed for all employees. There is also a salary cap that limits the maximum cash compensation paid to anyone in the organization, such as a CEO, in a given year to 19 times the companywide annual average salary of all full-time employees. What this means is that if the average employee makes $30,000 per year, the highest potential pay for their CEO would be $570,000, which is a lot of money but pales in comparison to salaries such as Steve Jobs of Apple at $14.6 million or the highest paid CEO in 2007, Larry Ellison of Oracle, at $192.9 million (Elmer-DeWitt, 2008). Research shows that organizations that are considered healthier and more effective have strong OB characteristics throughout them such as role clarity, information sharing, and performance feedback. Unfortunately, research shows that most organizations are unhealthy, with 50% of respondents saying that their organizations do not engage in effective OB practices (Aguirre et al., 2005).

In the rest of this chapter, we will build on how you can use this book by adding tools to your OB Toolbox in each section of the book as well as assessing your own learning style. In addition, it is important to understand the research methods used to define OB, so we will also review those. Finally, you will see what challenges and opportunities businesses are facing and how OB can help overcome these challenges.

Adding to Your OB Toolbox

Your ob toolbox.

OB Toolboxes appear throughout this book. They indicate a tool that you can try out today to help you develop your OB skills.

Throughout the book, you will see many OB Toolbox features. Our goal in writing this book is to create something useful for you to use now and as you progress through your career. Sometimes we will focus on tools you can use today. Other times we will focus on things you may want to think about that may help you later. As you progress, you may discover some OB tools that are particularly relevant to you while others are not as appropriate at the moment. That’s great—keep those that have value to you. You can always go back and pick up tools later on if they don’t seem applicable right now.

The important thing to keep in mind is that the more tools and skills you have, the higher the quality of your interactions with others will be and the more valuable you will become to organizations that compete for top talent (Michaels, Handfield-Jones, & Axelrod, 2001). It is not surprising that, on average, the greater the level of education you have, the more money you will make. In 2006, those who had a college degree made 62% more money than those who had a high school degree (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Organizations value and pay for skills as the next figure shows.

Education and training have financial payoffs as illustrated by these unemployment and earnings for workers 25 and older.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov .

Tom Peters is a management expert who talks about the concept of individuals thinking of themselves as a brand to be managed. Further, he recommends that individuals manage themselves like free agents (Peters, 1997; Peters, 2004). The following OB Toolbox includes several ideas for being effective in keeping up your skill set.

Your OB Toolbox: Skill Survival Kit

• Keep your skills fresh . Consider revolutionizing your portfolio of skills at least every 6 years.
• Master something . Competence in many skills is important, but excelling at something will set you apart.
• Embrace ambiguity . Many people fear the unknown. They like things to be predictable. Unfortunately, the only certainty in life is that things will change. Instead of running from this truth, embrace the situation as a great opportunity.
• Network . The term has been overused to the point of sounding like a cliché, but networking works. This doesn’t mean that having 200 connections on MySpace, LinkedIn, or Facebook makes you more effective than someone who has 50, but it does mean that getting to know people is a good thing in ways you can’t even imagine now.
• Appreciate new technology . This doesn’t mean you should get and use every new gadget that comes out on the market, but it does mean you need to keep up on what the new technologies are and how they may affect you and the business you are in.

Source: Adapted from ideas in Peters, T. (2007). Brand you survival kit. Fast Company . Retrieved July 1, 2008, from http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/83/playbook.html .

A key step in building your OB skills and filling your toolbox is to learn the language of OB. Once you understand a concept, you are better able to recognize it. Once you recognize these concepts in real-world events and understand that you have choices in how you will react, you can better manage yourself and others. An effective tool you can start today is journaling , which helps you chart your progress as you learn new skills. For more on this, see the OB Toolbox below.

OB Toolbox: Journaling as a Developmental Tool

• What exactly is journaling ? Journaling refers to the process of writing out thoughts and emotions on a regular basis.
• Why is journaling a good idea ? Journaling is an effective way to record how you are feeling from day to day. It can be a more objective way to view trends in your thoughts and emotions so you are not simply relying on your memory of past events, which can be inaccurate. Simply getting your thoughts and ideas down has been shown to have health benefits as well such as lowering the writer’s blood pressure, heart rate, and decreasing stress levels.
• How do I get started ? The first step is to get a journal or create a computer file where you can add new entries on a regular basis. Set a goal for how many minutes per day you want to write and stick to it. Experts say at least 10 minutes a day is needed to see benefits, with 20 minutes being ideal. The quality of what you write is also important. Write your thoughts down clearly and specifically while also conveying your emotions in your writing. After you have been writing for at least a week, go back and examine what you have written. Do you see patterns in your interactions with others? Do you see things you like and things you’d like to change about yourself? If so, great! These are the things you can work on and reflect on. Over time, you will also be able to track changes in yourself, which can be motivating as well.

Sources: Created based on ideas and information in Bromley, K. (1993). Journaling: Engagements in reading, writing, and thinking . New York: Scholastic; Caruso, D., & Salovey, P. (2004). The emotionally intelligent manager: How to develop and use the four key emotional skills of leadership . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass; Scott, E. (2008). The benefits of journaling for stress management. Retrieved January 27, 2008, from About.com: http://stress.about.com/od/generaltechniques/p/profilejournal.htm .

Isn’t OB Just Common Sense?

As teachers we have heard this question many times. The answer, as you might have guessed, is no—OB is not just common sense . As we noted earlier, OB is the systematic study and application of knowledge about how individuals and groups act within the organizations where they work. Systematic is an important word in this definition. It is easy to think we understand something if it makes sense, but research on decision making shows that this can easily lead to faulty conclusions because our memories fail us. We tend to notice certain things and ignore others, and the specific manner in which information is framed can affect the choices we make. Therefore, it is important to rule out alternative explanations one by one rather than to assume we know about human behavior just because we are humans! Go ahead and take the following quiz and see how many of the 10 questions you get right. If you miss a few, you will see that OB isn’t just common sense. If you get them all right, you are way ahead of the game!

Putting Common Sense to the Test

Please answer the following 10 questions by noting whether you believe the sentence is true or false .

• Brainstorming in a group is more effective than brainstorming alone. _____
• The first 5 minutes of a negotiation are just a warm-up to the actual negotiation and don’t matter much. _____
• The best way to help someone reach their goals is to tell them to do their best. _____
• If you pay someone to do a task they routinely enjoy, they’ll do it even more often in the future. _____
• Pay is a major determinant of how hard someone will work. _____
• If a person fails the first time, they try harder the next time. _____
• People perform better if goals are easier. _____
• Most people within organizations make effective decisions. _____
• Positive people are more likely to withdraw from their jobs when they are dissatisfied. _____
• Teams with one smart person outperform teams in which everyone is average in intelligence. ______

You may check your answers with your instructor.

Key Takeaway

This book is about people at work. Organizations come in many shapes and sizes. Organizational behavior is the systematic study and application of knowledge about how individuals and groups act within the organizations where they work. OB matters for your career, and successful companies tend to employ effective OB practices. The OB Toolboxes throughout this book are useful in increasing your OB skills now and in the future.

• Which type of organizations did you have the most experience with? How did that affect your understanding of the issues in this chapter?
• Which skills do you think are the most important ones for being an effective employee?
• What are the three key levels of analysis for OB?
• Have you ever used journaling before? If so, were your experiences positive? Do you think you will use journaling as a tool in the future?
• How do you plan on using the OB Toolboxes in this book? Creating a plan now can help to make you more effective throughout the term.

Aguirre, D. M., Howell, L. W., Kletter, D. B., & Neilson, G. L. (2005). A global check-up: Diagnosing the health of today’s organizations (online report). Retrieved July 25, 2008, from the Booz & Company Web site: http://www.orgdna.com/downloads/GlobalCheckUp-OrgHealthNov2005.pdf .

Elmer-DeWitt, P. (2008, May 2). Top-paid CEOs: Steve Jobs drops from no. 1 to no. 120. Fortune . Retrieved July 26, 2008, from CNNMoney.com: http://apple20.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2008/05/02/top-paid-ceos- steve-jobs-drops-from-no-1-to-no-120/ .

Gibson, E. (2008, March). Meg Whitman’s 10th anniversary as CEO of eBay. Fast Company , 25.

Huselid, M. A. (1995). The impact of human resource management practices on turnover, productivity, and corporate financial performance. Academy of Management Journal , 38 , 635-672.

Kirkpatrick, D. (1998). The second coming of Apple. Fortune , 138 , 90.

Michaels, E., Handfield-Jones, H., & Axelrod, B. (2001). The war for talent . Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing.

NACE 2007 Job Outlook Survey. Retrieved July 26, 2008, from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Web site: http://www.naceweb.org/press/quick.htm#qualities .

Parloff, R. (2008, January 22). Why the SEC is probing Steve Jobs. Money . Retrieved January 28, 2009, from http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/22/technology/stevejobs_disclosure.fortune/?postversion=2009012216 .

Peters, T. (1997). The brand called you. Fast Company . Retrieved July 1, 2008, from http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/10/brandyou.html .

Peters, T. (2004). Brand you survival kit. Fast Company . Retrieved July 1, 2008, from http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/83/playbook.html .

Pfeffer, J. (1998). The human equation: Building profits by putting people first . Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Pfeffer, J., & Veiga, J. F. (1999). Putting people first for organizational success. Academy of Management Executive , 13 , 37–48.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2005). Retrieved December 8, 2005, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Web site: http://www.bls.gov/nls/nlsfaqs.htm#anch5 .

Welbourne, T., & Andrews, A. (1996). Predicting performance of Initial Public Offering firms: Should HRM be in the equation? Academy of Management Journal , 39 , 910–911.

• Retrieved June 4, 2008, from http://www.litera.co.uk/t/NDk1MDA/ . ↵

Organizational Behavior Copyright © 2017 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Organizational Behavior Topics For Assignment

Table of Contents

Who is studying Organizational Behavior?

What does the discipline of organizational behavior include, current organizational behavior topics, contemporary topics in organizational behavior, principles of organizational behavior paper topics, phd topics in organisational behaviour, organizational behaviour topics for project, organisational behaviour topics for presentation,  organizational behavior debate topics, how to choose the topic and write an organizational behavior assignment.

Organizational behavior is a sub-discipline of psychology that studies the effect of the structure and culture of organizations on employee behavior. Organizational behavior deals with issues such as performance, leadership and motivation. It looks at why people behave the way they do at work, and how this impacts the success or failure of an organization.

Organizational Behavior topics can be applied to many areas, such as business, non-profit, education and even our life. By the way, OB is studied by social psychologists, sociologists, economists and business school professors who want to understand why organizations succeed or fail at meeting their goals. OB research can help companies improve productivity, cut costs and increase profits.

Organizational Behavior discipline has a number of areas of study and research:

• Human Resources Management – the study of employees in the workplace. This includes topics such as recruitment selection, performance appraisal, and training. We also provide human resources assignment help as a part of the organizational behavior analysis projects.
• Organization Structure – how decisions are made, who has power and influence over work practices etc.
• Industrial Relations – how workers and managers relate to each other in terms of industrial action and strikes etc.
• Occupational Health & Safety – how safe is it for people to work in certain jobs? How does stress affect workers?
• Sustainable Development – how can we make our workplaces more environmentally friendly?

In our article, we would like to advise you on gripping topics for assignments that will delight your mentors and colleagues. Let’s kick it off!

• Health And Safety In The Workplace
• Anxiety At Work
• Can You Beat The Office Bully?
• Changing The Office Dress Code: Drawbacks And Benefits
• Social Media In Organizations
• Work-Life Balance And Workplace Well-Being
• What Is The Difference Between Work Life And Home Life
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
• What Is The Management Style That Best Fits An Organization?
• What Role Does Communication Play In Organizations?
• The Importance Of Leaders In The Workplace
• Team Building Methods Used By Successful Companies
• Positive And Negative Impacts From The Internet On Work Teams
• Tips For Managing A Remote Team
• Understanding Team Building Activities In The Workplace
• The Nature Of The Principles Of Organizational Behavior
• Principles Of Organizational Behavior And Their Applications
• Sexual Harassment At Work
• Flexibility In Personal Work Styles
• How To Deal With A Difficult Coworker
• Managing Change & Organizational Crisis
• Ethical Decision Making Within Organizations
• Work Goal Theory
• Managing Diversity In Organizations
• Effects Of Fairness On Performance And Turnover
• What is a Good Employee Evaluation System?
• How To Motivate Your Employees
• Career Paths & Advancing Your Organizational Communication Skills
• The Influence Of Culture On The Development Of Organizations
• How To Recognize Stress Triggers At Work
• Efficacy Of Certain Tasks In Various Environments
• The Need For Behavioral Research In Organizations
• Cultural And Social Behavior As A Part Of Organizational Behaviour
• Motivation, Understanding And Improving Behaviors
• Conflict Resolution And Negotiation Skills In An Organization
• Individual Goals In Managing An Organization
• What Is Organizational Behavior?
• History Of Organizational Behavior
• Challenges That Organizations Face Today In OB Area
• The Importance of Workplace Rules
• Employment Law Basics for Small Business Owners
• Strategic Human Resource Management
• Business Process Reengineering
• Comparative International Studies of Management
• Trust And Interpersonal Commitment Among Employees
• Need for cognitive closure within organizational settings
• Fiedler’s Contingency Theory and the Use of Hierarchy to Improve Group Performance
• Career Development of Women in Male Dominated Organisations
• Job Satisfaction-Individual & Organisational Approach
• Future Of Work -Technological And Conceptual Perspectives
• Theoretical Frameworks For Organizational Mobility

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• Managers And Manager Selection
• The Use Of Colour In An Office Setting
• The Importance Of Humour In The Workplace
• Accountability: The Future Of OCB
• Task Motivation: Leader Expectancy Theory
• Reward Systems: Equity Theory, Goal Setting and Overjustification effect
• Managing Conflict in the Workplace
• Gender Differences and Leadership Styles
• Stages Of Group Development In Groups With New Members
• How to apply Principles of Organizational Behavior in Business Management
• Key Principles of Organizational Behavior in Organizations
• Importance of Principles of Organizational Behavior in Today’s Business World
• Critical Review on the Principles of Organizational Behavior
• Relationship Between Performance Appraisal System And Job Satisfy
• Organisational Citizenship Behaviour
• Culture, Identity, And Socialization Within Organizations
• Job Characteristics That Influence Behaviour
• The Macro Environment & The Micro Environment
• Motivation In An Organisation – How To Motivate Your Staff
• Factors That Influence Worker Productivity
• Cultures Within Organizations
• Cultural Factors Influencing Organizational Behavior
• Implementing The Principles Of Manpower Planning
• Self-Esteem And Its Affect On Learning
• Metacognition And Its Affects On Learning
• What You Need To Get Ranked As One Of The Best In The Industry
• The Factors That Affect Employee Retention In An Organization
• What Is The Best Way To Motivate Employees?
• Should Companies Require Employees To Work Overtime?
• Should Companies Have Dress Codes?
• Is Telecommuting A Viable Option For Employees Today?
• Strict Leadership Vs. Open Leadership?
• How Deep Is The Friendship Effect On Organizational Behavior?
• Is Motivation Through Extrinsic Rewards Better Than Motivation Through Intrinsic Rewards?
• Management Is The Greatest Strength Or Weakness?
• Should The Employees’ Suggestions Be Applied In The Company?
• Do You Agree That Diversity Training Is More Effective Than Corrective Action For Changing Behavior In A Team?
• What Is The Difference Between Behavioral And Non-Behavioral Theories Of Management?
• Employees Are The Major Assets Of Any Company: For Or Against?
• Is punishment an effective tool for increasing productivity?

Organizational behavior is a growing area of study, and it has become a popular choice for students. Organizational behavior is a study of the behavior of people within organizations, as well as the effects that these behaviors have on each other. Students can choose to write an organizational behavior assignment on any topic related to this subject.  

First of all, decide what you want to write about. Do you want to write about motivation? Do you want to write about leadership? Do you want to write about communication? However, we did it for you and compiled a list of topics above for different occasions.

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1.4 A Model of Organizational Behavior and Management

• What is the role of the behavioral sciences in management and organizations?

A major responsibility—perhaps the major responsibility—of managers is to make organizations operate effectively. Bringing about effective performance, however, is no easy task. As Nadler and Tushman note:

Understanding one individual’s behavior is challenging in and of itself; understanding a group that’s made up of different individuals and comprehending the many relationships among those individuals is even more complex. Imagine, then, the mind-boggling complexity of a large organization made up of thousands of individuals and hundreds of groups with myriad relationships among these individuals and groups. 11

Despite this difficulty, however, organizations must be managed. Nadler and Tushman continue:

Ultimately the organization’s work gets done through people, individually or collectively, on their own or in collaboration with technology. Therefore, the management of organizational behavior is central to the management task—a task that involves the capacity to understand the behavior patterns of individuals, groups, and organizations, to predict what behavioral responses will be elicited by various managerial actions, and finally to use this understanding and these predictions to achieve control . 12

The work of society is accomplished largely through organizations, and the role of management is to see to it that organizations perform this work. Without it, the wheels of society would soon grind to a halt.

What Is Organizational Behavior?

The study of the behavior of people in organizations is typically referred to as organizational behavior . Here, the focus is on applying what we can learn from the social and behavioral sciences so we can better understand and predict human behavior at work. We examine such behavior on three levels—the individual, the group, and the organization as a whole. In all three cases, we seek to learn more about what causes people—individually or collectively—to behave as they do in organizational settings. What motivates people? What makes some employees leaders and others not? Why do groups often work in opposition to their employer? How do organizations respond to changes in their external environments? How do people communicate and make decisions? Questions such as these constitute the domain of organizational behavior and are the focus of this course.

To a large extent, we can apply what has been learned from psychology, sociology, and cultural anthropology. In addition, we can learn from economics and political science. All of these disciplines have something to say about life in organizations. However, what sets organizational behavior apart is its particular focus on the organization (not the discipline) in organizational analysis (see Exhibit 1.8 ). Thus, if we wish to examine a problem of employee motivation, for example, we can draw upon economic theories of wage structures in the workplace. At the same time, we can also draw on the psychological theories of motivation and incentives as they relate to work. We can bring in sociological treatments of social forces on behavior, and we can make use of anthropological studies of cultural influences on individual performance. It is this conceptual richness that establishes organizational behavior as a unique applied discipline. And throughout our analyses, we are continually concerned with the implications of what we learn for the quality of working life and organizational performance. We always look for management implications so the managers of the future can develop more humane and more competitive organizations for the future.

For convenience, we often differentiate between micro- and macro-organizational behavior. Micro-organizational behavior is primarily concerned with the behavior of individuals and groups, while macro-organizational behavior (also referred to as organization theory ) is concerned with organization-wide issues, such as organization design and the relations between an organization and its environment. Although there are times when this distinction is helpful, it is always important to remember that in most instances we learn the most when we take a comprehensive view of organizational behavior and integrate these two perspectives. That is, issues such as organization structure can influence employee motivation. Hence, by keeping these two realms separate we lose valuable information that can help us better understand how to manage organizations.

Building Blocks of Organizations

Understanding the behavior of people at work is fundamental to the effective management of an organization. Obviously, a number of factors come together to determine this behavior and its organizational consequences. In order to understand the origins and characteristics of these factors, it is necessary to have a model that organizes and simplifies the variables involved. We offer such a model here in the hope that it will bring some order to the study of this subject. The model can be considered in two parts (see Exhibit 1.10 ).

The first part of the model is the simple recognition of organizational inputs and outcomes. That is, organizations receive inputs from the external environment in the form of capital, raw materials, labor, community or government support, and so forth. In addition, organizations experience or produce certain outcomes, including (1) organizational goal attainment, (2) group performance and effectiveness, and (3) individual performance and effectiveness. Thus, organizations and the people in them exist in a constant state of flux, receiving and transforming inputs from the environment and returning those transformed inputs in the form of finished goods and services, return on stockholders’ equity, salaries that are paid to employees, and so forth. It is, in short, a dynamic system.

The second aspect of the model is the organization itself and all of its parts. One way to understand the complexity of organizations is to think of them simply as a set of building blocks, including:

Individuals and groups. Organizations are collectives of individuals and groups working to pursue common objectives. Their members come from various backgrounds and have varying abilities and skills, differing motivational levels, and different ambitions. Within the organizational context, these people must communicate, make decisions, show leadership, and handle power and organizational politics as they carry out their assigned activities.

Tasks and technology. In addition to variations among individuals and groups, we must recognize variations in the technology of the workplace. That is, how does the work actually get done? Technology includes both the actual design of jobs and the tools and techniques used in manufacture (e.g., robotics and expert systems).

Organization design. Putting together these factors—individuals and groups and tasks—is the subject of organization design . That is, how do we structure an organization so it effectively coordinates and controls employee behavior to facilitate performance?

Organizational processes. In addition to people, machines, and structure, we must recognize a series of organizational processes , such as leadership, communication, decision-making, power and politics, and so forth. The processes largely determine the nature and quality of interpersonal and intergroup relations within the workplace and, as such, influence ultimate organizational performance.

Management. Finally, the glue that holds these building blocks together is the character of management. Throughout this text, we shall see numerous examples of how the degree of managerial effectiveness and prowess have determined the success or failure of a venture. We shall take a managerial view throughout our survey of organizational behavior.

There have been many attempts to provide a differentiation between leadership and management over time. While they are not the same thing, they are necessarily linked, and complementary. Any effort to separate the two is likely to cause more problems than it solves and as business evolved the content of leadership and management has changed. The emergence of the “knowledge worker,” and the profound differences that this causes the way business is organized. With the rise of the knowledge worker, one does not ‘manage’ people, and instead the task is to lead people and the goal is to make productive the specific strengths and knowledge of every individual.

These five variables, then, will constitute the primary ingredients of this book. We shall proceed sequentially, beginning with individual behavior and moving to group and intergroup behavior and finally to organization design and structure. On the basis of this, we will turn to a consideration of several of the more important organizational processes. Finally, we will look to the future and examine ways that organizations can continue to develop and improve their workforces and the organization as a whole. Throughout, the roles of technology and management will be considered. Also, throughout, we will blend theory with research and practice.

Concept Check

• Discuss the role of management in the larger societal context.
• What do you think the managers of the future will be like?
• Identify what you think are the critical issues facing contemporary management. Explain.

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Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/organizational-behavior/pages/1-introduction

• Authors: J. Stewart Black, David S. Bright
• Publisher/website: OpenStax
• Book title: Organizational Behavior
• Publication date: Jun 5, 2019
• Location: Houston, Texas
• Book URL: https://openstax.org/books/organizational-behavior/pages/1-introduction
• Section URL: https://openstax.org/books/organizational-behavior/pages/1-4-a-model-of-organizational-behavior-and-management

© Jan 9, 2024 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.

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Organisational Behaviour Assignment And Its Different Theories

Task: The purpose of this assignment is to get you to prepare for the Organisational Behaviour group assignment

Your task is to analyse two (2) key organisational behaviour theories, concepts or frameworks you intend to use in your group assignment. You may pick any theory, concept or framework covered in MGT5OBR Organisational Behaviour, either from the same or different modules. (If you are unsure, please discuss with your workshop facilitator).

This assignment requires you to do research. Your task is to draw on organisational behaviour theory to critically analyse your chosen theories, concepts or frameworks.

You need to analyse you chosen theories, concepts or frameworks in the context of organisational behaviour. Think along the lines of how these concepts may be used to help people and organisations achieve high performance levels and help ensure all organisation members achieve satisfaction from their task contributions and work experience.

Introduction Organisational behaviour can be termed as the investigation of behaviour of human beings in various settings of organisation. Organisational behaviour can be divided into three parts namely, the employees in the firm at micro-level, the groups or teams for work at meso-level and the behaviour of organisations at macro-level. The main aim of the principles of organisational behaviour is to improve the efficiency of the organisation. The investigation of organisational behaviour involves enhancing the performance of employees, enhancing the satisfaction they derive from the job they do, endorsing innovation along with motivating leadership. Every aspect or organisation has its own method of analysis.

In this organisational behaviour assignment, tow concepts like motivation or content and power has been chosen. The theories on the chosen concepts have been explained in the essay namely, Maslow’s Law of Hierarchy and Mintzberg’s Theory. Maslow’s Law of Hierarchy is a theory on motivation that defines the needs of an individual based on which a person is motivated while Mintzberg’s Theory is a theory on power that determines the conditions on which power is assigned to a person in an organisation. The theories on motivation and power has been thoroughly analysed and the connection that exists between the theories have been described in the organisational behaviour assignment.

Analysis of first concept Motivation can be defined as the stimulation to do something. In terms of organisational behaviour, motivation can be defined as the stimulation that the workers have for the work they do or in order to attain the goals and objectives of the organisation (Psychologytoday.com, 2019). In case of organisational behaviour, the motto behind motivation is to understand the forces that encourage the employees and the management of the organisation can motivate the employees such that the goals and objectives of the organisation can be met effectively. Maslow’s Law of Hierarchy is a theory on motivation that relates to psychology that was developed in the year 1943 in the paper “A Theory of Human Motivation” by Abraham Maslow. The theory on motivation portrays five needs of human beings that are shown in the shape of a pyramid (Simplypsychology.org, 2019). As per Maslow’s Law of Hierarchy model, the needs at the bottom of the model needs to be satisfied in the beginning before the needs at the higher levels of model are satisfied.

The needs that have to be satisfied of an individual from the bottom are physiological needs, safety needs, love as well as belongingness needs, esteem needs along with self-actualisation needs. The model that illustrates five stages of needs can be divided into two sub-parts namely, deficiency needs that can also be termed as D-needs and being needs that can also be termed as B-needs. The levels at the bottom of the pyramid shaped model are referred as deficiency needs while the topmost level of the model is termed as being needs. The needs of an individual as per Maslow’s Law of Hierarchy from the bottom of the pyramid have been described below:

• Physiological needs: This level of need of human behaviour represents the biological needs or requirements of human beings such that they can survive. The examples of physiological needs of human beings are drink, air, food, clothing, warmth, shelter, sleep and sex. This level of need of human beings is most important needs of human beings that fall into D-needs or deficiency needs of the model (Bassett, 2016). If this level of need of human beings are not satisfied then the person cannot work or function in a proper way. The other needs of the model are considered secondary as compared to the lowest level of the model.
• Safety needs: This level of Maslow’s Law of Hierarchy represents the second level of needs of human beings that has to be satisfied. This level falls into the category of D-needs or deficiency needs. The needs of human being, that is, protection or safeguard from various components or elements, security and safety of a person along with stability, law, order and independence from fear or being afraid (Bouzenita & Boulanouar, 2016).
• Love as well as belongingness needs: This is the third level of needs of human beings that has to be satisfied in a human being and motivates an individual to perform better. The need for feelings or emotions of belongingness and love such that a person is socially connected motivates him or her to work or act for that (Anwar et al., 2018). The level of need also falls into the category of D-needs or deficiency needs. The examples of this level of needs are intimacy, friendship, trust, love, acceptance and affection. The need of a person to become a part of a group falls in this level of needs.
• Esteem needs: This is the fourth level of needs of Maslow’s Law of Hierarchy that demonstrates the need of regards or admiration of an individual. The esteem needs of an individual has been divided into two categories namely, the regards or admiration that an individual has for oneself, that is, independence, achievement, or dignity and the desire that an individual has for respect or reputation from others in other words a demand of prestige or status (Harrigan & Commons, 2015).
• Self-actualisation needs: The ability of a person to realise his or her own potential from experiences in order to seek personal development or growth and self-fulfilment is defined as self-actualisation needs. This level of need is the topmost level of need of Maslow’s Law of Hierarchy that falls in the category of B-needs or being needs.

Analysis of second concept The second concept is power where power may be defined as the ability of a person or a group of people to influence the decisions that have been taken or affect the behaviour or actions of other individual or group. There are people or individuals who urge to have power however, the term power must not be confused with the word status as each has different meaning. Status can be defined as admiration or respect that an individual expects from others in a society. Status is different from power as it does not involve influencing the decisions or actions of others.

Henry Mintzberg is considered as a management expert who firmly believes that skills are learned through experience and skills’ cannot be taught in a classroom. Mintzberg suggested breaking down the role and responsibilities of management in order to assist the organisation in simplifying the complex concepts (Mintzberg, 2017). This assists in organising the firm’s into a more simplified culture so that each member can develop their skills. Mintzberg identified five popular organisational structures that have been mentioned below:

• Simplified structure: These types of companies have a few executives or managers and consist of multiple subordinates.
• Machine bureaucracy: In this structure the workers of an organisation operate as parts of machines. Each department has a significant responsibility of their own tasks and the decision making is centralised.
• Professional bureaucracy: In this organisation each professional work in an independent manner, without any centralisation on the tasks based upon their skill sets.
• Divisional form: Diverse work is generally delegated among the divisions. Each division is completely focused upon its own functions and activities.
• Adhocracy : In this organisation there is no appropriate structure, rather the firm has highly qualified employees that form various teams in order to complete the tasks and adapt to different industry changes.

In addition to the organisational structure Mitzberg revealed that though every manager is different with different skills and qualification however, it is suggested that every management should master and practice these decision making, interpersonal and informational role:

Interpersonal Figurehead: A figure head represents company in a professional manner and is responsible for legal, ceremonial and social matters (Laud, Arevalo & Johnson, 2016).

Leader: All managers are required to be an efficient leader that is able to guide, support and motivate their employees in difficulties and help them in enhancing their performance.

Liaison: They are responsible in order to network outside the organisation and relying on necessary information.

Information Monitor: A monitor is responsible to collect information from outside as well as within the organisation in order to assist the company by identifying the issues and the areas that require improvement to enhance performance.

Disseminator: Disseminator is required to provide valuable information to the employees and assign them duties accordingly.

Spokesperson: Managers are required to relay information externally and act as a spokesperson for their own brand.

Decision making Entrepreneur: If manager are acting as entrepreneurs they are required to inspire innovation and change. They are responsible for creating as well as implementing new ideas for the success of the company.

Disturbance handler: Any internal or external issue are required to be handled as well as resolved by managers.

Resource allocator: Managers are supposed to allocate and oversee different resources initiating from funding to equipments.

Negotiator: The negotiator has the responsibility of directing and participating negotiation within their organisation.

Connection of the chosen concepts The two behavioural theories discussed above are closely related to one another, as both the theories are inclined towards improving the organisational culture and helps in developing a positive workplace environment. The theories help in encouraging the morals of employees and allow employees to achieve job satisfaction and in turn improve coordination and performance level of an organisation. If the management makes use of Maslow’s Law of Hierarchy theory, they ensure to fulfil the psychological needs and demands of their employees that help the employees in gaining job satisfaction and in return the workplace environment is positive as employees are satisfied and are encouraged to perform better. For instance, if employees feel secure and safe at their workplace, they will be stress-free and will work with their full potential. Therefore, safety and security is a psychological need of the employees which is fulfilled by the management of the company.

On the other hand, implementing Mintzberg’s theory managers can improve their skills and performance which will help them in displaying a positive and more supportive leadership that will help in gaining the loyalties and confidence of the workforce. This, in turn, helps in improving the workplace environment as employees are constantly motivated to perform better and receive adequate support from their manager and therefore are satisfied. For instance, if employees are insecure regarding their jobs due to any new changes being implemented by an organisation, then it is essential that the managers should assume the roles of leaders and communicate and educate their employees regarding the significance of changes and helps them in dealing with the change.

It is evident that both these strategy helps in influencing organisational behaviour assignment among their employees. For instance, in Maslow’s Law of Hierarchy, the management often makes use of the rewarding approach in order to fulfil the financial needs of their employees (Einstein, Addams & Roosevelt, 2016). They offer a reward to employees based on their performance; this encourages and motivates the employee to perform better. On the other hand, Mintzberg’s theory helps in improving the behaviour of the managers and enhances their skill. This, in turn, allows the manager to motivate and encourage their employees to work and perform better. This theory focuses on job factors and roles that help in motivating employees and increases the efficiency of an organisation.

Conclusion This organisational behaviour assignment helps in understanding the significance of behavioural theories in influencing behavioural changes in an organisation. The two most popular behavioural approach Maslow’s Law of Hierarchy and Mintzberg’s Theory have been mentioned in order to understand regarding the impact of these two theories on the behaviours of the employees. A comparison between the theories helps in understanding that both theories are beneficial in motivating employees and achieving job satisfaction. Employee behaviours are positive and in turn, the workplace environment is enhancing with the use of behavioural approaches. The theory of needs is focused on the psychological factors while the Mintzberg theory helps in enhancing skill set that assists in balancing power in an organisation. Organisational behaviour assignments are being prepared by our management assignment help experts from top universities which let us to provide you a reliable assignment help online service.

Reference List Anwar, M. J., Sattar, B., & Anwar, M. N. (2018). MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS IN “BUTTON BUTTON” BY RICHARD MATHESON. IJOHMN (International Journal online of Humanities), 4(6), 10-10.

Bassett, L. A. (2016). The constitutionality of solitary confinement: insights from Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Health Matrix, 26, 403.

Bouzenita, A. I., & Boulanouar, A. W. (2016). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: An Islamic critique. Intellectual Discourse, 24(1).

Einstein, A., Addams, J., & Roosevelt, E. (2016). Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

Harrigan, W. J., & Commons, M. L. (2015). Replacing Maslow’s needs hierarchy with an account based on stage and value. Behavioral Development Bulletin, 20(1), 24.

Laud, R., Arevalo, J., & Johnson, M. (2016). The changing nature of managerial skills, mindsets and roles: Advancing theory and relevancy for contemporary managers. Journal of Management & Organization, 22(4), 435-456.

Mcleod, S. (2019). Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Simply Psychology. Retrieved 6 May 2019, from https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html

Mintzberg, H. (2017). Developing theory about the development of theory. In Handbook of Middle Management Strategy Process Research. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Psychologytoday.com (2019). Psychology Today. Retrieved 6 May 2019, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/motivation

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Real-Life Examples of Organizational Behavior: Essay

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Introduction

Issues in organizational behaviour, real-life examples of organizational behaviour, organizational behaviour concepts.

Organizational behavior is a very important phenomenon that modern organizations cannot downplay. The phenomenon facilitates the development of healthy relationships amongst employees and employers in organizations. In present times, issues relating to organizational behavior have influenced the performance of employees and their relationship with their employers. The issues need timely redress so that organizations enjoy success occasioned by healthy association among employees and the management. The solutions required are those that cut across the organizations and address issues experienced by the organization as well as those advanced by employees. It is within this backdrop that the essay discusses issues and concepts of organizational behavior and proposes solutions that can help in addressing the issues.

Employee Diversity and Privacy

Modern organizations are more diverse as compared to past enterprises. The diversity evident in contemporary organizations emanate from the increased mobility that has facilitated the movement of people across various parts of the world. The movement has triggered a scenario where individuals from different countries work together in a particular organization. Hoch and Kozlowski (2014) explain that, currently, individuals who have different religious, cultural, and ethnic variations work together in organizations. When employees from diverse orientations interact, they are likely to demonstrate conflicting ideas and, in some cases, disagree. Ideological differences and disagreements affect the overall productivity and quality of products that the subject organizations offer to their clients. Therefore, diversity is a behavioral issue that modern organizations cannot downplay.

Another issue that has become challenging in the field of organizational behavior is the issue of privacy. Modern employers focus on performance and productivity. To ensure that employees deliver in line with the set goals, some managers interfere with their privacy. According to Yam, Fehr, Keng-Highberger, Klotz, and Reynolds (2016), some of the acts that managers execute, which interfere with employee privacy, include monitoring phone usage and controlling their relationships. By doing the aforementioned acts, the organizations instill a negative attitude in the minds of employees, a factor that lowers their willingness to deliver their best. On the other hand, some employees can take too much time monitoring their managers and leaders and, in the process, encroach into their private lives. Although instances of employees encroaching into the private lives of their employers are minimal, there are scenarios when they engage in activities that compromise the privacy of their leaders and managers. Apparently, the issue of professionalism and privacy is a behavioral challenge that requires well-articulated solutions.

Privacy and Diversity

Rachel is an organization that buys and sells electronics such as phones, laptops, and televisions. The company’s marketing team is a composition of five members, three men and two women who devise strategies that Rochep Company should use to increase its market share. Notably, four members of the marketing team are Christians, while one is a Muslim. Recently, John, who is a Muslim, complained that the team that is highly composed of Christians, utter statements that compromise Islam. The utterances, according to him, have affected his willingness to work, and he wants to resign from the team. In his perspective, John explains that the other team members are unwilling to respect and uphold values that do not compromise his religious belief. The example is a practical demonstration of a company that suffers from the issue of diversity among employees.

In the context of privacy and professionalism, the example, which resonates well with the issue, is one demonstrated by Hype Research Centre, a company that provides counseling services. Recently, the company noticed that its employees were spending most of their time chatting with friends and surfing the internet. The issue was a concern because it affected performance and service delivery. To address the issue, the company introduced a regulation that compelled its employees to leave their phones at a collection desk each time they reported to work. Although the company expected to address the issue, it interfered with employee privacy. Instead of witnessing improved service delivery, the company realized that its employees were reluctant to work, and the quality of counseling decreased. Apparently, the employees complained that the company interfered with their rights when it instituted the policy. The private nature of mobile phones is one of the factors that the employees used to compound their argument.

Heterogeneity, Privacy, and Perception

The concepts evident from the aforementioned issues and examples comprise heterogeneity, privacy, and perception. Heterogeneity is a concept that is evident in the first example. The concept indicates the relevance of appreciating the various differences present in organizations. McShane and Von (2012) explain that heterogeneity is a concept that modern organizations cannot avoid. Increased employee mobility and exchange programs are bound to amplify the number of heterogeneous employees working in various organizations across the continent. In the example, the concept is evident from the team members who do not appreciate and interact well with a colleague who professes a different religion. It is clear from the example that failure to appreciate the orientation of the individual affected his performance and initiated his decision to resign.

Privacy is another concept that is evident in the essay. The issues discussed to explain the essence of privacy in modern organizations. In the second example, the collection of employee phones in the Hype Research Centre triggered a negative feeling from the employees who believed that the act interfered with their rights. The complaints raised by employees revolved around the concept of privacy and employee rights. Hoehle, Zhang, and Venkatesh (2015) allude that while employees have a right to access their mobile phones at all times, their use should not affect the execution of their duties. Therefore, the decision made by the company was one that infringed on the rights of employees. As such, the concept of privacy is one that modern organizations cannot avoid because it affects organizations and their employees.

The third concept that is evident in the issues and examples is perception. Remarkably, perceptions of employers and employees are very critical in behavioral issues. For instance, in the first example, John’s perception made him believe that others did not respect his religion. The perception forced him to contemplate resignation. In the second example, the perception held by the organization took effect because it believed that the use of mobile phones affected employee performance. The perception informed its decision to have employee mobile phones collected and stored in a singular location during working hours. On the other hand, after implementing the decision, the employees working in the Hype Research Center perceived that the company was infringing on their rights. Therefore, the concept of perception is evident all through the essay.

Awareness Creation and Institution of Policies

To address the issue of employee diversity in the workplace, as evidenced in the first example, modern organizations should create awareness among employees and institute policies that govern workplace ethics. Awareness creation and policies are solutions that can be useful in addressing the issue of diversity that, at times, affect employee interaction. The importance of the solutions in the field of organizational behavior is because they improve the relationship and interaction of individuals in the organization. By improving interactions in the workplace, the solutions play a pivotal role in improving the quality of products offered by a particular company. When organizations educate their employees on the importance of appreciating and embracing the diversities that exist among them, they refrain from undertaking activities that demoralize their colleagues (McShane & Von, 2012). Consequently, policies that govern workplace ethics reduce instances occasioned by individuals who continue perpetrating activities that compromise the liberty and freedom of others in the organization.

Employee Education and Minimal Supervision

The solutions required in the case of privacy comprise employee education and minimal supervision. These solutions are practical in the management of employees without infringing on their rights. It is important to explain besides cushioning employees and helping them enjoy their freedom; the solutions also help the organizations deal with dishonesty among employees. In the second example, the organization experienced challenges associated with the use of mobile phones and the internet. The quality of counseling services delivered decreased, leading to a decision to collect employee phones during working hours. By using the proposed solutions, the organization would successfully manage employee behavior and minimize their addiction to mobile phones, especially during working hours.

Primarily the organization should begin by educating the employees and the management on the importance of professionalism and using their time in the workplace wisely. The management and employees need education on the fact that service delivery should be a priority during working hours. Organizations should also train supervisors on how to utilize professionalism when overseeing role execution. Secondly, the organization can install video cameras and use them to monitor how employees deliver services to clients. Those employees who do not refrain from phone addiction after education should receive the requisite disciplinary action and serve as examples to others. The solutions are useful in addressing organizational behavior because they help in ensuring that employees deliver their best without feeling that the organization is compromising their rights.

The relationship among employees, organization, and management is crucial to the overall success of a company. Poor relationship leads to failure, whereas a healthy relationship is an ingredient that initiates success. To enjoy the benefits occasioned by a healthy relationship, organizations need to adopt the concepts highlighted in the subject of organizational behavior. The cornerstones used by organizational behavior are vital in facilitating beneficial relationships and interactions among employees, management, and the organization. To address the issue sufficiently, the essay highlighted various organizational behavior issues that require solutions. The essay also advanced some real-life examples and proposed solutions that are useful in the management of the issues. By using real-life examples and outlining issues and concepts espoused in the field of organizational behavior, the essay plays an instrumental role in elevating the understanding that marketing scholars have in organizational behavior. Moreover, the essay helps in ascertaining the role that organizational behavior plays in improving product quality, retaining employees, and satisfying clients.

Hoch, J., & Kozlowski, S. (2014). Leading virtual teams: Hierarchical leadership, structural supports, and shared team leadership. Journal of Applied Psychology, 99(3), 287-390.

Hoehle, H., Zhang, X., & Venkatesh, V. (2015). An espoused cultural perspective to understand continued intention to use mobile applications: A four-country study of mobile social media application usability. European Journal of Information Systems, 24(3), 337-359.

McShane, S., & Von, G. (2012). Organizational behavior: Emerging knowledge. Global reality. (7th Edition). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

Yam, K., Fehr, R., Keng-Highberger, F., Klotz, A., & Reynolds, S. (2016). Out of control: A self-control perspective on the link between surface acting and abusive supervision. Journal of Applied Psychology, 101(2), 292.

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• What Is Organizational Behavior?
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What Is Organizational Behavior (OB), and Why Is It Important?

Amanda Bellucco-Chatham is an editor, writer, and fact-checker with years of experience researching personal finance topics. Specialties include general financial planning, career development, lending, retirement, tax preparation, and credit.

What Is Organizational Behavior (OB)?

Organizational behavior is the academic study of how people interact within groups. The principles of OB are applied primarily in attempts to help businesses operate more effectively.

Key Takeaways

• Organizational behavior is the study of how people interact in group settings.
• This field of study includes areas of research dedicated to improving job performance, increasing job satisfaction, promoting innovation, and encouraging leadership.
• The Hawthorne Effect, which describes the way test subjects' behavior may change when they know they are being observed, is the best-known study of organizational behavior.
• Organizational behavior is a foundation of corporate human resources, encompassing elements such as employee retention, engagement, training, and culture.
• Organizational behavior is a subset of organizational theory which studies a more holistic way of structuring a company and managing its resources.

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Understanding Organizational Behavior (OB)

The study of organizational behavior includes areas of research dedicated to improving job performance, increasing job satisfaction, promoting innovation, and encouraging leadership . Each has its own recommended actions, such as reorganizing groups, modifying compensation structures, or changing methods of performance evaluation .

Organizational Behavior Origins

The study of organizational behavior has its roots in the late 1920s, when the Western Electric Company launched a now-famous series of studies of the behavior of workers at its Hawthorne Works plant in Cicero, IL.

Researchers there set out to determine whether workers could be made to be more productive if their environment was upgraded with better lighting and other design improvements. To their surprise, the researchers found that the environment was less important than social factors. It was more important, for example, that people got along with their co-workers and felt their bosses appreciated them.

Those initial findings inspired a series of wide-ranging studies between 1924 and 1933. They included the effects on productivity of work breaks, isolation, and lighting, among many other factors.

The Hawthorne Effect —which describes the way test subjects' behavior may change when they know they are being observed—is the best-known study of organizational behavior. Researchers are taught to consider whether or not (and to what degree) the Hawthorne Effect may skew their findings on human behavior.

Organizational behavior was not fully recognized by the American Psychological Association as a field of academic study until the 1970s. However, the Hawthorne research is credited for validating organizational behavior as a legitimate field of study, and it's the foundation of the  human resources (HR) profession as we now know it.

Evolution of Organization Behavior

The leaders of the Hawthorne study had a couple of radical notions. They thought they could use the techniques of scientific observation to increase an employee's amount and quality of work, and they did not look at workers as interchangeable resources. Workers, they thought, were unique in terms of their psychology and potential fit within a company.

Over the following years, the concept of organizational behavior widened. Beginning with World War II, researchers began focusing on logistics and management science. Studies by the Carnegie School in the 1950s and 1960s solidified these rationalist approaches to decision-making.

Today, those and other studies have evolved into modern theories of business structure and decision-making. The new frontiers of organizational behavior are the cultural components of organizations, such as how race, class, and gender roles affect group building and productivity. These studies take into account how identity and background inform decision-making.

Organizational behavior is no different than other forms of psychological behavior analysis. It simply emphasizes how individuals operate and work together within a business setting.

Learning Organizational Behavior

Academic programs focusing on organizational behavior are found in business schools, as well as at schools of social work and psychology. These programs draw from the fields of anthropology, ethnography, and leadership studies, and use quantitative, qualitative, and computer models as methods to explore and test ideas.

Depending on the program, one can study specific topics within organizational behavior or broader fields within it. Specific topics covered include cognition, decision-making, learning, motivation, negotiation, impressions, group process, stereotyping, and power and influence. The broader study areas include social systems, the dynamics of change, markets, relationships between organizations and their environments, how social movements influence markets, and the power of social networks .

Organizational Behavior Study Methods

Organizational behavior can be studied using a variety of methods to collect data. Surveys are a popular research method in organizational behavior research. They involve asking individuals to answer a set of questions, often using a Likert scale. The goal of the survey is to gather quantitative data on attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions related to a particular topic. In a similar manner, companies may perform interviews to gather data about individuals' experiences, attitudes, and perceptions.

Companies can also gather data without directly interacting with study subjects. Observations involve watching individuals in real-life settings to gather data on their behaviors, interactions, and decision-making processes. Meanwhile, a company can perform case studies to perform an in-depth examination of a particular organization, group, or individual.

In situations where there isn't really precedent, companies can study organizational behavior by running experiments. By manipulating one or more variables at a time to observe the effect on a particular outcome, a company can get the best sense of how organizational behavior tweaks change employee disposition.

Organizational behavior data can be quantitative or qualitative.

Organizational behavior is an especially important aspect to human resources. By better understanding how and why individuals perform in a certain way, organizations can better recruit, retain, and deploy workers to achieve its mission. The specific aspects of organizational behavior relating to HR are listed below.

Recruitment

Organizational behavior research is used to identify the skills, abilities, and traits that are essential for a job. This information is used to develop job descriptions, selection criteria, and assessment tools to help HR managers identify the best candidates for a position. This is especially true for roles that may have technical aspects but rely heavier on soft skills .

Organizational behavior can be used to design and deliver training and development programs that enhance employees' skills. These programs can focus on topics such as communication, leadership, teamwork, and diversity and inclusion. In addition, organizational behavior can be used to be better understand how each individual may uniquely approach a training, allowing for more customized approaches based on different styles.

Performance Management

Organizational behavior is used to develop performance management systems that align employee goals with organizational objectives. These systems often include performance metrics, feedback mechanisms, and performance appraisal processes. By leveraging organizational behavior, a company can better understand how its personnel will work towards common goals and what can be achieved.

Employee Engagement

Organizational behavior is used to develop strategies to improve employee engagement and motivation. These strategies can include recognition and rewards programs, employee involvement initiatives, and career development opportunities. Due to the financial incentives of earning a paycheck , organizational behavior strives to go beyond incentivizing individuals with a paycheck and understanding ways to enhance the workplace with other interests.

Organizational behavior research is used to develop and maintain a positive organizational culture. This includes devising strategies that supports employee well-being, trust, and a shared vision for the future. As each individual may act in their own unique manner, it is up to organizational behavior to blend personalities, integrate backgrounds, and bring people together for a common cause.

Organizational Behavior vs. Organizational Theory

Organizational behavior and organizational theory are related fields of study, but they have some important differences. While organizational behavior is concerned with understanding and improving the behavior of individuals, organizational theory is concerned with developing and testing theories about how organizations function and how they can be structured effectively.

Organizational theory draws on concepts and theories from economics, sociology, political science, and other social sciences . It aims to understand how organizations are structured and how they operate. In some aspects, organizational behavior can be considered a subset of organizational theory.

Both fields are important for understanding and improving organizational performance, and they often overlap in their research topics and methods. However, organizational theory is often much broader and does not focus on individuals.

Examples of Organizational Behavior

Findings from organizational behavior research are used by executives and human relations professionals to better understand a business’s culture , how that culture helps or hinders productivity and employee retention, and how to evaluate candidates' skills and personality during the hiring process.

Organizational behavior theories inform the real-world evaluation and management of groups of people. There are several components:

• Personality plays a large role in the way a person interacts with groups and produces work. Understanding a candidate's personality, either through tests or through conversation, helps determine whether they are a good fit for an organization.
• Leadership—what it looks like and where it comes from—is a rich topic of debate and study within the field of organizational behavior. Leadership can be broad, focused, centralized or de-centralized, decision-oriented, intrinsic in a person’s personality, or simply a result of a position of authority.
• Power, authority, and politics all operate inter-dependently in a workplace. Understanding the appropriate ways these elements are exhibited and used, as agreed upon by workplace rules and ethical guidelines, are key components to running a cohesive business.

Why Is Organizational Behavior Important?

Organizational behavior describes how people interact with one another inside of an organization, such as a business. These interactions subsequently influence how the organization itself behaves and how well it performs. For businesses, organizational behavior is used to streamline efficiency, improve productivity, and spark innovation to give firms a competitive edge.

What Are the 4 Elements of Organizational Behavior?

The four elements of organizational behavior are people, structure, technology, and the external environment. By understanding how these elements interact with one another, improvements can be made. While some factors are more easily controlled by the organization—such as its structure or people hired—it still must be able to respond to external factors and changes in the economic environment.

What Are the 3 Levels of Organizational Behavior?

The first is the individual level, which involves organizational psychology and understanding human behavior and incentives. The second level is groups, which involves social psychology and sociological insights into human interaction and group dynamics. The top-level is the organizational level, where organization theory and sociology come into play to undertake systems-level analyses and the study of how firms engage with one another in the marketplace.

What Are Some Common Problems that Organizational Behavior Tries to Solve?

Organizational behavior can be used by managers and consultants to improve the performance of an organization and to address certain key issues that commonly arise. These may include a lack of direction or strategic vision for a company, difficulty getting employees on board with that vision, pacifying workplace conflict or creating a more amenable work environment, issues with training employees, poor communication or feedback, and so on.

OB is the study of human behavior in an organizational setting. This includes how individuals interact with each other in addition to how individuals interact with the organization itself. OB is a critical part of human resources, though it is embedded across a company.

Harvard Business School. " Harvard Business School and the Hawthorne Experiments (1924-1933) ."

Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. " A Brief History of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Inc. – A Division of the APA ."

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Organisational Behaviour Assignment (OB) - TESCO lg ...

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