Commerce 2BA3Organizational Behaviour

Week 1

Dr. Teal McAteerWinter 2010

DeGroote School of BusinessMcMaster University

Agenda

• Introduction

- About your instructor– Review Course Syllabus– Questions???– In-class exercise– Lecture on Organizational Behaviour

About Your Instructor…..

Course Overview

• Text:

Organizational Behaviour: Understanding and Managing Life at Work (7th Edition) by Johns and Saks.

• Format:– Combination of lectures and in-class

exercises

Grading

• Three in-class assignments will count towards your grade (Weeks 4, 10 & 14) – 3 x 10% = 30%

• Midterm Exam – week 8 – 35%

• Final Exam – 35% (not cumulative)

Course Overview (cont’d)

• Lecture notes will be posted by Sunday night of each week

• Must read assigned chapters BEFORE class

• Exams will be based on text and lecture notes; so even if we don’t review it in the lecture, if it is in the text, it is fair game

Course Topics

• Intro to OB• Perception, Attribution & Judgment• Motivation• Communication• Individual Decision Making• Group Dynamics & Team Work• Group Decision Making

• Conflict• Stress• Power, Politics & Influence• Leadership• Environment, Strategy & Technology• Organizational Structure

MIDTERM TOPICS

FINAL EXAM TOPICS

Introduction to OB

What is Organizational Behaviour????

ORGANIZATION

1. Individuals working in pursuit of goals

ORGANIZATION

2. Interacting teams, groups and departments

ORGANIZATION

3. Whole Organization

Introduction to OB

• OB: The attitudes and behaviours of individuals and groups in organizations

• Attempt to understand, predict and influence how people behave at work

The Evolution of OB

• Classical Views– Early 1900s– High specialization of labour (each dept tended to its own

business, and decision making was centralized)

• Bureaucracy– Early to Mid 1900s– Max Weber– Strict chain of command, detailed rules, high specialization,

centralized power, and selection and promotion based on technical competence

• Scientific Management– Also early 1900s– Frederick Taylor– Use of careful research to determine degree of specialization

The Evolution of OB (cont’d)

• Human Relations Movement– Hawthorne Studies – research conducted at

the Hawthorne plant of Western Electric in the 1920s that examined how psychological and social processes affect productivity

– Advocates management styles that are more participative and oriented towards employee needs

- Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs- McGregor’s Theory Y

The Evolution of OB (cont’d)

• Where are we today???

– The Contingency Approach • no one best way to manage• Management style depends on the demands of the

situation

What do Managers do?

• Informational Roles– Monitor– Disseminator– Spokesperson

• Interpersonal Roles– Figurehead– Leader– Liaison

• Decisional Roles– Entrepreneur– Disturbance Handler– Resource Allocator– Negotiator

Trends Managers are Facing Today….

Globalization effects on organizations:– New organizational structures – Different forms of communication– Greater workforce diversity– More competitive pressures and demands on

employees

Trends Managers are Facing Today….

Information Technology– Re-design of jobs– Knowledge management– Tele-work– Virtual Teams

Trends Managers are Facing Today….

Workplace Diversity

• More women in workforce and professions

• Different needs of Gen-X/Gen-Y and baby-boomers

• Diversity has advantages, but firms need to adjust

Trends Managers are Facing Today….

The Employment Relationship

• Employability– “New deal” employment relationship– Continuously learn new skills

• Contingent work– No contract for long-term employment– Minimum hours of work vary

Trends Managers are Facing Today….

Job SecurityJob Security

• Lifetime job securityLifetime job security

• Job are permanentJob are permanent

• Company manages Company manages careercareer

• Low emphasis on skill Low emphasis on skill developmentdevelopment

EmployabilityEmployability

• Limited job securityLimited job security

• Jobs are temporaryJobs are temporary

• Career self-Career self-managementmanagement

• High emphasis on skill High emphasis on skill developmentdevelopment