Introduction to Org. Behaviour

8/3/2019 Introduction to Org. Behaviour

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Introduction tothe Field ofOrganizationalBehavior


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The Container Store and OB

The Container Store appliesorganizational behaviortheories and concepts. The

highly successful retailercarefully hires people withmatching values and positive

work attitudes, then empowersthem to serve customers.

N. B. Scott


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What are Organizations?

Groups of people whowork interdependentlytoward some purpose

Structured patterns ofinteraction

Coordinated tasks

Work toward somepurpose

N. B. Scott


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Organizational

BehaviorResearch

Understandorganizational

events

Predictorganizational

events

Influenceorganizational

events

Why Study Organizational Behavior


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Trends: Globalization

Global companies:Extend their activitiesto other parts of the

worldactively participate inother markets

compete against firms

in other countries


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Trends: Globalization

Implications ofglobalization:

New organizational

structuresDifferent forms ofcommunication

More competition,change, mergers,downsizing, stress

Need more sensitivity tocultural differences


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Trends: Changing Workforce

Primary and secondary diversity

More women in workforce and professions

Different needs of Gen-X, Gen-Y, and baby-boomers

Diversity has advantages, but firms need toadjust through:

cultural awareness

family-friendly

empowerment


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Trends: Employment Relationship

Employabilityemployees perform many tasks, not a specific job

Contingent work

no explicit or implicit contract for long-termemployment

Telecommutingworking from home, usually with a computerconnection to the office

Virtual teamsoperate across space, time, and organizationalboundaries; mainly communicate through electronictechnologies


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Trends: Information Technology

Affects how employees interactVirtual teamsTelecommuting

Affects how organizations are configuredNetwork structures -- alliance of severalorganizations


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Trends: Values and Ethics

ValuesStable, long-lasting beliefs about what is importantpersonal, cultural, organizational, professional

Importance of valuesGlobalization -- more awareness of different valuesValues replacing command-and-controlMore emphasis on ethical business conduct

EthicsMoral principles/values -- determines whether actionsare right/wrong and outcomes are good/bad


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Knowledge Management Defined

Any structured activity thatimproves an organizationscapacity to acquire, share, anduse knowledge for its survivaland success


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Intellectual Capital

Human capitalKnowledge that employees possessand generate

Structural capitalKnowledge captured in systems andstructures

Relationship capitalValue derived from satisfied customers,reliable suppliers, and others


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Knowledge Mgt. at Atlantic Baking

Rod Wilcox and his company,Atlantic Baking Group, quicklyacquired knowledge about how to

operate a cracker bakery byrehiring Nabisco employees whohad been laid off from this EastLiberty, PA, plant a year earlier.

AP/Wide World


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Knowledge Management Processes

Knowledge acquisitionGraftingLearningExperimentation

Knowledge sharingCommunicationCommunities of practice

Knowledge useAwarenessFreedom to apply knowledge

AP/Wide World


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Organizational Memory

The storage and preservation ofintellectual capital

Retain intellectual capital by:Keeping knowledgeable employeesTransferring knowledge to othersTransferring human capital to structuralcapital


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THANK YOU

Documents

Introduction to Org. Behaviour