Organisational Behaviour Basics

Definition and Scope

• Organisational behaviour (OB) is the study of human behaviour, attitudes, and performance within an organisational setting.
• It involves understanding individual and group behaviour, as well as organisational systems and processes.

Key Concepts

• Motivation: the driving forces that initiate and direct behaviour to achieve specific goals.
• Leadership: the process of inspiring and influencing others to work towards a common goal.
• Communication: the exchange of information, ideas, and feelings between individuals or groups.
• Organisational Culture: the shared values, beliefs, and assumptions that shape an organisation's behaviour and practices.

Levels of Analysis

• Individual Level: focuses on individual behaviour, attitudes, and performance.
• Group Level: examines the behaviour and dynamics of teams and groups within an organisation.
• Organisational Level: looks at the organisation as a whole, including its structure, culture, and systems.

Theories and Models

• Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: a motivational theory that proposes people have different levels of needs, from basic physiological needs to self-actualisation.
• Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory: a motivational theory that distinguishes between hygiene factors (extrinsic motivations) and motivator factors (intrinsic motivations).
• McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y: two contrasting views of human nature and motivation, with Theory X assuming people are inherently lazy and Theory Y assuming people are motivated and self-directed.

Organisational Design and Structure

• Centralisation: the concentration of decision-making authority at higher levels of the organisation.
• Decentralisation: the dispersal of decision-making authority to lower levels of the organisation.
• Mechanistic and Organic Structures: two types of organisational structures, with mechanistic structures being more formal and bureaucratic, and organic structures being more flexible and adaptive.

Organisational Change and Development

• Planned Change: a systematic approach to organisational change, involving diagnosis, intervention, and evaluation.
• Organisational Development: a long-term effort to improve an organisation's effectiveness and efficiency through planned change and development.

Definition and Scope

• Organisational behaviour is the study of human behaviour, attitudes, and performance within an organisational setting.
• It involves understanding individual and group behaviour, as well as organisational systems and processes.

Key Concepts

• Motivation is the driving force that initiates and directs behaviour to achieve specific goals.
• Leadership is the process of inspiring and influencing others to work towards a common goal.
• Communication is the exchange of information, ideas, and feelings between individuals or groups.
• Organisational Culture is the shared values, beliefs, and assumptions that shape an organisation's behaviour and practices.

Levels of Analysis

• Individual Level analysis focuses on individual behaviour, attitudes, and performance.
• Group Level analysis examines the behaviour and dynamics of teams and groups within an organisation.
• Organisational Level analysis looks at the organisation as a whole, including its structure, culture, and systems.

Theories and Models

• Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs proposes people have different levels of needs, from basic physiological needs to self-actualisation.
• Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory distinguishes between hygiene factors (extrinsic motivations) and motivator factors (intrinsic motivations).
• McGregor's Theory X assumes people are inherently lazy, while Theory Y assumes people are motivated and self-directed.

Organisational Design and Structure

• Centralisation concentrates decision-making authority at higher levels of the organisation.
• Decentralisation disperses decision-making authority to lower levels of the organisation.
• Mechanistic structures are formal and bureaucratic, while organic structures are flexible and adaptive.

Organisational Change and Development

• Planned Change is a systematic approach to organisational change, involving diagnosis, intervention, and evaluation.
• Organisational Development is a long-term effort to improve an organisation's effectiveness and efficiency through planned change and development.