Organizational Behaviour

Organisation Behaviour (OB) is the study and application of knowledge on how people act within an organization.
OB is concerned with how people behave in an organization and how their behavior affects performance.
Organizations are groups of people who work interdependently towards a common purpose, often with a profit maximization objective.
Features of an organization include: a group of people, formally organized people/structure, co-ordination among people, rationality, and a purposeful objective.
Functions of an organization: determination of activities, grouping of activities, allotment of duties to specified persons, delegation of authority, defining relationships, and coordination of activities.
Organizational structure: The framework within which managerial and operating tasks are performed. It explains the relationship between people, work and resources in an organization.
Span of Management: The number of subordinates that can be effectively managed by a superior. This impacts organization structure and levels of management.

Module I covers introductions and individual behaviours.
Topics covered include: understanding organizational behavior, nature and structure of organization and foundations of individual behavior. (Ability, Attitude, Job Satisfaction, Personality, Values, Perception, Motivation-Theories, leadership).
Globant, a software development company, is a successful example of applying teamwork, design thinking, an inclusive culture, and organizational behavior practices.

Factors influencing individual behavior:
-Biographic Characteristics: (physical, age, gender, religion, marital status) affect individual behavior in the organization.
-Learned Characteristics: (personality, perception, values, attitudes) affect individual behavior in the organization.
-Environmental Factors: (employment level, wages rate, economic environment, political factors) affect individual behavior in the organization.
-Organizational Factors: (physical facilities, structure and design, reward system) affect individual behavior in the organization.

Personality: The sum total of ways in which an individual reacts and interacts with others.
Personality Traits: Enduring characteristics that describe an individual's behavior.
Personality Determinants: Heredity, Environment, and Situation
Personality Characteristics in Organizations: Self-Esteem, Self-Monitoring, Risk-Taking, Type A and Type B Personality, Proactive Personality
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): A self-report inventory designed to identify a person's personality type, strengths, and preferences based on Carl Jung's theory of personality types. The MBTI categorizes individuals into one of 16 personality types.
The Big Five Model: A five-factor model of personality, commonly known as the Big Five. (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism).
Personality Theories: Trait Theory, Psychodynamic Theory, Humanistic Theory, Integrative Approach

Perception: An intellectual process of transforming sensory stimuli into meaningful information.
Perceptual Process: Receiving, Selecting, Organising, and Interpreting stimuli.
Factors influencing Interpretation: Perceptual set; Attribution, Stereotyping, Halo effect
Importance of perception in organizations: Understanding, predicting, and controlling behavior, establishing performance goals, aiding decision-making, and organizing situations effectively.

Attitudes: Predisposed states of mind regarding a value, precipitated through a person's responsive expression toward oneself, another person, place, thing, or event.
Components of Attitudes: Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral.
Attitude Functions: Adjustment, Ego defense, Value expressive, and Knowledge.
Importance of Attitudes to Managers: Importance to warn of potential problems, do things to generate positive attitudes, increase positive behaviors, reduce dissonance.
Attitude Change: Information, fear, resolving discrepancies, influence from friends or peers.

Motivation: The intensity, direction, and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal.
Key Elements of Motivation: Intensity, Direction and Persistence.
Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Motivation: Intrinsic motivation is self-generated; extrinsic motivation is generated from others. (e.g., praise, bonuses, pay increases)
Benefits of Motivation: Puts human resources into action, Improves efficiency, Leads to achievement of organizational goals, Builds friendly relations, and Leads to stability in the workforce.
Reasons for demotivation: No recognition, Setting unrealistic goals, Overloaded, Micromanagement, Lack of opportunity, Workplace environment, Job-security.
Motivation Theories: Vroom's Expectancy Theory, Porter-Lawler Model, Equity Theory, Cognitive Evaluation, Goal-Setting, Reinforcement theory, Theory X/Theory Y, Carrot-and-Stick Approach, and William Ouchi's Theory Z.

Leadership: The process of directing the behavior of others toward achieving a common goal -- getting things done through others.
Significance of Leadership: Initiating action, Providing motivation, Providing guidance, creating employee confidence, building a work environment, co-ordination, and inducing change .
Leadership Styles : Autocratic, Laissez-faire, Democratic, Leader-centered, Participative, Free Rein, Transactional, and Transformational.
Leadership Theories: Great Man, Trait, Behavioral, Contingency, Charismatic, and Transactional.