Psychology and Organizational Behavior Insights

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Questions and Answers

What role does psychology play in understanding human behavior?

Psychology involves measuring and explaining the behavior of humans and other animals.

What are the key interpersonal skills that managers should develop for effective leadership?

Managers should develop communication, empathy, and conflict resolution skills.

How does social psychology differ from traditional psychology?

Social psychology combines elements of psychology and sociology to investigate the influence people have on one another.

How does systematic study enhance managerial decision-making?

Systematic study uncovers relationships and provides scientific evidence to make more accurate predictions. Signup and view all the answers

What does sociology focus on in relation to human behavior?

Sociology focuses on the relationship between people's behavior and their environment. Signup and view all the answers

What challenges exist in understanding organizational behavior (OB)?

There are no universal principles for OB, as individuals can react differently to the same situation. Signup and view all the answers

What role does evidence-based management (EBM) play in decision-making?

EBM involves making managerial decisions based on the best available scientific evidence. Signup and view all the answers

Explain how intuition can be integrated with systematic study.

Intuition can be enhanced by systematic analysis to improve the accuracy of predictions about behavior. Signup and view all the answers

How do work-life balance priorities affect employee expectations?

Balancing work and life demands now surpasses job security as a primary employee priority. Signup and view all the answers

What is positive organizational scholarship?

Positive organizational scholarship focuses on developing human strength and fostering resilience in workplaces. Signup and view all the answers

What are the limitations of relying solely on intuition in management?

Relying solely on intuition can lead to overestimating the accuracy of one's beliefs and decisions. Signup and view all the answers

Identify the disciplines that contribute to the behavioral science of organizational behavior.

The disciplines include psychology, social psychology, sociology, and anthropology. Signup and view all the answers

What ethical dilemmas do employees face in the workplace?

Employees often encounter ethical dilemmas where they must determine right and wrong conduct. Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important for managers to modify behavioral predictions to reflect individual differences?

It allows for more personalized approaches and improves the accuracy of behavior management. Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to consider contingency variables in organizational behavior?

Contingency variables moderate the relationships between different variables in OB, reflecting situational factors. Signup and view all the answers

How can managers use systematic study to improve their interpersonal skills?

By analyzing relationships and behaviors systematically, managers can identify areas for improvement. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary benefit of job enlargement in the workplace?

It allows individuals to perform with more freedom and independence. Signup and view all the answers

How do alternative work arrangements benefit employees?

They provide flexibility to accommodate personal needs and responsibilities. Signup and view all the answers

What is flexitime and how does it work?

Flexitime allows employees to choose their arrival and departure times while completing a set number of hours each week. Signup and view all the answers

Why might job sharing be less commonly chosen by employees?

It can be difficult to find compatible partners for sharing a job. Signup and view all the answers

What are some advantages of teleworking for employees?

Teleworking increases flexibility and independence in managing work tasks. Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential downside of teleworking as mentioned in the content?

It can lead to feelings of isolation and reduce job satisfaction. Signup and view all the answers

How does job sharing benefit employers?

It allows access to the skills of multiple individuals for a single job position. Signup and view all the answers

What challenge does management face with teleworking?

Management experiences reduced supervision and difficulty coordinating teamwork. Signup and view all the answers

What are the five core dimensions of the job characteristic model?

Skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback. Signup and view all the answers

How does job rotation affect employee motivation and understanding of their work?

Job rotation reduces boredom and increases motivation while helping employees understand their contributions to the organization. Signup and view all the answers

Define job enrichment and its significance in the workplace.

Job enrichment involves increasing an employee's responsibility for planning, execution, and evaluation of their work. Signup and view all the answers

What is the motivating potential score (MPS) and how is it used?

MPS is a single predictive index derived from the core dimensions that indicates the motivational potential of a job. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the concept of task significance in the job characteristic model.

Task significance refers to the extent a job impacts the lives of others. Signup and view all the answers

What are the potential drawbacks of implementing job rotation?

Increased training costs, reduced productivity, and disruptions due to employees adjusting to new responsibilities. Signup and view all the answers

Why is autonomy an important dimension in job design?

Autonomy provides employees with freedom and independence in scheduling and performing their tasks. Signup and view all the answers

How does feedback contribute to employee performance in the job characteristic model?

Feedback provides clear and direct information about the effectiveness of an employee's performance. Signup and view all the answers

What is intuition in the context of decision-making?

Intuition is an unconscious process of decision-making informed by distilled experience, engaging emotions with limited information. Signup and view all the answers

Describe overconfidence bias and its common characteristics.

Overconfidence bias occurs when individuals are overly optimistic about their ability to answer correctly, often seen in those with weaker intellectual skills. Signup and view all the answers

Explain anchoring bias and how it affects decision-making.

Anchoring bias involves fixating on the first piece of information received and failing to adjust to later, relevant information. Signup and view all the answers

What is confirmation bias and how does it influence information gathering?

Confirmation bias is the tendency to gather information that supports pre-existing beliefs, leading to selective perception. Signup and view all the answers

Define availability bias and its impact on decision-making.

Availability bias occurs when decisions are based on information that is easily accessible, often influenced by recent or emotional events. Signup and view all the answers

What does escalation of commitment refer to in decision-making?

Escalation of commitment refers to the tendency to persist with a failing course of action due to perceived responsibility. Signup and view all the answers

How does randomness error affect decision-making processes?

Randomness error occurs when individuals mistakenly believe they can predict outcomes of random events, impairing their decisions. Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to balance intuition with rational decision-making?

Balancing intuition with rational decision-making is crucial to make well-informed choices that consider both emotions and logical analysis. Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the main weaknesses of using Action Research in organizational change?

It requires substantial data collection and analysis, which can be time-consuming. Signup and view all the answers

How does Organizational Development (OD) differ in its approach to improving organizations compared to traditional methods?

OD emphasizes participative processes and collaborative efforts, focusing on humanistic values. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of Appreciative Inquiry in the context of Organizational Development?

It focuses on identifying and building on the organization’s strengths rather than fixing problems. Signup and view all the answers

Identify one way that OD techniques, such as team building, can be resource-intensive.

Team building requires significant time and resources for high-interaction activities. Signup and view all the answers

What challenge might organizations face when implementing Action Research and OD?

Some organizations may be resistant to the transparency and involvement required. Signup and view all the answers

How does the varied outcome of OD techniques impact their effectiveness?

Results can be inconsistent depending on the context and execution, affecting their overall reliability. Signup and view all the answers

Why might Lewin’s Model and Kotter’s Plan be less effective in dynamic environments?

They offer structured, somewhat linear approaches to change, which may struggle to adapt quickly. Signup and view all the answers

What is one strength of using a holistic approach in Organizational Development?

It enhances organizational effectiveness by promoting collaborative problem-solving. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Exam Dates and Information

EXC3460: Organizational Behavior and Leadership
EXC34601: Structured test, school exam
BI Norwegian Business School, Oslo campus
Exam period: December 13, 2024, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
7.5 ECTS

Lecture 1 - CH 1 (What is OB?)

Organizational Behavior (OB) studies how individuals, groups, and structure impact employee behavior to enhance organizational effectiveness.
Managers need strong interpersonal skills to be effective, as workplaces rated highly correlate with strong interpersonal skills.
Good interpersonal skills are crucial for success in the workplace.

Lecture 2 - CH 16 (Organizational Culture)

Organizational culture = shared values, beliefs, and assumptions that guide members' perceptions of the organization.
Clan Culture: emphasizing collaboration, trust, and support.
Adhocracy Culture: prioritizing innovation, growth, and autonomy.
Market Culture: focusing on achievement, competition, and communication.
Hierarchy Culture: emphasizing stability, routines, and formal structures.
Strong Culture: unites employees through shared values for higher loyalty, cohesion, and commitment.
Weak Culture: varying opinions about organizational values, resulting in less alignment.
Organizational culture is transmitted through stories, rituals, material symbols, and language.

Lecture 3 - CH 7 & 8 (Motivation and Self-Leadership)

Motivation is the driving force behind an individual's intensity, direction, and persistence toward achieving goals.
Intensity: the level of effort exerted.
Direction: the route toward achieving goals.
Persistence: the duration of effort.
Content theories (e.g., Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Herzberg's two-factor theory, McClelland's acquired needs theory): focus on the internal factors driving motivation.
Process theories (e.g., expectancy theory, goal-setting theory): explain how factors interact to motivate individuals.

Lecture 4 - CH 9 & 10 (Group Team Psychology/ Work Climate Issues/ Power & Influences)

Groups: Two or more people interacting and interdependent, aiming toward shared goals.
Formal Groups: Defined by the organization's structure and designed to fulfill specific objectives.
Informal Groups: Formed by people's own needs and are neither formally structured nor organizationally determined.
Group stages (five-stage model): Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning.
Punctuated-equilibrium model: Useful for understanding temporary groups with a finite lifespan.
Group properties: Roles, norms, status, size, cohesiveness, and group decision-making.

Lecture 5 - CH 5 (Perception, Individual Decision-Making, and Creativity)

Perception: The process of organizing and interpreting sensory stimuli to understand the environment.
Attribution theory: Explains how people form perceptions based on whether something is internally or externally caused
Perception shortcuts: Simplifying strategies, leading to potential errors. (e.g., halo effect, contrast effect, stereotyping)

Lecture 6 - CH 12 (Leadership)

Leadership: Influences a group toward achieving goals.
Trait Theories: Focus on identifying specific inherent qualities that differentiate effective leaders from others. (e.g., Big Five Model - conscientiousness, extraversion)
Behavioral Theories: Describe specific behaviours exhibited by effective leaders (e.g., Initiating structure, consideration)
Contingency Theories: Leader effectiveness depends on specific situational factors (e.g., Fiedler model, Path-Goal Theory, Hersey and Blanchard's situational theory)

Lecture 7 (Extending previous lectures)

Types of authority (Weber): Charismatic, Traditional, Legal/rational
Equity theory: People compare their inputs and outputs and seek balance with relevant others' inputs and outputs.

Lecture 8 (CH 3, 5, & 18)

Attitudes: Evaluative statements or judgments about objects, people, or events.
Job Attitudes (e.g., job satisfaction, organizational commitment, employee engagement): Evaluative statements employees make about their work.
Employee engagement: Willingness and capacity to contribute to organizational success.

Lecture 9 (Technology)

Technological innovation: Leads to organizational changes in employee requirements, perceptions, and work processes.
Technological revolutions (e.g., First, Second, Third/First Digital, Second Digital): Major periods of technological advancements altering workplaces and processes.
Impact on the workplace: How technology affects organizational structures and processes, potentially leading to job displacement

Lecture 10 (Conflicts)

Conflict: A process where one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or will negatively affect, something that the first party cares about.
Causes: Important resources such as political, economic, social, legal and/or ecological factors.
Types of conflict : (Intra-)group, (inter-)group, dyads, different perspectives.
Conflict resolution approaches (e.g., competing, avoiding, compromising, accommodating, collaborating)

Lecture 11 (Communication)

Communication: The process of transmitting information and meaning between individuals.
Communication methods:
In-person meetings = best for complex issues/emotional feedback
Phone calls = immediate responses/difficult explanations
Emails = formal documents/message to many.
Nonverbal communication: Impacts how messages are interpreted, with behaviors often more credible than words.
Barriers to communication: Gender, power dynamics, and cultural differences.
Cross-cultural communication: active listening and effective communication strategies.

WEEK 12 (Diversity & Creativity)

Diversity in the workplace (surface vs depth): Observable characteristics like gender and ethnicity, vs. deeper characteristics from work preferences to values.
Creativity: Generating novel and valuable ideas
Creativity methods.

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Description

This quiz explores the intersection of psychology and organizational behavior, highlighting key concepts such as interpersonal skills for managers, evidence-based management, and the role of workplace ethics. Delve into how systematic study enhances decision-making and the impact of work-life balance on employee expectations.