Chapter 1 - Introduction to the field of OB

Question 1

Define Globalisation.

Answer 1

Economic, social and cultural connectivity with people in other parts of the world.

Question 2

Explain in your own words, what is Globalisation?

Answer 2

Although globalisation is much more complex than having a business only branching out in one location and it may increase the work intensity for employees but it greatly benefits large organisations in terms of larger markets, lower costs and greater access to knowledge and innovation.

Question 3

Define Surface-level diversity.

Answer 3

The observable demographic or physiological differences in people, such as their race, ethnicity, gender, age and physical disabilities.

Question 4

Define Deep-level diversity.

Answer 4

Differences in the psychological characteristics of employees, including personalities, beliefs, values and attitudes.

Question 5

Why is diversity beneficial?

Answer 5

It provides diverse knowledge, which potentially improves decision making and discovery of new opportunities. Companies that offer an inclusive workplace are, in essence, fulfilling the ethical standard of fairness in their decisions regarding employment and the allocation of rewards.

Question 6

Define Work-life balance.

Answer 6

The degree to which a person minimises conflict between work and non-work demands.

Question 7

Define Virtual Work.

Answer 7

Work performed away from the traditional physical workplace through the use of information technology.

Question 8

List the Anchors of Organisational Behaviour Knowledge.

Answer 8

1. Systematic research - decision making based on research evidence.
2. Multidisciplinary - welcome theories and knowledge in other disciplines.
3. Contingency - no single solution is best for all situations.
4. Multiple levels of analysis - individual, team, organisational.

Question 9

Define Organisation Effectiveness. (Ultimate dependant variable)

Answer 9

A broad concept represented by several perspectives, including the organisation’s fit with the external environment, its internal subsystem configuration for high performance, its emphasis on organisational learning and its ability to satisfy the needs of key stakeholders.

Question 10

How do organisations maintain a good environmental fit?

Answer 10

1. Being adaptive to change
2. Managing the environment (copyright, marketing, bell)
3. Moving to a more favourable environment (quit lol)

Question 11

Define organisational efficiency. (Productivity)

Answer 11

The amount of outputs relative to inputs in the organisation’s transformation process.

Question 12

Define organisation learning.

Answer 12

A perspective which holds that organisational effectiveness depends on the organisation’s capacity to acquire, share, use and store valuable knowledge.

Question 13

Define intellectual capital.

Answer 13

A company’s stock of knowledge, including human capital, structural Captiva and relationship capital.

Question 14

Define human capital.

Answer 14

Skills, abilities that employees carry around in their heads.

Competitive advantage as it is valuable, rare difficult to imitate and non-substitutable.

Question 15

Define structural capital.

Answer 15

Documentation of work procedures and the physical layout of the production line.

Question 16

Define relationship capital.

Answer 16

Value derived from an organisation’s relationships with customers, suppliers and others who provide added mural value for the organisation.

Question 17

Four organisational learning process

Answer 17

• individual learning (external)

• training
• observing
• environment scanning
• grafting
• experimentation

Question 18

Define high performance work practices (HPWP).

Answer 18

A perspective which holds that effective organisation’s incorporate several workplace practices that leverage the potential of human capital.

Question 19

Define stakeholders.

Answer 19

Individuals, groups and other entities that affect, or are affected by, the organisation’s objectives and actions.

Question 20

Define values.

Answer 20

Relatively stable, evaluative beliefs that guide a person’s preferences for outcomes or courses of action in a variety of situations.

Question 21

What are the strengths of the stakeholder’s perspective?

Answer 21

Values
Ethics
Social responsibility

Question 22

Define ethics.

Answer 22

The study of moral principles or values that determine whether actions are right or wrong and outcomes are good or bad.

Question 23

Define corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Answer 23

Organisational activities intended to benefit the society and the environment beyond the firm’s immediate financial interests or legal obligations.