Chapter 1: Key Terms

Question 1

What is Organizational Behaviour?

Answer 1

The field of study devoted to understanding, explaining, and ultimately improving the attitudes and behaviours of individuals and groups in organizations

Question 2

Define analytics

Answer 2

The use of data (rather than just opinions) to guide decision-making

Question 3

Define bureaucracy

Answer 3

An organizational form that emphasizes the control and coordination of its members through a strict chain of command, formal rules and procedures, high specialization, and centralized decision making

Question 4

Define causal inference

Answer 4

Concluding that one variable really does cause another

Question 5

Define correlation

Answer 5

The statistical relationship between two variables, abbreviated r; it can be positive or negative and range from 0 (no statistical relationship) to ±1 (a perfect statistical relationship)

Question 6

Define evidence-based management

Answer 6

A perspective that argues that scientific findings should form the foundation for management education

Question 7

Define history

Answer 7

A collective pool of experience, wisdom, and knowledge that benefits the organization

Question 8

Define human relations movement

Answer 8

Field of study that recognizes that the psychological attributes of individual workers and the social forces within work groups have important effects on work behaviours

Question 9

Define human resources management

Answer 9

Field of study that focuses on the applications of OB theories and principles in organizations

Question 10

Define hypotheses

Answer 10

Written predictions that specify relationships between variables

Question 11

Define inimitable

Answer 11

Incapable of being imitated or copied

Question 12

Define meta-analysis

Answer 12

A method that combines the results of multiple scientific studies by essentially calculating a weighted-average correlation across studies (with larger studies receiving more weight)

Question 13

Define numerous small decisions

Answer 13

Small decisions that people make every day

Question 14

Define organizational behaviour (OB)

Answer 14

Field of study devoted to understanding, explaining, and ultimately improving the attitudes and behaviours of individuals and groups in organizations

Question 15

Define rare

Answer 15

In short supply

Question 16

Define resource-based view

Answer 16

A model that argues that rare and inimitable resources help firms maintain competitive advantage

Question 17

Define Rule of One-Eighth

Answer 17

The belief that at best one-eighth, or 12 percent, of organizations will actually do what is required to build profits by putting people first

Question 18

Define scientific management

Answer 18

Using scientific methods to design optimal and efficient work processes and tasks

Question 19

Define socially complex resources

Answer 19

Resources created by people, such as culture, teamwork, trust, and reputation

Question 20

Define strategic management

Answer 20

Field of study devoted to exploring the product choices and industry characteristics that affect an organization’s profitability

Question 21

Define theory

Answer 21

A collection of verbal and symbolic assertions that specify how and why variables are related as well as the conditions in which they should (and should not) be related