Lecture 1

Question 1

What is an organisation?

Answer 1

A deliberately formed social group which people, technology and resources are purposefully co-ordinated through formalized roles and relationships to achieve division of labour designed to attain a set of objectives

Question 2

What is organisational behaviour?

Answer 2

• The systematic study of formal organisations and of what people think, feel and do in and around organisations
• Involves complex active processes in which people participate formally and informally in ways shaped by organisational roles and power

Question 3

According to Bratton (2020) what are the three goals of organisational behaviours?

Answer 3

Explain, predict and to control

Question 4

Three sets of behaviour in managing work organisations?

Answer 4

• Interpersonal - figurehead, leader, liaison
• Informational - monitor of information, spokesperson
• Decisional - entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allocator

Question 5

What is work?

Answer 5

Physical and mental activity that is carried out to produce or achieve something of value at a particular place and time. It involves a degree of obligation and explicit or implicit instructions, in return for pay and reward

Question 6

Describe pre-industrial work?

Answer 6

• General importance of agriculture
• Rising population led to technological advancements
• Work was small-scale and very dependent on variations in seasons and weather

Question 7

Describe the technological and economic impact of the industrial revolution?

Answer 7

• Technological - use of new materials, energy sources, machinery and management systems
• Economic - growth of worldwide trade, highly developed banking and investment systems, exploitation of mineral resources

Question 8

Describe the political and social impact of the industrial revolution?

Answer 8

• Political - child labour laws to reduce exploitation, growth of trade unions, social reform movements
• Social - increased population in cities, expansion of middle class, creation of new jobs, loss of family stability

Question 9

What is Taylorism?

Answer 9

Fredrick Taylor believed that workers are solely motivated by money and not able to develop the most efficient way of performing tasks

Question 10

What is fordism?

Answer 10

Henry Ford applied Taylors principles to car assembly and introduced recording of job time and standardisation of commodities to gain economies of scale

Question 11

What are the limitations of Taylorism and Fordism?

Answer 11

• Simplification of tasks results in boredom and dissatisfaction
• Causes absenteeism and staff turnover
• Dissatisfaction with working conditions led to industrial action

Question 12

What are alternative approaches to Taylorism and Fordism?

Answer 12

Job enrichment and Team working

Question 13

What is emotional labour?

Answer 13

• Workers are required to show emotions to cause customers/clients feel/respond in a particular way
• Bought by the employer in exchange for a wage

Question 14

What is Emile Durkheim’s theory?

Answer 14

• Discussed the relationship between individuals and society and especially social solidarity.
• Division of labour seen as ‘source of order’ but concerned with ‘abnormal’ forms of the division of labour.
• Assumed the existence of ‘natural inequalities’ between men and women

Question 14

What is Karl Marx theory?

Answer 14

Focused on social fragmentation ‘alienation’, class conflict and social change based on the emergence of industrialisation and capitalism.

Question 14

What was Max Weber’s theory?

Answer 14

• Talked about the process of rationalism.
• Planning, technical procedures and rational action
• Those experiencing inequality will use ‘rational’ means to implement change