Organizational Behavior Flashcards
Want Got Gaps
I want —> Gap <— I got
Organizational problem when a gap exists between what a manager thinks “ought” to be occurring and what is “actually” occurring. Defining the problem entails viewing situations from the perspectives of all the participants and outlining their Want Got Gaps
Causal Chains
A graphical method that illustrates the relationship of problems to one another
Contributing problem —> Source problem —> Business problem
Lack of interaction and personality differences —> Lack of respect for techies —> Project failures
Action Planning
A specific series of activities to solve an organizational problem.
6 steps to action planning:
- Set specific goals
- Define activities, resources needed, responsibilities
- Set a timetable for action
- Forecast outcomes, develop contingencies
- Formulate a detailed plan of action in time sequence
- Implement, supervise execution, and evaluate based on goals in step one
APCFB Model
A human psychological model. By trying to understand this process, we have a chance to influence positive behaviors in ourselves and others, partly by challenging our assumptions.
Assumptions (expectations, beliefs, values) Perceptions Conclusions Feelings Behaviors
Goal Congruence
People with similar goals work better together
Expectancy Theory
Motivation is a function of how an employee’s actions translate into a reward.
Motivation = [expectation that work will lead to performance] x [expectation that performance will lead to reward] x [value of reward]
VCM Leadership Model
The vision, commitment, and management aspects of leadership. Leaders exhibit these qualities in differing proportions.
Active Listening
Listening to gain insight. Ceding control of the conversation to the other party.
- you respond to information and don’t lead
- you respond to personal information and don’t give advice
- you identify the interviewee’s feelings as well as the content
The Five Forms of Power
Coercive power - based on fear
Reward power - based on the expectation of receiving praise, recognition, or income
Referent power - being a person other people admire regardless of formal job status
Legitimate power - due to the formal status held in the organizational heirarchy
Expert power - comes from one’s own skill, knowledge, or experience
The Basic Organizational Model
Strategy - explicit or implicit plan for success in the marketplace
Policies and Procedures -
policies are formal rules in a handbook,
procedures are the observable ways in which a company conducts business
Structure - org charts. The way a company organizes itself
Systems - systems for allocating, controlling, and monitoring money, things, and people
Climate - emotional state of an organization’s members
Culture - the mix of behaviors, thoughts, beliefs, symbols, and artifacts that are conveyed to people throughout an organization over time
Span of Control
The number of people a manager directly controls.
Paradigm
A corporate mindset or pattern of doing things
Systems Theory
An organization functions much like a body.
Management subsystem - sets the goals, plans, and controls, similar to the brain. Executives
Adaptive subsystem - acts as a firm’s eyes to monitor the environment. Research, customer service, sales.
Boundary spanning IN subsystem - mouth. controls intake of food. recruiting people, buying raw materials, raising money
Production subsystem - bowels. converts inputs into goods and services
Boundary spanning OUT subsystem - marketing, public relations, personnel
Maintenance subsystem - keep the other systems working efficiently together. employee incentives, company newsletters
The Evolution and Revolution Pattern
Organizations go through a series of growth and crisis periods during their lifetimes
