Organizational Behavior Flashcards
Organizational Theory: Theories of organizing may be categorized as follows:
1) Traditional, closed-system theories
2) Modern, open-systems theories
Treats the organization as focused on economic efficiency in a reasonably predictable environment. Planning and control processes can substantially eliminate uncertainty.
Traditional, closed-system theories
Treats the organization as focused on survival in an uncertain environment. The organization itself and the environment contain variables that may not be controllable.
Modern, open-system theories
Is achievement of objectives
Effectiveness
Is the ratio of real output to a unit of input
Productivity
Describes an entire class of drives, desires, needs, fears, and similar forces that cause behavior.
Motivation
Human needs are a hierarchy, from lowest to highest. Lower-level needs must be satisfied before higher-level needs can influence the individual.
1) Physiological needs
2) Security or safety needs
3) Affiliation or acceptance needs
4) Esteem
5) Self-actualization
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Stress fear and economics as motivators
Classical views
Focuses on participation and personal involvement in the work situation as motivational factors
Behaviorism
Simplified models that define the extremes of managers’ opinions on employee conduct. They permit a manager to evaluate his or her own tendencies.
Theory X and Theory Y
Is the perspective of the autocratic manager who believes that most people (a) dislike work, (b) must be controlled and threatened to induce them to make an adequate effort to achieve organizational objectives, (c) want to be directed, (d) lack ambition, and (e) primarily seek security.
Theory X
The permissive manager assumes (a) physical and mental effort in work is a natural as recreation or rest; (b) control and threats at not the only means of motivating individuals to make an adequate effort to achieve organizational objectives and employees will be self-directed and self-controlled if they believe the objectives are worthy; (c) commitment to objectives is proportional to the rewards of accomplishment; (d) most people can learn to seek responsibility; (e) the human ability to use imagination and creativity to solve problems is common; and (f) in modern industrial life, the intellectual ability of most people is not fully realized.
Theory Y
Frederick Herzberg’s two-factor theory is based on satisfaction.
Dissatisfiers and satisfiers
Will not especially motivate people, but their absence will lead to diminished performance. Examples include organizational policy and administration, supervision, working conditions, salary, and status.
Dissatisfiers
Will not diminish performance, but their addition or availability will motivate employees. Examples include achievement, recognition, challenging work, advancement, growth in the job, and responsibility.
Satisfiers
Is based on individual perception of
1) The value of rewards,
2) The probability that the required effort will result in the required performance, and
3) The probability that the required performance will result in receipt of the desired rewards.
Expectancy theory
Specific, difficult goals to which the employee is committed provide the best motivation tool
Goal-setting theory
Can be categorized as
1) Adapting people to the jobs. Methods include a realistic job preview, job rotation, and contingent time off.
2) Adapting the jobs to the people performing them. Methods include job enlargement and job enrichment
Job design
States that employee motivation is affected significantly by relative as well as absolute rewards. An employee compares the ratio of what (s)he receives from a job to what (s)he gives to the job with ratios of relevant others.
Equity theory
States that intrinsic rewards tend to be reduced when extrinsic rewards are provided for superior performance.
Cognitive evaluation theory
Is acting in one’s self-interest given actual or perceived opposition in the workplace.
Organizational politics, or impression management
Positive political behaviors include:
1) Coalition building
2) Networking, and
3) Seeking mentors
Negative political behaviors include:
1) Whistleblowing
2) Sabotage, and
3) Threats
Groups can be categorized as follows:
Formal and Informal groups
Are work groups within the organization assembled to perform a productive activity.
Formal groups
Are created within organizations because of (a) authority relationships not definable on an organizational chart, (b) unwritten rules of conduct, and (c) group preferences.
Informal groups
Is the behavior expected of a person in a specific position.
Role
Are general standards of conduct and have a broader effect than roles
Norms
Is compliance with roles and norms.
Conformity
It is the tendency of individuals committed to the group to ignore input that varies from the group opinion. One danger of cohesive groups is
Groupthink
Methods that may be applied to improve creativity include:
1) Attribute listing
2) Brainstorming
3) Creative leap
4) The scientific method
5) The Edisonian approach
6) Free association
Stages of Group Development
1) Orientation stage
2) Conflict and challenge stage
3) Cohesion stage
4) Delusion stage
5) Disillusion stage
6) Acceptance stage
7) Maturity stage
The group is the least mature, effective, and efficient. Uncertainties are high, and temporary leaders emerge.
Orientation stage
Leaders are opposed by people or subgroups with differing agendas
Conflict and challenge stage
The members agree about authority, structure, and procedures.
Cohesion stage
Harmony is emphasized
Delusion stage
Cohesiveness diminishes as the members realized that their expectations are not being met.
Disillusion stage
Members tend to be effective and efficient
Acceptance stage
The end stage of group development
Maturity stage
Managing human resources means
1) Acquiring
2) Retaining
3) Developing
Employees in accordance with the strategy and structure of the organization
Job analysis involves:
1) Interviewing superior employees about the way they accomplish their tasks
2) Analyzing work flows
3) Studying the methods used to achieve work-unit objectives
Are the job specifications developed from each job description
The criteria for employee selection
Is the usual selection method
Interviewing
Interviews range from
Unstructured to Structured
Consists of organizational programs to prepare employees to perform currently assigned tasks.
Training
Prepare people to perform future tasks and learn new skills
Development programs
Help identify individual strengths and weaknesses
Evaluation and appraisal
