CHAPTER 1
Managing Effective Organizations
Chapter Overview
This introductory chapter launches the study of organizational behavior. It provides a
broad overview of the OB field and the authors' perspective on organizations, which
serves as the framework for the text. In terms of the OB field, the chapter discussion
focuses on these primary characteristics:
• OB as a way of thinking
• Interdisciplinary in nature
• Humanistic in focus
• Both performance and applications oriented
• As a field that emphasizes the impact of the external environment on the
organization
• Values the use of the scientific method in all research
• Emphasizes the principles of human behavior
• Views organizations as social systems
• Emphasizes use of the contingency approach in managing effectively.
The chapter explains the model for understanding organizations, which provides the
overall framework for the chapters. Topics include an organization’s:
• Environment
• Behavior within itself
• Structure and design
• Processes
This chapter also discusses the nature of managerial work and perspectives on
organizational effectiveness. Management is defined as a process and a broad overview
of four primary managerial functions is provided: planning (and its components-mission,
,goals, and objectives), organizing (discussing the primary steps to effective organizing),
leading, and controlling (discussing the function's components of standards, information
and corrective action).
Considerable attention is directed at describing three influential approaches to evaluating
effectiveness – the goal and systems theory approaches (which are most often contrasted)
and the stakeholder approach (which takes into account the various constituents who have
a stake in organization). The assumptions and shortcomings of the goal approach are
discussed. Emphasis of the systems theory approach focuses on explaining the systems
theory model and its important assumptions. Coverage of stakeholder theory emphasizes
the difficulties encountered in attempting to satisfy the diverse demands of the
organization's stakeholders. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the
interrelationships of managerial work and the behavior, structure, and processes of
organizations.
,Learning Objectives
By the end of the chapter, students should be able to:
1. 1. Define the term organizational behavior.
2. 2. Explain the contingency approach to managing individuals’ behavior
within an organizational setting.
3. 3. Identify why managing workplace behavior in the United States is
likely to be different from managing workplace behavior in another country,
such as Germany.
4. 4. Compare the goal, systems, and multiple-constituency approaches to
effectiveness.
5. 5. Describe the environmental forces that make it necessary for
organizations to initiate changes.
, Lecture Outline
PowerPoint Slide Material from Text to Support Slide / Additional
Comments
Learning objectives are listed.
They are revisited on the last slide for the chapter.
Organizational behavior (OB) is the field of study that draws on
theory, methods, and principles from various disciplines to learn
about individuals’ perceptions, values, learning capacities, and
actions while working in groups and within the organization and to
analyze the external environment’s effect on the organization and
its human resources, missions, objectives, and strategies.
Managing Effective Organizations
Chapter Overview
This introductory chapter launches the study of organizational behavior. It provides a
broad overview of the OB field and the authors' perspective on organizations, which
serves as the framework for the text. In terms of the OB field, the chapter discussion
focuses on these primary characteristics:
• OB as a way of thinking
• Interdisciplinary in nature
• Humanistic in focus
• Both performance and applications oriented
• As a field that emphasizes the impact of the external environment on the
organization
• Values the use of the scientific method in all research
• Emphasizes the principles of human behavior
• Views organizations as social systems
• Emphasizes use of the contingency approach in managing effectively.
The chapter explains the model for understanding organizations, which provides the
overall framework for the chapters. Topics include an organization’s:
• Environment
• Behavior within itself
• Structure and design
• Processes
This chapter also discusses the nature of managerial work and perspectives on
organizational effectiveness. Management is defined as a process and a broad overview
of four primary managerial functions is provided: planning (and its components-mission,
,goals, and objectives), organizing (discussing the primary steps to effective organizing),
leading, and controlling (discussing the function's components of standards, information
and corrective action).
Considerable attention is directed at describing three influential approaches to evaluating
effectiveness – the goal and systems theory approaches (which are most often contrasted)
and the stakeholder approach (which takes into account the various constituents who have
a stake in organization). The assumptions and shortcomings of the goal approach are
discussed. Emphasis of the systems theory approach focuses on explaining the systems
theory model and its important assumptions. Coverage of stakeholder theory emphasizes
the difficulties encountered in attempting to satisfy the diverse demands of the
organization's stakeholders. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the
interrelationships of managerial work and the behavior, structure, and processes of
organizations.
,Learning Objectives
By the end of the chapter, students should be able to:
1. 1. Define the term organizational behavior.
2. 2. Explain the contingency approach to managing individuals’ behavior
within an organizational setting.
3. 3. Identify why managing workplace behavior in the United States is
likely to be different from managing workplace behavior in another country,
such as Germany.
4. 4. Compare the goal, systems, and multiple-constituency approaches to
effectiveness.
5. 5. Describe the environmental forces that make it necessary for
organizations to initiate changes.
, Lecture Outline
PowerPoint Slide Material from Text to Support Slide / Additional
Comments
Learning objectives are listed.
They are revisited on the last slide for the chapter.
Organizational behavior (OB) is the field of study that draws on
theory, methods, and principles from various disciplines to learn
about individuals’ perceptions, values, learning capacities, and
actions while working in groups and within the organization and to
analyze the external environment’s effect on the organization and
its human resources, missions, objectives, and strategies.
