ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION:
What is organizational Behaviour?
Organizational behaviour is a distinct field of study about the behaviour of people in
organizations. Organizational behaviour scholars systematically study individual, group
and structural dynamics and characteristics that influence behaviour. What is meant by
organizational behaviour being a distinct field of study is that scholars have been
researching and accumulating a unique and separate body of knowledge about people‟s
behaviour in organizations, over a period of time. This body of knowledge is the
foundation of this course whose objective is to help students understand the basic
principles and approaches to organizational behaviour
Organizational behaviour scholars generally agree that organization
behaviour began to be recognized as a distinct field of study in the 1940s. There is also an
acceptance that the origins of organization behaviour go back much further in time to as
much as 3500 BC. For instance, the Greek Philosopher Plato described the essence of
leadership, while another, Aristotle applied himself to the subject of persuasive
communication. Much later, Niccolo Machiavelli, an Italian philosopher, writing in the
sixteenth century did much to lay the foundation on the topic of organizational power and
politics. In the nineteenth century, the acknowledged German Sociologist, Max Weber
developed his model of rational legal organization (i.e. bureaucracy) and stimulated
debate about charismatic and traditional leadership. The American management thinker
Frederick W. Taylor introduced the concepts of systematic goal setting and rewards to
motivate employees to increase productivity. In the 1920s and 1930s, Elton Mayo an
Australian scholar, who spent most of his working life at Harvard University, founded the
human relations movement. The research that he and his colleagues undertook over a
period of years, famously known as the Hawthorne Experiments, at the Western Electric
Company in Chicago, led to the discovery of the informal Organization. An informal
organization refers to two or more people who interact outside the formal organization
structure, primarily to meet their personal rather than the needs of the organization.
1
,It is evident, therefore, that the field of organization behaviour has existed for a very long
period of time. Initially, however, it was not codified and recognized as a distinctive and
unique area of study until after the 1940s.
Definition of Organization Behaviour
There are various related definitions of organization behaviour which have been
advanced by different scholars. According to Luthan (1995), “Organization behaviour is
directly concerned with the understanding, prediction and control of human behaviour in
organizations,” Robbins (1998) goes much further by defining it as “a field of study that
investigates the impact that individuals, groups and structures have on behaviour within
the organization for the purpose of applying such knowledge towards improving an
organization‟s effectiveness.”
Therefore, Organization behaviour is perceived to be concerned with the study of
behaviour of people within an organization setting. In other words, it is the study and
application of knowledge about how people as individuals and groups behave and act in
organizations. Mcshane and Von Glinow (2003) offer a much simplified definition by
stating that, “ Organization behaviour is the study of what people think, feel and do in
and around organizations.” This study involves systematically focusing on individual,
team and structural dynamics and characteristics that influence and affect behaviour in
organizations. Its main area of emphasis is on human behaviour as well as employees‟
attitudes and values which contribute to the effectiveness of `an organization in achieving
its objectives.
It is obvious from the foregoing that organization behaviour has three units of analysis,
which are, the individual, the group and the organization. What is called the micro or
narrower perspective to organization behaviour tends to concentrate on the first two units
of analysis, i.e. the individual and the group. This mainly focuses on subjects, such as;
personality, perception, employee differences, inter-personal conflict and relations,
2
,employee behaviour and attitudes and group dynamics. The macro or larger picture
approach takes the organization as the primary unit of analysis by addressing issues of
organization design and structure, organization culture, environment and change. Both
these approaches however, are mainly founded upon the behavioral and social sciences,
such as; psychology, sociology, economics, political science and anthropology. As a field
of study, Organization behaviour makes extensive use of various social science theories
and assumptions to explain, influence and predict the behaviour of people in
organizational settings.
However, other scholars such as Mcshane and Von Glinow (2003) have divided the field
of organizational behaviour into three levels of analysis, viz; the individual, the team and
the organization. The individual level addresses issues, concerned with the behaviour and
characteristics of workers, including the thought processes that are attributed to them.
These individual characteristics are studied through subjects like motivation, perception,
personality, values and attitudes, among others. The group or team perspective focuses on
employee interaction, by concentrating on team dynamics, power, conflict management,
decision–making, leadership and organizational politics. The organizational unit of
analysis looks at how employees manage their working relationships and how
organizations interact with their various environments. What is important to note is that,
although these subjects may be allocated to a particular unit of analysis, they are all
interrelated and permeate all the three levels of organizational analysis to give us a better
and comprehensive understanding of organizational behaviour.
The foundations of organization behaviour
The field of organization behaviour is underpinned by five basic pillars or foundations,
which create the conceptual framework for studying and understanding organizations.
These pillars have been identified by organization behaviour scholars and consist of the
following;
3
, a. Multi–disciplinary Nature
Organizational behaviour is a multi–disciplinary field which has borrowed extensively
from other social science disciplines and to a limited extent, natural science ones. These
social science disciplines are in two categories, namely; the traditional disciplines and
emerging ones from which organization behaviour knowledge has developed. The
following are the traditional disciplines which have enriched the field of organizational
behaviour;
i) Psychology
This discipline has enhanced our knowledge and understanding of issues
pertaining to individual and interpersonal behaviour. The specific aspects
relevant to organizations behaviour have been categorized as perception,
motivation, personality, job enrichment, leadership, performance appraisal
and job stress.
ii) Sociology:
The field of sociology has enhanced our knowledge of organization
socialization, group or team dynamics, organizational roles, organizational
power, organizational communication and organizational structure.
iii) Anthropology:
Anthropology is the study of man, his origins, institutions, religious
beliefs and social relationships. The discipline has contributed to our
understanding of issues related to organizational rituals, organizational
culture and cross – cultural dynamics.
iv) Political Science
Political science has enriched our understanding of inter group conflict,
organizational power and politics, decision–making, organizational
environments, etc.
v) Economics
From economics, organization behaviour has benefited from a better
understanding of decision – making, negotiation and organizational power.
vi) Industrial Engineering
4
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION:
What is organizational Behaviour?
Organizational behaviour is a distinct field of study about the behaviour of people in
organizations. Organizational behaviour scholars systematically study individual, group
and structural dynamics and characteristics that influence behaviour. What is meant by
organizational behaviour being a distinct field of study is that scholars have been
researching and accumulating a unique and separate body of knowledge about people‟s
behaviour in organizations, over a period of time. This body of knowledge is the
foundation of this course whose objective is to help students understand the basic
principles and approaches to organizational behaviour
Organizational behaviour scholars generally agree that organization
behaviour began to be recognized as a distinct field of study in the 1940s. There is also an
acceptance that the origins of organization behaviour go back much further in time to as
much as 3500 BC. For instance, the Greek Philosopher Plato described the essence of
leadership, while another, Aristotle applied himself to the subject of persuasive
communication. Much later, Niccolo Machiavelli, an Italian philosopher, writing in the
sixteenth century did much to lay the foundation on the topic of organizational power and
politics. In the nineteenth century, the acknowledged German Sociologist, Max Weber
developed his model of rational legal organization (i.e. bureaucracy) and stimulated
debate about charismatic and traditional leadership. The American management thinker
Frederick W. Taylor introduced the concepts of systematic goal setting and rewards to
motivate employees to increase productivity. In the 1920s and 1930s, Elton Mayo an
Australian scholar, who spent most of his working life at Harvard University, founded the
human relations movement. The research that he and his colleagues undertook over a
period of years, famously known as the Hawthorne Experiments, at the Western Electric
Company in Chicago, led to the discovery of the informal Organization. An informal
organization refers to two or more people who interact outside the formal organization
structure, primarily to meet their personal rather than the needs of the organization.
1
,It is evident, therefore, that the field of organization behaviour has existed for a very long
period of time. Initially, however, it was not codified and recognized as a distinctive and
unique area of study until after the 1940s.
Definition of Organization Behaviour
There are various related definitions of organization behaviour which have been
advanced by different scholars. According to Luthan (1995), “Organization behaviour is
directly concerned with the understanding, prediction and control of human behaviour in
organizations,” Robbins (1998) goes much further by defining it as “a field of study that
investigates the impact that individuals, groups and structures have on behaviour within
the organization for the purpose of applying such knowledge towards improving an
organization‟s effectiveness.”
Therefore, Organization behaviour is perceived to be concerned with the study of
behaviour of people within an organization setting. In other words, it is the study and
application of knowledge about how people as individuals and groups behave and act in
organizations. Mcshane and Von Glinow (2003) offer a much simplified definition by
stating that, “ Organization behaviour is the study of what people think, feel and do in
and around organizations.” This study involves systematically focusing on individual,
team and structural dynamics and characteristics that influence and affect behaviour in
organizations. Its main area of emphasis is on human behaviour as well as employees‟
attitudes and values which contribute to the effectiveness of `an organization in achieving
its objectives.
It is obvious from the foregoing that organization behaviour has three units of analysis,
which are, the individual, the group and the organization. What is called the micro or
narrower perspective to organization behaviour tends to concentrate on the first two units
of analysis, i.e. the individual and the group. This mainly focuses on subjects, such as;
personality, perception, employee differences, inter-personal conflict and relations,
2
,employee behaviour and attitudes and group dynamics. The macro or larger picture
approach takes the organization as the primary unit of analysis by addressing issues of
organization design and structure, organization culture, environment and change. Both
these approaches however, are mainly founded upon the behavioral and social sciences,
such as; psychology, sociology, economics, political science and anthropology. As a field
of study, Organization behaviour makes extensive use of various social science theories
and assumptions to explain, influence and predict the behaviour of people in
organizational settings.
However, other scholars such as Mcshane and Von Glinow (2003) have divided the field
of organizational behaviour into three levels of analysis, viz; the individual, the team and
the organization. The individual level addresses issues, concerned with the behaviour and
characteristics of workers, including the thought processes that are attributed to them.
These individual characteristics are studied through subjects like motivation, perception,
personality, values and attitudes, among others. The group or team perspective focuses on
employee interaction, by concentrating on team dynamics, power, conflict management,
decision–making, leadership and organizational politics. The organizational unit of
analysis looks at how employees manage their working relationships and how
organizations interact with their various environments. What is important to note is that,
although these subjects may be allocated to a particular unit of analysis, they are all
interrelated and permeate all the three levels of organizational analysis to give us a better
and comprehensive understanding of organizational behaviour.
The foundations of organization behaviour
The field of organization behaviour is underpinned by five basic pillars or foundations,
which create the conceptual framework for studying and understanding organizations.
These pillars have been identified by organization behaviour scholars and consist of the
following;
3
, a. Multi–disciplinary Nature
Organizational behaviour is a multi–disciplinary field which has borrowed extensively
from other social science disciplines and to a limited extent, natural science ones. These
social science disciplines are in two categories, namely; the traditional disciplines and
emerging ones from which organization behaviour knowledge has developed. The
following are the traditional disciplines which have enriched the field of organizational
behaviour;
i) Psychology
This discipline has enhanced our knowledge and understanding of issues
pertaining to individual and interpersonal behaviour. The specific aspects
relevant to organizations behaviour have been categorized as perception,
motivation, personality, job enrichment, leadership, performance appraisal
and job stress.
ii) Sociology:
The field of sociology has enhanced our knowledge of organization
socialization, group or team dynamics, organizational roles, organizational
power, organizational communication and organizational structure.
iii) Anthropology:
Anthropology is the study of man, his origins, institutions, religious
beliefs and social relationships. The discipline has contributed to our
understanding of issues related to organizational rituals, organizational
culture and cross – cultural dynamics.
iv) Political Science
Political science has enriched our understanding of inter group conflict,
organizational power and politics, decision–making, organizational
environments, etc.
v) Economics
From economics, organization behaviour has benefited from a better
understanding of decision – making, negotiation and organizational power.
vi) Industrial Engineering
4
