MHA 701 MODULE 1 STUDY GUIDE
Organizational Behavior - Answer -The study of individual and group dynamics within
an organization setting
Goals of Organizational Behavior - Answer -- Attempts to explain why individuals and
groups behave the way they do within the organizational setting
- Tries to predict how individuals and groups will behave based in internal and external
factors
- Provides managers with tools to assist in the management of individuals' and groups'
behaviors so they willingly put forth their best efforts to accomplish organizational goals
Ott (1996) Organizational Behavior questions - Answer -1. Why do people behave the
way they do when they are in orgs?
2. Under what circumstances will people's behavior in organizations change?
3. What impacts do organizations have on the behavior of individuals, formal groups,
and informal groups?
4. Why do different groups in the same organization develop different behavior norms?
Why is OB important to Health Care Managers? - Answer -- Different mix of health-
related occupations
- Service-related intensity of the industry
- Changing demographics of patients and the health care workforce
- Interrelating forces shaping tomorrow's healthcare organizations
History of Organizational Behavior - Answer -- Taylorism
- Hawthorne Studies
- McGregor's Theory X and Y
Taylorism - Answer -- Traditional or classic management approach
- Efficiency was achieved by creating jobs that economized time, human energy, and
other productive resources
- Time-and-motion studies, Taylor scientifically divided manufacturing processes into
small, efficient units of work
- Taylor's book The Principles of Scientific Management
Hawthorne Studies - Answer -- Significant to the beginning of the human relations/
behavioral management movement
- Hawthorne Effect: bias occurs when you know you are being observed
- 4 phases to the Hawthorne Studies: illumination of experiments, relay-assembly group
experiments, interviewing program, and bank-wiring observation-room group studies
- Researchers found that employees were not isolated, unrelated individuals; they were
social beings and their attitudes toward change in the workplace were based upon
personal social conditioning and human satisfaction
, McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y - Answer -- Theory X (negative/ pessimistic) and
Theory Y (positive/ optimistic)
- Theory X and Y reflect polar positions and are ways of seeing and thinking about
people, while, in turn, affect their behavior
- Theory X states that employee are unintelligent and lazy
- Theory Y states that employees are creative and competent
Diversity definition - Answer -The full range of human similarities and differences in
group affiliation including gender, race/ ethnicity, social class, role within an
organization, age, religion, sexual orientation, physical ability, and other group identities
Hofstede's Cultural Dimension - Answer -- Indulgence vs Restraint
- Long Term vs Short Term
- Masculinity vs Femininity
- Tolerance of Uncertainty
- Individuality
- Power Distance
Individualism/Collectivism - Answer -- Measures culture along a self-interest vs group-
interest scale
- Individualism
- Collectivism
Power Distance - Answer -- Culture applies power and wealth relative to its inequalities
- Large power distance= society is hierarchical
- Small power distance= equalization
Uncertainty Avoidance - Answer -Avoidance reflects the degree to which members of a
society feel uncomfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity
Weak Uncertainty - Answer -Avoidance societies maintain a more relaxed atmosphere
in which practice counts more than principles and deviance is more easily tolerated
Masculinity vs Femininity - Answer -Masculinity vs Femininity measures the division of
roles between the genders
Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions affects on healthcare - Answer -- Patients/ providers of
varied cultures and backgrounds
- Healthcare workforce needs to mirror patient populations
- Cultural competence affects the provider-patient relationship
- Linguistic competence can lead to communication breakdown
- Can expose lack of awareness
- Can expose unequal treatment/ biases (race, gender, orientation, ageism)
Organizational Behavior - Answer -The study of individual and group dynamics within
an organization setting
Goals of Organizational Behavior - Answer -- Attempts to explain why individuals and
groups behave the way they do within the organizational setting
- Tries to predict how individuals and groups will behave based in internal and external
factors
- Provides managers with tools to assist in the management of individuals' and groups'
behaviors so they willingly put forth their best efforts to accomplish organizational goals
Ott (1996) Organizational Behavior questions - Answer -1. Why do people behave the
way they do when they are in orgs?
2. Under what circumstances will people's behavior in organizations change?
3. What impacts do organizations have on the behavior of individuals, formal groups,
and informal groups?
4. Why do different groups in the same organization develop different behavior norms?
Why is OB important to Health Care Managers? - Answer -- Different mix of health-
related occupations
- Service-related intensity of the industry
- Changing demographics of patients and the health care workforce
- Interrelating forces shaping tomorrow's healthcare organizations
History of Organizational Behavior - Answer -- Taylorism
- Hawthorne Studies
- McGregor's Theory X and Y
Taylorism - Answer -- Traditional or classic management approach
- Efficiency was achieved by creating jobs that economized time, human energy, and
other productive resources
- Time-and-motion studies, Taylor scientifically divided manufacturing processes into
small, efficient units of work
- Taylor's book The Principles of Scientific Management
Hawthorne Studies - Answer -- Significant to the beginning of the human relations/
behavioral management movement
- Hawthorne Effect: bias occurs when you know you are being observed
- 4 phases to the Hawthorne Studies: illumination of experiments, relay-assembly group
experiments, interviewing program, and bank-wiring observation-room group studies
- Researchers found that employees were not isolated, unrelated individuals; they were
social beings and their attitudes toward change in the workplace were based upon
personal social conditioning and human satisfaction
, McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y - Answer -- Theory X (negative/ pessimistic) and
Theory Y (positive/ optimistic)
- Theory X and Y reflect polar positions and are ways of seeing and thinking about
people, while, in turn, affect their behavior
- Theory X states that employee are unintelligent and lazy
- Theory Y states that employees are creative and competent
Diversity definition - Answer -The full range of human similarities and differences in
group affiliation including gender, race/ ethnicity, social class, role within an
organization, age, religion, sexual orientation, physical ability, and other group identities
Hofstede's Cultural Dimension - Answer -- Indulgence vs Restraint
- Long Term vs Short Term
- Masculinity vs Femininity
- Tolerance of Uncertainty
- Individuality
- Power Distance
Individualism/Collectivism - Answer -- Measures culture along a self-interest vs group-
interest scale
- Individualism
- Collectivism
Power Distance - Answer -- Culture applies power and wealth relative to its inequalities
- Large power distance= society is hierarchical
- Small power distance= equalization
Uncertainty Avoidance - Answer -Avoidance reflects the degree to which members of a
society feel uncomfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity
Weak Uncertainty - Answer -Avoidance societies maintain a more relaxed atmosphere
in which practice counts more than principles and deviance is more easily tolerated
Masculinity vs Femininity - Answer -Masculinity vs Femininity measures the division of
roles between the genders
Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions affects on healthcare - Answer -- Patients/ providers of
varied cultures and backgrounds
- Healthcare workforce needs to mirror patient populations
- Cultural competence affects the provider-patient relationship
- Linguistic competence can lead to communication breakdown
- Can expose lack of awareness
- Can expose unequal treatment/ biases (race, gender, orientation, ageism)
