Summary Study Guide Organisational Behaviour | Nyenrode | 2026/27

Thomas van Doremalen
Nyenrode Business University
Organisational Behaviour Study Guide


Table of Contents
Master Topic Plan Map.....................................................................1
1. FOUNDATIONS OF ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR..........................2
Discussion Questions: Developments in the rational organization..............................3
2. DISCOVERING THE SOCIAL ORGANISATION....................................5
Discussion Questions: Discovering the social organization.........................................5
3. ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE..........................................................6
Discussion Questions: Organizational Culture.............................................................6
4. PERSONALITY & INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES....................................8
Discussion Questions: Personality and individual differences.....................................8
5. MOTIVATION & THE MEANING OF WORK......................................10
Discussion Questions: Motivation and the meaning of work.....................................10
6. LEADERSHIP..............................................................................12
Discussion Questions: Leadership.............................................................................12
7. POWER, POLITICS & CONTROL....................................................14
Discussion Questions: Power and politics.................................................................15
8. BUSINESS ETHICS, CSR & CAPITALISM.........................................16
Discussion Questions: Corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and business
ethics........................................................................................................................ 16




Master Topic Plan Map
How to use this map (important)
 Fill definitions in your own words
 Add 1 real example per subtopic
 Practice explaining sections out loud
 Essays = this structure, just in sentences

,1. FOUNDATIONS OF ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR
(Rational Organisation & Management Thought)
1.1 What is Organisational Behaviour (OB)?
 Definition of OB
 Interdisciplinary nature:
o Psychology
o Sociology
o Economics
o Anthropology
 Why OB is not just “management”

1.2 Five Themes of Organisational Behaviour (Fig. 1.1)
 Theme 1: __________
 Theme 2: __________
 Theme 3: __________
 Theme 4: __________
 Theme 5: __________
(add 1–2 lines explanation per theme)

1.3 Development of Management Thought
Scientific & Rational Approaches
 Frederick Taylor
o Core beliefs
o Rational work design
o De-skilling
 Henry Ford
o Fordism
o Standardisation & mass production
 Max Weber
o Bureaucracy
o Rules, hierarchy, rational-legal authority
o Iron Cage
 Karl Marx
o Labour, exploitation
o Base & superstructure
 Harry Braverman
o De-skilling
o Critique of capitalist labour processes

1.4 Fordism vs Post-Fordism
 Definition of Fordism
 Key characteristics
 Definition of Post-Fordism
 Key characteristics
 Differences (table or bullets)
 Examples (e.g. factories vs gig economy)

1.5 Bureaucracy vs Post-Bureaucracy

,  Definition of bureaucracy
 Key features (rules, hierarchy, control)
 Definition of post-bureaucracy
 Key features (flexibility, autonomy, networks)
 Differences
 Examples

1.6 McDonaldization
 Definition
 Core principles:
o Efficiency
o Calculability
o Predictability
o Control (surveillance)
 Quantity vs quality trade-off
 Example

1.7 Surveillance, Power & Control
 Surveillance as control mechanism
 Examples in contemporary organisations
 Link to bureaucracy / McDonaldization

1.8 Fayol’s Five Functions of Management
 Planning
 Organising
 Commanding
 Coordinating
 Controlling
Application:
 Small organisations
 Large organisations
 Gig economy
Evaluation:
 Are they still relevant? Why / why not?

Discussion Questions: Developments in the rational
organization
A. Identify and explain the interdisciplinary nature of the study of
Organizational Behaviour. Be able to explain the 5 themes of
Organizational Behaviour see figure 1.1.
a.
B. Trace the developments in the study of management from
scientific management to contemporary management practices
and include Taylor, Weber, Marx and Braverman’s beliefs about
de-skilling.
a.
C. Explain the meaning of post-Fordism and post-bureaucracy?
a.