Organizational Behavior and Comparative Management
DBA 7420, Organizational Behavior and Comparative Management 1
Course Learning Outcomes for Unit II Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1. Critique organizational behavior in the workplace. 1.1 Discuss organizational behavior. 1.2 Analyze the impact of factors contributing to organizational behavior.
2. Discuss the major behavior science disciplines that contribute to organizational behavior.
2.1 Relate a behavior science discipline to organizational behavior. 2.2 Explore the contributions of behavior science disciplines to organizational effectiveness.
Course/Unit Learning Outcomes
Learning Activity
1.1 Unit II Article Critique
1.2 Unit II Article Critique
2.1
Unit Lesson Chapter 1, pp. 15–16 Article: “Cross-Cultural Industrial Organizational Psychology and
Organizational Behavior: A Hundred-Year Journey.” Article: “Ethical Climates and Their Effects on Organizational Outcomes:
Implications From the Past and Prophecies for the Future.” Unit II Article Critique
2.2
Unit Lesson Chapter 1, pp. 15–16 Article: “Cross-Cultural Industrial Organizational Psychology and
Organizational Behavior: A Hundred-Year Journey.” Article: “Ethical Climates and Their Effects on Organizational Outcomes:
Implications From the Past and Prophecies for the Future.” Unit II Article Critique
Reading Assignment Chapter 1: What Is Organizational Behavior?, pp. 15–16 In order to access the following resources, click the links below. Gelfand, M. J., Aycan, Z., Erez, M., & Leung, K. (2017). Cross-cultural industrial organizational psychology
and organizational behavior: A hundred-year journey. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102(3), 514– 529. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direc t=true&db=bsu&AN=124805533&site=eds-live&scope=site
Simha, A., & Cullen, J. B. (2012). Ethical climates and their effects on organizational outcomes: Implications
from the past and prophecies for the future. Academy of Management Perspectives, 26(4), 20–34. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direc t=true&db=bsu&AN=84930146&site=ehost-live&scope=site
UNIT II STUDY GUIDE
Major Behavioral Science Disciplines
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DBA 7420, Organizational Behavior and Comparative Management 2
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Unit Lesson Introduction In order to gain a greater appreciation of organizational behavior and all that it entails, we must delve deeper into the subject matter. Do you remember us talking about individual and group dynamics during our last unit? Well, to break that down even further, we must examine what triggers people to do what they do. In some cases, people make decisions based on their sole discretion to be able to do so. In other cases, the decisions and actions may be prompted by observances of others or as a result of what others have done. How might we predict the types of behaviors that could be seen in the workplace? Might there be instances when we could use this knowledge to craft the environment we feel is going to produce the most optimum outcomes? One could suspect the answer to those questions and more is “yes.” To do so, we need to learn more about how people respond both individually, in groups, and as a result of groups (Robbins & Judge, 2019). What we are talking about here involves psychology, social psychology, sociology, and anthropology (Robbins & Judge, 2019). Psychology Have you ever watched a crime investigation series on television? If so, perhaps you can think about the many questions they ask of themselves and others when investigating a crime. What was the motive? What was his or her childhood like? Were there any recent changes in behavior? Were there any events recently that triggered a change in mood, attitude, or behavior? The list goes on. With all of the questions, one is bound to come up with answers. However, do you know what they are trying to do? These crime scene investigators are trying to use psychology to determine the suspect’s frame of mind, why the actions occurred, and the suspect’s next move. What is he or she likely to do next? It is all a part of trying to determine how an individual is going to react or behave based on a number of different criteria such as personality, motivation, training, stress, satisfaction, and more (Robbins & Judge, 2019). As leaders in the workplace, understanding our workers and their behaviors can help us in devising the strategies necessary to drive the intended behaviors we need to accomplish our goals and objectives along with those of our organization (Robbins & Judge, 2019). While we may focus on motivation, there are other avenues that may also prove fruitful. For instance, if we knew of an employee who thrived under a certain set of conditions, might we be able to create and/or sustain those in order to improve his or her performance? We would be feeding the individual psyche to generate the desired performance. One example would be to manage a person who thrives, and even likes, a fast-paced environment. Placing this person in the organization where the work comes fast would benefit both individuals. The challenges arise when we not only must evaluate the behaviors of an individual, but we must also consider how those same individuals respond when in groups or how they respond as a result of what they witness in group interactions. This leads us to some of the other behavioral disciplines such as sociology and social psychology. Sociology Have you ever heard of a pack mentality? While a pack of wolves or coyotes is certainly outside of the typical business example, the same types of behaviors can be seen. When observing a pack of wolves, there is typically one leader who will set the stage for how the others behave. If this leader chooses to attack something, the others in the pack will typically follow suit and do the same. Similar behaviors can be seen when looking at a group of individuals in the workplace. Have you ever heard of the term group think? This occurs when one person makes a suggestion or decision, and others in the group go along with the original idea that was presented. In both cases of pack mentality and group think, these examples help to illustrate the discipline of sociology. As noted in our reading, sociology is described as “the study of people in relation to their social environment or culture” (Robbins & Judge, 2019, p. 16). In the examples shared in the previous two paragraphs, the behavior was demonstrated in a certain manner due to the social environment surrounding them.
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As managers, understanding the group dynamics at work can aid us in determining why we as an organization are going down a certain path. Perhaps it is not so much that the organization is thinking the path chosen is the best one; instead, those within the organization are simply following what others within the industry have done (Robbins & Judge, 2019). This is not to suggest that those actions are necessarily the right actions or that they will necessarily lead to the desired outcome. The organization is simply being influenced by the actions of others. Perhaps we are falling victim to sociological misfortune. Another thing to keep in mind is that social conditions are constantly changing, and we must be aware that there are both positive and negative social influences. An example of this is when one member of a team changes and the whole team stops being effective. As leaders, we must find out what is causing the change and fix it. This does not always mean that this sudden issue is caused by new person. The challenge then becomes whether or not we are willing to go against the grain and introduce additional alternatives. In some cases, the willingness to present new ideas and ways of doing things is not so much influenced by the group in which we find ourselves, but it may be intertwined with social psychology perspectives. Social Psychology Consider what happens to many people when sitting in a meeting. The leader asks people for their suggestions for improvement of something. You have all likely been in this situation at one time or another. What happens? Do you speak up? Do you remain quiet? Many choose to remain quiet simply because they are fearful of what others may think of the suggestion. Is it silly? Will others suspect that you do not know what you are talking about or do not have a clear understanding of the problem? The trepidation manifests itself to the point that there is no action on your part. You simply cannot overcome the uneasiness that comes from wondering what others will think. You are now faced with the realization that you were just influenced by others’ thoughts or actions, perceived or real. Indeed, we are now dealing with social psychology. Robbins and Judge (2019) define social psychology as “an area of psychology that blends concepts from psychology and sociology to focus on the influence of people on one another” (p. 15). Knowing that this is an issue for others, managers have an opportunity to emphasize the importance of the contribution of each employee makes in bringing the organization to greatness and accomplishing its goals and objectives. Whether managers choose to occasionally approach employees for one-on-one conversations or provide avenues to make anonymous suggestions without ridicule is paramount. Without valuing the inputs from all, are we not doing a disservice to our employees, ourselves, and our organization? The challenge is to find a way to bring out the best in each and every individual involved. Anthropology As noted in this week’s assigned reading, Robbins and Judge (2019) define anthropology as “the study of societies to learn about human beings and their activities” (p. 16). In doing so, we are actually studying various cultures and how those cultures influence behaviors. For example, let’s consider an organization run by women in the United States. This same organization is looking to expand globally. What happens if these women want to go to Saudi Arabia? Even with the rise in women entrepreneurs, women are still expected to wear a black over-garment (abaya) and cover their hair with a type of scarf (Kwintessential, n.d.). What if you opted to wear a casual pair of tan pants and a bright orange shirt to a meeting in Great Britain? Did you realize the dress there is typically conservative with the preferred color choices including black, dark blue, or charcoal gray (Passport to Trade, n.d.). Even an innocent mistake in clothing choice could create problems. Doing research into the culture of a locale prior to a visit (whether for business or pleasure) is sure to help avoid many problems. Conclusion As we are learning about the different organizational behavior disciplines, it becomes evident that for as much as we do know, there is still much to be learned. It is a complex area of study with many moving parts. Nonetheless, the more we know, the better prepared we will be when it comes time to make educated
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decisions in our workplace. With any luck, we may have a better understanding of the group dynamics at work that really are influencing the people who support us.
References Kwintessential. (n.d.). Saudi Arabia facts and statistics. Retrieved from
https://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/guides/guide-saudi-arabia-etiquette-customs-culture- business/
Passport to Trade. (n.d.). Business etiquette. Retrieved from https://businessculture.org/northern-europe/uk-
business-culture/business-etiquette/ Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2019). Organizational behavior (18th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson.
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