1. What Is Organizational Behaviour?
Chapter 1
What Is Organizational Behaviour?
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

2. Chapter 1 Outline Defining Organizational Behaviour
OB: Making Sense of Behaviour in Organizations
How Will Knowing OB Make a Difference?
Today’s Challenges in the Canadian Workplace
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

3. What Is Organizational Behaviour?
Isn’t organizational behaviour common sense? Or just like psychology?
How does knowing about organizational behaviour make work and life more understandable?
What challenges do managers and employees face in the workplace of the twenty-first century?
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

4. Organizational Behaviour
A field of study that investigates the impact of individuals, groups, and structure on behaviour within organizations; the aim is to apply such knowledge toward improving organizational effectiveness.
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

5. Why Do We Study OB? To learn about yourself and others
To understand how the many organizations you encounter work.
To become familiar with team work
To help you think about the people issues faced by managers and entrepreneurs
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

6. What Is an Organization?
A consciously coordinated social unit:
composed of a group of people
functioning on a relatively continuous basis
to achieve a common goal or set of goals.
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

7. The Building Blocks of OB
Psychology
Sociology
Social Psychology
Anthropology
Political Science
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

8. Exhibit 1-1 Toward an OB Discipline
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

9. The Rigour of OB OB Looks at Consistencies
What is common about behaviour, and helps predictability?
OB Looks Beyond Common Sense
Systematic study, based on scientific evidence
OB Has Few Absolutes
OB Takes a Contingency Approach
Considers behaviour in context
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

10. Exhibit 1-2 Research Methods in OB
Source: J. R. Schermerhorn, J.G. Hunt, and R. N. Osborn, Organizational Behaviour, 9th Edition, 2005, p. 4. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

11. How Will Knowing OB Make a Difference?
For Managers
Knowing organizational behaviour can help you manage well and makes for better corporations.
Managing people well leads to greater organizational commitment.
Finally, managing well may improve organizational citizenship.
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

12. How Will Knowing OB Make a Difference?
For Individuals
What if I’m not going to work in a large organization?
The theories generally apply to organizations of any size.
What if I don’t want to be a manager?
To some extent, the roles of managers and employees are becoming blurred in many organizations.
While self-employed individuals often do not act as managers, they certainly interact with other individuals and organizations as part of their work.
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

13. Bottom Line: OB Is For Everyone
Organizational behaviour is not just for managers.
The roles of managers and employees are becoming blurred in many organizations.
Managers are increasingly asking employees to share in their decision-making processes rather than simply follow orders.
OB applies equally well to all situations in which you interact with others: on the basketball court, at the grocery store, in school, or in church.
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

14. Exhibit 1-4 Basic OB Model
Organization systems level
Group level
Individual level
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

15. Today’s Challenges in the Canadian Workplace
Challenges at the Individual Level
Individual Differences
Job Satisfaction
Motivation
Empowerment
Behaving Ethically
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

16. Today’s Challenges in the Canadian Workplace
Challenges at the Group Level
Working With Others
Workforce Diversity
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

17. Today’s Challenges in the Canadian Workplace
Challenges at the Organizational Level
Productivity
Developing Effective Employees
Putting People First
Global Competition
Managing and Working in a Multicultural World
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

18. Today’s Challenges in the Canadian Workplace
Challenges at the Organizational Level
Productivity
A performance measure including effectiveness and efficiency.
Effectiveness
The achievement of goals.
Efficiency
The ratio of effective work output to the input required to produce the work.
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

19. Developing Effective Employees
Organizational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB)
Discretionary behaviour that is not part of an employee’s formal job requirements, but that nevertheless promotes the effective functioning of the organization.
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

20. Putting People First
Putting people first generates a committed workforce and positively affects the bottom line.
People will work harder when they feel they have “more control and say in their work.”
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

21. How to Put People First Provide employment security. Hire well.
Create self-managed teams.
Pay well.
Provide extensive training.
Reduce status differences.
Share information about organizational performance.
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

22. Global Competition
In recent years, Canadian businesses have faced tough competition from the United States, Europe, Japan, and even China, as well as from other companies within our borders.
To survive, they have had to reduce costs, increase productivity, and improve quality.
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

23. Managing and Working in a Multicultural World
Managers and employees must become capable of working with people from different cultures:
Multinational corporations are developing operations worldwide.
Companies are developing joint ventures with foreign partners.
Workers are pursuing job opportunities across national borders.
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

24. Summary and Implications
1. What is organizational behaviour?
OB is a field of study that investigates the impact that individuals, groups, and structure have on behaviour within an organization.
2. Isn’t organizational behaviour common sense? Or just like psychology?
OB is built on contributions from a number of behavioural disciplines, including psychology, sociology, social psychology, anthropology, and political science. It goes beyond “common sense.”
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

25. Summary and Implications
How does knowing about organizational behaviour make work and life more understandable?
OB helps people manage well, and managing well can lead to greater organizational commitment by employees.
4. What challenges do managers and employees face in today’s workplace?
Each level of analysis—the individual, the group, and the organization—presents challenges.
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

26. OB at Work
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

27. For Review Define organizational behaviour.
What is an organization? Is the family unit an organization? Explain.
“Behaviour is generally predictable, so there is no need to formally study OB.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why?
What does it mean to say that OB takes a contingency approach in its analysis of behaviour?
What are the three levels of analysis in our OB model? Are they related? If so, how?
What are some of the challenges and opportunities that managers face in today’s workplace?
Why is job satisfaction an important consideration for OB?
What are effectiveness and efficiency, and how are they related to OB?
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

28. For Critical Thinking
“OB is for everyone.” Build an argument to support this statement.
Why do you think the subject of OB might be criticized as being “only common sense,” when we would rarely hear such a criticism of a course in physics or statistics? Do you think this criticism of OB is fair?
On a scale of 1 to 10 measuring the sophistication of a scientific discipline in predicting phenomena, mathematical physics would probably be a 10. Where do you think OB would fall on the scale? Why?
Can empowerment lead to greater job satisfaction?
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

29. Learning About Yourself Exercise
1. Taking initiative
2. Goal setting
3. Delegating effectively
4. Personal productivity and motivation
5. Motivating others
6. Time and stress management
7. Planning
8. Organizing
9. Controlling
10. Receiving and organizing information
11. Evaluating routine information
12. Responding to routine information
13. Understanding yourself and others
14. Interpersonal communication
15. Developing subordinates
16. Team building
17. Participative decision making
18. Conflict management
19. Living with change
20. Creative thinking
21. Managing change
22. Building and maintaining a power base
23. Negotiating agreement and commitment
24. Negotiating and selling ideas
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

30. Learning About Yourself
Scoring Key
Director: 1, 2, 3 Mentor: 13, 14, 15
Producer: 4, 5, 6 Facilitator: 16, 17, 18
Coordinator: 7, 8, 9 Innovator: 19, 20, 21
Monitor: 10, 11, 12 Broker: 22, 23, 24
Source: Created based on material from R. E. Quinn, S. R. Faerman, M. P. Thompson, and M. R. McGrath, Becoming A Master Manager: A Competency Framework (New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1990), Chapter 1.
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

31. Breakout Group Exercises
Form small groups to discuss the following topics:
Consider a group situation in which you have worked. To what extent did the group rely on the technical skills of the group members vs. their interpersonal skills? Which skills seemed most important in helping the group function well?
2. Identify some examples of “worst jobs.” What conditions of these jobs made them unpleasant? To what extent were these conditions related to behaviours of individuals?
3. Develop a list of “organizational puzzles,” that is, behaviour you’ve observed in organizations that seemed to make little sense. As the term progresses, see if you can begin to explain these puzzles, using your knowledge of OB.
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

32. Working With Others Exercise
This exercise asks you to consider the skills outlined in the “Competing Values Framework” to develop an understanding of managerial expertise. Steps 1–4 can be completed in 15–20 minutes.
1. Using the skills listed in “Learning About Yourself,” identify the 4 skills that you think all managers should have.
2. Identify the 4 skills that you think are least important for managers to have.
3. In groups of 5–7, reach a consensus on the most-needed and least-needed skills identified in Steps 1 and 2.
4. Using Exhibit 1-6, determine whether your “ideal” managers would have trouble managing in some dimensions of organizational demands.
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

33. Exhibit 1-5 Competing Values Framework
Flexibility
Control
Internal Focus
External Focus
Source: Adapted from K. Cameron and R. E. Quinn, Diagnosing and Changing Organizational Culture: Based on the Competing Values Framework (Reading, MA: Addison Wesley Longman, 1999).
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

34. Competing Values Framework
Internal-External Dimension
Inwardly, toward employee needs and concerns and/or production processes and internal systems or
Outwardly, toward such factors as the marketplace, government regulations, and the changing social, environmental, and technological conditions of the future
Flexibility-Control Dimension
Flexible and dynamic, allowing more teamwork and participation; seeking new opportunities for products and services
Controlling or stable, maintaining the status quo and exhibiting less change
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

35. Exhibit 1-6 Skills for Mastery in the New Workplace
Flexibility
Internal
External
Control
Mentor
Innovator
1. Understanding
yourself and others
2. Interpersonal
communication
3. Developing
subordinates
1. Team building
2. Participative
decision making
3. Conflict
management
1. Receiving and
organizing information
2. Evaluating
routine information
3. Responding to
1. Planning
2. Organizing
3. Controlling
1. Taking initiative
2. Goal setting
3. Delegating effectively
1. Personal productivity
and motivation
2. Motivating others
3. Time and stress
1. Building and maintaining
a power base
2. Negotiating agreement
and commitment
3. Negotiating and
selling ideas
1. Living with change
2. Creative thinking
3. Managing change
Facilitator
Monitor
Director
Producer
Broker
Coordinator
Source: R.E. Quinn. Beyond Rational Management. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Inc., 1988, p. 86.
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

36. Supplemental Material
Slides for activities I do in my own classroom
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada

37. Exercise In groups of 6 The interview Introduce yourselves.
Pick an interviewer.
Decide on questions or topics you want interviewer to ask me.
The interview
Introduce interviewer to me and the class.
Ask one question from your list (we will go around the groups with one question at a time).
Chapter 1, Nancy Langton and Stephen P. Robbins, Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour, Third Canadian Edition
Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education Canada