ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR OB is a field of study that investigates the impact that individuals, groups and structure have on behavior within organizations for the purpose of applying such knowledge toward improving an organization’s effectiveness. (Stephen Robbins)

Other definitions The understanding, prediction and management of human behavior in organizations.(Fred Luthans) The study of what people think, feel and do in and around organizations.(McShane& Van Glinow)

Disciplines contributing to OB field Psychology Social Psychology Sociology Anthropology

Psychology Learning Motivation Personality Emotions Perception Training Leadership effectiveness Job satisfaction Individual decision making Performance appraisal Attitude measurement Employee selection Work design Work stress individual

Social psychology Behavioral change Attitude change Communication Group processes Group decision making Group

Organizational technology Organizational change Organizational culture Sociology Communication Power Conflict Inter group behavior Formal organization Organizational technology Organizational change Organizational culture Group Organization

Comparative attitudes Cross cultural analysis Anthropology Comparative values Comparative attitudes Cross cultural analysis Organizational culture Organizational environment Power Group Organization

Why study Individual behavior?

Ability Biographical characteristics Learning

Ability Intellectual Physical

Biographical characteristics Age Gender Race Social group Religion Tenure Marital status

Learning Any relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs as a result of experience.

Theories of learning Classical conditioning Operant conditioning Social learning

Classical conditioning (Ivan Pavlov) A type of conditioning in which an individual responds to some stimulus that would not ordinarily produce such a response.

Operant conditioning (B F Skinner) A type of conditioning in which desired voluntary behavior leads to a reward or prevents a punishment.

Social learning theory Individuals can learn by observing what happens to others as well as through direct experiences. This view of learning is known as social learning theory.

Modeling Attentional process Retention process Motor reproduction process Reinforcement process

Shaping Systematically reinforcing each successive step that moves an individual closer to the desired response.

Methods of shaping behavior Positive reinforcement Negative reinforcement Punishment Extinction