Lời Nguyền Kiến Thức

  Coming Attractions: Developing An OB Model 1.6  Compare the three levels of analysis in this text’s OB model. We conclude this chapter by presenting a general model that defines the field of OB and stakes out its parameters, concepts, and relationships. By studying the model, you will have a good picture of how the topics in this text can inform your approach to management issues and opportunities. Overview A  model  is an abstraction of reality, a simplified representation of some real-world phenomenon.  Exhibit  1-3  presents the skeleton of our OB model. It proposes three types of variables (inputs, processes, and outcomes) at three levels of analysis (individual, group, and organizational). In the chapters to follow, we proceed from the individual level ( Chapters  2  through  8 ) to group behavior ( Chapters  9  through  14 ) to the organizational system ( Chapters  15  through  17 ). The model illustrates that inputs lead to processes, which lead to outcomes; we discuss interre

  Challenges and Opportunities for OB 1.5  Identify managers’ challenges and opportunities in applying OB concepts. Understanding organizational behavior has never been more important for managers. Take a quick look at the dramatic changes in organizations. The typical employee is getting older; the workforce is becoming increasingly diverse; and global competition requires employees to become more flexible and cope with rapid change. As a result of these changes and others, employment options have adapted to include new opportunities for workers.  Exhibit   1-2  details some of the types of options individuals may find offered to them by organizations or for which they would like to negotiate. Under each heading in the exhibit, you will find a grouping of options from which to choose—or combine. For instance, at one point in your career you may find yourself employed full time in an office in a localized, nonunion setting with a salary and bonus compensation package, while at another

  There are Few Absolutes in OB 1.4  Demonstrate why few absolutes apply to OB. Laws in the physical sciences—chemistry, astronomy, physics—are consistent and apply in a wide range of situations. They allow scientists to generalize about the pull of gravity or to be confident about sending astronauts into space to repair satellites. Human beings are complex, and few, if any, simple and universal principles explain human behavior. Because we  are not alike, our ability to make simple, accurate, and sweeping generalizations about ourselves is limited. Two people often act very differently in the same situation, and the same person’s behavior changes in different situations. For instance, not everyone is motivated by money, and people may behave differently at a religious service than they do at a party. This doesn’t mean, of course, that we can’t offer reasonably accurate explanations of human behavior or make valid predictions. It does mean that OB concepts must reflect situational, or

  Disciplines That Contribute to the OB Field 1.3  Identify the major behavioral science disciplines that contribute to OB. OB is an applied behavioral science built on contributions from a number of behavioral disciplines, mainly psychology and social psychology, sociology, and anthropology. Psychology’s contributions have been principally at the individual or micro-level of analysis, while the other disciplines have contributed to our understanding of macro concepts such as group processes and organization.  Exhibit   1-1  is an overview of the major contributions to the study of OB. Exhibit   1-1 Toward an OB Discipline Behavioral science Contributions Unit of analysis Output 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 Study of organizational behavior Social psychology Behavioral change Attit

  Complementing Intuition with Systematic Study 1.2  Show the value of systematic study to OB. Whether you’ve explicitly thought about it before or not, you’ve been “reading” people almost all your life by watching their actions and interpreting what you see, or by trying to predict what people might do under different conditions. The casual approach to reading others can often lead to erroneous predictions, but using a systematic approach can improve your accuracy. Underlying the systematic approach is the belief that behavior is not random. Rather, we can identify fundamental consistencies underlying the behavior of all individuals and modify them to reflect individual differences. These fundamental consistencies are very important. Why? Because they allow for predictability. Behavior is generally predictable, and the  systematic study  of behavior is a means to making reasonably accurate predictions. When we use the term  systematic study , we mean looking at relationships, attempti