Organizational Behavior: Managing

People and Organizations,

Ninth Edition
Gregory Moorhead, Ricky W. Griffin

Chapter 1

Chapter Learning Objectives

After studying this chapter you should be able to:
Define organizational behavior.
Identify the functions that comprise the management
process and relate them to organizational behavior.
Relate organizational behavior to basic managerial roles
and skills.
Describe contemporary organizational behavior.
Discuss contextual perspectives on organizational
behavior.

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What is Organizational Behavior?

Organizational behavior (OB) is the study of:
Human behavior in organizational settings
The interface between human behavior and the

organization
The organization itself

13

Figure 1.1

The Nature of Organizational Behavior

14

The Importance of Organizational Behavior

Organizations can have a powerful influence on
our lives:
Most people are born and educated in organizations
Most people acquire most of their material

possessions from organizations

Most people die as members of organizations
Many of our activities are regulated by governmental

organizations
Most people spend most of their lives in organizations

15

Why Study OB?

Studying organizational behavior can clarify
factors that affect how managers manage by:
Describing the complex human context of

organizations
Defining the associated opportunities, problems,

challenges, and issues

Isolating important aspects of the managers job
Offering specific perspectives on the human side of

management

16

Why Study OB? (contd)

Studying OB helps managers understand:
The behaviors of others in the organization
Personal needs, motives, behaviors, feelings and career
dynamics
Attitudinal processes, individual differences, group dynamics,
inter group dynamics, organization culture, power, and
political behavior

Interactions with people outside of the organization

and other organizations

The environment, technology, and global issues

17

Organizational Behavior and

the Management Process
Management
Functions

Resources Used by
Managers

Planning

Human

Organizing

Financial

Leading

Physical

Controlling

Information

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Functions of Management
Planning

Determining an organizations desired

future position and the best means of
getting there

Organizing

Designing jobs, grouping jobs into units,

and establishing patterns of authority
between jobs and units

Leading

Getting organizational members to work

together toward the organizations goals

Controlling

Monitoring and correcting the actions of

the organization and its members to keep
them directed toward their goals

19

Figure 1.2

Basic Managerial Functions

110

Organizational Behavior and

the Managers Job
Basic Managerial Roles
Interpersonal
Informational
Decision-Making

Stockbyte at Getty Images

111

Table 1.1

Important Managerial Roles

112

Critical Managerial Skills

Technical

Skills necessary to accomplish

specific tasks within the organization

Interpersonal

Skills used to communicate with,

understand, and motivate individuals
and groups

Conceptual

Skills used in abstract thinking

Diagnostic

Skills to understand cause-effect

relationships and to recognize optimal
solutions to problems

113

Figure 1.3

Managerial Skills at Different Organizational Levels

114

Contemporary Organizational Behavior

Characteristics of the Field
Interdisciplinary in focus
Descriptive in nature

Basic Concepts of the Field

1. Individual processes
2. Interpersonal processes
3. Organizational processes/characteristics

115

Figure 1.4
The Framework
for Understanding
Organizational
Behavior

116

Contemporary Organizational Behavior

Systems
SystemsPerspective
Perspective

Contextual
Contextual
Perspectives
Perspectiveson
on
Organizational
Organizational
Behavior
Behavior

Situational
SituationalPerspective
Perspective

Contingency
Contingency

Interactional
Interactional

117

The Systems Perspective

System
An interrelated set of elements that function as a

wholeinputs are combined/transformed by

managers into outputs from the system.

Value of the Systems Perspective

Underscores the importance of an organizations

environment
Conceptualizes the flow and interaction of various

elements of the organization.

118

The Situational Perspective

The Situational Perspective
Recognizes that most organizational situations and

outcomes are influenced by other variables

The Universal Model

Presumes a direct cause-and-effect linkage between

variables
Complexities of human behavior and organizational

settings make universal conclusions virtually

impossible

119

Figure 1.5

The Systems Approach to Organizations

120

Figure 1.6

Universal Versus Situational Approach

121

Interactionalism: People and Situations

Interactionalist Perspective
Focuses on how individuals and situations interact

continuously to determine individuals behavior

Attempts to explain how people select, interpret, and

change various situations.

122

Figure 1.7

The Interactionalist Perspective on Behavior in Organizations

123

Managing for Effectiveness

Managers work toward accomplishing the
various goals (outcomes) that exist at specific
levels in an organization:
Individual-level outcomes
Group-level outcomes
Organizational-level outcomes

124

Figure 1.8

Managing for Effectiveness

125

Organizational Behavior in Action

Based on your reading of the chapter opening
case:
Why is employee morale at Microsoft so low despite

excellent pay, benefits, and working conditions?

Which basic managerial roles and skills does

Microsofts Lisa Brummel need to use to convince her

fellow Microserfs that the organization really cares
about them?
At which level in the Microsoft organization are the

most critical problems occurring?

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