Organizational Behavior Terminology and Concepts

Organizational Behavior

Shermerhorn, Hunt, Osborn, 2005, Section 1, defines Organizational Behavior (OB) is “the study of individuals and groups in an organization. Developers of this principle have substantiated it using a variety of methods such as Field studies, Laboratory studies, Meta analyses, Survey studies, and Case studies. Extended in the formulation of organizational behavior are other academic disciplines-psychology, sociology, economics, anthropology and political science. However, why should an organization, group, or individual make any effort understanding this study? Simply put, “knowledge is power”. In cased in this body of knowledge lies an overflowing wealth of power. That if introduced can be the pivotal stepping-stone for strengthening an underachieving organization or improving the organizational culture internally of an already high-performing group. For example, in the six months of 2005 in my organization manufacturing was having a problem with miss-processing materials. The numbers were staggering. The initial reaction from managers was who to “blame”. This method was so unequivocally ineffective that it backfired. Instead of reporting errors, operators would conceal the infraction, thus creating additional problems. Management went back to the drawing board, and developed a new strategy. First, they spoke in a language that operator’s understood-money. They revealed how costly a miss-process was, and how it directly affects the organization’s profits. Second, the approach changed, after a mistake, instead of using the blaming method, a learning opportunity took place. Managers, Engineers, Equipment technicians, and operators all evaluated the process. Lastly, implement a bonus program. Since, implementing these new policies, our organization has not had a miss-process since October of 2005.

Organizational Culture

An organization’s culture is how it perceives itself, whether formal, informal, public, or in house. It is the projected principles it stands on. The language management speaks when communicating to labor, the methods it uses when establishing new policies, how it transact corrective measures. The interactions between co-workers, friendly, respectful, an open exchange of information, concern for an ill co-worker, or combative, workers exhibiting “I’ll get you before you get me” attitudes. My first year in my organization there was an operator who recorded in a notebook every infraction all her co-workers made and turned it in to her supervisor. This made the work area counter productive, workers spent more effort fault finding with each other than producing material outputs. A new supervisor solved this problem by shuffling operators to different areas and firing the operator and her notebook.

Diversity

Not long ago “the good-ole-boy” hiring practice was very prevalent in many organizations. Due to laws and the global economy organizations, now actively seek out a diversified workforce. Diversity or individual differences, ethnicity, race, languages, gender, age, sexual orientation, or religion has become an established practice among many industries of today. Frankly, I like working with a technician who is from India, an operator from Kenya, or an engineer from Poland. It is nice to sit at departmental meeting, look into the audience, and see America.

Communication

Communication is an organization’s vehicle for sending messages, ideas, information, guidelines, instructions, tips, and in some instances commands (military) to its members, customers, suppliers, distributors, and the public. How well an organization communicates can mean the difference between success or failure. Consequences of poor communication can result in inferior choices, missed dead lines, diminish worker morale, and snowball the amount of stress among personnel. Yet, when it is done effectively can be the springboard that