Book Reference: Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2019). Organizational behavior (18th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson.

Must read the study guide.

Read the Experiential Exercise Managing the OB Way on page 36 of our textbook. We will not be breaking out into groups; rather, you will begin by individually addressing the following:

What do you think are the concerns for the company regarding Tom’s facial hair? How does this relate to the disciplines discussed in this unit (psychology, social psychology, sociology, and anthropology)? If Tom told you that he thinks the beard is part of his personal religion that he is forming, how might this type of announcement from Tom change how you approach the issue with him?

As you read the thoughts of your classmates, compare and contrast those to your own views. What research might you use to support your position and sway your classmates to share your view?
DBA 7420, Organizational Behavior and Comparative Management 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit II Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Critique organizational behavior in the workplace. 1.1 Discuss organizational behavior. 1.2 Analyze the impact of factors contributing to organizational behavior.

2. Discuss the major behavior science disciplines that contribute to organizational behavior.

2.1 Relate a behavior science discipline to organizational behavior. 2.2 Explore the contributions of behavior science disciplines to organizational effectiveness.

Course/Unit Learning Outcomes

Learning Activity

1.1 Unit II Article Critique

1.2 Unit II Article Critique

2.1

Unit Lesson Chapter 1, pp. 15–16 Article: “Cross-Cultural Industrial Organizational Psychology and

Organizational Behavior: A Hundred-Year Journey.” Article: “Ethical Climates and Their Effects on Organizational Outcomes:

Implications From the Past and Prophecies for the Future.” Unit II Article Critique

2.2

Unit Lesson Chapter 1, pp. 15–16 Article: “Cross-Cultural Industrial Organizational Psychology and

Organizational Behavior: A Hundred-Year Journey.” Article: “Ethical Climates and Their Effects on Organizational Outcomes:

Implications From the Past and Prophecies for the Future.” Unit II Article Critique

Reading Assignment Chapter 1: What Is Organizational Behavior?, pp. 15–16 In order to access the following resources, click the links below. Gelfand, M. J., Aycan, Z., Erez, M., & Leung, K. (2017). Cross-cultural industrial organizational psychology

and organizational behavior: A hundred-year journey. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102(3), 514– 529. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direc t=true&db=bsu&AN=124805533&site=eds-live&scope=site

Simha, A., & Cullen, J. B. (2012). Ethical climates and their effects on organizational outcomes: Implications

from the past and prophecies for the future. Academy of Management Perspectives, 26(4), 20–34. Retrieved from https://libraryresources.columbiasouthern.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direc t=true&db=bsu&AN=84930146&site=ehost-live&scope=site

UNIT II STUDY GUIDE

Major Behavioral Science Disciplines

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DBA 7420, Organizational Behavior and Comparative Management 2

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE

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Unit Lesson Introduction In order to gain a greater appreciation of organizational behavior and all that it entails, we must delve deeper into the subject matter. Do you remember us talking about individual and group dynamics during our last unit? Well, to break that down even further, we must examine what triggers people to do what they do. In some cases, people make decisions based on their sole discretion to be able to do so. In other cases, the decisions and actions may be prompted by observances of others or as a result of what others have done. How might we predict the types of behaviors that could be seen in the workplace? Might there be instances when we could use this knowledge to craft the environment we feel is going to produce the most optimum outcomes? One could suspect the answer to those questions and more is “yes.” To do so, we need to learn more about how people respond both individually, in groups, and as a result of groups (Robbins & Judge, 2019). What we are talking about here involves psychology, social psychology, sociology, and anthropology (Robbins & Judge, 2019). Psychology Have you ever watched a crime investigation series on television? If so, perhaps you can think about the many questions they ask of themselves and others when investigating a crime. What was the motive? What was his or her childhood like? Were there any recent changes in behavior? Were there any events recently that triggered a change in mood, attitude, or behavior? The list goes on. With all of the questions, one is bound to come up with answers. However, do you know what they are trying to do? These crime scene investigators are trying to use psychology to determine the suspect’s frame of mind, why the actions occurred, and the suspect’s next move. What is he or she likely to do next? It is all a part of trying to determine how an individual is going to react or behave based on a number of different criteria such as personality, motivation, training, stress, satisfaction, and more (Robbins & Judge, 2019). As leaders in the workplace, understanding our workers and their behaviors can help us in devising the strategies necessary to drive the intended behaviors we need to accomplish our goals and objectives along with those of our organization (Robbins & Judge, 2019). While we may focus on motivation, there are other avenues that may also prove fruitful. For instance, if we knew of an employee who thrived under a certain set of conditions, might we be able to create and/or sustain those in order to improve his or her performance? We would be feeding the individual psyche to generate the desired performance. One example would be to manage a person who thrives, and even likes, a fast-paced environment. Placing this person in the organization where the work comes fast would benefit both individuals. The challenges arise when we not only must evaluate the behaviors of an individual, but we must also consider how those same individuals respond when in groups or how they respond as a result of what they witness in group interactions. This leads us to some of the other behavioral disciplines such as sociology and social psychology. Sociology Have you ever heard of a pack mentality? While a pack of wolves or coyotes is certainly outside of the typical business example, the same types of behaviors can be seen. When observing a pack of wolves, there is typically one leader who will set the stage for how the others behave. If this leader chooses to attack something, the others in the pack will typically follow suit and do the same. Similar behaviors can be seen when looking at a group of individuals in the workplace. Have you ever heard of the term group think? This occurs when one person makes a suggestion or decision, and others in the group go along with the original idea that was presented. In both cases of pack mentality and group think, these examples help to illustrate the discipline of sociology. As noted in our reading, sociology is described as “the study of people in relation to their social environment or culture” (Robbins & Judge, 2019, p. 16). In the examples shared in the previous two paragraphs, the behavior was demonstrated in a certain manner due to the social environment surrounding them.

DBA 7420, Organizational Behavior and Comparative Management 3

UNIT x STUDY GUIDE

Title

As managers, understanding the group dynamics at work can aid us in determining why we as an organization are going down a certain path. Perhaps it is not so much that the organization is thinking the path chosen is the best one; instead, those within the organization are simply following what others within the industry have done (Robbins & Judge, 2019). This is not to suggest that those actions are necessarily the right actions or that they will necessarily lead to the desired outcome. The organization is simply being influenced by the actions of others. Perhaps we are falling victim to sociological misfortune. Another thing to keep in mind is that social conditions are constantly changing, and we must be aware that there are both positive and negative social influences. An example of this is when one member of a team changes and the whole team stops being effective. As leaders, we must find out what is causing the change and fix it. This does not always mean that this sudden issue is caused by new person. The challenge then becomes whether or not we are willing to go against the grain and introduce additional alternatives. In some cases, the willingness to present new ideas and ways of doing things is not so much influenced by the group in which we find ourselves, but it may be intertwined with social psychology perspectives. Social Psychology Consider what happens to many people when sitting in a meeting. The leader asks people for their suggestions for improvement of something. You have all likely been in this situation at one time or another. What happens? Do you speak up? Do you remain quiet? Many choose to remain quiet simply because they are fearful of what others may think of the suggestion. Is it…