Session 1-3 Flashcards
(44 cards)
What is an organization?
A structured social system consisting of groups of individuals working together to meet objectives that have been agreed upon.
Define organizational behavior.
The field seeking to understand the individual, the group and the organisational processes in the workplace.
Who uses knowledge gained from organizational behavior?
- Scientists: trying to understand human behavior
- Practitioners: trying to enhance organisational effectiveness and individual well-being.
What are the three levels of analysis in organizational behavior?
- Individual
- Group
- Organisation
What does Theory X represent?
A negativistic approach reflecting the traditional view of management.
What does Theory Y suggest?
Under the right circumstances, people can work productively and accept responsibility for their work.
What are the three factors related to job performance?
- Management and organisation
- Information technology
- Workplace design
List the fundamental assumptions of organizations.
- Dynamic
- Constantly changing
- There is no ‘One Best’ approach
- Contingency approach
How does organizational behavior make a difference?
- Satisfied employees
- More pleasant at work
- Lower costs (recruitment)
- Higher productivity
- Less likely to quit
What are the consequences of unsatisfied employees?
- Reject organization policies
- More likely to steal
- Increasing mental and physical illnesses
What is the Time-and-Motion study?
A type of applied research designed to classify and streamline individual movements needed to perform jobs.
What does scientific management emphasize?
The importance of designing jobs as efficiently as possible.
What does Classical Organizational Theory focus on?
The most efficient way of structuring organisations.
What is the division of labor?
Dividing work into specialized tasks, enabling people to specialize in what they do best.
What is bureaucracy according to Max Weber?
The attempt to enable organisations to operate efficiently through a clear hierarchy.
What is the Human Relations Movement?
A perspective that recognizes the importance of social processes in work settings.
What were the Hawthorne studies aimed at?
Determining how the design of work environments affect performance.
What is the Hawthorne effect?
The tendency for people being studied to behave differently.
Define Convergence Theory.
Assumption that principles of good management are universal.
Define Divergence Theory.
Realization that effective management requires understanding the culture in which people work.
What factors are contributing to increasing globalization?
- Technology
- Trade laws
- Multinational Enterprises (MNEs)
What is an expatriate?
An employee who is sent to work in a foreign country.
What does organizational justice refer to?
How people perceive or view fairness in organizations or at the workplace.
List ways to promote organizational justice.
- Pay workers what they deserve
- Give workers a voice
- Conduct employee surveys
