Chapter 3 Emotions, Attitudes, and Stress1Attitudes.docx

Chapter 3: Emotions, Attitudes, and Stress
1
Attitudes and Behavior
Attitude is a learned tendency to consistently respond positively
or negatively to people or events.
Neck, Organizational Behavior. © SAGE Publications, 2017.
2
We define attitude as a learned tendency to consistently respond
positively or negatively to people or events. Attitudes determine
our likes and dislikes and help us to make judgments about
other people or events. Our beliefs provide us with the
necessary information to shape our attitudes, which in turn
shape our behaviors.
2
Attitudes and behaviors
How Attitudes are Created
Cognitive appraisal:
underlying beliefs, opinions, information, and knowledge.
Affective evaluation:
positive and negative feelings.
Behavioral intention:
treatment of a specific object, person, or event.
3

Cognitive appraisal reflects the sum total of a person’s
underlying beliefs, opinions, information, and knowledge about
a specific object, person, or event. For example, my professor is
overbearing; my girlfriend is smart and beautiful; the Steelers
are the best team in the NFL.
Affective evaluation reflects a person’s positive and negative
feelings toward a specific object, person, or event. For example,
I don’t like my professor; I love my girlfriend; I like the
Steelers.
Behavioral intention is the intention to behave in a particular
way toward a specific object, person, or event. For example, I
will not take another course with my professor; I will kiss my
girlfriend; I will root for the Steelers.
3
The Relationship between Attitudes and Behaviors
4
SOURCE: Adapted from Fishbein, M., & I. Ajzen. Belief,
Attitude, Intention, and Behavior: An Introduction to Theory
and Research (Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1975).
Figure 3.3: The Relationship between Attitudes and Behaviors
Behavioral intention is the strongest predictor of actual
behavior. But although we may have a strong positive or
negative attitude about something or someone, it does not
necessarily predict our behavior. Social norms and other
behavioral controls may intervene, stopping us from carrying
out our intended action.
4

Cognitive Dissonance
Cognitive dissonance occurs when there is inconsistency
between a person’s beliefs, attitudes, or behavior.
5
Originally described by psychologist Leon Festinger, cognitive
dissonance occurs when there is inconsistency between a
person’s beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors. This inconsistency
creates discomfort that leads us to alter our attitudes, beliefs, or
behaviors in order to restore harmony.
5
Stress in the Workplace
Stress as a response that occurs when a person perceives a
situation as threatening to his or her well-being when his or her
resources have been taxed or exceeded.
6
Most of us know what it feels like to be stressed. We may feel
under pressure about making a deadline, taking an exam, or
giving a presentation in front of a large audience. We define
stress as a response that occurs when a person perceives a
situation as threatening to his or her well-being when his or her
resources have been taxed or exceeded. Stress in the workplace
can affect the behavior of people working in an organization,
leading to poor health and absenteeism. Statistics show that
60% of illnesses are caused by stress, which costs the U.S. $300

billion every year on medical bills and loss of productivity. 3
6
Stress in the Workplace
Stressors
Stressors are environmental stimuli that place demands on
individuals. There are two main types:
Challenge stressors.
Hindrance stressors.
7
Stressors are environmental stimuli that place demands on
individuals. There are two main types:
Challenge stressors are associated with workload, job demands,
job complexity, and deadlines and are positively related to
motivation and performance. For example, although Laura faces
a number of challenges to implementing her marketing
initiatives, she still feels motivated to accomplish tasks.
Hindrance stressors inhibit progress toward objectives;
examples are role ambiguity or conflict, hassles, red tape, and
highly political environments. These stressors are negatively
related to motivation and performance. For example, Joey in
particular seems to lack motivation; he is often absent from
work, and when he does show up, he does not perform well due
to the constraints placed on him by Cheryl and Abigail.
7
Stress-related Outcomes and Wellness
Distress and eustress.
The physiological element.
The psychological element.
Job burnout.

8
While high degrees of stress can be destructive to our behaviors
and harmful to our health, stress is not always negative. For
example, when Laura objectively evaluates the stressful
situation she is in and realizes there can be positive outcomes if
she can get Abigail’s support, she experiences eustress, a
moderate level of stressors that have constructive and positive
effects on effort and performance. 35 Conversely, Abigail is
experiencing distress, high levels of stressors that have
destructive and negative effects on effort and performance.
There are three elements to distress:
The physiological element is manifested as negative physical
health effects. For example, Abigail tells Laura she suffers from
insomnia and exhaustion.
The psychological element appears as negative attitudes and
emotions that can lower job satisfaction, among other results.
For example, Abigail is overwhelmed by the theater’s financial
burden and seems anxious and irritable.
Job burnout consists of emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and
loss of interest in the job that can result from ongoing exposure
to high levels of stressors. For example, Abigail appears to be
on the point of giving up because of the stress she is under.
8
Managing Stress
9
Figure 3.4: Managing Stress

9
Stress-related Outcomes and Wellness
Wellness
Wellness program is an effort to promote health and well-being
by providing access to services like medical screenings, weight
management, health advice, and exercise programs.
10
We have seen that there are different degrees and types of stress
and various ways of managing it. In recognition of the
implications of stress, some organizations offer wellness
programs as a way of helping their employees manage stress and
otherwise protect and improve their health. A wellness program
is a personal or organizational effort to promote health and
well-being through providing access to services like medical
screenings, weight management, health advice, and exercise
programs. The main aim of the wellness program is to cultivate
a healthier and more productive workforce that is more satisfied
with their jobs.
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Chapter 3: Emotions, Attitudes, and Stress
1

Emotions in Organizational Behavior
“If your emotional abilities aren't in hand, if you don't have
self-awareness, if you are not able to manage your distressing
emotions, if you can't have empathy and have effective
relationships, then no matter how smart you are, you are not
going to get very far.”
2
People or events elicit a variety of feelings that cause us to
respond in different ways. These feelings are called affects, a
broad term covering a wide range of feelings including
emotions and moods. We may react to certain situations with
sadness, anger, or elation. These responses are emotions,
intense feelings directed at a specific object or person. 2
Emotions are numerous and intense, but they are usually also
short-lived. For example, in the scenario above, it is likely that
your intense feeling of anger towards your boss will dissipate as
soon as you begin to focus on the task.
2
Mood
Mood describes the intensity and generalized feelings toward a
specific object or person.
3
What if your professor has caught you on a day when you feel
like you cannot be bothered working at all? In fact, now that
you think about it, you have felt a bit down for the past few
days. A short deadline is the last thing you need when you are

feeling this unmotivated. In this case, you are probably
experiencing a negative mood, which consists of less intense
and more generalized feelings not directed at a specific object
or person. Moods last longer than emotions. Of course, moods
can also be positive, and we often categorize ourselves and
others as being in a “good mood” or a “bad mood.”
3
Positive/Negative Affect
Positive affect includes emotions such as excitement,
cheerfulness, and self-assurance.
Negative affect includes emotions such as boredom, lethargy,
and depression.
4
OB researchers have identified two basic types of mood
dimensions: positive affect and negative affect. Positive affect
includes emotions such as excitement, cheerfulness, and self-
assurance, while negative affect includes emotions such as
boredom, lethargy, and depression. 4 The sources of moods and
emotions are complex. Factors such as lack of sleep and
exercise, the weather, and the amount of stress we are under
might play a part, but there are no concrete answers to explain
the underlying reasons for our feelings and moods.
4
Emotions in the Workplace
Emotional state is paramount when it comes to making
important career decisions.
5

Our emotional state is paramount when it comes to making
important career decisions. For example, people who are in a
heightened emotional state and are unhappy with their current
roles sometimes jump into new positions without fully assessing
the realities of what the new job has to offer. In this situation,
job seekers need to think about how they would feel about
taking the job now and into the future.
Most of us are prone to heightened emotional states. In your
personal life, when you are feeling frustrated, angry, or
disappointed, your reaction might be to shout, storm out, or curl
up in a quiet place for a while. However, in the workplace,
these emotional outbursts could seriously damage your
professional reputation as well as your work performance. Not
only does a lack of self-control over your emotions affect you,
but your negative responses can also spread to others around
you.
5
Emotional Contagion
Emotional contagion is a phenomenon in which emotions
experienced by one or more individuals in a work group spread
to the others.
6
We may not realize it, but our moods and emotions are
contagious and have a strong influence on group behavior.
Emotional contagion is a phenomenon in which emotions
experienced by one or more individuals in a work group spread
to the others. Researchers have found that negative emotions
tend to spread more quickly than positive emotions, which can

affect morale, productivity, and motivation. Positive emotional
contagion creates an environment in which people work better
together, experience less conflict, and experience higher levels
of work performance. Managers and leaders who have a positive
attitude generally have the ability to inspire their employees to
work well together.
6
Emotional Labor
Emotional labor refers to the process of managing our feelings
so that we present positive emotions even when they are
contrary to our actual feelings.
7
The concept of emotional labor refers to the process of
managing our feelings so that we present positive emotions even
when they are contrary to our actual feelings. Hotel employees,
salespeople, flight attendants, wait staff, and tour operators are
all examples of the types of service workers who are usually
expected to smile and be pleasant even in the most demanding
circumstances. Today’s organizations are increasingly
customer-oriented, and many managers expect their employees
to present a positive face when interacting with their external
customers as well as with their internal clients and co-workers.
7
Display Rules
Display rules are the basic norms that govern which emotions

should be displayed and which should be suppressed.
8
Many organizations teach their employees display rules, the
basic norms that govern which emotions should be displayed
and which should be suppressed. Different organizations have
different rules that accord with their company culture. For
example, call center workers may be given a script to read to
customers and be instructed to be enthusiastic and conceal their
frustration. Rules for retail or wait staff may require them to
greet customers with a smile and treat them as if they were
always right.
8
Emotional Dissonance
Emotional dissonance is a discrepancy between the emotions a
person displays and the emotions he or she actually feels.
9
It is challenging to put on a happy face all the time, especially
if you are experiencing emotional upheaval at home, or dealing
with work stress. When you feel this way, sometimes the last
thing you want to do is to be cheerful and helpful to difficult
customers. Under these circumstances, you might experience
emotional dissonance, a discrepancy between the emotions a
person displays and the emotions he or she actually feels. 10
For example, you may feel angry with the customer, but you are

compelled to be polite regardless of your true feelings.
9
Social Interaction Model
10
SOURCE: Côté, Stéphane. ”A Social Interaction Model of the
Effects of Emotion Regulation on Work Strain.” Academy of
Management Review 30, no. 3 (July 2005): 509–530.
Figure 3.1: Social Interaction Model
When you engage in emotional labor, you are expected to
regulate your true feelings in order to achieve organizational
goals. People tend to use two emotional labor techniques to
control their real emotions: surface acting, and deep acting.
Surface acting occurs when a person suppresses his or her true
feelings while displaying the organizationally desirable ones.
For example, you may fake a smile or use a soft tone of voice
when dealing with a difficult customer even when, underneath,
you are offended. In deep acting you try to change your actual
emotions to better match the emotions your employer requires
in the situation. For example, rather than feeling irritated by the
demanding customer, you attempt to empathize by putting
yourself in the customer’s position and trying to feel his or her
frustration.
10

Emotional Regulation
Emotional regulation is a set of processes through which people
influence their own emotions and the ways in which they
experience and express them.
Antecedent-focused and response-focused.
11
Every day we are exposed to different situations, which can
trigger a range of strong emotions. In fact, one of life’s biggest
challenges is keeping our emotions in check. Inappropriate or
extreme responses are disruptive and will not be tolerated in a
working environment. Most of us try and control our feelings
through emotional regulation, a set of processes through which
people influence their own emotions and the ways in which they
experience and express them. The two main kinds of regulation
strategies are antecedent-focused and response-focused.
11
Antecedent-focused
Situation selection lets you choose or avoid situations that have
the potential to generate certain emotional responses.
Situation modification means altering a situation to change its
emotional impact.
Attention deployment consists of refocusing your attention to an
area of a situation that results in a more positive emotional
outcome.
Cognitive change lets you reassess an event or situation to see
the bigger picture and bring about a more positive emotional
reaction.

12
Antecedent-focused strategies come into play before the
emotional response has been fully triggered. They include the
following:
Situation selection lets you choose or avoid situations that have
the potential to generate certain emotional responses. For
example, if you dislike a co-worker, you might avoid going by
his or her desk so you do not have to engage with that person.
Situation modification means altering a situation to change its
emotional impact. For example, you might move physically
closer to a person if you want to positively engage him or her in
a serious discussion.
Attention deployment consists of refocusing your attention to an
area of a situation that results in a more positive emotional
outcome. For example, if you are anxious about a looming
deadline, you might distract yourself by taking a short break to
recharge your energy levels and refresh your focus.
Cognitive change lets you reassess an event or situation to see
the bigger picture and bring about a more positive emotional
reaction. For example, instead of being frustrated with your
boss for being late for your meeting, you could use the extra
time to do additional preparation or even take a moment to
relax.
12
Response-focused
Reappraisal means re-evaluating a potentially emotional
situation in a more objective way.
Suppression occurs when we consciously mask inward
emotional reactions with more positive or neutral behavioral
responses.

13
We use response-focused strategies after an emotional response
has been fully triggered. There are two types:
Reappraisal means re-evaluating a potentially emotional
situation in a more objective way. For example, you are about to
give a speech and you feel very nervous. Rather than allowing
nerves to overcome you, you might take a few deep breaths or
think about how interested your audience will be in what you
have to say.
Suppression occurs when we consciously mask inward
emotional reactions with more positive or neutral behavioral
responses. For example, you may feel inclined to laugh when a
colleague mispronounces someone else’s name, but you keep
your emotions in check so as not to appear insensitive.
13
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to understand emotions
in ourselves and others in order to effectively manage our own
behaviors and our interpersonal relationships.
14
Imagine you are working on a complex project and one of your
teammates is such having difficulty in carrying out his role that
he slows down the rest of the team and jeopardizes the deadline.
Do you complain to your boss that this employee is letting the

team down? Or do you try and manage the situation by
supporting your teammate and helping him learn the right
skills? If you chose the latter option, you probably have high
levels of emotional intelligence (EI), the ability to understand
emotions in ourselves and others in order to effectively manage
our own behaviors and our interpersonal relationships.
Organizations are beginning to base hiring and promoting
decisions on EI, and it is considered as important to
professional success as other abilities such as technical skills.
14
The Four Dimensions of EI
15
Figure 3.2 The Four Dimensions of EI
There are four dimensions of EI:
Self-Awareness: A good understanding of your own emotions.
Self-Management: The ability to control and regulate emotions
and impulses.
Social Awareness: Skills in perceiving, empathizing with, and
reacting appropriately to the emotions of others.
Relationship Management: The ability to manage the emotions
of others to build strong and healthy relationships with them.
15
Chapter 1: Why Organizational Behavior Is Important in the
21st Century
What is Organizational Behavior and Why Is it Important?
“The success of your organization doesn’t depend on your

understanding of economics, or organizational development, or
marketing. It depends, quite simply, on your understanding of
human psychology.”
2
Today’s constantly changing economic world needs managers
who can understand, anticipate, and direct people in a fast-
paced competitive market. In the past, organizations focused on
numbers and how to achieve those numbers, without paying too
much attention to motivating and understanding their staff.
However, fast-paced organizations need the right people with
the right skills to achieve success. This is why organizational
behavior has taken on a new level of importance; people with
organizational behavior skills are now regarded as a valuable
and essential commodity. In an environment where competition
is fiercer than ever, it is people who will differentiate your
business from anyone else’s. No matter what area of business
you will end up working in, it is worth remembering that people
are the cornerstone of success.
2
Figure 1.1: Four Functions of Managers
Neck, Organizational Behavior. © 2017, SAGE Publications.
3
WHAT IS ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND WHY IS IT
IMPORTANT
SOURCE: http://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/management-
principles-v1.1/s19-the-essentials-of-control.html.
Managers need to be equipped with specific skills to carry out

their roles effectively3 Firstly, they must have technical skills.
A technical skill is an aptitude to perform and apply specialized
tasks. Today’s managers need to be proficient in using the latest
technologies, including databases, spreadsheets, email, and
social networking tools. While technical skills are important,
they can also be learned on the job.
To be really effective, managers need to possess human skills or
the ability to relate to other people.5 People with good human
skills take the feelings of others into account and are adept at
dealing with conflict. Another facet of human skills is
emotional intelligence (EI), which is an awareness of how your
actions and emotions affect those around you, and the ability to
understand and empathize with the feelings of others.
Managers need to be technically proficient and know how to get
along with people, but what about dealing with the complexities
of the organization itself? Managers need conceptual skills in
order to see the organization as a whole, visualize how it fits
into its overall environment, and understand how each part
relates to the others. Good conceptual skills help managers
solve problems, identify opportunities and challenges, and think
creatively when it comes to decision making.
3
Figure 1.2: How Human Capital Enhances Competitive
Advantage
4
Managing Human Capital
Value
Employees can add value in many different ways, but there is a
difference between merely fulfilling the requirements of your
job and working with an eye on company strategy. Human
capital value accumulates when employees work towards the

strategic goals of an organization to achieve competitive
advantage.
Rareness
Not everyone has the right skillset to further the progress of an
organization. Human capital rareness is the level of exceptional
skills and talents employees possess in an industry.
Inimitability
Employees may be able to add real value and possess rare and
important skills, but these attributes must be inimitable for an
organization to achieve success. Human capital inimitability is
the degree to which the skills and talents of employees can be
emulated by other organizations.
4
Behavioral Science Disciplines
5
Figure 1.3 Disciplines
Contributing to the Field of Organizational Behavior
In the early days of management theory, studies focused on how
workers could perform more efficiently (on a factory assembly
line, for example), and how physical working conditions could
be improved for better employee performance. There was little
focus on the human element. Over the past one hundred years,
however, researchers have carried out a host of studies on the
practice and application of OB, taking full advantage of its
strong links to five main behavioral science disciplines:
psychology, sociology, social psychology, political science, and
anthropology.
5
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES

Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind that seeks
to measure and explain behavioral characteristics.
6
Psychology is the scientific study of the human mind that seeks
to measure and explain behavioral characteristics. Early
organizational psychological research and theory focused on the
factors affecting work performance and efficiency, such as
lethargy and boredom. More recently, psychologists have
focused on the mental health and well-being of employees in
relationship to their work performance and created methods to
help employees deal with challenges such as job stress.
Psychologists have also helped design performance appraisals,
decision-making processes, recruitment techniques, and training
programs.
6
Sociology
Sociology looks at the way groups behave and the way they
communicate and exchange information in a social setting.
7
While psychology focuses on the individual, sociology looks at
the way groups behave and the way they communicate and
exchange information in a social setting. Sociologists have
made some valuable contributions to OB within areas such as
group dynamics, communication, power, organizational culture,
and conflict.
7

Social Psychology
Social psychology mixes concepts from sociology and
psychology and focuses on the way people influence each other
in a social setting.
8
Social psychology mixes concepts from sociology and
psychology and focuses on the way people influence each other
in a social setting. Social psychologists look at behaviors,
feelings, actions, beliefs, and intentions and how they are
constructed and influenced by others. They have made
significant contributions to reducing the level of prejudice,
discrimination, and stereotyping by designing processes to
change attitudes, build communication, and improve the way
groups work together.
8
Political Science
Political science studies the behavior of individuals and groups
within a political environment.
9
Political science studies the behavior of individuals and groups
within a political environment. Political scientists focus
particularly on how conflict is managed and structured, how
power is distributed, and how power is abused or manipulated
for the purposes of self-interest. Their studies have helped
improve our understanding of how different interests,
motivations, and preferences can lead to conflict and power

struggles between individuals and groups.
9
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of people and their activities in
relation to societal, environmental, and cultural influences.
10
Anthropology is the study of people and their activities in
relation to societal, environmental, and cultural influences. In a
global organizational environment, anthropological research has
become even more significant as it increases our understanding
of other cultures, and the different types of values and attitudes
held by peoples from other countries and organizations.
10
A Critical Thinking Perspective on Organizational Behavior
Critical Thinkers …
think carefully about the questions they are asked.
base responses on facts or experience rather than emotion or
bias.
consider different viewpoints or perspectives equally.
compare responses with similar examples that have occurred in
the past.
11
Your ability to think critically will differentiate you from other
applicants. In an interview situation, critical thinkers take the
time to think carefully about the questions they are asked, base

their responses on facts or experience rather than emotion or
bias, consider different viewpoints or perspectives equally, and
compare their responses with similar examples that have
occurred in the past. Once hired, critical thinkers are more
likely to succeed. After all, most companies do not employ
graduates to simply go through the motions or to be a mere cog
in the wheel. They expect their employees to play a pivotal role
in helping the company achieve its organizational goals. And
when a company does well, everyone benefits. You do not need
to be an expert in critical thinking to get a job, for many of
these skills can be learned in the workplace, but employers look
for candidates who have a questioning mind, a willingness to
embrace change, and a keen desire to learn.
11
Table 1.1: Applied Skills Dominate Rankings of Knowledge and
Skills Expected to Increase in Performance over Next Five
Years
12
A CRITICAL THINKING PERSPECTIVE ON
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
SOURCE: Are They Really Ready to Work? Employers’
Perspectives on the Basic Knowledge and Applied Skills of New
Entrants to the 21st-Century U.S. Workforce. Study conducted
by the Conference Board, Partnership for 21st-Century Skills,
Corporate Voices for Working Families, and the Society for
Human Resource Management, 2006.
NOTE: Number of respondents varied for each question,
ranging from 398 to 424. Percentages calculated out of total
number of respondents electing “increase” in importance over
the next five years.
Table 1.1: Applied Skills Dominate Rankings of Knowledge and

Skills Expected to Increase in Performance over Next Five
Years
12
Figure 1.4 Five steps to managing and changing behavior using
critical thinking
13
SOURCE: Neck, C., et al., Management (Hoboken, NJ: Wiley,
2014): 5.
Let us use an example to further illustrate the five steps of
critical thinking methodology. Suppose you are a manager of a
restaurant owned by a local businesswoman. Samir, one of your
waitstaff, has persistently failed to show up for shifts without
giving any meaningful reason. Since Samir is usually reliable,
you are puzzled by the extent of his absenteeism. Because you
do not have all the facts, you decide to use critical thinking
skills to investigate the real source of the problem.
The next time Samir comes to work, you observe the situation
objectively, suspending all bias and judgment. You notice that
he is abrupt with customers, does not attempt to communicate
with his fellow colleagues, and walks across the restaurant with
a heavy gait. This helps you to interpret the situation better,
giving you enough evidence to deduce that your employee is not
happy. You might analyze these effects and think of a way to
deal with the behavior. What should you do? You decide to
evaluate the situation and assess the consequences of trying to
change his behavior. Based on his performance, your boss,
Jessica, the restaurant owner, tells you to fire Samir but you

explain to your boss why you believe an attempt to change his
behavior might be justified and she agrees to give Samir another
chance.
You set up a meeting with Samir to discover the reasons behind
his unexplained absences and unmotivated behavior at work.
Samir apologizes and tells you he has become dissatisfied with
his job and would much rather work on the front desk of the
restaurant, greeting customers and taking reservations. He says
he has been afraid to tell you this because he has been worried
he would be letting you down by switching roles. You explain
that his absences have already disappointed you but that you are
willing to give him a second chance. Following a trial period at
the front desk, Samir immediately becomes more motivated and
his attendance is impeccable.
13
Using the Scientific Method to Enhance Critical Thinking in OB
Theory, a set of principles intended to explain behavioral
phenomena in organizations.
Research may involve independent (potentially causal) and
dependent variables (the outcomes).
14
The scientific method researchers use to enhance critical
thinking in OB begins with a theory, a set of principles intended
to explain behavioral phenomena in organizations.21 OB
researchers use models, which are simplified snapshots of
reality, to find out the reasons behind certain behaviors, such as
absenteeism or employee turnover, for example. Connecting the
elements of these models are independent variables, which are

factors that remain unchanged, and dependent variables, factors
affected by independent variables. Researchers then write a
prediction called a hypothesis, a statement that specifies the
relationships between the two variables. For example, much OB
research has been carried out on the correlation, or the
reciprocal relationship between two or more factors, between
job satisfaction (independent variable) and absenteeism
(dependent variable).
14
A CRITICAL THINKING PERSPECTIVE
ON ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR
15
Source: Basic Open System Model. CSAP Institute for
Partnership Development. United States Department of Health
and Human Servcies
Figure 1.5 Open Systems Theory: Inputs and Outputs
Another part of the scientific method in OB is open systems
theory, which holds that organizations are systems that interact
with (are open to) their environments and use them to obtain
resources, or inputs, and transform them into outputs returned to
the environment for consumption.23 According to the theory, all
organizations are also unique, and subject to internal and
external environmental influences that can affect their
efficiency. To ensure the smooth running of an organization, a
defined structure should be in place that can accommodate
problems and opportunities as they arise.
15

OB Challenges and Opportunities
16
Figure 1.6: Challenges and Opportunities Facing Today’s
Organization
Globalization: The world has become increasingly connected
through trade, culture, technology, and politics.
Economic Factors: Economic events have had a significant
effect on the workplace.
Workforce Diversity: The demographic profile is changing.
Customer Service: Organizations are creating customer-
responsive cultures.
People Skills: Managers and employees must have excellent
people skills.
Innovation and change: Organizations need to simulate
innovation and change.
Sustainability: Many organizations are striving to build more
sustainability.
16
OB CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Globalization
Globalization is a process by which the world has become
increasingly connected through trade, culture, technology, and
politics.
17
Globalization is a process by which the world has become
increasingly connected through trade, culture, technology, and
politics. It has had a huge influence on OB. Many organizations

now have offices all over the world, and it is not uncommon for
employees to move between them. For example, you may be
placed on a foreign assignment, where you will be expected to
learn a different language and work with people from different
cultures and backgrounds. Even at home, you are very likely to
be working with people from abroad or with a background
different from yours. It is essential to be able to relate well to
others, and to demonstrate genuine respect and tolerance for
them.
17
Economic Factors
Economic events have had a significant effect on the workplace.
18
Economic events have had a significant effect on the workplace.
Recessions and financial crises have led to layoffs, reduced
wages, unemployment, bankruptcy, and labor shortages.
Organizations are continuously strategizing to overcome
economic stumbling blocks by seeking out talent and focusing
on the skillset of their workforce to find innovative ways to
differentiate themselves from competitors. To flourish in a work
environment that is constantly in flux, you will need to be agile,
adaptable, and open to learning new skills when required.
18
Workforce Diversity

The demographic profile of the united states is changing, and
the resulting diversity in the work force is encouraging
organizations to foster working environments that do not
discriminate.
19
The demographic profile of the United States is changing, and
the resulting diversity in the work force is encouraging
organizations to foster working environments that do not
discriminate against others regardless of gender, race, ethnicity,
age, sexual orientation, or disability.25 In most large
organizations, employees are educated about diversity and
taught the importance of respecting individual differences.
Forming and building good working relationships is central to
achieving professional success. You will need to respect others
and accept people without prejudice if you want to get ahead in
the workplace.
19
Customer Service
Organizations are creating customer-responsive cultures to meet
the increasing needs and changing demands of their customer
bases.
20
Organizations are creating customer-responsive cultures to meet
the increasing needs and changing demands of their customer

bases. Companies are striving to understand the customer’s
needs first and then tailor the product to their requirements. In
most businesses, you will carry out some level of customer
service, whether you are dealing with external clients
(customers) or internal ones (coworkers). In doing so, you will
need to develop a customer-focused attitude and think
creatively about how to satisfy their needs.
20
People Skills
Managers and employees must have excellent people skills,
such as the ability to communicate and interact with others, in
order to work harmoniously with their colleagues.
21
Managers and employees must have excellent people skills,
such as the ability to communicate and interact with others, in
order to work harmoniously with their colleagues. Being able to
relate to other people has just as much impact on success as
your technical skills, especially when you are leading and
managing teams.
21
Innovation and Change
Organizations need to simulate innovation and change by
becoming faster and more agile than competitors.
22
Organizations need to simulate innovation and change by

becoming faster and more agile than competitors. Tangible
resources such as physical equipment are no longer the mainstay
of an organization. The organization’s most important assets are
its people, and their ability to continuously create, strategize,
innovate, and convert their ideas into quality products and
processes. Critical thinking is imperative when it comes to
innovation; you will need to question, analyze, and create to
come up with new, original ideas that will appeal to your
consumers to secure a competitive advantage.
22
Sustainability
Many organizations are striving to build a more sustainable and
responsible global marketplace by taking environmental factors
into consideration during decision-making and goal-setting.
23
Many organizations are striving to build a more sustainable and
responsible global marketplace by taking environmental factors
into consideration during decision making and goal setting.
Whatever role you play, you will need to take into account the
effects your decisions and the decisions of others may have on
the environment, your community, and the organization itself.
23
Global Ethics
Ethics are moral principles that guide our behavior.
“right” versus “wrong” moral answer to these issues.
24

Ethics are moral principles that guide our behavior. While
ethics are useful in helping us make decisions and come to
certain conclusions, they do not always give a clear answer to
each moral question. For example, complex issues such as
abortion and euthanasia have been the subject of strong debate
over many years, yet people do not agree on a “right” or
“wrong” moral answer to these issues.
By following a code of ethics, however, we can make many
decisions based on sound guiding principles.
24
Three Levels of Analysis in OB
25
Figure 1.7: The Three Main Levels of Analysis
Figure 1.7: The Three Main Levels of Analysis
25
THREE LEVELS OF ANALYSIS IN OB
Individuals
Individuals are the foundation of organizations, and the way
they work and behave makes or breaks a business.
26
Individuals are the foundation of organizations, and the way
they work and behave makes or breaks a business. The role of
managers is to integrate individuals into the organization,

nurture their skills and attributes, and balance their needs and
expectations accordingly. When managers do this successfully,
individuals will achieve high levels of job satisfaction,
motivating them to work towards attaining organizational goals.
For instance, the management at Ed Schmidt Auto, featured in
Voices of OB, strives to engage employees from all over the
company in projects they are passionate about.
26
Teams
Teams or groups exist in all organizations, large or small, and
their effective functioning is essential to the success of any
organization.
27
Teams or groups exist in all organizations, large or small, and
their effective functioning is essential to the success of any
organization. Teams are complex because they consist of many
different personalities and attitudes. Managers who understand
the dynamics of a team and the way it is structured also better
understand the underlying behaviors of individuals within the
group. A good example is the British football team “Manchester
United” whose players continually cooperate with each other in
pursuit of a common goal, in spite of well-documented
personality differences and the odd feud.
27
Organizations
Organizations provide individuals and groups with the tools and

systems to achieve objectives and goals.
28
Organizations provide individuals and groups with the tools and
systems to achieve objectives and goals. The attitudes and
behavior of employees are influenced by the way organizations
are structured.
For instance, Google’s organizational structure is centered
around employees from all disciplines working together to meet
goals and generate innovative ideas. Google employees derive
job satisfaction from a flexible working structure that provides
them the freedom to set their own goals and standards.
28
Positive OB and High-Involvement Management
Positive organizational behavior focuses on the strengths,
virtues, vitality, and resilience of individuals and organizations.
29
Drawing from a range of organizational research and theories,
scholarship on positive organizational behavior focuses on the
strengths, virtues, vitality, and resilience of individuals and
organizations. The idea is that nurturing the strengths of
individuals rather than attempting to “fix” their weaknesses is
far more beneficial to achieving organizational goals.
Employees will gain more self-confidence and feel more
positive about their skills and abilities, leading to better
performance. Managers who practice positive OB value human
capital as their most important resource.
29

POSITIVE OB AND HIGH-INVOLVEMENT MANAGEMENT
High-Involvement Management
Empower employees to make decisions.
Provide extensive training and opportunities to increase their
knowledge base.
Share important information.
Provide incentives.
30
Positive OB places the highest priority on the well-being of
employees. This style of management is closely linked with
high-involvement management, a strategy in which managers
empower employees to make decisions, provide them with
extensive training and opportunities to increase their knowledge
base, share important information, and provide incentive
compensation. Increasing employee involvement in this way is a
very democratic approach to management, giving all employees,
including those who carry out basic duties, a say in how the
work is conducted. They are then more likely to work hard, and
more willing to adapt to new processes and learn new tasks.
Empowered, satisfied employees strive to achieve
organizational goals.
30
31
Make a post by answering one of the following topics, then
response to 2 students at the end.

Please answer one of the two following topics in your answer:
A: What are the major challenges facing organizations today?
Using the information presented in Chapter 1, how can a
working knowledge of Organizational Behavior help a manager
or leader to meet these challenges? Why is it important to study
organizational behavior at the individual, teams or groups, and
organizational levels?
OR
B: Chapter 3 deals with emotions and stress. Why should
organizations be concerned with occupational stress? What can
organizations do to reduce workplace stress, and what can they
do to help employees cope with it? What effect does stress
have on performance? Is there such a thing as too little stress?
Discussion Board Posting Grading Rubric
Criteria
Excellent 20
Good 19 to 11
Average 10
Poor 9 to 0
Frequency of Posts
Makes at least 1 main posting and 2 detailed and thoughtful
responses to others’ postings.
Makes at least 1 main posting and 1 detailed and thoughtful
response or 2 responses with limited detail and thought to
others’ postings.
Makes at least 1 main posting and 1 or more limited responses
to others’ postings.
Makes no or only 1 main posting.
Evidence of having read the thread
Makes reference to others' responses.

Logic of response includes other responses.
Little evidence of having read thread.
No evidence of having read thread.
Demonstration of Understanding of Course Material
Answer demonstrates mastery of the material. Thoughts are
well integrated.
Answer demonstrates understanding of material, some lack of
integration of ideas.
Answer demonstrates some gaps in understanding of the
material, ideas are not well integrated.
Answer demonstrates considerable lack of understanding, no
integration of ideas.
Application of Course Material
Makes applications of course material to real-world content in a
manner that demonstrates mastery of the concept and situation.
manner that demonstrates knowledge of the concept and
situation.
manner that demonstrates limited knowledge of the concept and
situation.
Does not apply course material to real-world situations.
Evidence of having read the text or done applicable research
Makes reference to the text and other resources in their main
posting.
Makes reference to the text or other resources in their main
posting.
Little evidence of reference to the text or other resources in
their main posting.
No evidence of reference to text or other resources in their main
posting.
Expounding on new ideas to the thread

Ideas presented add considerably to the thread.
Ideas presented add somewhat to the thread.
Ideas presented add little to the thread.
Adds nothing to the thread.
Derek Dabish
workplace stress
COLLAPSE
Top of Form
Overall Rating:
· 1
· 2
· 3
· 4
· 5
· 1
· 2
· 3
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· 5
Organizations should always be concerned with workplace
stress as it can turn into distress. According to Corporate
Wellness Magazine, “many people face significant stress in the
workplace that it outweighs any possible benefits and even
poses a threat to their health”. Stress-related to work increases
the changes of various health problems including diabetes,
chronic back pain, and irritable bowel syndrome. It can also
add to mental health issues including anxiety, depression, and
drug use.
“Distress is characterized by high levels of stressors that have
destructive and negative effects on effort and performance”
(Neck et al, 207. Page 82). Distress can lower morale, impact
workplace behavior, and ultimately have an adverse effect on
employee physical and mental health. All of the potential
issues associated with workplace stress impact healthcare costs

and the use of sick time/FMLA.
In order to reduce the amount of work-related stress it is
important for management to identify and prevent potential
added stress to their team. Organizations can help reduce
workplace stress by using the coping techniques discussed in
chapter three, including “problem-focused coping, which aims
at reducing or eliminating stressors by attempting to understand
the problem, and seeking practical ways in which to resolve it;
and emotion-focused coping, which is an effort to try to change
a person’s emotional reaction to a stressor by using positive
language and distracting technique” (Neck et al, 207. Page 78).
Companies can also use methods and strategies such as the ones
Johnson and Johnson implemented with their wellness program,
which was proved beneficial as they saved over $250 million in
healthcare costs in a ten-year span.
I personally believe that there is no such thing as too little
stress in the workplace. In fact, companies can help employees
deal with unnecessary workplace stress by implementing
various new methods we are seeing used today with companies
like Google, Quicken loans, United shore, Apple, etc. These
companies try to make the work environment a “cool place” to
work by adding neat break rooms, game rooms, cafe’s, gyms,
and other things to help employees take breaks at work and help
them improve work-life balances. At the end of the day, it is
crucial to manage stress in the workplace as it has an adverse
effect on the health and productivity of the team and ultimately
employee output.
Works Cited
https://www.corporatewellnessmagazine.com/article/workplace-
stress-silent-killer-employee-health-productivity
Bottom of Form

Thelma Moulds
Chapter 3 Occupational Stress
COLLAPSE
Top of Form
Overall Rating:1234
· 5
Organizations should be concerned with occupational stress is
because it affects the behavior of the people working in the
organization. This can lead to poor health and absenteeism
(Neck, 2017). These things are important because if the
employees’ health suffers or they have not enough people in the
work force than the product doesn’t go out, people aren’t being
innovative, customer service lacks, and the corporation suffers.
People also want to feel that they are making a difference and
have some importance. When they are stressed out, they may
question their importance and wonder why they are working
there. This will lead to poor job performance and overall the
corporation suffers.
Things organizations can do to reduce workplace stress is make
sure their job demands aren’t overbearing. This can cause
challenge stressors and will affect the employee’s motivation
and performance. Another thing the organization can do is make
sure the environment is not too ambiguous for the employee
because this causes hindrance stressors and also affects the
employee’s motivation. Managers can help with coping
mechanisms to reduce the stress as well. There are two types of
coping: problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping.
Problem focused coping aims at reducing or eliminating stress
by attempting to understand the problem and seeking practical
ways to resolve it. Emotion-focused coping is an effort to
change a person’s emotional reaction to the stress by using
positive language and distracting techniques (Neck, 2017).
According to the Communications Workers of America
companies should also work on the conditions at the
organization. There are two job characteristics that affect the

physical and emotional well-being of employees.
Jobcontrol determines how much or how little control a worker
has over her/his job. It can be defined in terms of one's ability
to make decisions about how work is done and the ability to use
a range of skills on the job. Jobdemand determines how much or
how little production or productivity pressures there are on the
worker and the quality of the physical work environment. These
two things can affect the performance and attitudes in the
office.
There is such a thing as too little stress. This means the
employees aren’t being challenged or growing. When they are
completely comfortable and just going with the motions than
this can create boredom and laziness in the job. There is a
balance with any person that gives them enough stress that
motivates them but doesn’t burn them out. Eustress is a
moderate level of stress that has constructive and positive
effects on effort and performance (Neck, 2017). This is when
people are innovative and come up with wonderful things for
the corporation. If you never challenge people than they will
never know what they are capable of. Lepine, Podsakoff, and
Lepine say that, “Challenge stressors help people grow and
become more competent” (quick, 2016). This helps the
corporation change. Change is important because the world is
always changing and it’s important for companies to grow with
their consumers.
Works Cited:
Occupational Stress and the Workplace (2017).
In Communications Workers of America. Retrieved
from https://cwa-union.org/national-issues/health-and-
safety/health-and-safety-fact-sheets/occupational-stress-and-
workplace
Quick, J., & Henderson, D. (2016, April 29). Occupational
Stress: Preventing Suffering, Enhancing Wellbeing. In U.S.
National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health.
Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4881084/

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