This document provides an overview of organizational behavior concepts including: 1. Definitions of organizational behavior focusing on understanding individual and group behavior to improve organizational effectiveness. 2. Frederick Taylor's scientific management approach which studied work efficiency and developed techniques like standardized jobs and piece-rate pay. 3. The contingency approach which recognizes there is no universal solution and behaviors depend on situational factors like culture and technology. 4. Key aspects of communication including encoding messages, decoding, potential for distortion, and the importance of feedback.

1. ASSIGNMENT
DRIVE SPRING DRIVE 2015
PROGRAM BACHELOR OF BUSINESSADMINISTRATION (BBA)
SEMESTER I
SUBJECT CODE & NAME BBA102-Organizational Behavior
BK ID B1498
CREDIT 4
MARKS 60
1. Meaningof organizational Behavior:
A numberof authorsdefine organizational behaviorasan importantareaof studyto understand
behavior of people at work. Various authors have defined organizational behavior as follows:
“OB can be defined as the understanding, prediction and management of human behavior in
organizations”.
Luthans,2000
“Organizationalbehaviorisa field of study that investigates the impact that individuals, groups
and structurehaveon behaviorwithin organizationsforthepurposeof applying such knowledge toward
improving an organization’s effectiveness.”
Robbins,1998
These definitions focus on the importance of the study of organizational behavior to
understand, predict and manage individuals and group in the organization for its success.
Concept of scientific management approach:
Alsorecognized as the father of scientific management, Frederick W. Taylor made the earliest
effort in the development of organizational behavior. He had started his career as laborer and
eventuallyreachedthe position of chief engineer. He made three distinct contributions in the field of
humanresource managementandorganizationalbehavior.First,he wasa very creative engineer in the
spirit of Thomas edition. The principle of scientific management was one of the forty patent
contributions he had made during his life time. Second, he was the inventor of the concept of
organizationandmanagement –the integration of methods, policies, planning and people. Finally, he
used to speak eloquently for labor management co-operation in different forums. He studied
managementfromthe efficiencyandproductivitypointof view and argued that managers are unaware
of soldiering employees working at a place slower than what they really can do using their capability.

2. Thus,to minimize the effectsof soldiering,he developedseveral scientificmanagementtechniquessuch
as standardizedmethodtoperform each job and piece rate compensation system. In other words, the
earlier attempts in the development of organizational behavior were done by Taylor by developing
scientific management techniques to answer the questions: what could be done to get people to do
more work inlesstime?These techniques are well recognized and have become foundations for mass
production and job specialization even in or modern organizations.
The main areas of Taylor’s contributions include: labor management co-operation, higher
output,improvedquality,lowercosts,cleartasksandgoals,feedback,trainingmutual helpandsupport,
stress reduction and careful selection development of people. He stated that weakness of managers
could result in poor employee performance and thus less output. He believed that to enhance
participationatworkfeedbackof workdone is necessary. Moreover, he argued that raising output and
cuttingcosts wouldmake possible higherwagesfor the workers and that is foundation of co-operation
between labor and management which is only possible with the mental revolution on the parts of
employers and employees. He also believed that money is strong motivating factor in the job. In fact,
Taylor was a man full of courage and enthusiasm that did not only look at “what it is” but also
attempted to fill the missing gap between “what it is” and “what ought to be”. In fact, these
contributionmade byTayloreventuallypavedthe wayforthe development of organizational behavior.
Concept of contingency approach:
In earlydays,managementtheoryandpractice were takenasthe universal approach in dealing
withall typesof organizational problems. It was thought that there is the “best” approach of managing
people and organizations. Contrary to that assumption, researchers of organizational behavior are
seekingthe waystomeetthe needsof differentmanagementsituations.Inspite of looking for the best
approach theyare nowconvincedthat“a particularactionmay have differentconsequencesindifferent
situation; that no single solution is best in all circumstances.” Anyway it is rather difficult to make a
universal conclusion for the application of behavioral science practice in our organizations. Different
organizations have different situations and thus behavioral outcomes of individuals working in these
organizationsdependonthese situations.Realizing thisfact,the fieldof organizational behavior shifted
from universal approach to the contingency approach in 1960s. The main thrust of contingency
approach isthat there isno one best approaches tosolve behavioral problems.Oncontrary,the solution
of suchproblemsdependsonthe elementsof the situationsuchasnational culture,workforce diversity
and technology.

3. 2. Concept of emotion:
An emotion is a mental and psychological state associated with a wide variety of feelings,
thoughtsandbehaviors.Itisa prime determinantof the sense of subjective well-being and appears to
playa central role in manyhumanactivities.Itisdefinedasthe feelingsexperienced towards an object,
person or events that creates a state of readiness. At the same time of anxiety, anger or fear, we will
face differentemotional episodes that are communicating to make us pay attention towards personal
goals. These emotional episodes are recognized on our faces in the form of smile, anger, joy, etc.
The characteristics of emotions are as under:
1. Every emotionisfollowedbyphysiological change such as rapid heartbeat, change in the pulse rate,
change in blood pressure, and change in the facial expression, voice and body movements.
2. Emotion is accompanied by a feeling of pleasantness and unpleasantness, following physiological
changes.
3. Emotionsare subjective and purely individual. The same situation may evoke different emotions in
different individuals.
4. Emotion is a tri-polar response having affective, cognitive and conative aspects.
5. Emotions have wide range and are not restricted to a particular age period. They occur to children,
adolescents and adults.
6. Emotionsrise abruptly.The passingawayof emotionsis,howeverslow,leaving behind an emotional
state which lasts for some time.
7. Emotionshave swings.One emotionmaygive rise to another emotion and the two may get merged.
8. An emotion mostly raises when the organism faces a difficult j situation or when the basic need is
challengedorisnotsatisfied.Infact,a situation,real orimaginary, isalwaysconnectedwithanemotion.
Children's emotions are not as natural and long-standing as those of adults. Their emotions are
characterizedbysuddenandintense outburst, are transitory, more frequent and are easily expressed.

4. 3. “Communication involves more than just linear information flows; it is a dynamic, interpersonal process
that involves behavioral exchanges”.
Luthans,2000
“Communication is the process by which a person, group, or organization transmits some type of
information to another person, group or organization.”
Greenberg andBaron, 1999
In the process of communication people enter into behavioral exchanges so that they influence each
other and communicate information to pursue their goals in the organization.
The process of communication includes sending and receiving symbols with attached meaning. It
starts when an employee has some ideas and wants to transmit to others. The sender wants to send
ideainthe form that isunderstandableforthe receiver.Encodingrefers to translating sender’s ideas in
a form that can be easily recognized by the receiver either in written or spoken language. Once the
receiver receives the message, he or she tries to interpret it in the form of attached meaning of the
sending. In other words, he or she tries to convert the message into the sender’s original ideas. This
processiscalleddecoding.The processof decodingmightbe affectedbythe receiver’spastexperience,
mental modelsorfromothersituational factors.Finally,forthe completionof acommunicationprocess,
receiverscangive feedbackbyreturninganother message to the sender. This will confirm that there is
an end of a communication process.
In the communicationprocess,bothcodinganddecodingshouldbe inaveryclear form, otherwise there
will be chancesof distortionintransmittinginformation.In the communication process, noise refers to
any disturbance that causes disruption in the understanding of information.
Sender
(Meaning
Intent)
MessageEncode Decode
Receiver
(Meaning
Interpret)
Feedback

5. 4. Many argue that true conflict management can occur only when the underlying substantive and
emotional reasonsforthe conflictare clearlystudiedandidentified,makingiteasyfor conflictingparties
to win.The sourcesof conflictlead toperceptionsand emotionsamongthe conflicting parties and they
enter into any of the five situations in the process of managing conflict.
a. Collaborating (win – win conflict management strategy): It occurs when conflicting parties
show a high level of cooperation and assertiveness to solve problems. In the process of
collaborationtheywill trytofinda mutuallybeneficial solution forbothpartiesthroughsharing
of information and problem solving. Collaboration and problem solving are preferred to
achieve true conflict resolution when time and cost permits.
b. Avoiding(Lose– lose conflictmanagementstrategy):It occurs when conflicting parties show a
low level of cooperation and assertiveness to solve problems. Using this process of conflict
management, no party will get anything out of its negotiation. Interaction is relatively
unimportanttoeitherparty’s goals when the goals are incompatible. Avoidance may be used
whenan issue is trivial and more important issues are pressing, or when people need to cool
down temporarily and regain perspective.
c. Competing (Win – lose conflict management strategy): It occurs when a conflicting party tries
to achieve itsdesire atthe expenseandtothe exclusion of the otherparty’sdesires. This is the
situation of high degree of assertiveness and a low degree of cooperativeness. The win-lose
strategymay be used when quick and decisive action is vital or when unpopular actions must
be taken.
d. Accommodating: It occurs whena partyshowsitshighlevel of cooperativenesstothe nextand
tries to find only positive aspects to resolve the problems. The party will be looking for
similaritiesandareaof agreement.Usingthisapproachone party give preference of the other
party with little intention to its own interest. Accommodation may be used when issues are
more important to others than to oneself or when we want to build credits for use of later
issues.
e. Compromising:It occurs wheneachpartyin conflictwill be readytogive upsomethingof value
to other.Asa result,noone getsitsfull desire. In such a situation interactions are moderately
important to goal attainment and the goals are neither fully compatible nor completely
incompatible.Compromisingstrategy maybe usedfortemporarysettlementof complex issues
or to arrive at expedient solutions when time is limited.

6. 5. “A group is a collection of individuals(a) who have significantly interdependent relations with each
other, (b) who perceive themselves as a group by reliably distinguishing members from non-
members,(c) whosegroup identityis recognized by non-members,(d)who havedifferentiated roles
in the group,which area function of expectationsfromthemselves,othergroup membersand non-
group members and (e) who, as group members acting alone or in concert, have significantly
interdependent relations with other groups.”
Alderfer, 1977
The main characteristics of the formal groups include:
1. Interdependentrelations: Membersof groupsare interdependentinthe sense thatthey share
common concerns, which are imposed internally or initiated externally. However,
interdependency does not necessarily imply face to face interaction of group members with
each other.
2. Self-perceptionasa group: Group membersperceive themselvesasgroup members and try to
distinguishthemfromthe non-members. They use symbols and codes that are not familiar to
non-members.
3. Recognition as being a group: Non-members should recognize that there is a group in which
they are not members. Then only groups can work formally in an organizational setting and
interact with external environment.
4. Role differentiation: A group cannot perform effectively with similar roles of each member.
The role of individual groupmembers,non-membersandothergroupwill vary.Therefore,they
can establish relations with other members, non-members, environment and groups.
5. Interdependent relations with other groups: Members in groups working alone or in concert
are mutuallyinterdependentinanorganizational setting.Thisisafundamental characteristicof
a group where membersinteractverballyandnon-verballywithaview toaffecting each other.
The main basisforinterdependency and interaction is goals that each member strives hard to
achieve.
6. Stability: The next characteristic of a group is stability. Very frequently changing numbers of
people or group members will not be an effective group. Although there is a need for some
degree of flexibility among the group members to work in a group, it should be such that it
does not damage group stability.
Formal groups are more defined in order to control activities of their members in a
coordinated way. The rules and work procedures are defined and members have to follow

7. these rules and procedures in order to achieve their goals. There are two types of formal
groups.
i. Command group: This is a permanent type of group in which members are reporting
functionally in the manner shown in an organizational chart. In this form of group
people inauthoritycangive legitimate orders. The standing committee is an example
of command group.
ii. Task group: Thisis createdtoundertake a certaintask. With the completion of a given
task the group will be dissolved. Thus, this group is formed around task. Unlike
command group, in this group an expert of special interest may be invited to work in
some specific field of experience. Ad hoc committee and task forces are example of
task groups in organizations.
6. Situational leadershipmodel is invented by Paul Hersey and Kenneth H. Blanchard. They argue
that leadershipdependson(a) the degree of direction and instruction that a leader gives to his
or her subordinates (task behavior), (b) the degree of socio-economic support that he or she
provides(supportive behavior), (c) the degree of readiness that followers show in performing
certain tasks and functions. Whereas task behaviors include telling people what to do, how to
do it,whento do it, where to do it and who is to do it, relationship behavior refers to two way
communication through listening, facilitating and supportive behaviors of leaders. Thus,
according to this theory, effective leadership varies with “readiness” of followers. It indicates
that if and when followers have self- motivation and commitment to follow their leaders are
capable of workinginthe givenschedulesandtasksthenonlywill effective leadership emerge.
In thisleadershipstyle itisdescribedintermof degree of taskandsupportive behaviorrequired
in indifferent situations: (a) Telling (high supportive and task behavior) (b) Selling (moderate
supportiveand taskbehavior) (c) Participating(high supportivebehaviorand low task behavior)
(d) Delegating (low supportive and task behavior).
Path – Goal theory of leadership is based on the early work of Martin Evans who
explained howthe leader’sbehaviorinfluencesemployee perception of expectancies between
employeeeffortandperformance.Lateronworkof Evans was developedby RobertHouse,who
invented the contingency theory of leadership. The theory suggests that an effective leader
clarifiesthe pathsthatwill ultimatelyleadtodesiredrewards.The theory states that the leader

8. motivatessubordinatesaslongasthe leader’sbehaviorsinfluence theirexpectancies. Path goal
theory of leadership is based on expectancy theory of motivation. It includes four leadership
styles (a) Directive leadership (b) Supportive leadership (c) Participative leadership (d)
achievement oriented and different situational contingencies. Situational factor includes
employeeand environment contingencies. These contingencies relate leadership behavior to
the subordinate’smotivationtoperform.Thistheoryprovidesabasicframework for the effects
of leader’s behaviors and situational factors on subordinate attitudes and behaviors in
organizational settings.Inotherwords,leadership behavior is determined by the situation and
that will have effects on subordinate attitude to work and to take job responsibilities.