Organizational Behavior
Concepts
Major Challenges of OB
2
OB Challenges
OB Challenges
Changed employee
expectations
Changing demographics
Of workforce
Globalization
Technology
transformation
Ethical Behaviour
Managing diversity
I - Managing Diversity
Managing diversity is a philosophy about how
differences among individuals are accepted and
respected and how they are made to work in
cohesion.
Objectives:
- Access to a changing marketplace
- Large scale business transformation
- Superior customer service
- Workforce empowerment
- Total quality
4
Dimensions of Diversity
1. Primary Dimensions
Age, Gender, Mental & Physical abilities
2. Secondary Dimensions
Education, Culture, Geographic location, Work
experience, Religion, Language, Family status,
Organizational role and level.
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Benefits and problems of Diversity
Benefits
• Attracts retains the best
human talents
• Promotes creativity and
innovation
• Results in better
problem solving
• Enhances
organizational flexibility
Problems
• Resistance to change
• Lack of cohesiveness
• Communication
problems
• Interpersonal conflict
• Slow decision making
6
Managing Diversity
• Increasing Awareness
• Increasing Diversity Skills
7
Barriers to Accepting Diversity
1. Prejudice – negative attitude towards a person to
accept as a member of the group
2. Ethnocentrism – a tendency to regard one’s own group,
culture or nation as superior to others
3. Stereotypes – set of beliefs about a group that is
applied universally to all members of that group
4. Discrimination
5. Harassment
6. Backlash – negative reaction to the gaining of power
and influence by members of previously under
represented groups 8
II – Changing Demographics of Workforce
• Dual career couples
III – Changed Employee Expectations
• Empowerment and quality of status, Strategic
Business Partner
9
IV - Globalization
Its impact on People Management.
The mgt. requires to cope with problems of
unfamiliar laws, languages, practices, competitors,
attitudes, management styles, work ethics, etc.
10
V – Technology Transformation
- Automation
- Information technology (IT)
- Job design
- Rationalization
- Downsizing/Right sizing/Smart sizing
- Virtual offices
Automation & IT enables an organization
to become leaner.
11
VI – Promoting Ethical Behaviour
Ethics refers to a system of moral principles – a
sense of right and wrong, the goodness and
badness of actions, and the motives and
consequences of these actions. As applied to
organizations, ethics is the study of good and
evil, right and wrong, and just and unjust
actions of managers.
12
Values & Behaviour
- Values affect behaviour because they affect
employees views of what constitutes right and wrong.
- The diversity of the work force makes it imperative
that the managers understand difference in values.
Understanding values is useful in the following ways:
1. Values serve as foundation for attitudes
2. Individuals hold their own interpretations of right and
wrong
3. Values affect both attitude and behaviour
4. Re-examining the established values poses challenges
for the modern management (the value-based
management)
13

Organizational Behavior Concepts and Challenges

  • 1.
  • 2.
  • 3.
    OB Challenges OB Challenges Changedemployee expectations Changing demographics Of workforce Globalization Technology transformation Ethical Behaviour Managing diversity
  • 4.
    I - ManagingDiversity Managing diversity is a philosophy about how differences among individuals are accepted and respected and how they are made to work in cohesion. Objectives: - Access to a changing marketplace - Large scale business transformation - Superior customer service - Workforce empowerment - Total quality 4
  • 5.
    Dimensions of Diversity 1.Primary Dimensions Age, Gender, Mental & Physical abilities 2. Secondary Dimensions Education, Culture, Geographic location, Work experience, Religion, Language, Family status, Organizational role and level. 5
  • 6.
    Benefits and problemsof Diversity Benefits • Attracts retains the best human talents • Promotes creativity and innovation • Results in better problem solving • Enhances organizational flexibility Problems • Resistance to change • Lack of cohesiveness • Communication problems • Interpersonal conflict • Slow decision making 6
  • 7.
    Managing Diversity • IncreasingAwareness • Increasing Diversity Skills 7
  • 8.
    Barriers to AcceptingDiversity 1. Prejudice – negative attitude towards a person to accept as a member of the group 2. Ethnocentrism – a tendency to regard one’s own group, culture or nation as superior to others 3. Stereotypes – set of beliefs about a group that is applied universally to all members of that group 4. Discrimination 5. Harassment 6. Backlash – negative reaction to the gaining of power and influence by members of previously under represented groups 8
  • 9.
    II – ChangingDemographics of Workforce • Dual career couples III – Changed Employee Expectations • Empowerment and quality of status, Strategic Business Partner 9
  • 10.
    IV - Globalization Itsimpact on People Management. The mgt. requires to cope with problems of unfamiliar laws, languages, practices, competitors, attitudes, management styles, work ethics, etc. 10
  • 11.
    V – TechnologyTransformation - Automation - Information technology (IT) - Job design - Rationalization - Downsizing/Right sizing/Smart sizing - Virtual offices Automation & IT enables an organization to become leaner. 11
  • 12.
    VI – PromotingEthical Behaviour Ethics refers to a system of moral principles – a sense of right and wrong, the goodness and badness of actions, and the motives and consequences of these actions. As applied to organizations, ethics is the study of good and evil, right and wrong, and just and unjust actions of managers. 12
  • 13.
    Values & Behaviour -Values affect behaviour because they affect employees views of what constitutes right and wrong. - The diversity of the work force makes it imperative that the managers understand difference in values. Understanding values is useful in the following ways: 1. Values serve as foundation for attitudes 2. Individuals hold their own interpretations of right and wrong 3. Values affect both attitude and behaviour 4. Re-examining the established values poses challenges for the modern management (the value-based management) 13