Key Concepts Of Organizational Behavior

Key Concepts of Organizational Behavior

According to Albert Martin (2004), "To deny the merits of organizational behaviour research would certainly be foolish . . . . it has profoundly advanced our understanding of the world of work and it has given us valuable prompts to improve working conditions" (p. 410-420). The study of organizational behavior is essential for good management. When studying organizational behavior there are several key concepts that must be explored. These concepts include organizational culture, diversity, communication, organizational effectiveness and efficiency, and organizational learning.

Organizational Behavior

It is important to first understand the meanings and importance of organizational behavior. Learning about organizational behavior is important because it allows individuals to understand and change working conditions. According to Schermerhorn, Hunt and Osborne (2005) organizational behavior (OB) is the study of how humans as individuals and groups behave in organizations. An organization is defined as a collection of people who are all working as group to achieve a collective goal. Therefore, understanding organizational behavior allows employees to work more effectively and efficiently towards achieving the common goal.

Organizational Culture

When studying an organization's behavior, an important concept is organizational or corporate culture. Schermerhorn, Hunt and Osborne (2005) stated that an organizational culture is "the system of shared actions, values, and beliefs that develops within an organization and guides the behavior of its members" (print version 582). There are two key issues that are involved with organizational culture. External adaptation answers the question, "What needs to be done and how do we accomplish it?" Internal integration "deals with the creation of a collective identity and with finding ways of matching methods of working and living together" (Schermerhorn, Hunt & Osborne, 2005, print version 583). A good organizational culture will find a way to harmoniously incorporate external adaptation and internal integration. The best managers will find a way to reinforce a positive organizational culture and help build positive cultures where needed.

Diversity

Workforce diversity is perhaps one of the most important concepts when studying organizational behavior. According to Schermerhorn, Hunt, and Osborne (2005) workforce diversity involves "the presence of individual differences based on gender, race and ethnicity, age, able-bodiedness, and sexual orientation" (print version 25). Diversity is essential at every level within an organization. A wide variety of perspectives is needed in any organization and everyone brings something unique to the table based on his or her own learning and life experience. Gilbert and Ivancevich (2000) stated, "Diversity should be a priority because it is good in itself and because it enhances organizational performance and increases the quality of organizational life" (p. 93-107).

Discrimination in the workplace has also been linked to placing minorities in lower paying and higher-risk jobs. "Discriminatory hiring practices and patterns of job placement in the least desirable jobs, whether semiskilled or unskilled, create a likely source of health disparities among minority workers . . . . [and studies] provide compelling evidence of the link between job placement patterns and occupational disease patterns among minority workers" (Kerr, Struthers & Huynh, 2001, p. 14-21).

Communication

The act of communication involves sending information from a source to a receiver. Communication may be verbal, non-verbal, electronic, in person, or via phone. These communication channels can have a very important impact on how the receiver perceives the meaning of the message.

Effective communication occurs when the receiver understands the message as the source intended. Some channels are more effective than others. A face-to-face meeting is often more effective than an e-mail or memo. Non-verbal communication such as facial expressions and body language can add to the level of efficiency of a message. Efficient communication, however, expends the least