An introduction to organizational behavior v1

An Introduction to
Organizational Behavior
v. 1.0


This is the book An Introduction to Organizational Behavior (v. 1.0).
This book is licensed under a Creative Commons by-nc-sa 3.0 ( />3.0/) license. See the license for more details, but that basically means you can share this book as long as you
credit the author (but see below), don't make money from it, and do make it available to everyone else under the
same terms.
This book was accessible as of December 29, 2012, and it was downloaded then by Andy Schmitz
() in an effort to preserve the availability of this book.
Normally, the author and publisher would be credited here. However, the publisher has asked for the customary
Creative Commons attribution to the original publisher, authors, title, and book URI to be removed. Additionally,
per the publisher's request, their name has been removed in some passages. More information is available on this
project's attribution page ( />For more information on the source of this book, or why it is available for free, please see the project's home page
( You can browse or download additional books there.

ii


Table of Contents
About the Authors................................................................................................................. 1
Acknowledgments................................................................................................................. 3
Dedications ............................................................................................................................. 6
Preface..................................................................................................................................... 7
Chapter 1: Organizational Behavior ............................................................................... 10
Understanding Organizational Behavior................................................................................................... 13
Understanding Your Learning Style .......................................................................................................... 23
Understanding How OB Research Is Done ................................................................................................. 27
Trends and Changes..................................................................................................................................... 33
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................... 42

Exercises........................................................................................................................................................ 43

Chapter 2: Managing Demographic and Cultural Diversity ...................................... 44
Demographic Diversity................................................................................................................................ 49
Cultural Diversity......................................................................................................................................... 73
The Role of Ethics and National Culture.................................................................................................... 85
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................... 89
Exercises........................................................................................................................................................ 90

Chapter 3: Understanding People at Work: Individual Differences and
Perception ............................................................................................................................ 92
The Interactionist Perspective: The Role of Fit ........................................................................................ 96
Individual Differences: Values and Personality........................................................................................ 99
Perception................................................................................................................................................... 120
The Role of Ethics and National Culture.................................................................................................. 132
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 137
Exercises...................................................................................................................................................... 138

Chapter 4: Individual Attitudes and Behaviors .......................................................... 141
Work Attitudes ........................................................................................................................................... 144
Work Behaviors .......................................................................................................................................... 156
The Role of Ethics and National Culture.................................................................................................. 172
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 175
Exercises...................................................................................................................................................... 176

iii


Chapter 5: Theories of Motivation ................................................................................ 179
Need-Based Theories of Motivation......................................................................................................... 184

Process-Based Theories ............................................................................................................................. 194
The Role of Ethics and National Culture.................................................................................................. 212
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 215
Exercises...................................................................................................................................................... 216

Chapter 6: Designing a Motivating Work Environment ........................................... 220
Motivating Employees Through Job Design ............................................................................................ 223
Motivating Employees Through Goal Setting ......................................................................................... 237
Motivating Employees Through Performance Appraisals..................................................................... 246
Motivating Employees Through Performance Incentives ..................................................................... 255
The Role of Ethics and National Culture.................................................................................................. 262
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 266
Exercises...................................................................................................................................................... 267

Chapter 7: Managing Stress and Emotions.................................................................. 269
What Is Stress? ........................................................................................................................................... 273
Avoiding and Managing Stress ................................................................................................................. 289
What Are Emotions? .................................................................................................................................. 301
Emotions at Work....................................................................................................................................... 306
The Role of Ethics and National Culture.................................................................................................. 314
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 317
Exercises...................................................................................................................................................... 318

Chapter 8: Communication ............................................................................................. 322
Understanding Communication ............................................................................................................... 325
Communication Barriers ........................................................................................................................... 330
Different Types of Communication and Channels.................................................................................. 347
The Role of Ethics and National Culture.................................................................................................. 367
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 372
Exercises...................................................................................................................................................... 373

Chapter 9: Managing Groups and Teams ..................................................................... 377
Group Dynamics ......................................................................................................................................... 381
Understanding Team Design Characteristics.......................................................................................... 394
Management of Teams .............................................................................................................................. 409
Barriers to Effective Teams....................................................................................................................... 416
The Role of Ethics and National Culture.................................................................................................. 418
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 421
Exercises...................................................................................................................................................... 422

iv


Chapter 10: Conflict and Negotiations ......................................................................... 423
Understanding Conflict ............................................................................................................................. 427
Causes and Outcomes of Conflict.............................................................................................................. 433
Conflict Management ................................................................................................................................ 439
Negotiations................................................................................................................................................ 447
The Role of Ethics and National Culture.................................................................................................. 464
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 467
Exercises...................................................................................................................................................... 468

Chapter 11: Making Decisions ........................................................................................ 472
Understanding Decision Making .............................................................................................................. 475
Faulty Decision Making ............................................................................................................................. 490
Decision Making in Groups ....................................................................................................................... 495
The Role of Ethics and National Culture.................................................................................................. 504
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 507
Exercises...................................................................................................................................................... 508

Chapter 12: Leading People Within Organizations .................................................... 514
Who Is a Leader? Trait Approaches to Leadership ................................................................................. 518
What Do Leaders Do? Behavioral Approaches to Leadership................................................................ 525
What Is the Role of the Context? Contingency Approaches to Leadership ......................................... 530
What’s New? Contemporary Approaches to Leadership ....................................................................... 539
The Role of Ethics and National Culture.................................................................................................. 557
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 562
Exercises...................................................................................................................................................... 563

Chapter 13: Power and Politics ...................................................................................... 566
The Basics of Power ................................................................................................................................... 570
The Power to Influence ............................................................................................................................. 577
Organizational Politics .............................................................................................................................. 594
Understanding Social Networks ............................................................................................................... 601
The Role of Ethics and National Culture.................................................................................................. 605
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 609
Exercises...................................................................................................................................................... 610

Chapter 14: Organizational Structure and Change ................................................... 618
Organizational Structure .......................................................................................................................... 622
Organizational Change .............................................................................................................................. 635
The Role of Ethics and National Culture.................................................................................................. 655
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 658
Exercises...................................................................................................................................................... 659

v


Chapter 15: Organizational Culture .............................................................................. 661
Understanding Organizational Culture ................................................................................................... 664

Characteristics of Organizational Culture............................................................................................... 669
Creating and Maintaining Organizational Culture................................................................................. 681
Creating Culture Change ........................................................................................................................... 701
The Role of Ethics and National Culture.................................................................................................. 706
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 709
Exercises...................................................................................................................................................... 710

vi


About the Authors
Talya Bauer
Talya Bauer (Ph.D., 1994, Purdue University) is the Gerry
and Marilyn Cameron Professor of Management at
Portland State University. Dr. Bauer is an awardwinning teacher who specializes in teaching
organizational behavior, management, power and
influence, and negotiations, as well as training and
development at the graduate and undergraduate level.
She conducts research about relationships at work.
More specifically, she works in the areas of leadership,
selection, and new employee onboarding, which has
resulted in dozens of journal publications. She has acted
as a consultant for a variety of government, Fortune
1000, and start-up organizations. Dr. Bauer is involved
in professional organizations and conferences at the national level, such as serving
on the Human Resource Management Executive Committee of the Academy of
Management and SIOP Program Chair and member-at-large for SIOP. She is the
editor of Journal of Management and is on the editorial boards for the Journal of
Applied Psychology and Industrial and Organizational Psychology: Perspectives on Science
and Practices, was recognized as one of the most published authors of the 1990s, and

is a Fellow of SIOP and APS.

Berrin Erdogan
Berrin Erdogan (Ph.D., 2002, University of Illinois at
Chicago) is the Express Employment Professionals
Endowed Professor at Portland State University. Dr.
Erdogan is an award-winning teacher who teaches
management, organizational behavior, and human
resources management. Her research interests focus on
individual attachment to organizations through
fairness, leader-subordinate relations, contextual
factors such as organizational culture, and personorganization fit. Her work has been published in
journals such as Academy of Management Journal, Journal
of Applied Psychology, and Personnel Psychology. She has
conducted managerial seminars on the topics of

1


About the Authors

motivation, organizational justice, performance appraisals, and training and
development, and has worked as a corporate trainer. She serves on the editorial
boards of Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Management, Journal of Organizational
Behavior, and Personnel Psychology.

2


Acknowledgments

We want to thank Margaret Lannamann and Brett Guidry for doing such a great job
keeping all the balls in the air, and Jeff Shelstad and Eric Frank for having the vision
and persistence to bring Unnamed Publisher into being, and their faith in us as
among the first Unnamed Publisher authors. Many thanks to Andrea Meyer, Sharon
Koch, Pamela Tierney, Dean Scott Dawson, and Portland State University for
supporting our work.

We would also like to thank the following colleagues whose comprehensive
feedback and suggestions for improving the material helped make this a better text:

Cheryl Adkins, Longwood University
Sid Barsuk, Governors State University
Carrie Blair, College of Charleston
Pamela Buckle Henning, Adelphi University
Claudia Cogliser, Texas Tech
Leslie Connell, University of Central Florida
Donald Dahlin, The University of South Dakota
Deborah Good, University of Pittsburgh
Gideon Falk, Purdue University, Calumet
David Futrell, Butler University
Bruce Gillies, California Lutheran University

3


Acknowledgments

Michael Hadani, Long Island University, CW Post Campus
Jeff Haldeman, Webster University
Kathy Harris, Northwestern Oklahoma State University

Kelly Kilcrease, University of New Hampshire, Manchester
Antoinette S. Knechtges, Eastern Michigan University
Michael Komos, Benedictine University
Damian Lonsdale, University of South Dakota
Don McCormick, California State University, Northridge
Janet Moen, The University of North Dakota
Lorrie Mowry, McCook Community College
Peter Nowak, Boston College, Boston University, Suffolk University
Samuel Rabinowitz, Rutgers University
Gary Renz, Webster University
Brenda Riddick, California State University, Dominguez Hills
Laura Riolli, California State University, Sacramento
Mark Schwiesow, Marquette University
Leslie Shore, Metropolitan State University
Valarie Spiser-Albert, University of Texas at San Antonio

4


Acknowledgments

Christy Weer, Salisbury University
Marilyn Wesner, George Washington University
Jim Woodrum, University of Wisconsin-Madison

The authors also appreciate the efforts of those instructors who have contributed to
the project with their work on supplementary materials. Deborah Good from the
University of Pittsburgh developed the Student Quizzes and the Test Item File, and
Frank Markham from Mesa State College, along with his wife Marylin, created the
PowerPoint slide presentation.

In addition, two instructors assisted the development of this material by using it in
their classrooms. Their input, along with their students’ feedback, has provided us
with valuable feedback and confirmation that the material is effective in the
classroom:

Pamela Henning, Adelphi University School of Business
Jim Woodrum, University of Wisconsin School of Business

The cadre of copy editors, graphics designers, and technical designers involved in
this first-of-its-kind global publishing project also garner our heartfelt thanks.
Finally, this book would not have the incredible value and meaning it does without
the support and interest of the faculty and students who have commented on early
iterations, and will serve to make this ‘their book’ in the many years to come.

5


Dedications
Talya Bauer
This book is dedicated to Jo Ann and Frank Bauer, who fueled my desire to learn,
read, and write and to my husband, Horst, and our children, Nicholas and
Alexander, who are carrying on the tradition.

Berrin Erdogan
This book is dedicated to my parents, Ilhan and Fulda Erdogan, who were my role
models and first introduction to life in academia. I also dedicate this book to my
husband, Emre, and our son, Devin, for their love and support.

6

Preface
To love what you do and feel that it matters—how could anything be more fun?
- Katherine Graham
This quote sums up how we feel about teaching. What could be better than
teaching? It is fun, at times exciting, and it really matters. And one of the best
courses in the world to teach is Organizational Behavior. Together we have been
teaching for over twenty-nine years and have taught thousands of students at the
undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels. Our teaching styles are different, but
we share some common values when it comes to teaching, including the beliefs
that:
•
•
•
•
•

Organizational Behavior matters
Evidence-based research is the foundation of Organizational Behavior
Different students learn in different ways
There is no substitute for hands-on learning
Learning the language of OB helps you be more effective in the
workplace
• Technology can greatly enhance learning
• Flexibility in teaching delivery allows for student success

Not “Just Another” Textbook
When we thought about writing a textbook, we knew we didn’t want to write “just
another” OB book. Enter Unnamed Publisher. Their model solves many of the

common challenges faculty and students face when it comes to textbooks. Here are
a few that have always bothered us and that Flat World has solved:
• “I had to buy the whole book, but my teacher didn’t use the XYZ chapter.”
This isn’t a problem with our book because faculty can rearrange
chapters as well as add and delete them.
• “Textbooks are too expensive!” Textbooks have traditionally been very
expensive and the business model of traditional publishing firms has
been a huge part of those costs. With our book, students get to choose
how to read the material in a number of inexpensive formats ranging
from online viewing, black-and-white or color books, audio chapters,
or printable PDFs.

7


Preface

• “New editions come out too quickly and don’t really change.” The reason
that new editions come out is because used books don’t make money
for the publishers, but new ones do. With our book, you can change
editions when you want and when you think enough is different to
warrant the change.
Our journey in creating this book has been a long one. After we wrote the first draft
of this book, each chapter went through multiple reviews and revisions, as well as
beta tests with real students before this textbook made its way to you. A truly
virtual team of authors, copy editors, managing editors, graphic designers,
technology gurus, and publishing experts worked together to create something that
has never been done before.

What Will You See?

Our book emphasizes active learning, meaningful examples, and tools you can use today
or put into your OB Toolbox for the years to come. How did we do this?
• We wrote opening cases that bring the topics to life.
• We included learning objectives, key takeaways, and discussion
questions for every section of each chapter.
• We created OB Toolboxes with information you can use today.
• We wrote a section on cross-cultural implications for every chapter.
• We also wrote a section on ethical implications for every chapter.
• We included original ethical dilemmas, individual exercises, and group
exercises for every chapter.
• For faculty, we have comprehensive PowerPoint slides, a rich test
bank, and an extensive author-written Instructor’s Manual to enrich
teaching.

How Are Instructors Supported?
• A summary of IdeaCasts listed at the beginning of the manual
• Discussion questions for the opening cases
• Answers to the discussion questions throughout the book
• End-of-chapter materials
◦ Ethical dilemmas
◦ Individual exercises
◦ Group exercises
• Solutions to the end-of-chapter materials

8


Preface

• Bonus material

• Further reading suggestions
So welcome to the textbook revolution—we are happy to have you on the Bauer
and Erdogan’s Organizational Behavior team! Given that Organizational Behavior is an
important management course, our objective in developing this material was to
provide students and instructors with a solid and comprehensive foundation on
Organizational Behavior that is accessible and fun. Each of the fifteen chapters is
comprehensive but succinct, and action-oriented whether you are just starting out
in the world of work or if you are an experienced manager. Moreover, the book and
supplements have been written in a direct and active style that we hope students
and instructors find both readily accessible and relevant.

Thank You for Joining the Revolution
In reading Bauer and Erdogan, you are quietly joining the revolution that is
otherwise known as Unnamed Publisher, our partner and publisher. For this we
thank you. The people at Unnamed Publisher and your author team share a
common vision about the future of management education that is based on powerful
but fun and simple-to-use teaching and learning tools. Moreover, Unnamed Publisher
gives you—you the student and you the instructor—the power to choose. Our fifteen
chapters are written using a “modular” format with self-contained sections that can
be reorganized, deleted, “added to,” and even edited at the sentence level. Using
our build-a-book platform, you can easily customize your book to suit your needs
and those of your students.
Only with Unnamed Publisher learning platforms do you have the power to choose
what your Organizational Behavior book looks like, when and how you access your
Organizational Behavior material, what you use and don’t use, when it will be
changed, how much you pay for it, and what other study vehicles you leverage.
These innovative study vehicles range from book podcasts, flash cards, and peer
discussion groups organized in social network formats. Nowhere on the planet can
this combination of user-friendliness, user choice, and leading edge technologies be
found for business education and learning.

We hope you find Organizational Behavior to be informative, accessible, and fun!

9


Chapter 1
Organizational Behavior
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After reading this chapter, you should be able to understand and articulate
answers to the following questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

What is organizational behavior (OB)?
Why does organizational behavior matter?
How can I maximize my learning in this course?
What research methods are used to study organizational behavior?
What challenges and opportunities exist for OB?

10


Chapter 1 Organizational Behavior

Employees Come First at Wegmans
Figure 1.1

This Wegmans is located in Germantown, Maryland.
Source: />
Ever since Fortune magazine created its list of the 100 Best Companies to Work
For, Wegmans has consistently remained within its ranks. In 2007, Wegmans
was given the Food Network’s award as the nation’s top supermarket. Wegmans
is a thriving grocery store chain based in Rochester, New York, that grew to 71
stores across Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia by
2008. Wegmans is a family-run business. Daniel Wegman, the current CEO, is
the grandson of the company’s cofounder. Daniel’s daughter Colleen Wegman is
president of the company. The Fortune magazine ranking came as a surprise to
many in the grocery industry, as Wegmans is characterized by low profit
margins, low-paying and tedious jobs, and demanding customer interactions.
There are many reasons that Wegmans has such loyal workers and a turnover
rate of only 8% for their 35,000 employees (compared to the industry average,
which is closer to 50%). They utilize job sharing and a compressed workweek
and also offer telecommuting for some employees. Ultimately, Wegmans
created an environment that shows employees they matter. The company
motto is “Employees first. Customers second” is based on the belief that when
employees feel cared for, they will in turn show concern for the customers they

11


Chapter 1 Organizational Behavior

serve. In response to the 2008 ranking as the third best company in the United
States to work for, CEO Danny Wegman said, “Every one of our employees and
customers should stand up and take a bow, because together they make
Wegmans a special place.”
Wegmans has also consistently brought innovations to a fairly traditional

industry. For example, Wegmans launched a Web site for its stores in 1996 with
specifics on health and recipes and other helpful information for its customers.
Many have called the experience at Wegmans “Food Theater.” With sales of
organic foods in the United States soaring to $17 billion, Wegmans
supermarkets started its own 50-acre organic research farm. Its goal is to
develop best practices in terms of health and efficiency and to share those
practices with the hundreds of farmers that supply their stores with fresh fruits
and vegetables.
Wegmans is demonstrating that being both socially and environmentally
responsible can increase employee loyalty, growth, and profits, creating a
win–win situation for the organization, important stakeholders such as
employees and customers, and the communities where they are located.
Sources: Based on information contained in Ezzedeen, S. R., Hyde, C. M., &
Laurin, K. R. (2006). Is strategic human resource management socially
responsible? The case of Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. Employee Responsibility and
Rights Journal, 18, 295–307; Niedt, B. (2008, January 22). Wegmans no. 3 on
Fortune’s “Best companies to work for” list. The Post-Standard; Borden, M., Chu,
J., Fishman, C., Prospero, M. A., & Sacks, D. (2008, September 11). 50 ways to
green your business. Fast Company. Retrieved January 27, 2008, from
100 best companies to work for. (2008). Retrieved January 27,
2008, from the Fortune Web site: />bestcompanies/2008/snapshots/3.html.

12


Chapter 1 Organizational Behavior

1.1 Understanding Organizational Behavior
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1.

2.
3.
4.

Learn about the layout of this book.
Understand what organizational behavior is.
Understand why organizational behavior matters.
Learn about OB Toolboxes in this book.

About This Book
The people make the place.
- Benjamin Schneider, Fellow of the Academy of Management
This book is all about people, especially people at work. As evidenced in the opening
case, we will share many examples of people making their workplaces work. People
can make work an exciting, fun, and productive place to be, or they can make it a
routine, boring, and ineffective place where everyone dreads to go. Steve Jobs,
cofounder, chairman, and CEO of Apple Inc. attributes the innovations at Apple,
which include the iPod, MacBook, and iPhone, to people, noting, “Innovation has
nothing to do with how many R&D dollars you have.…It’s not about money. It’s
about the people you have, how you’re led, and how much you get it.”Kirkpatrick,
D. (1998). The second coming of Apple. Fortune, 138, 90. This became a sore point
with investors in early 2009 when Jobs took a medical leave of absence. Many
wonder if Apple will be as successful without him at the helm, and Apple stock
plunged upon worries about his health.Parloff, R. (2008, January 22). Why the SEC is
probing Steve Jobs. Money. Retrieved January 28, 2009, from
/>stevejobs_disclosure.fortune/?postversion=2009012216.

13

Chapter 1 Organizational Behavior

Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Inc., a billion-dollar
cosmetics company, makes a similar point, saying,
“People are definitely a company’s greatest asset. It
doesn’t make any difference whether the product is cars
or cosmetics. A company is only as good as the people it
keeps.”Retrieved June 4, 2008, from
/>
Figure 1.2

Just like people, organizations come in many shapes and
sizes. We understand that the career path you will take
may include a variety of different organizations. In
addition, we know that each student reading this book
has a unique set of personal and work-related
experiences, capabilities, and career goals. On average, a
person working in the United States will change jobs 10
times in 20 years.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2005). Steve Jobs is known for
Retrieved December 8, 2005, from the U.S. Bureau of
developing innovative products
by hiring the right people for the
Labor Statistics Web site: />job and fostering a culture of
nlsfaqs.htm#anch5. In order to succeed in this type of
hard work and creativity.
career situation, individuals need to be armed with the
tools necessary to be lifelong learners. So, this book will
Source: />not be about giving you all the answers to every
wiki/
situation you may encounter when you start your first

Image:SteveJobsMacbookAir.JPG.
job or as you continue up the career ladder. Instead, this
book will give you the vocabulary, framework, and
critical thinking skills necessary for you to diagnose
situations, ask tough questions, evaluate the answers
you receive, and act in an effective and ethical manner regardless of situational
characteristics.
Throughout this book, when we refer to organizations, we will include examples
that may apply to diverse organizations such as publicly held, for-profit
organizations like Google and American Airlines, privately owned businesses such
as S. C. Johnson & Son Inc. (makers of Windex glass cleaner) and Mars Inc. (makers
of Snickers and M&Ms), and not-for-profit organizations such as the Sierra Club or
Mercy Corps, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) such as Doctors Without
Borders and the International Red Cross. We will also refer to both small and large
corporations. You will see examples from Fortune 500 organizations such as Intel
Corporation or Home Depot Inc., as well as small start-up organizations. Keep in
mind that some of the small organizations of today may become large organizations
in the future. For example, in 1998, eBay Inc. had only 29 employees and $47.4
million in income, but by 2008 they had grown to 11,000 employees and over $7
billion in revenue.Gibson, E. (2008, March). Meg Whitman’s 10th anniversary as CEO

1.1 Understanding Organizational Behavior

14


Chapter 1 Organizational Behavior

of eBay. Fast Company, 25. Regardless of the size or type of organization you may
work for, people are the common denominator of how work is accomplished within

organizations.
Together, we will examine people at work both as individuals and within work
groups and how they impact and are impacted by the organizations where they
work. Before we can understand these three levels of organizational behavior, we
need to agree on a definition of organizational behavior.

What Is Organizational Behavior?
Organizational behavior (OB)1 is defined as the systematic study and application
of knowledge about how individuals and groups act within the organizations where
they work. As you will see throughout this book, definitions are important. They are
important because they tell us what something is as well as what it is not. For
example, we will not be addressing childhood development in this course—that
concept is often covered in psychology—but we might draw on research about twins
raised apart to understand whether job attitudes are affected by genetics.
OB draws from other disciplines to create a unique field. As you read this book, you
will most likely recognize OB’s roots in other disciplines. For example, when we
review topics such as personality and motivation, we will again review studies from
the field of psychology. The topic of team processes relies heavily on the field of
sociology. In the chapter relating to decision making, you will come across the
influence of economics. When we study power and influence in organizations, we
borrow heavily from political sciences. Even medical science contributes to the field
of organizational behavior, particularly to the study of stress and its effects on
individuals.

1. The systematic study and
application of knowledge about
how individuals and groups act
within the organizations where
they work.
2. In OB, includes examining the

individual, the group, and the
organization.

Those who study organizational behavior—which now
includes you—are interested in several outcomes such
as work attitudes (e.g., job satisfaction and
organizational commitment) as well as job performance
(e.g., customer service and counterproductive work
behaviors). A distinction is made in OB regarding which
level of the organization is being studied at any given
time. There are three key levels of analysis2 in OB.
They are examining the individual, the group, and the
organization. For example, if I want to understand my
boss’s personality, I would be examining the individual
level of analysis. If we want to know about how my
manager’s personality affects my team, I am examining

1.1 Understanding Organizational Behavior

Figure 1.3

15


Chapter 1 Organizational Behavior

things at the team level. But, if I want to understand
how my organization’s culture affects my boss’s
behavior, I would be interested in the organizational
level of analysis.

OB spans topics related from the
individual to the organization.

Why Organizational Behavior Matters
OB matters at three critical levels. It matters because it is all about things you care
about. OB can help you become a more engaged organizational member. Getting
along with others, getting a great job, lowering your stress level, making more
effective decisions, and working effectively within a team…these are all great
things, and OB addresses them!
It matters because employers care about OB. A recent survey by the National
Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) asked employers which skills are the
most important for them when evaluating job candidates, and OB topics topped the
list.NACE 2007 Job Outlook Survey. Retrieved July 26, 2008, from the National
Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Web site: />press/quick.htm#qualities.
The following were the top five personal qualities/skills:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Communication skills (verbal and written)
Honesty/integrity
Interpersonal skills (relates well to others)
Motivation/initiative
Strong work ethic

These are all things we will cover in OB.
Finally, it matters because organizations care about OB. The best companies in the

world understand that the people make the place. How do we know this? Well, we
know that organizations that value their employees are more profitable than those
that do not.Huselid, M. A. (1995). The impact of human resource management
practices on turnover, productivity, and corporate financial performance. Academy
of Management Journal, 38, 635-672; Pfeffer, J. (1998). The human equation: Building
profits by putting people first. Boston: Harvard Business School Press; Pfeffer, J., &
Veiga, J. F. (1999). Putting people first for organizational success. Academy of
Management Executive, 13, 37–48; Welbourne, T., & Andrews, A. (1996). Predicting
performance of Initial Public Offering firms: Should HRM be in the equation?
Academy of Management Journal, 39, 910–911. Research shows that successful

1.1 Understanding Organizational Behavior

16


Chapter 1 Organizational Behavior

organizations have a number of things in common, such as providing employment
security, engaging in selective hiring, utilizing self-managed teams, being
decentralized, paying well, training employees, reducing status differences, and
sharing information.Pfeffer, J., & Veiga, J. F. (1999). Putting people first for
organizational success. Academy of Management Executive, 13, 37–48. For example,
every Whole Foods store has an open compensation policy in which salaries
(including bonuses) are listed for all employees. There is also a salary cap that limits
the maximum cash compensation paid to anyone in the organization, such as a CEO,
in a given year to 19 times the companywide annual average salary of all full-time
employees. What this means is that if the average employee makes $30,000 per year,
the highest potential pay for their CEO would be $570,000, which is a lot of money
but pales in comparison to salaries such as Steve Jobs of Apple at $14.6 million or

the highest paid CEO in 2007, Larry Ellison of Oracle, at $192.9 million.Elmer-DeWitt,
P. (2008, May 2). Top-paid CEOs: Steve Jobs drops from no. 1 to no. 120. Fortune.
Retrieved July 26, 2008, from CNNMoney.com:
steve-jobs-dropsfrom-no-1-to-no-120/. Research shows that organizations that are considered
healthier and more effective have strong OB characteristics throughout them such
as role clarity, information sharing, and performance feedback. Unfortunately,
research shows that most organizations are unhealthy, with 50% of respondents
saying that their organizations do not engage in effective OB practices.Aguirre, D.
M., Howell, L. W., Kletter, D. B., & Neilson, G. L. (2005). A global check-up:
Diagnosing the health of today’s organizations (online report). Retrieved July 25,
2008, from the Booz & Company Web site: />GlobalCheckUp-OrgHealthNov2005.pdf.
In the rest of this chapter, we will build on how you can use this book by adding
tools to your OB Toolbox in each section of the book as well as assessing your own
learning style. In addition, it is important to understand the research methods used
to define OB, so we will also review those. Finally, you will see what challenges and
opportunities businesses are facing and how OB can help overcome these
challenges.

Adding to Your OB Toolbox

Your OB Toolbox
OB Toolboxes appear throughout this book. They indicate a tool that you can
try out today to help you develop your OB skills.

1.1 Understanding Organizational Behavior

17


Chapter 1 Organizational Behavior

Throughout the book, you will see many OB Toolbox features. Our goal in writing
this book is to create something useful for you to use now and as you progress
through your career. Sometimes we will focus on tools you can use today. Other
times we will focus on things you may want to think about that may help you later.
As you progress, you may discover some OB tools that are particularly relevant to
you while others are not as appropriate at the moment. That’s great—keep those
that have value to you. You can always go back and pick up tools later on if they
don’t seem applicable right now.
The important thing to keep in mind is that the more tools and skills you have, the
higher the quality of your interactions with others will be and the more valuable
you will become to organizations that compete for top talent.Michaels, E.,
Handfield-Jones, H., & Axelrod, B. (2001). The war for talent. Boston: Harvard
Business School Publishing. It is not surprising that, on average, the greater the
level of education you have, the more money you will make. In 2006, those who had
a college degree made 62% more money than those who had a high school
degree.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Organizations value and pay for skills as the
next figure shows.
Figure 1.4

Education and training have financial payoffs as illustrated by these unemployment and earnings for workers 25
and older.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, .

Tom Peters is a management expert who talks about the concept of individuals
thinking of themselves as a brand to be managed. Further, he recommends that
individuals manage themselves like free agents.Peters, T. (1997). The brand called
you. Fast Company. Retrieved July 1, 2008, from />
1.1 Understanding Organizational Behavior

18


Chapter 1 Organizational Behavior

magazine/10/brandyou.html; Peters, T. (2004). Brand you survival kit. Fast Company.
Retrieved July 1, 2008, from />playbook.html. The following OB Toolbox includes several ideas for being effective
in keeping up your skill set.

Your OB Toolbox: Skill Survival Kit
• Keep your skills fresh. Consider revolutionizing your portfolio of
skills at least every 6 years.
• Master something. Competence in many skills is important, but
excelling at something will set you apart.
• Embrace ambiguity. Many people fear the unknown. They like
things to be predictable. Unfortunately, the only certainty in life is
that things will change. Instead of running from this truth,
embrace the situation as a great opportunity.
• Network. The term has been overused to the point of sounding like
a cliché, but networking works. This doesn’t mean that having 200
connections on MySpace, LinkedIn, or Facebook makes you more
effective than someone who has 50, but it does mean that getting
to know people is a good thing in ways you can’t even imagine
now.
• Appreciate new technology. This doesn’t mean you should get and use
every new gadget that comes out on the market, but it does mean
you need to keep up on what the new technologies are and how
they may affect you and the business you are in.
Source: Adapted from ideas in Peters, T. (2007). Brand you survival kit. Fast
Company. Retrieved July 1, 2008, from />83/playbook.html.

A key step in building your OB skills and filling your toolbox is to learn the language
of OB. Once you understand a concept, you are better able to recognize it. Once you
recognize these concepts in real-world events and understand that you have
choices in how you will react, you can better manage yourself and others. An
effective tool you can start today is journaling3, which helps you chart your
progress as you learn new skills. For more on this, see the OB Toolbox below.
3. The process of writing out
thoughts and emotions on a
regular basis.

1.1 Understanding Organizational Behavior

19