Operating Definition of Organizational Behavior
Is the title Organizational Behavior a dichotomy, an oxymoron or a succinct label for the types of behaviors we observe in all organizations? In some organizations the very pairing of the words organization and behavior would bring howls of laughter from hallowed halls of management. However, most successful organizations and perhaps those not so successful, realize that the implementation of the tenants of organizational behavior will most certainly increase the likelihood that an organizations will meet its goals. In today's ever-changing economy the need to focus on the "impact that individuals, groups and structure have on behavior within organizations" is paramount to the success of the organization.
Individual behavior within an organization can be as simple as finding out why an employee is continuously and consistently late for work. The answer to this question may be that the employee must take a child to school and cannot drop the child off early enough to be at work by 8:00.
Organisation
English: Diagram of Schein's Organizational Behavi...
Space Shuttle Challenger's smoke plume after the i...This situation is easily resolved by changing the employees work schedule for arriving at 8:00 to arriving at 8:30. It may be more complicated than that and involve a myriad of issues, however as a manager, taking time to find out the situation can pay off in big dividends for the employee and management.
Work teams are a new and interesting concept that can be stimulating and very profitable for management. The implementation of work teams empower employees in an organization and give them a "stake" in the success of the business. Although it has been noted that implementing work teams can be expensive and time-consuming, the trade off can be increased productivity and employee satisfaction. This creates an added bonus for management in the area of retention of experienced staff.
Structure in organizations creates an...