Define organizational behavior. How can learning OB help you in your daily life?
Organizational behavior refers to the study of behavior patterns of individuals in an organization. The knowledge gained from the study of the actions of members of an organization is used to interpret their relationships with the organization. Understanding organizational behavior has enabled me to develop better relationships with my colleagues both at the workplace and my social life. Thus it helps me to achieve both organizational and social objectives.
How does the systematic study of OB help managers become more effective?
Systematic study of OB enables managers to become more effective since it enhances the managers’ ability to influence processes or events at the workplace. It enables the managers to make better or informed decisions. Consequently, they will be able to manage conflicts, remain committed to their strategies or ideas and assist various teams to achieve their job targets. For example, a manager who understands the organizational behavior will be able to influence processes such as marketing by linking the abilities of the marketers and the sales targets. He will only assign achievable targets given the capabilities of the marketers.
Describe Myers-Briggs type indicator personality framework. Based on the framework, what would you think is you personality type and why?
The framework is a questionnaire-based psychometric test that assesses individuals’ perception of the world and how such individuals arrive at decisions. The framework is informed by the psychological type theory. According to the framework, there are sixteen possible personality combinations. These are categorized as extraversion verses introversion, sensing verses intuition, thinking verses feeling and judgment verses perception. My personality combination is introversion, sensing, thinking and perception. This is because as an introvert, I focus on influence, depth of knowledge and thinking. I also trust only information that can be verified by the five senses. Thus sensing is my preferred perceiving function. As a thinker, I evaluate decisions based on causality, consistence, logic and the accepted set of rules.
Assuming that the average employee’s work-life is 50 years, list the dominant values in today’s workplace by cohort
The values associated with employees at the existential stage of their careers include lack of conformity, self loyalty and the need for autonomy. Employees at the pragmatic stages of their careers are ambitious, more loyal to their careers and are also hard workers. The values associated with generation x employees include loyalty to relationships, flexibility and leisure.
How does perception affect the decision making process?
Perception leads to a discrepancy between the actual situation and the desired situation in decision making. This problem is attributed to the fact that the individual might underrate the influence of the forces within his control while making decisions or he might overate the influence of the forces he can not control while making decisions. Besides, perceptions are based on the individual’s attitude, intentions, and the situation rather than facts.
Bounded rationality verses rational decision-making
Bounded rationality is characterized by acceptable solutions instead of the ideal one. This means that decisions made under this framework are satisfactory but not optimal. The rational decision making process on the other hand is based on a framework that systematically helps the decision maker to evaluate the available options in order to pick the best alternative. Thus unlike bounded rationality, rational decision making focuses on the optimal solution.