HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN ORGANIZATION

2nd Semester A.Y 2020 - 2021

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course introduces the students to the factors affecting the behavior of individuals and groups
in organization focusing on the specific factors that tend to explain behavior of individuals, group
and organization. Various theories and models of organizational behaviour, work group behavior,
motivation in life and work, and human relations among others are discussed and related to
organizational practices and phenomena.

COURSE OUTCOME:
a. Apply critical thinking to the study of human behavior, including individual differences, mental ability, personality,
learning, perception, attribution and the like.
b. Point out the importance of motivation and communication in an organization.
c. Explain job satisfaction and the various concerns that make it happen, such as values and attitudes.

POLICIES:

1. HONESTY. Your assignments, quizzes, cases as well as examinations must be your own, original work.
2. PUNCTUALITY. Means being able to submit given assignments, cases and other assigned activities on or
before the deadline. Late submissions will incur deductions
3. CONDUCT. It is a must that we observe proper conduct or “netiquette” (e.g., not using online platform on
unnecessary activities during class). Please spend an adequate amount of time on the assignments and activities
each week, making an effort to solve and understand each lessons.
4. CONSULTATION. Should you encounter any problems or difficulties with any of the topics or activities of
this subject, please feel free to contact your instructor in our group chat/direct message, and mobile
number 09565400222.

Module 1
AN OVERVIEW OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN ORGANIZATIONS
Learning Objectives:
 Explain the definition of Human Behavior and Organizational Behavior
 Understand the development of people skills, personal growth, and enhancement of organizational and
individual effectiveness.

Human Behavior
Human Behavior refers to the physical actions of a person that can be seen or heard such as smiling or whistling.
With this thoughts, feelings, emotions and sentiments, the person exhibits behaviors similar of different when
he is in or out of organizations.

Human Behavior in organizations is more appropriately referred to as organizational behavior (OB).

Organizational Behavior
Organizational behavior (OB) may be defined as the study of human behavior in organization, of the interaction
between individuals and the organization, and of the organization itself.
The Goals of Organizational Behavior
- To explain behavior
- To predict behavior
- To control behavior

The Elements of Organizational Behavior

1. People – the internal social system of the organization is composed of people consisting of individual persons
and groups. The individual person is inducted as a member of a formal group, but soon, he or she may become a
member of an informal group.

2. Structure – it defines the formal relationship of people in the organization. It describes how job tasks are
formally divided, grouped and coordinated.

3. Technology – refers to the combination of resources, knowledge and techniques with which people work and
affect the task that they perform. It consists of buildings, machines, work processes, and assembled resources.

4. Environment – refers to institutions or forces outside the organization that potentially affect the
organization’s performance. It includes supplies, customers, competitors, government regulatory agencies,
public pressure groups, and the like.

The Benefits of Studying Organizational Behavior

1. Development of People Skills
There are two types of skills that a person will need to succeed in his chosen career:
1. the skill in doing his work; and
2. the skill in relating with people.

A person who is much adept in the performance of his work may be successful up to a certain extent,
but he will require another skill to make other people believe that he should be more successful than his current
achievement.

2. Personal Growth
Personal growth makes a person highly competitive in the workplace. The chance to achieve personal
growth is enhanced by knowledge of OB. For instance, knowledge of the behavior of others through the study of
OB will help the person understand his own behavior. A person who strives to know himself better is entering
the realm of intrapersonal intelligence, which is a very useful type of intelligence for one who wants to achieve
his personal goals.

Intrapersonal thinking may be described briefly as one possessed by a person with highly accurate
understanding of himself or herself.

3. Enhancement of Organizational and Individual Effectiveness

Effectiveness is a major attribute of successful organizations, as well as individuals. When the right
decisions are made, effectiveness follows. In decision making, knowledge of OB can be very successful.

4. Sharpening and Refinement of Common Sense

People differ in the degree of common sense they possess. Improvements in this type of ability,
however, can still be made and great benefits can be derived if this is done.
 ETHICS AND ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR

Philosophers maintain the view that a society that has low regard for morals will disintegrate after a
period of time. To avoid chaos and destruction, and to make life in society possible, adherence to the practice of
moral principles regulating human relation become necessary.

Ethics
- Ethics refers to the set of moral choices a person makes based on what he or she ought to do,.
- Organizational Ethics. These are moral principles that define right or wrong behavior in organizations.
- Ethical Behavior. This refers to behavior that is accepted as morally “good” and “right” as opposed to “bad”
and ”wrong”.

What constitutes right and wrong behavior in organization is determined by:

1. the public
2. interest groups
3. organizations
4. the individual’s personal morals and values

Ethical Issues
There are important ethical issues that confront organizations.
1. conflict of interest
2. fairness and honesty
3. communication
4. relationships within the organization

A conflict of interest exists when a person is in the position of having to decide whether to advance the interests of the
organization or to operate in his or her own personal interests. For instance, the purchasing officer of a university is in a
situation where there is conflict of interest when he owns the shop that sells office supplies to the university.

In organizations which practices ethical behavior, people do not accepts bribes to influence the outcome of a decision.

People in organizations are expected to be fair and honest. Ethical behavior demands that, beyond obeying the law, they
should not knowingly harm customers, clients, and competitors through deception, coercion or misrepresentation. For
example, a certain agency of the government would not normally release documents unless a certain amount of money
is handed down to the releasing clerk.

People can become victims of organizations that provide false and misleading information about their products and
services. For example, a recruitment firm makes it appear that the employment conditions they describe to the job
applicants would be identical to what the foreign employer would offer. This practice is, of course highly unethical.

Within the organization, people may still be performing unethical acts. For example, employee A developed an idea that
will be very useful to the organization. Employee B steals the idea and presents it to the top executive before Employee
A could present it himself. This action is highly unethical and it is to the detriment of the organization if such actions are
allowed to flourish.

Reference/s:
Human Behavior in Organization by: Roberto G. Medina, Ph.D
https://managementhelp.org/organizationalbehavior/