Part 1: Introduction to OB Part 2: The Individual - Foundation of Individual Behavior - Biographical Characteristics - Ability - Learning - Values, Attitudes and

Job Satisfaction - Personality and Emotions - Perception and Individual Decision Making - Motivation Part 3: The Group - Foundation of Group Behavior - Work Teams - Communication - Leadership

FOUNDATIONS OF INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOR

Biographical Characteristics Age Gender Marital Status Tenure Ability: An individuals capacity to perform the various tasks in a job. We werent all created equal!!! Some of us are good singers, some good athletes, and some others good at story telling. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses in terms of Ability that makes them relatively inferior or superior to others in performing certain tasks or activities. For management, the issue is knowing how people differ in their abilities and using that knowledge to increase the likelihood that an employee will perform his or her job well.

ABILITY (CONTD)

Intellectual Abilities: are those needed to perform mental activities.

Dimensions of Intellectual Ability Dimension Number aptitude Verbal comprehension Perceptual speed Inductive reasoning Deductive reasoning patial visualization Memory Description Ability to do speedy & accurate arithmetic Ability to understand what is read / heard, and the relationship of words to each other Ability to identify visual similarities & differences quickly and accurately Ability to identify a logical sequence in a problem & then solve the problem Ability to use logic and assess the implications of an argument Job Example Accountant Plant Manager Fire Investigator Market Researcher upervisor

Ability to imagine how an object would look if Interior its position in space were changed Decorator Ability to retain and recall past experiences alesperson

ABILITY (CONTD) - INTELLECTUAL ABILITY

Multiple Intelligences: Intelligence contains 4 subparts: Cognitive Intelligence: encompasses the aptitudes that have long been tapped by traditional intelligence tests Social Intelligence: a persons ability to relate effectively to others Emotional Intelligence: the ability to identify, understand, and manage emotions Cultural Intelligence: is the awareness of cross-cultural differences and the ability to function successfully in cross-cultural situations Multiple Intelligences is in its infancy but holds considerable promise. For instance, it may be able to help us explain why so called smart people those with high cognitive intelligence dont necessarily adapt well to everyday life, work well with others, or succeed when placed in leadership roles.

ABILITY (CONTD)

Physical Abilities: the capacity to do tasks demanding stamina, dexterity, strength, and similar characteristics.
Nine Basic Physical Abilities Strength Factors 1 2 3 4 Dynamic Strength Trunk Strength Static Strength Explosive Strength Ability to exert muscular force repeatedly or continuously over time Ability to exert muscular strength using the trunk muscles Ability to exert force against external objects Ability to expend a maximum of energy in one or a series of explosive acts Flexibility Factors 5 6 Extent Flexibility Dynamic Flexibility Ability to move the trunk and back muscles as far as possible Ability to make rapid, repeated flexing movements Other Factors 7 8 9 Body Coordination Balance Stamina Ability to coordinate the simultaneous actions of different parts of the body Ability to maintain equilibrium despite forces pulling off balance Ability to continue maximum effort requiring prolonged effort over time

ABILITY JOB FIT

Airline pilots need strong spatial visualization abilities Lifeguards need both strong spatial visualization abilities and body coordination Senior Executives need verbal abilities High-rise construction workers need balance Journalists need strong deductive reasoning abilities

LEARNING
What is Learning? Any relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs as a result of experience. Points to keep in mind: (a) Learning involves change (b) The change must be relatively permanent (c) There must be a change in behavior (d) Some form of experience is necessary for learning (such as through observation, reading, etc.)

THEORIES OF LEARNING

Classical Conditioning Grew out of experiments to teach dogs to salivate in response to the ringing of a bell by Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov A type of conditioning in which an individual responds to some stimulus that would not ordinarily produce such a response Meat Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response (noticeable increase in salivation) Bell Conditioned Stimulus (Artificial Stimulus / Neutral) Conditioned Response (noticeable increase in salivation in reaction to the bell) Examples: Christmas Carols Study conducted at the manufacturing plant on the visit of top executives from the HO

THEORIES OF LEARNING

Operant Conditioning Was discovered by Harvard Psychologist B. F. Skinner A type of conditioning in which desired voluntary behavior leads to a reward or prevents a punishment People will most likely engage in desired behaviors if they are positively reinforced for doing so If a behavior fails to be positively reinforced, the probability that the behavior will be repeated declines Creating pleasing consequences to follow specific forms of behavior would increase the frequency of that behavior People will most likely engage in desired behaviors if they are positively reinforced for doing so Rewards are most effective if they immediately follow the desired response Behavior that is not rewarded, or is punished, is less likely to be repeated

THEORIES OF LEARNING

Social Learning Theory People can learn through observation and direct experience For example, by observing what happens to other people and just by being told about something, as well as by direct experiences, individuals can learn Is an extension of Operant Conditioning as it assumes that behavior is a function of consequences People respond to how they perceive and define consequences Influence of models is central to this theory

SHAPING: A MANAGERIAL TOOL

Shaping Behavior When we attempt to mold individuals by guiding their learning in graduated steps, we are SHAPING BEHAVIOR Systematically reinforcing each successive step that moves an individual closer to the desired response Methods of Shaping Behavior
(a) (b)

(c)

(d)

Positive Reinforcement: following a response with something pleasant Negative Reinforcement: following a response by the termination or withdrawal of something unpleasant Punishment: Causing an unpleasant condition in an attempt to eliminate an undesirable behavior Extinction: Eliminating any reinforcement that is maintaining a behavior

SCHEDULES OF REINFORCEMENT

The speed with which learning takes place and the permanence of its effects will be determined by the timing of reinforcement!! Continuous Reinforcement: A desired behavior is reinforced each time it is demonstrated (E.g. Compliment the habitual latecomer) Intermittent Reinforcement: A desired behavior is reinforced often enough to make the behavior worth repeating but not every time it is demonstrated Fixed Interval Schedule: Rewards are spaced at uniform time intervals (E.g. Weekly / Monthly paycheck) Variable Interval Schedule: Rewards are initiated after a fixed or constant number of responses (E.g. Pop Quiz) Fixed Ratio Schedule: Rewards are initiated after a fixed or constant number of responses (E.g. Piece-rate incentive plan) Variable Ratio Schedule: The reward varies relative to the behavior of the individual (E.g. Salespeople on commission)

Reinforcement Schedule Continuous

Nature of Reinforcement

Effect on Behavior

Example

Reward given after Fast learning of new each desired behavior behavior but rapid extinction Reward given at fixed time intervals Average and irregular performance with rapid extinction Moderately high and stable performance with slow extinction High and stable performance attained quickly but also with rapid extinction Very high performance with slow extinction

Compliments

Fixed Interval

Weekly paychecks

Variable Interval

Reward given at variable times

Pop Quizzes

Fixed Ratio

Reward given at fixed amounts of output

Piece-rate pay

Variable Ratio

Reward given at variable amounts of output

Commissioned sales

BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION
OB Mod: The application of reinforcement concepts to individuals in the work setting The typical OB Mod program follows a five-step problem-solving model: (a) Identifying critical behaviors (that make a significant impact on the employees job performance) (b) Developing baseline data (by determining the number of times the identified behavior is occurring under present conditions) (c) Identifying behavioral consequences (or consequences of current performance / continuing the behavior) (d) Developing and implementing an intervention strategy (to strengthen desirable performance behaviors and weaken undesirable behaviors) (e) Evaluating performance improvement