An organization consists of individuals with different tasks attempting
to accomplish a common purpose. (For a business,
this purpose is the creation and delivery of goods or services
for its customers.) Organizational behavior is the study of how individuals
and groups perform together within an organization. It focuses on
the best way to manage individuals, groups, organizations, and
processes. Organizational behavior is an extensive topic and includes
management, theories and practices of motivation, and the fundamentals
of organizational structure and design.
From the smallest nonprofit to the largest multinational conglomerate,
firms and organizations all have to deal with the concept of
organizational behavior. Knowledge about organizational behavior can
provide managers with a better understanding of how their firm or organization
attempts to accomplish its goals. This knowledge may also
lead to ways in which a firm or organization can make its processes
more effective and efficient, thus allowing the firm or organization to
successfully adapt to changing circumstances.
This chapter will help you better understand the theories and
structures of organizational behavior. The chapter begins by discussing
some of the basic characteristics of managers and management. It then
describes some of the popular theories and practical applications related
to motivation and helps answer the question “What motivates
employees and why does it motivate them?” The chapter then examines
some of the fundamentals of organizational structure and describes
ways in which organizational structures differ from one
another. Finally it discusses a few methods by which organizations can
control processes and outcomes.