Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour (OB) is the study of how individuals, groups, and systems interact within an organization. It examines the factors that influence behavior in the workplace, aiming to improve organizational effectiveness and employee well-being. By understanding the principles of OB, organizations can create environments that foster collaboration, motivation, and innovation.
This field combines insights from disciplines such as psychology, sociology, and management to explore key areas like individual motivation, team dynamics, leadership, and organizational culture. Organizational Behaviour provides valuable tools for managers and employees alike, helping them navigate complex workplace challenges and drive sustainable success.
Through the study of OB, individuals gain a deeper understanding of human behavior in professional settings, enabling them to enhance communication, resolve conflicts, and adapt to change effectively.
Table of Contents
Syllabus of Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour
Course Objectives of Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour
Managers need to know why people behave as they do concerning their jobs, their work groups, and their organizations. This knowledge of individuals’ perceptions, motivational attitudes, and behavior will enable managers to not only understand themselves better but also to adopt appropriate managerial policies and leadership styles to increase their effectiveness. The goal of this course is, therefore, to help students develop a conceptual understanding of OB theories and to provide them with skills to put those ideas and theories into practice.
Course Description of Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour
Students are first exposed to the fundamentals of organizational behavior such as working with people, the nature of organizations, communication, leadership, and motivation of people. They will then be provided with the knowledge and skills to deal with group behavior, leadership, communication, conflict management, and organizational development issues. The focus of instruction will move progressively through the individual, group, and organizational levels of behavior and will examine the interrelationships of behavioral phenomena among these levels.
Course Outcomes of Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour
Students are first exposed to the fun on completion of this course, students will be able to:
- explain the determinants of behavior and the emerging concepts in organizational
- behavior;
- understand the importance of organizational behavior in managerial functions;
- understand the definition and concepts of behavior, group and teams, organizational
- structure, employee motivation, organizational communication, leadership, conflict and
- stress, organizational change, and development;
- form an appreciation of the complexities and uncertainties of organizational behavior by
- examining managerial roles;
- demonstrate a clear understanding of the concepts and established theories relating to
- organizational behavior;
- explain and evaluate the key assumptions on which behavior in organizations is
- managed and assessed the effects of these ideas on employee attitudes and actions.
Course Contents of Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour
Unit I: Introduction to Organizational Behaviour 5 hours
Concept and significance, OB system; basic assumptions, levels of OB analysis, contributing disciplines, emerging trends and challenges in OB, determinants of behavior – beliefs, attitudes, values, emotions, and behavior.
Unit II: Perception, Personality, and Learning 10 hours
Perceptual process, factors influencing perception, perception, and individual decision making; Learning – concept and significance of learning, factors influencing learning, major models of learning – classical conditioning, operant conditioning, cognitive learning, and social learning; Behaviour modification; Personality – concept, types, determinants, individual differences, personality attributes influencing behavior.
Unit III: Organization Structure, Group Dynamics, and Team Development 8 hours
Organization – foundations of organization structure, job design; Human factors in organizing; Organizational Culture – meaning, importance, and characteristics of organization culture. Group dynamics – definition and importance, types of groups, group formation, group development, group composition; Work teams – types, team performance factors, building effective work teams, group decision making, issues in managing work teams.
Unit IV: Motivation and Leadership 10 hours
Motivation: the process of motivation, theories of motivation – need hierarchy theory, two factor theory, ERG theory, expectancy theory, equity theory; Leadership – concept; Leadership styles; Leadership theories – trait theory, behavioral theory, Fielder’s contingency theory, Managerial Grid, Path-Goal theory; Emerging issues in motivation and leadership.
Unit V: Organizational Conflict and Stress 5 hours
Concept, sources, patterns, levels, and types of conflict; traditional and modern approaches to conflict management, functional and dysfunctional organizational conflicts, resolution of organizational conflicts; Organizational Stress – concept, causes, consequences, managing stress.
Unit VI: Interpersonal and Organizational Communication 5 hours
Concept of two-way communication, communication process, barriers to effective communication, types of organizational communication, improving communication, transactional analysis in communication.
Unit VII: Organizational Change and Development 5 hours
Concept, need for change, resistance to change, theories of planned change, organizational diagnosis; OD intervention; Learning organizations – concept, characteristics, and model of learning organization.
Basic Texts
1. Robbins, Stephen P. Organizational Behaviour, Prentice Hall, New Delhi.
3. King, Daniel & Lawley, Scott, Organizational Behaviour, Oxford University Press.
References
1. Adhikari, D. R. Organizational Behaviour, Buddha Publications, Kathmandu.
2. Acharya, B. S. Organizational Behaviour, Asmita, Kathmandu.
3. Arnold, H. J. and D. C. Feldman, Organizational Behaviour, Tata McGraw Hill, New Delhi.
4. Newstrom, John W., and Keith Davis. Organizational Behaviour: Human Behaviour at Work, Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi.
5. Luthans, Fred. Organization Behaviour, Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi.
6. Bhattacharya, D. K. Organizational Behaviour. Oxford University Press, New Delhi.
Conclusion
Organizational Behaviour plays a critical role in shaping the success and sustainability of organizations. By understanding how individuals and groups behave within an organizational setting, businesses can enhance employee engagement, improve leadership effectiveness, and foster a positive work culture.
Mastering the principles of OB enables organizations to address challenges such as motivation, communication, and change management with strategic insight. It also promotes ethical behavior, inclusivity, and continuous improvement. Ultimately, a solid grasp of Organizational Behaviour empowers individuals and organizations to achieve their goals while maintaining a healthy, dynamic, and productive workplace.
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