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19 February, 2021

IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR

 Organizational behavior offers several ideas to management as to how human factor should be properly emphasised to achieve Organizational objectives. Barnard has observed that an organization is a conscious interaction of two or more people. This suggests that since an organization is Ihe interaction of persons, they should be given adequate importance in managing the organization. Organizational behavior provides opportunity to management to analyze human behavior and prescribe means for shaping it to a particular direction.

 Understanding Human Behavior Organizational behavior provides under­standing the human behavior in all directions in which the human beings interact. Thus, Organizational behavior can be understood at the individual level, interpersonal level, group level and inter-group level.

 Organizational behavior helps to analyze 'why' and 'how' an individual behaves in a particular way. Human behavior is a complex phenomenon and is affected by a large number of factors including the psychological, social and cultural implications. Organizational behavior integrates these factors to provide* simplicity in understanding the human behavior.

 

  • Interpersonal Level: Human behavior can be understood at the level of interpersonal interaction. Organizational behavior provides • means for understanding the interpersonal relationships in an organization. Analysis of reciprocal relationships, role analysis and transactional analysis are some of the common methods, which provide such understanding.
  • Group Level: Though people interpret anything at their individual level, they are often modified by group pressures, which then become a force in shaping human behavior, Thus, individuals should be studied in groups also.. Research in group dynamics has contributed vitally to Organizational behavior and shows how a group behaves in its norms, cohesion, goals, procedures, communication pattern and leadership. These research results are advancing managerial knowledge of understanding group behavior, which is very important for Organizational morale and productivity.
  • Inter-group Level: The organization is made up of many groups that develop complex relationships to build their process and substance. Understanding the effect of group relationships is important for managers in today's organization. Inter-group relationship may be in the form of co-operation or competition.

 

The co-operative relationships help the organization in achieving its objectives. Organizational behavior provides means to understand and achieve co-operative group relationships through interaction, rotation of members among groups, avoidance of win-lose situation and focusing on total group objectives.

 

  • Controlling and Directing Behavior: After understanding the mechanism of human behavior, managers are required to control and direct the behavior so that it conforms to the standards required for achieving the Organizational objectives. Thus, managers are required to control and direct the behavior at all levels of individual interaction. Therefore, Organizational behavior helps managers in controlling and directing in different areas such as use of power and sanction, leadership, communication and building Organizational climate favorable for better interaction.
  • Use of Power and Sanction: The behaviors can be controlled and directed by the use of power and sanction, which are formally defined by the organization. Power is referred to as the capacity of an individual to take certain action and may be utilized in many ways. Organizational behavior explains how various means of power and sanction can ,be utilized so that both Organizational and individual objectives are achieved simultaneously.
  • Leadership: Organizational behavior brings new insights and understanding to the practice and theory of leadership. It identifies various leadership styles available to a manager and analyzes which style is more appropriate in a given situation. Thus, managers can adopt styles keeping in view the various dimensions of organizations, individuals and situations.
  • Communication: Communication helps people to come in contact with each other. To achieve Organizational objectives, the communication must be effective. The communication process and its work in inter-personal dynamics have been evaluated by Organizational behavior.
  • Organizational Climate: Organizational climate refers to the total Organizational situations affecting human behavior. Organizational climate takes a system perspective that affect human behavior. Besides improving the satisfactory working conditions and adequate compensation, Organizational climate includes creation of an atmosphere of effective supervision; the opportunity for the realization of personal goals, congenial relations with others at the work place and a sense of accomplishment.
  • Organizational Adaptation: Organizations, as dynamic entities are characterized by pervasive changes. Organizations have to adapt themselves to the environmental changes by making suitable, internal arrangements such as convincing employees who normally have the tendency of resisting any changes.