Introduction to Organizational Behavior

1. Introduction to Organizational Behavior Section 9

2. Agenda • Attendance • Group Presentations • Presentations • Questions and Comments • Review • Culture • Networks

3. Organizational Culture • What is culture? • A collective response to managing uncertainty • A sense making device • A blue print for living • Is composed of two elements: • Ideology & norms • Conveyance & reinforcement of these beliefs • Cultural forms express, communicate, and reinforce ideology

4. Symbols, Rituals, and Stories • Symbols: Could be an organizational logos or designs (think about GE or Walt Disney’s “signature”). Could also be parking spaces. • Rituals: Management/staff meetings, board reports, the Wal-Mart wiggle. • Stories: “myths” about people and events to convey a message about what is valued within the organization.

5. Strong Cultures • A strong culture exists when there are a set of norms and values that are widely shared and strongly held. • Conformity is expected and required. Those who do not conform are treated as misfits. • A strong culture needs to be built incrementally. Rome was not built in a day; Disney neither • The socialization process starts by selecting people likely to conform and must continue past entry. • Be aware of the debate regarding strong cultures and innovation • When is a strong culture beneficial? • Under which circumstances, would a strong culture hinder an organization?

6. Networks • Representation of relational systems • We can graph networks and analyze network dynamics • Fundamental components: • Node – elemental unit of the network • Tie – type of relationship connecting nodes • Tie - strength • Value from Networks and Network Positions • Exchange of Capital (Human, social, monetary) • No ideal structure – it depends • Scale-free and Random • Structural Holes • Networks affect… • Can create or limit opportunities • Speed of Promotion • Tenure

7. The elemental unit (the individual unit) of a network is called a… • Node • Structural hole • Tie • Constraint

8. Tucker is a consultant who has been hired by AMUCo in order to explore communication patterns and status/influence streams in the organization. Tucker decides to conduct a network analysis. What could the networks not show Tucker? • the actual patterns in communication • which patterns emerge in the structure • the differences between the formal structure and the informal network. • how/why people choose to form or dissolve their ties

9. Nina is doing a final project for her OB class for which she needs to analyze a creative person. Due to her interest in movies, she chooses Katharine Hepburn. One of her friends, Cade is actually the great nephew of Katharine Hepburn. Cade’s family members could provide Nina with excellent information if only Nina knew how to contact them. Cade is in the position of a • a periphery tie • a scale free network • a structure hole • an isomorphic tie

10. Networks have been shown to do all of the following except… • Affect your job search • Affect your success and speed of promotion at a job • Affect your acceptance of norms • Affect the duration of tenure at an organization.

11. Micro to Macro • New level of analysis • Organizations vs. Individuals • New set of questions

12. Have a great weekend! • Work on your group projects!