POM 9 - Summary of Learning Outcomes in Organizational Behavior môn Principles of Management | Trường Đại học Quốc tế, Đại học Quốc gia Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh

SUMMARY OF LEARNING OUTCOMES AND KEY POINTS
9-1. Explain the nature of the individual–organization relationship.
• A basic framework that can be used to facilitate this understanding is the psychological contract
— the set of expectations held by people with respect to what they will contribute to the
organization and what they expect to get in return.
• Organizations strive to achieve an optimal person–job fit, but this process is complicated by the
existence of individual differences.
9-2. Describe how personality and personality attributes affect behavior in organizations.
• Personality is the relatively stable set of psychological and behavioral attributes that distinguish one person from another.
• The “Big Five” personality traits are: • Agreeableness • Neuroticism • Openness • Conscientiousness • Extraversion
• The Myers-Briggs framework can also be a useful mechanism for understanding personality.
• Other important traits are: • Locus of control • Authoritarianism • Self-esteem • Self-efficacy • Machiavellianism • Risk propensity
• Emotional intelligence, a fairly new concept, may provide additional insights into personality.
9-3. Discuss individual attitudes in organizations and how they affect behavior.
• Attitudes are based on emotion, knowledge, and intended behavior. Whereas personality is
relatively stable, some attitudes can be formed and changed easily. Others are more constant.
• Job satisfaction or dissatisfaction, organizational commitment, and organizational engagement
are important work-related attitudes.
9-4. Describe basic perceptual processes and the role of attributions in organizations.
• Perception is the set of processes by which a person becomes aware of and interprets
information about the environment.
• Basic perceptual processes include selective perception and stereotyping.
• Perception and attribution are also closely related.
9-5. Discuss the causes and consequences of stress and how it can be managed.
• Stress is a person’s response to a strong stimulus.
• The general adaptation syndrome outlines the basic stress process.
• Stress can be caused by task, physical, role, and interpersonal demands.
• Consequences of stress include organizational and individual outcomes as well as burnout.
• Several things can be done to manage stress.
9-6. Describe creativity and its role in organizations.
• Creativity is the capacity to generate new ideas.
• Creative people tend to have certain profiles of background experiences, personal traits, and cognitive abilities.
• The creative process itself includes preparation, incubation, insight, and verification.
9-7. Explain how workplace behaviors can directly or indirectly influence organizational effectiveness.
• Workplace behavior is a pattern of action by the members of an organization that directly or
indirectly influences organizational effectiveness.
• Performance behaviors are the set of work-related behaviors that the organization expects the
person to display to fulfill the psychological contract.
• Basic withdrawal behaviors are absenteeism and turnover.
• Organizational citizenship refers to behavior that makes a positive overall contribution to the organization.
• Dysfunctional behaviors can be very harmful to an organization.
QUESTIONS FOR REVIEW
1. What is a psychological contract? List the things that might be included in individual
contributions. List the things that might be included in organizational inducements.
A psychological contract is the set of expectations between an employee and the organization—
what each side believes the other owes them. It is not written, but it strongly shapes behavior.
Individual contributions may include: Effort Skills/competencies Creativity Ability Time Commitment Loyalty Personal initiative Good attendance and performance
Organizational inducements may include: Pay Training and Promotion development opportunities Benefits Safe working Respect and fair Job security conditions treatment Career Recognition opportunities
2. Describe the three components of attitudes and tell how the components are related.
What is cognitive dissonance? How do individuals resolve cognitive dissonance?
Three components of an attitude:
1. Affective component – feelings/emotions about something.
2. Cognitive component – beliefs or knowledge.
3. Behavioral component – the intention to act in a certain way.
How they relate: These three components together shape how a person thinks, feels, and behaves.
A change in one component often influences the others.
Cognitive dissonance: Cognitive dissonance is the conflict or inconsistency between behavior
and attitude, or between two attitudes.
How individuals resolve dissonance: Change their attitude Rationalize or justify the inconsistency Change their behavior
Seek more information to reduce the conflict
3. Identify and discuss the steps in the creative process. What can an organization do to
increase employees’ creativity?
Steps in the creative process (GrifÏn):
1. Preparation – gathering information
3. Insight – the “aha!” moment when and materials. the solution emerges.
2. Incubation – unconscious mental
4. Verification – testing and refining the activity; stepping back. idea.
How organizations can increase creativity: Provide supportive Encourage risk- Reduce excessive culture taking rules and controls Allow autonomy Provide resources, Reward creative and freedom training, and tools efforts Give time for Use diverse teams incubation
4. Identify and describe several important workplace behaviors.
Performance behaviors – directly contribute to productivity.
Organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) – going beyond job requirements (helping others, volunteering).
Counterproductive behaviors – absenteeism, turnover, theft, sabotage, harassment.
Withdrawal behaviors – quitÝng, lateness, absenteeism.
Creativity and innovation behaviors – proposing new ideas.
QUESTIONS FOR ANALYSIS
1. Organizations often use personality tests to screen job applicants. What are the advantages and
disadvantages of this approach? What can managers do to avoid some of the potential pitfalls? Advantages: Helps find person–job fit
Reduces mismatch between job and applicant
Predicts work behavior (teamwork, leadership, motivation)
Can improve job satisfaction and retention Disadvantages: Tests can be Cultural bias Legal/ethical issues inaccurate or easy if used improperly Over-reliance may to fake ignore skills or Risk of experience misinterpretation How managers avoid pitfalls: Use validated, Train managers to Avoid using reliable tests interpret results personality tests as correctly the only hiring tool Combine tests with interviews, work Use consistent samples testing procedures
2. As a manager, how can you tell that an employee is experiencing job satisfaction? How
can you tell that employees are highly committed to the organization? If a worker is not
satisfied, what can a manager do to improve satisfaction? What can a manager do to
improve organizational commitment and engagement?
Signs an employee is satisfied: Positive attitude Staying with the job
Good performance and productivity Engaging in OCBs Low absenteeism
Expressing enthusiasm and interest
Signs of high organizational commitment: Loyalty
Participation in organizational activities Willingness to work extra Advocating for the company Low turnover intention
If a worker is not satisfied, managers can: Improve working conditions Ensure fair pay and benefits Offer training and development Improve supervision Provide recognition
Redesign jobs for more autonomy or challenge
To improve commitment and engagement: Build trust Provide career Show fairness and growth paths respect Communicate openly Encourage involvement in decisions
3. Managers cannot pay equal attention to every piece of information, so selective perception is a
fact of life. How does selective perception help managers? How does it create difficulties for
them? How can managers increase their “good” selective perception and decrease the “bad”?
How selective perception helps managers: Filters Helps focus on Speeds up overwhelming what is most decision-making information relevant How it creates difÏculties: Can cause bias and misjudgment Managers may ignore important data Reinforces stereotypes May misinterpret employee behavior
How to increase good selective perception: Seek diverse viewpoints Train for awareness of biases
Use data instead of assumptions
Slow down decisions when needed
How to decrease bad selective perception: Challenge first impressions Encourage feedback Use structured evaluations
Expose oneself to different people and information
QUESTIONS FOR APPLICATION
1. Write the psychological contract you have in this class. In other words, what do you
contribute, and what inducements are available? Ask your professor to tell the class about the
psychological contract that he or she intended to establish with the students in your class. How
does the professor’s intended contract compare with the one you wrote? If there are differences,
why do you think the differences exist? Share your ideas with the class. Your contributions: Attend classes Study and prepare Complete assignments Follow class rules Participate Instructor’s inducements: Provide lectures/materials Support and guidance Give feedback Clear instructions Fair grading
Differences may exist because students and instructors interpret responsibilities differently.
2. Assume that you are going to hire three new employees for the department store you
manage. One will sell shoes, one will manage the toy department, and one will work in the
stockroom. Identify the basic characteristics you want in each of the people to achieve a
good person–job fit. Shoe salesperson: Extroverted Persuasive Good communication skills Patient Customer-focused Toy department manager: Leadership skills Organized and responsible
Ability to work with children and Problem-solving ability parents Friendly personality Stockroom worker: Physically capable Able to work independently Detail-oriented Good time management Reliable and punctual
3. Did you feel increased stress during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic? Why? How did you cope
with it? Are you still using any of those stress management methods today? Yes/No
Because: online school, fear of illness, financial issues, isolation
Coping methods: exercise, talking to friends, planning, time management
Which methods you still use today EXERCISE BACKGROUND
1. List several of the major events or expectations that tend to be stressful for you.
Common stressors include school (classes, exams), work (finances, schedules), and
personal circumstances (friends, romance, family). Try to be as specific as possible
and try to identify at least 10 different stressors. Upcoming exams
Pressure to maintain good grades Weekly quizzes Lack of sleep
Long assignments with tight deadlines Family expectations
Group projects (especially uncooperative
Trying to keep friendships and social life members)
Feeling behind compared to other
Balancing part-time work with school students Managing monthly expenses
Overthinking the future (major, career) EXERCISE TASK
1. Evaluate the extent to which poor time-management skills on your part play a role in the
way each stressor affects you. Do exams cause stress, for example, because you tend to put
off studying?
Exams – I tend to procrastinate and wait
Grade pressure – When I cram, my
until the last week to study → heavy
performance drops, increasing stress. stress.
Lack of sleep – Caused by staying up
Weekly quizzes – I underestimate them
late to finish work I should have done
and forget to review until the last earlier. minute.
Family expectations – Stress increases
Assignments – I often start late, so even
when I fail to update them because I’m
simple assignments feel overwhelming. behind on schoolwork.
Group projects – I don’t plan early, so
Social life – I say yes to plans even
when others delay, everything piles up.
when I haven’t finished my tasks.
Part-time work – I don’t create a clear
Feeling behind – Poor planning makes
schedule, so work shifts clash with study me compare myself with others. time.
Future worries – I stress because I
Expenses – I don’t track spending, so
don’t give myself time to explore career
financial stress hits unexpectedly. options.
2. For each stressor that’s affected by your time management habits, develop a strategy
for using your time more efficiently.
Exams – Create a 2-week study plan;
Grades – Shift from cramming to review a little every day. consistent weekly review.
Quizzes – Set reminders and do quick
Sleep – Set a cutoff hour for studying; daily reviews. no screens after midnight.
Assignments – Start the day they are
Family expectations – Update them
assigned; break into small tasks.
weekly to avoid pressure building up.
Group projects – Make early checklists;
Social life – Only go out after finishing set earlier team deadlines. essential tasks.
Work–school balance – Fix a weekly
Feeling behind – Build a routine and
schedule and protect study hours.
avoid comparing my pace to others.
Expenses – Use a simple budgeting app
Future planning – Allocate one hour a and weekly review.
week for career/major exploration.
3. Note the interrelationships among different kinds of stressors to see if they revolve
around time-related problems. For example, financial pressures may cause you to work,
and work may interfere with school. Can you manage any of these interrelationships more
effectively by managing your time more effectively?
When work shifts increase, I lose study
When I procrastinate, grades drop →
time, causing exam pressure and poor
family expectations increase → more sleep. stress.
When I overspend, I feel forced to work
Social plans cut into school time → I
more hours → less time for classwork.
lose control of my schedule and fall behind. Lack of sleep makes me slower
mentally, so assignments take longer → more procrastination.
Most of these problems circle back to time management. If I plan my studying and working
hours more clearly, many of these stressors would be less intense or even disappear.
4. How do you typically manage the stress in your life? Can you manage stress in a more
time-effective manner? How I currently manage stress: Listening to music Sleeping to avoid thinking Scrolling on my phone Eating snacks Hanging out with friends Talking with close friends
How to manage stress in a more time-effective way: Replace avoidance (scrolling,
Set screen limits during study hours.
sleeping) with quick active breaks
Use the Pomodoro technique to stay (10-minute walk, stretching). focused.
Use a daily to-do list to reduce Plan my week every Sunday to mental chaos. reduce surprise stress.
Do the hardest task first (“eat the frog”).