LYCEUM-NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

INSTITUTE OF GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

Polyclinic Campus
A.B. Fernandez Ave. West, Dagupan City

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Master in Public Administration (MPA) Major

in: Development Management & Public Safety Administration

LEARNING MODULES

IN

MPA 213A: HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN

ORGANIZATION

SUMMER, S.Y. 2020-2021

LYCEUM-NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
INSTITUTE OF GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
Polyclinic Campus
A.B. Fernandez Ave. West, Dagupan City
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- LEARNING MODULES

Course Title: Human Behavior in Organization

Course Code: MPA 213A

Classification: Major Course

Credit Unit: 3 units

Schedule: 5-8pm (MTW)

School Year: Summer, 2020-2021

Professor: Prof. Veerah A. Gamata & Dr. Nelia C. Resultay

_____________________________________________________________________

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course focuses on attaining extensive knowledge on the conversion of

organizational behavior theories to practices that result in organizational effectiveness

and efficiency. It incorporates the behavior of individual organization members and

groups within organizations, motivation, values and attitudes, job satisfaction, individual

differences communication, job satisfaction, team work, conflict management,

negotiations, leadership, performance and rewards, and stress management.

CHAPTER 1: THE DYNAMICS OF PEOPLE AND

 ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

This module aims to discuss in greater detail the various behavior of individual

organization members and groups within organizations. The emphasis will be on the

conversion of organizational behavior theories to practices that may result in

organizational effectiveness and efficiency. The primary goal of this module is to provide

the students with an extensive knowledge for advanced leadership roles and to prepare

them in facing the challenges involved in modern organization as well.

This section of the module presents the comprehensive definition of organizational

behavior, its emergence, as well as the principles and concepts underlying human

behavior.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, the student will be able to:

1) Explain the meaning of Organizational Behavior

2) Identify the goals of organizational behavior

3) Enumerate and explain the forces of organizational behavior

4) Trace the History of Organizational Behavior

5) Explain the basic concepts on the Nature of people and

organization 6) Explain the Ethics in organizational behavior

7) Identify the Characteristics of a healthy and unhealthy organization

LEARNING CONTENTS

A. Understanding organizational behavior

a.1. Definition of Organization and Organizational Behavior

Human behavior refers to the physical actions of a person that can be seen or

heard such as smiling. With his thoughts, feelings, emotions, and sentiments, the

person exhibits behaviors similar or different when he is in or out of organizations.

Human behavior in organizations is more appropriately referred to as organizational

behavior (OB). (Medina, 2011)

Organizational behavior or OB may be defined as the study of human behavior in

organization, of the interaction between individuals and the organization, and of the

organization itself.

a.2. Goals of Organizational Behavior

1) to explain behavior. In explaining behavior as a goal, OB needs to

systematically describe how people behave under a variety of conditions, and

understand why people behave as they do.

2) to predict behavior. OB must be used to predict behavior so support can be

provided to productive and dedicated employees, and measure could be

instituted to control the disruptive and less productive ones.

3) to control behavior. OB can offer some means for management to control the

behavior of the employees. As control is an important component of effective

performance, the usefulness of OB must not be overlooked.

a.3. Forces of Organizational Behavior

A complex set of forces affects the nature of organization today. A wide

array of issues and trends in these forces can be classified into four areas –

people, structure, technology, and the environment in which the organization

 operates. Each of the four forces affects organizational behavior.

When people work together in an organization to accomplish an objective,

some kind of structure of formal relationship is required. People also use

technology to help get the job done, so people, structure and technology interact.

In addition, these elements are influenced by the external environment, and they

influence it. (Medina, 2011)

a.4. Benefits of studying Organizational Behavior

1) development of people skills.;

2) personal growth;

3) enhancement of organizational and individual effectiveness; and

4) sharpening and refinement of common sense.

B. Brief history of Organizational Behavior

History tells us that behind every major accomplishment of man is some sort of

organization. It is modern history, however, that provide us with records of how

concerned scientists and experts made studies which have direct or indirect bearing to

OB. The origins of OB can be traced to the following:

b.1. The human relations approach

1) The scientific management approach by Frederick W. Taylor

2) The human relations approach by Elton Mayo and others

b.2. The personality theories

1) Freud’s model

2) The behaviorist approach by Watson and Skinner

 3) The humanist approach by Carl Rogers, Fritz Perls, and Abraham Maslow

To know more about the emergence of Organizational Behavior, visit

http://www.apexcpe.com/publications/471001.pdf

LEARNING ASSESSMENT 1

Self-Assessment Questions:

1) What is Human Behavior? Organizational Behavior?

2) Why is the prediction of behaviour an important goal of OB?

3) How may technology be described as an element of OB?

4) What benefits may be derived from studying OB?

5) In Freud’s opinion, what determines the major part of people’s behaviour?

LEARNING CONTENTS

C. Nature of people

Nature of people is the basic qualities of a person, or the character that

personifies an individual, they can be similar or unique. Talking at the organizational

level, some major factors affecting the nature of people have been highlighted. They

are:

c.1. Individual Differences. It is the managerial approach towards each employee

individually, that is one-on-one approach and not the statistical approach. Example−

Manager should not be biased towards any particular employee rather should treat them

equally and try not to judge anyone on any other factor apart from their work.
 c.2. Perception. It is a unique ability to observe, listen and conclude something. It is

believing in our senses. In short, the way we interpret things and have our point of

view is our perception. Example − Aman thinks late night parties spoil youth while

Anamika thinks late night parties are a way of making new friends. Here we see both Aman

and Anamika have different perception about the same thing.

c.3. A whole Person. As we all know that a person’s skill or brain cannot be

employed we have to employ a whole person. Skill comes from background and

knowledge. Our personal life cannot be totally separated from our work life, just like

emotional conditions are not separable from physical conditions. So, people function

is the functioning of a total human being not a specific feature of human being.

c.4. Motivated Behavior. It is the behavior implanted or caused by some motivation

from some person, group or even a situation. In an organization, we can see two

different types of motivated employees.

c.5. Value of person. Employees want to be valued and appreciated for their skills

and abilities followed by opportunities which help them develop themselves.

D. Nature of Organization

Nature of organization states the motive of the firm. It is the opportunities it

provides in the global market. It also defines the employees’ standard; in short, it

defines the character of the company by acting as a mirror reflection of the company.

We can understand the nature of any firm with its social system, the mutual interest it

shares and the work ethics.

d.1. Social system. Every organization socializes with other firms, their customers, or
 simply the outer world, and all of its employees - their own social roles and status.

Their behavior is mainly influenced by their group as well as by individual.

d.2. Mutual interest. Every organization needs people and people need

organizations to survive and prosper. Basically it’s a mutual understanding between

the organization and the employees that helps both reach their respective objectives

d.3. Ethics. They are the moral principles of an individual, group, and organization. In

order to attract and keep valuable employees, ethical treatment is necessary and

some moral standards need to be set. In fact, companies are now establishing code

of ethics training reward for notable ethical behavior.

E. Ethics and organizational behavior

e.1. Definition of Ethics

Ethics refers to the set of moral choices a person makes based on what he or

she ought to do.

Organizational Ethics are set of moral principles that define right or wrong

behavior in organization.

Ethical Behavior refers to behavior that is accepted as morally “good” and “right”

as opposed to “bad” and “wrong”

e.2. Ethical issues that confront organizations

There are important ethical issues that confront organizations. They consist of

the ff.:

1) Conflict of interest

2) Fairness and honesty

 3) Communication

4) Relationship within organization

LEARNING ASSESSMENT 2

Self-Assessment Questions:

1) When does “conflict of interest” exist?

2) What may be expected of a society with low regard of morals?

3) Where do you consider yourself to be part of in the future? In a healthy or a non

healthy organization? Substantiate your answer.

SUMMARY

Human behaviour refers to the physical actions of a person that can be seen or

heard such as smiling or whistling. Human behaviour in organization is more

appropriately referred to as organizational behaviour (OB).

Organizational behaviour or OB may be defined as the study of human behaviour in

organization, of the interaction between individuals and organization, and of the

organization itself.

There are three goals of Organizational Behavior, these are: 1) to explain

behaviour; 2) to predict behaviour; and 3) to control behaviour. Four elements operate

in OB. They are the people, the structure, technology, and the environment.
 The study of OB offers certain benefits such as the development of people skills,

personal growth, enhancement of organizational and individual effectiveness; and

sharpening and refinement of common sense.

Understanding organizational system and human behaviour is indeed essential

since it provides us the insights on what goes on at the workplace. Organizations are

known to have complex systems, therefore, it is necessary that we understand how

these systems operate in order for us to become effective and efficient part of it. The

study of

human behaviour is just as important, if not more important, than the study of things.

Certainly, there is no other subject more interesting and challenging than people.

REFERENCES

Books:
Medina, Roberto G. 2011. Human Behavior in Organization
Andrew J. Dubrin, Fundamentals of Organizational Behavior, 4 th edition. (2009)
John R. Schermerhorn, Jr, James G. Hunt, and Richard N. Osborn. Organizational
Behavior, 6th edition (1997)

Electronic Sources:
http://www.apexcpe.com/publications/471001.pdf
https://www.slideshare.net/najumpa7/approach-and-models-of-organization-behavior