Q1: There is a paradigm shi in organisa onal behaviour from its evolu on to recent mes.

What
forces are behind the steady increase in the status of organisa onal behaviour? Explain the individual
dimensions of behaviour in details.

The forces that are behind the steady increase in the status of OB are:

1. Globaliza on and Workforce Diversity: An organisa on consists of different types of people

belonging to diverse cultures, communica on styles, values and work ethics. Managing such a
diverse workforce requires a deep understanding of human behaviour in several aspects.

OB provides the required frameworks and tools to understand this diversity and foster
inclusive work environment. It helps to manage cross-cultural teams in order to cope up with
the growing global compe veness.

2. Technological Advancements and the Digital Revolu on: Rapid technological change decides
the way of work to be done and influences the interac on between the teams.

OB helps organiza ons understand the behavioural implica ons of new technologies like
managing virtual teams and ensuring safety in AI-driven environment. It also focuses on how
to manage resistance to change and facilitate technology adop on.

3. Emphasis on Human Capital and Talent Management: At present, human capital is the most
cri cal asset. A rac ng, retaining, mo va ng and developing top talent is paramount for
compe ve advantage.

OB provides the founda on for HR prac ces like recruitment, selec on, training and
development, performance management, compensa on and employee engagement. It is
crucial to understand the individual and group dynamics in order to make use of the human
poten al.

4. Changing Nature of Work: There is a shi from stable, hierarchical jobs to more project-based
and autonomous work. Employees work towards work-life balance and opportuni es for
growth and not only for financial rewards.

OB offers insights into new mo va onal theories and leadership styles, thus fostering
organiza onal cultures that promote well-being of the employees.

5. Ethical Nature and Social Responsibility: It is inevitable for the stakeholders to demand ethical
behaviour, social responsibility and transparent governance from organiza ons.

OB helps analyze ethical decision-making processes, combat workplace misconduct and build
a strong ethical culture. It addresses issues like fairness, trust and integrity within
organiza ons.

6. Need for Agility and Innova on: In rapidly changing markets, organiza ons must be agile,
adaptable and innova ve to survive and thrive.

OB is cri cal for fostering psychological safety, hence promo ng crea vity, managing change
and developing leadership capabili es that encourage experimenta on and learning from
failure.
 7. Evidence-Based Management: There is a growing demand for management decisions to be
based on rigorous research and data.

OB, rooted in scien fic disciplines like psychology, sociology, and anthropology, provides the
research methodologies and empirical findings to inform management prac ces, moving away
from intui on-based decisions.

Individual Dimensions of Behaviour in Detail:

Individual behaviour forms the base of organiza onal behaviour. Understanding these dimensions
helps to predict the ways in which employees act or react in the workplace.

1. Personality:

 The rela vely stable pa erns of thoughts, emo ons and behaviours that characterize
an individual. It also tells about the traits.
 The 5 big personality traits are:

 Openness to Experience: Person who has adaptability & innova ve

thoughts

 Conscien ousness: Person who is very persistent and a strong

predictor of job performance

 Extraversion: Person who is very sociable and has lots of social

interac on

 Agreeableness: Person who is coopera ve, warm and empathe c

 Neuro cism: Person who is emo onally stable, calm and self-
confident

 Personality impact in OB - It influences job sa sfac on, performance, leadership

quality and handling of stress.

2. Percep on:

 The process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impressions to
give meaning to their environment. It shows how we perceive the surrounding around
us.

 The factors influencing percep on are a tudes, mo ves, experience, me, workplace
& environment.

 Perceptual Errors/Biases:

 Selec ve Percep on: Tendency to interpret what one sees based on

one's interests, background, experience,and a tudes.

 Halo Effect: Drawing a general impression about an individual based

on a single characteris c.
  Stereotyping: Judging someone on the basis of one's percep on of
the group to which that person belongs.

 Confirma on Bias: Seeking out informa on that confirms exis ng

beliefs.

 A ribu on Theory: Explaining why people behave in certain ways,

o en with biases like Fundamental A ribu on Error (overes ma ng
internal factors in others) or Self-Serving Bias (a ribu ng success to
internal factors, failure to external).

 Percep on impact in OB – It is crucial for understanding communica on, decision-

making, performance appraisals, conflict resolu on and leadership. Percep on of
employees about their jobs, colleagues and management profoundly affects their
behaviour.

3. A tudes:

 Evalua ve statements—either favorable or unfavorable—about objects, people or

events. They reflect how we feel about something.

 Key Components:

 Cogni ve Component: The belief or opinion segment of an a tude (e.g., "My

Branch Manager is par al").

 Affec ve Component: The emo onal or feeling segment (e.g., "I dislike my
canteen").

 Behavioural Component: An inten on to behave in a certain way toward

someone or something (e.g., ”I will not a end mee ng with the Clerk").

 Key Workplace A tudes:

 Job Sa sfac on: A posi ve feeling about one's job resul ng from an
evalua on of its characteris cs.

 Job Involvement: The extent to which a person involves himself in a job, and
ac vely par cipates in it.

 Organiza onal Commitment: Employee's inten on to align with the

organisa onal goals and missions and to con nue to serve for it.

 Employee Engagement: Employee's involvement and sa sfac on with the job

and enthusiasm for the work they do.

 A tude impact in OB – It has strong links to job performance, turnover, absenteeism

and counterproduc ve work behaviours (CWB).
 4. Values:

 Guiding principles or beliefs that an individual, group or society holds as important.

They are rela vely stable and guide choices and hence influences decision-making.

 Types:

 Terminal Values: Desirable end-states of existence (e.g., prosperity, world

peace, happiness).

 Instrumental Values: Preferred modes of behaviour or means of achieving

one's terminal values (e.g., autonomy, self-sufficiency, kindness).

 Value impact in OB - Influence a tudes, mo va on, percep on, decision-making,

ethical conduct and cultural fit within an organiza on. It can also lead to higher job
sa sfac on and commitment.

5. Learning:

 Any rela vely permanent change in behaviour that occurs as a result of experience.

 Key Theories:

 Classical Condi oning: Learning a condi oned response to a condi oned

s mulus (e.g., Pavlov's dogs).

 Operant Condi oning (Reinforcement Theory): Learning through rewards

and punishments. Behaviour is a func on of its consequences.

 Posi ve Reinforcement: Desirable consequence following a

behaviour.

 Nega ve Reinforcement: Removal of an unpleasant consequence.

 Punishment: Undesirable consequence following a behaviour.

 Ex nc on: Withholding reinforcement to reduce a behaviour.

 Social Learning Theory: Learning through observa on, direct experience and
modelling others' behaviour. Importance of self-efficacy (belief in one's
ability).

 Learning impact in OB – It is crucial for understanding training and development, skill

acquisi on, performance management, mo va on and the development of
organiza onal culture through observa on and reinforcement.

(Reference: scribd.com, quizlet.com)

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Q2: In India, today the workforce is more heterogeneous than at any me in history. Describe the
significance of applica on of organisa onal behaviour in the organisa on. In view of this changing
nature of workforce explain the percep on and its process.

The applica on of OB principles in a diverse Indian workforce is crucial for several reasons:

1. Enhancing Employee Engagement and Mo va on:

 What mo vates a young, tech-savvy employee might be different from an experienced

staff. OB provides tools to analyze individual and group needs, leading to tailored
mo va on strategies, recogni on programs and career development paths that
resonate with diverse aspira ons.

 Impact: An engaged workforce is more produc ve, innova ve and loyal. OB helps
design work environments that cater to varying needs for autonomy, collabora on and
learning.

2. Improving Communica on and Collabora on:

 OB helps to navigate through diverse communica on styles, cultural nuances and

poten al linguis c barriers. It sheds light on how different backgrounds perceive
messages, feedback and authority.

 Impact: Effec ve communica on is the founda on for any successful organiza on. OB
facilitates training on cross-cultural communica on, ac ve listening and conflict
resolu on, thus reducing misunderstandings and fostering seamless collabora on
across diverse teams.

3. Managing Conflict and Promo ng Harmony:

 People from diverse cultures can have differing perspec ves, which, if not managed
well, can escalate into conflict arising from misunderstandings, stereotypes or clashing
values.

 Impact: OB provides strategies for conflict resolu on, media on and building
empathy. It emphasizes crea ng an inclusive culture where differences are celebrated,
and psychological safety allows individuals to express themselves without fear. This
leads to a more harmonious and produc ve work environment.

4. Fostering Innova on and Crea vity:

 Diverse teams bring a wider range of experiences, viewpoints and problem-solving

approaches. This cogni ve diversity is a powerful catalyst for innova on.

 Impact: By applying OB, organiza ons can create a culture that values different
perspec ves, encourages construc ve debate and provides pla orms for diverse
voices to contribute ideas. This directly translates to more crea ve solu ons, be er
decision-making and enhanced compe ve advantage.
 5. Effec ve Leadership and Management:

 The "one-size-fits-all" leadership style is ineffec ve in a heterogeneous workforce.

Leaders need to adapt their approach based on individual and group characteris cs
and the leadership style should be flexible.

 Impact: OB equips leaders with the skills to be inclusive, empathe c, culturally

intelligent and adaptable. It helps them understand how to mo vate, influence and
empower diverse teams, leading to higher performance and employee reten on.

6. Building a Strong, Inclusive Organiza onal Culture:

 Organisa onal culture is shaped by shared values, beliefs and prac ces. In a diverse
workforce, building a coherent yet inclusive culture is cri cal.

 Impact: OB guides organiza ons in defining and reinforcing core values that resonate
with all employees, developing fair policies and prac ces and also crea ng an
environment where every individual feels respected, valued and has a sense of
belonging, regardless of their background.

7. Talent A rac on and Reten on:

 Today's diverse workforce ac vely seeks inclusive environments.

 Impact: By crea ng an organiza on that deeply understands and values its diverse
people, OB contributes to a rac ng top talent from all segments of society and
significantly reduces turnover, especially among high-performing employees who
might otherwise feel marginalized.

Percep on and its Process in a Changing Workforce:

Percep on is the process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impressions in order
to give meaning to their environment. In a heterogeneous workforce, individual percep ons are
significantly influenced by one's unique background, culture, experiences and biases.

The Process of Percep on:

Percep on is a complex cogni ve process that can be broken down into three main stages:

1. Selec on (Receiving S muli):

 At any given moment, individuals are bombarded with countless s muli (sights,
sounds, smells, interac ons). We cannot process all of them.

 Selec ve A en on: We subconsciously choose which s muli to pay a en on to

based on:

 External Factors (Characteris cs of the Target):

 Intensity: Louder sounds, brighter colours, stronger odours.

 Size: Larger objects, more prominent figures.

  Novelty: Something unusual or unexpected (e.g., a foreign accent in
an otherwise homogeneous group).

 Repe on: S muli that are repeated (e.g., a frequently used phrase).

 Mo on: Moving objects (e.g., someone pacing during a mee ng).

 Contrast: Objects that stand out against their background (e.g., a

par cularly quiet person in a loud team).

 Internal Factors (Characteris cs of the Perceiver):

 Needs/Mo ves: We tend to no ce what we need or desire (e.g., a

hungry person no ces food adver sements).

 Interests: We pay a en on to things we are interested in.

 Experience: Our past experiences shape what we focus on and what

we expect.

 Expecta ons: We tend to perceive what we expect to perceive

(perceptual set).

 Personality: Introverts might no ce subtle cues while extroverts

might focus on overt interac ons.

 A tudes & Values: Our exis ng a tudes and values filter what we
perceive as important or relevant.

2. Organiza on (Structuring S muli):

 Once selected, sensory informa on is not processed randomly. The brain a empts to
organize it into meaningful pa erns.

 Gestalt Principles: (Principles of perceptual organiza on)

 Figure-Ground: Dis nguishing a central object (figure) from its background.

 Grouping: Tendency to group s muli together based on:

 Proximity: Objects close to each other (e.g., people si ng together in

a mee ng are perceived as a group).

 Similarity: Objects that look alike (e.g., people wearing similar

uniforms).

 Closure: Filling in missing pieces to form a complete picture.

 Con nuity: Perceiving con nuous pa erns rather than discon nuous
ones.

 Perceptual Constancy: Perceiving objects as stable despite changes in sensory

input (e.g., a door is s ll a rectangle even when viewed at an angle).
  Schemas: Mental frameworks or categories (e.g., "leader," "engineer," "foreigner")
developed from past experiences that help us organize new informa on efficiently.
We fit new informa on into these exis ng mental structures.

3. Interpreta on (Assigning Meaning):

 This is the stage where meaning is assigned to the organized percep ons. It's highly
subjec ve and influenced by both perceiver and target characteris cs and the context.

 Factors Influencing Interpreta on:

 A ribu on Theory: We try to determine whether an observed behaviour is

caused by internal (person's traits, effort) or external (situa on, luck) factors.

 Perceptual Biases/Errors: These are systema c distor ons in interpreta on,

common in diverse workforces:

 Stereotyping: Judging someone based on the percep on of the group

they belong to (e.g., "All young employees are impa ent," "Women
are emo onal").

 Halo Effect: Drawing a general posi ve impression about an individual

based on a single, prominent characteris c (e.g., "Since they are from
IIT, they must be brilliant in everything").

 Horn Effect: Opposite of halo effect; a single nega ve trait leads to an

overall nega ve impression.

 Selec ve Percep on: Only seeing what one wants to see or what
aligns with exis ng beliefs.

 Contrast Effect: Evalua ng a person's characteris cs by comparing

them with other people recently encountered (e.g., an average
candidate looks great a er several poor ones).

 Projec on: A ribu ng one's own characteris cs to other people (e.g.,

"I'm honest, so everyone else must be too").

 First-Impression Error: Forming ini al judgments that are difficult to

change later.

 Self-Serving Bias: A ribu ng one's successes to internal factors and

failures to external ones.

 Fundamental A ribu on Error: Overes ma ng internal factors and

underes ma ng external factors when judging others' behaviour.

 Context/Situa on: The environment (e.g., formal mee ng vs. casual

cafeteria) influences how behaviour is interpreted.

In a heterogeneous Indian workforce, the diverse backgrounds mean that employees bring vastly
different "filters" (experiences, values, cultural norms) to the percep on process. This can lead to
different interpreta ons of the same event, statement, or behaviour, poten ally causing
misunderstandings, misjudgements and conflicts, if not ac vely managed through the applica on of
OB principles. Recognizing these perceptual differences is the first step towards building a truly
inclusive and effec ve organiza on.

(Reference: slideplayer.com)

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Q3: Miss. Aishwarya is a first- me manager/leader. She is given big responsibili es and ght deadlines.
She is under tremendous pressure to produce results. She does not delegate the responsibility to her
team members and takes the tasks on herself. She believes that she can do the job be er than her
teammates. She also fears that if she assigns pres gious projects to others they will get the credit and
recogni on. She believes that she can add value only by doing the tasks herself. Even when she
delegates she supervises her teammates so closely that they do not feel accountable.

Answer the following ques ons based on the above stated prac cal situa on.

Ques ons: Do you think that Ms. Aishwarya's approach is correct to manage performance as a leader?
Analyse Aishwarya's behaviour as a leader and comment on her way of doing things. What would you
suggest, Miss. Aishwarya?

Miss. Aishwarya's situa on is a common challenge for many first- me managers, especially those who
were previously high-performing individual contributors. Her current approach is not correct for
managing performance as a leader and is likely to lead to nega ve consequences for both her and her
team in the long run.

Analysis of Aishwarya's Behaviour as a Leader:

Ms. Aishwarya's behaviour as a leader reveals several key aspects and underlying issues:

1. Lack of Trust in Team Capabili es: Her belief that "she can do the job be er than her
teammates" is a fundamental barrier. While she might possess strong individual skills, a
leader's role shi s from being the best doer to being the best enabler. This lack of trust
demo vates team members and prevents their growth.

2. Insecurity and Fear of Losing Credit/Recogni on: The fear that "if she assigns pres gious
projects to others they will get the credit and recogni on" points to insecurity. A leader's
success is measured by the team's collec ve success and distribu ng credit builds loyalty and
empowers subordinates. This fear also reveals a misunderstanding of how leaders truly add
value.

3. Misconcep on of "Adding Value": Her belief that "she can add value only by doing the tasks
herself" is a cri cal flaw. A leader's value primarily comes from strategizing, removing
roadblocks, developing talent, fostering collabora on and ensuring the team achieves its goals
efficiently, not by individually execu ng every task. By doing everything herself, she becomes
a bo leneck.

4. Micromanagement: Even when she delegates, her close supervision, to the point where "they
do not feel accountable," is classic micromanagement. This s fles ini a ve, prevents team
 members from learning from their mistakes and erodes their sense of ownership and
responsibility.

5. Risk of Burnout: With big responsibili es, ght deadlines and taking all tasks on herself, Ms.
Aishwarya is on a direct path to severe burnout. This is unsustainable and will ul mately
impact her effec veness and well-being.

6. Demo va on and Stunted Team Growth: Her approach removes autonomy, trust and
opportuni es for development from her team. This will lead to demo va on, disengagement
and a lack of accountability among her team members. They will not feel challenged, trusted,
or valued, poten ally leading to increased turnover in the future.

7. Bo leneck to Performance: By centralizing all tasks and decisions, Ms. Aishwarya creates a
bo leneck. This limits the team's capacity to deliver results and reduces overall produc vity
as she becomes the sole point of failure and progress.

What Would You Suggest, Miss. Aishwarya?

Ms. Aishwarya needs to undergo a significant shi in her mindset and adopt new leadership
behaviours. Here are some sugges ons:

1. Fundamental Mindset Shi (Redefine Your Role as a Leader):

 Your Value is Now in Developing Others: Understand that your primary job is no
longer to be the best individual performer but to build, enable and empower a high-
performing team. Your success is now a reflec on of their success.

 Trust Your Team: Recognize that you hired them for a reason. They have skills and
poten al. Your role is to unleash that poten al, not s fle it.

 Credit Sharing Mul plies Success: Embrace the idea that when your team members
receive recogni on, it reflects posi vely on your leadership. Sharing credit builds
immense loyalty and a stronger team.

2. Learn and Prac ce Effec ve Delega on:

 Start Small: Begin by delega ng tasks that are less cri cal or have lower risk. This
allows you and your team to build confidence.

 Clearly Define the What, Why and How: When delega ng, clearly explain:

 What needs to be done.

 Why it's important (context and purpose).

 Expected outcome and quality standards.

 Resources available (informa on, tools, support).

 Deadline.

 Delegate Authority, Not Just Tasks: Empower your team members to make decisions
related to their delegated tasks. Give them ownership.
  Shi from "Doing" to "Guiding": Instead of directly correc ng, ask probing ques ons:
"How do you plan to approach this?" "What challenges do you foresee?" "What
support do you need?"

 Set Check-in Points, Not Constant Supervision: Agree on specific mes to check
progress rather than hovering. Allow them space to work and learn even if it means
making small mistakes (which are crucial for learning).

3. Focus on Team Development and Empowerment:

 Iden fy Strengths and Growth Areas: Understand what each team member excels at
and where they need to develop.

 Assign Stretch Assignments: Give team members opportuni es to work on

"pres gious projects" under your guidance. This will build their skills, confidence and
show you trust them.

 Provide Construc ve Feedback: Focus feedback on the task and behaviour, not the
person. Use it as a coaching opportunity.

 Celebrate Successes: Publicly recognize team members for their contribu ons and
achievements.

4. Manage Your Own Workload and Well-being:

 Priori ze Ruthlessly: Iden fy what only you can do versus what can be delegated.

 Embrace Capacity Building: Recognize that delega ng successfully will free up your
me for higher-level leadership responsibili es which is where you truly add strategic
value.

 Avoid Burnout: Your current approach is unsustainable. Effec ve delega on is key to

manage your own stress and maintain long-term effec veness.

5. Seek Mentorship and Feedback:

 Find an Experienced Mentor: Connect with a more experienced leader or externally

who can guide you through the transi on from individual contributor to manager.

 Request Feedback: Once you start implemen ng changes and building some trust,
you could consider seeking anonymous feedback from your team or direct feedback
from your own manager about your delega on and leadership style.

By making these changes, Ms. Aishwarya can transform from a bo leneck individual performer into
an effec ve leader who leverages her team's full poten al leading to higher collec ve performance
and a more sustainable work environment.

(Reference: scribd.com)

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