Organizational Behaviour Questions and Answers
- 1. Understanding Organizational Behavior: A Comprehensive Guide for MBA Students Introduction Organizational Behavior (OB) is a crucial field of study within the realm of business management, particularly for those pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA). This discipline focuses on the impact individuals, groups, and structures have on behavior within organizations, with the aim of improving organizational effectiveness. Understanding OB is essential for MBA students as it equips them with the tools to manage people effectively, enhance productivity, and foster a positive organizational culture. 1. The Foundations of Organizational Behavior 1.1 Definition and Scope Organizational Behavior is the study of how people interact within groups and organizations. It encompasses a wide range of topics including motivation, leadership, team dynamics, communication, and organizational culture. The scope of OB is broad, covering individual behavior, group processes, and organizational structures and dynamics. 1.2 Historical Development The study of OB has evolved significantly over time. Early theories such as Frederick Taylor's Scientific Management focused on optimizing work processes. The Human Relations Movement, led by figures like Elton Mayo, shifted the focus to the human aspects of work, emphasizing the importance of social relations and employee satisfaction. Contemporary OB integrates these earlier theories with modern psychological and sociological insights, providing a more holistic understanding of organizational dynamics. 1.3 Theoretical Frameworks Several key theories provide the foundation for understanding OB: ● Behavioral Theories: These theories, including Skinner's Operant Conditioning and Bandura's Social Learning Theory, emphasize how behavior is learned and reinforced in organizational settings. ● Cognitive Theories: Theories such as Vroom's Expectancy Theory and Adams' Equity Theory focus on how cognitive processes influence motivation and perception within organizations. ● Contingency Theories: These theories, including Fiedler's Contingency Model and Hersey-Blanchard's Situational Leadership Theory, argue that effective leadership and management depend on situational factors. 2. Individual Behavior in Organizations 2.1 Motivation
- 2. Understanding what drives individuals to perform at their best is a central theme in OB. Key motivational theories include: ● Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs: Proposes that individuals have a hierarchy of needs, from basic physiological needs to self-actualization. Understanding this hierarchy helps managers design motivational strategies that address various levels of needs. ● Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory: Distinguishes between hygiene factors (which prevent dissatisfaction) and motivators (which drive satisfaction and performance). ● Self-Determination Theory: Emphasizes the importance of intrinsic motivation and the role of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in fostering engagement. 2.2 Personality and Perception Individual differences in personality and perception significantly impact organizational behavior. Key concepts include: ● The Big Five Personality Traits: Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, and Openness to Experience. Understanding these traits helps in predicting job performance and fit. ● Perception and Attribution: How individuals perceive and interpret information affects their behavior and interactions. Attribution theory explores how people assign causes to their own and others' behaviors. 2.3 Learning and Development Organizational learning involves acquiring and applying knowledge to improve performance. Concepts include: ● Learning Styles: Different people learn in different ways, such as through visual, auditory, or kinesthetic means. ● Training and Development: Effective training programs enhance employees' skills and competencies, contributing to overall organizational success. 3. Group Dynamics 3.1 Team Formation and Development Teams are fundamental to organizational success. Understanding how teams form and develop is crucial: ● Tuckman's Stages of Group Development: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning. These stages describe how teams evolve over time. ● Belbin’s Team Roles: Identifies different roles individuals play in teams, such as the Plant (innovator) and the Coordinator (leader), and how these roles contribute to team effectiveness. 3.2 Communication and Decision-Making Effective communication is key to successful teamwork and decision-making:
- 3. ● Communication Models: Understanding the process of encoding, transmitting, and decoding messages helps improve clarity and reduce misunderstandings. ● Decision-Making Techniques: Techniques such as brainstorming, the Delphi method, and the nominal group technique facilitate effective group decision-making. 3.3 Conflict and Negotiation Conflict is inevitable in any organization. Understanding conflict types and resolution strategies is essential: ● Types of Conflict: Task conflict, relationship conflict, and process conflict. Each type requires different management strategies. ● Negotiation Strategies: Effective negotiation involves understanding interests, developing options, and seeking win-win solutions. 4. Leadership and Management 4.1 Leadership Theories Effective leadership is critical for guiding teams and organizations. Key leadership theories include: ● Transformational Leadership: Focuses on inspiring and motivating employees to achieve higher levels of performance and engagement. ● Transactional Leadership: Emphasizes the use of rewards and punishments to manage performance. ● Servant Leadership: Prioritizes the needs of employees and focuses on serving others as a means of achieving organizational goals. 4.2 Power and Politics Power dynamics and organizational politics significantly impact behavior and decision-making: ● Types of Power: Legitimate, reward, coercive, expert, and referent power. Understanding these types helps in navigating organizational influence. ● Political Behavior: Includes activities aimed at gaining power or influence, such as networking and coalition-building. 4.3 Change Management Managing organizational change is crucial for adapting to new conditions and maintaining competitiveness: ● Change Models: Lewin’s Change Management Model (Unfreeze, Change, Refreeze) and Kotter’s 8-Step Process for Leading Change provide frameworks for implementing change effectively. ● Resistance to Change: Understanding the reasons behind resistance and strategies for overcoming it, such as communication and involvement, is essential for successful change management.
- 4. 5. Organizational Culture 5.1 Defining Organizational Culture Organizational culture refers to the shared values, beliefs, and norms that influence behavior within an organization. Key aspects include: ● Artifacts: Visible elements of culture such as dress code, office layout, and rituals. ● Espoused Values: The organization’s stated values and beliefs. ● Basic Underlying Assumptions: Deeply embedded, taken-for-granted beliefs that guide behavior. 5.2 Culture Assessment Assessing organizational culture involves evaluating alignment between stated values and actual practices: ● Culture Surveys: Tools like the Organizational Culture Inventory (OCI) provide insights into cultural norms and employee perceptions. ● Culture Audits: Comprehensive evaluations of cultural elements and their impact on organizational performance. 5.3 Culture Change Changing organizational culture requires a strategic approach: ● Leadership Role: Leaders play a crucial role in modeling and reinforcing desired cultural behaviors. ● Communication and Training: Effective communication and training programs support cultural transformation efforts. 6. Organizational Structure and Design 6.1 Types of Organizational Structures Organizational structure determines how tasks are divided, coordinated, and supervised: ● Functional Structure: Groups employees based on their functions, such as marketing or finance. ● Divisional Structure: Organizes employees based on product lines, markets, or geographic regions. ● Matrix Structure: Combines functional and divisional structures to improve flexibility and communication. 6.2 Designing Effective Organizations Effective organizational design aligns structure with strategy and goals: ● Strategic Alignment: Ensuring that the organizational structure supports strategic objectives.
- 5. ● Flexibility and Innovation: Designing structures that allow for adaptability and innovation in response to changing conditions. 6.3 Organizational Effectiveness Measuring and improving organizational effectiveness involves: ● Performance Metrics: Key performance indicators (KPIs) and balanced scorecards assess organizational performance. ● Continuous Improvement: Implementing practices such as Total Quality Management (TQM) and Lean to enhance effectiveness. 7. Ethical and Social Responsibility 7.1 Ethical Behavior in Organizations Ethical behavior is crucial for maintaining trust and integrity: ● Ethical Decision-Making: Frameworks such as the Ethical Decision-Making Model guide individuals in making ethical choices. ● Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Organizations are increasingly expected to contribute positively to society and address social and environmental issues. 7.2 Building an Ethical Culture Creating an ethical culture involves: ● Code of Ethics: Developing and enforcing a code of ethics that outlines acceptable behavior and decision-making principles. ● Ethics Training: Providing training programs to educate employees about ethical standards and practices. 7.3 Social Responsibility and Sustainability Organizations are increasingly focused on sustainability and social impact: ● Sustainability Practices: Implementing practices that minimize environmental impact and promote social responsibility. ● Stakeholder Engagement: Engaging with stakeholders to address their concerns and contribute to societal well-being. Conclusion Organizational Behavior is a multifaceted field that encompasses various aspects of individual and group dynamics, leadership, culture, and structure. For MBA students, a deep understanding of OB is essential for effectively managing people, fostering a positive organizational culture, and driving organizational success. By integrating theoretical knowledge with practical applications, future business leaders can navigate the complexities of organizational life and contribute to creating thriving, effective organizations.
- 6. Do check the important Organizational Behaviour Questions below -: Organizational Behaviour solved MCQ Questions : Organizational Behavior is the study of what an individual thinks feels or does in and around an organisation, both individual and in group. This section focus on all topics of the Organizational Behaviour subject. Here you can get important mcq questions on Organizational Behaviour with answers. These questions will help you to prepare for interviews, entrance exams, online tests, and semester exams. These Organizational Behaviour multiple choice questions are for both freshers and experienced candidates. Organizational Behaviour MCQ Chapter Wise : Here you will find a list of important questions and answers with detailed solution on organizational behaviour in MCQ quiz style for competitive exams and interviews. Here, You can practice these MCQs chapter-wise for FREE. Below section consists of important multiple choice questions on organizational behaviour with answers -: 1. OB is the study of _____________ in the organisation a) Human b) Employer c) Human Behaviour d) Employees View Answer Answer: c 2. Now a days a lot of stress is being put on the __________ of the employee in the organisation a) Character b) improvement c) Behaviour d) Rewards View Answer Answer: c For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link
- 7. 3. OB focuses at 3 Levels- a) Individuals, Organisation, Society b) Society, Organisation, Nation c) Employee, Employer, Management d) Individual, Groups, Organisation View Answer Answer: d 4. High rate of ....... increase cost and tend to place less experienced employee in job a) Training b) Absenteeism c) Employee Turnover d) Strikes View Answer Answer: c For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link 5. Scope of OB does not include a) Leadership b) Perception c) Job Design d) Technology View Answer Answer: d For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link 6. Job Satisfaction has ....... related to Absenteeism and Turnover a) Positively b) Negatively c) directly d) Elastically View Answer Answer: b
- 8. 7. Scientist of OB recognize that organisations are not static but dynamic and ......... a) Processing b) systematic c) ever changing d) researching View Answer Answer: c For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link 8. ............ advocated that humans are essentially motivated by levels of needs a) A. Maslow b) Follet c) Elton Mayo d) Ivon Pavlov View Answer Answer: a 9. _______________ and fringe benefits are no longer employees first priority a) Wages b) bonus c) rewards d) promotions View Answer Answer: a For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link 10. A manager with good ________________________ can make the work place more pleasant a) Communication b) knowledge c) experience d) Interpersonal Skills View Answer Answer: d
- 9. 11. ______________________ is called as father of scientific management a) Elton Mayo b) Hendry Fayol c) F.W.Taylor d) Robert Owen View Answer Answer: c For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link 12. The book “The Psychology of management” was published by a) William Gilbreth b) Hendry Fayol c) F.W.Taylor d) Robert Owen View Answer Answer: a For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link 13. ___________________ is recognised as father of “Human relations” a) William Gilbreth b) Hendry Fayol c) F.W.Taylor d) Elton Mayo View Answer Answer: d 14. The Hawthome experiment was conducted by a) William Gilbreth b) Hendry Fayol c) F.W.Taylor d) Elton Mayo View Answer Answer: d
- 10. 15. The most significant management skills are a) Technical, Human and Conceptual b) Technical, behavioural and Conceptual c) Systematic, Human and Conceptual d) Technical, Human and cognitive View Answer Answer: a For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link 16. The 3 Theoretical Framework of OB are a) Cognitive, Social and Technical b) Cognitive, Behaviouristic, Social c) Leadership, attribution, motivation d) attribution, Perception and motivation View Answer Answer: b 17. ______________ explains internal processes of choice among different behaviours a) Equity Theory b) Expectancy theory c) Goal attain theory d) Goal setting Theory View Answer Answer: b 18. _____________ focuses on how to set goals for people to reach a) Equity Theory b) Expectancy theory c) Goal attain theory d) Goal setting Theory View Answer Answer: d For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link
- 11. 19. _____________ explains how and why people react when they feel unfairly treated a) Equity Theory b) Expectancy theory c) Goal attain theory d) Goal setting Theory View Answer Answer: a For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link 20. Concerning organizational cultures, a) a strong culture is a more productive environment b) a weak culture is a more productive environment c) the specific culture that contributes to positive effectiveness is well known d) the stronger the culture, the more influential it is on employee behavior View Answer Answer: d 21. Shared organizational values are a) unconscious, affective desires or wants that guide society's behavior b) influenced by international values c) different for the various components of a diverse work force d) a myth View Answer Answer: c For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link 22. Which of the following best explains why an employee behaves as s/he does? a) The environment is the most important consideration in understanding individual employee behavior b) Both the environment and individual differences are important considerations in understanding individual employee behavior c) Neither the environment nor individual differences are important considerations in understanding individual employee behavior d) Employee personality and attitudes are primarily dictated by the environment.
- 12. View Answer Answer: b 23. In order from lowest to highest, what are Maslow's five classes of needs? a) Social-esteem-physiological-safety-self-actualization b) Physiological-safety-social-self-actualization-esteem c) Physiological-safety-social-esteem-self-actualization d) Self-actualization-esteem-safety-social-physiological View Answer Answer: c For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link 24. A lack of clarity concerning what will happen is referred to as a) temporal b) predisposition c) uncertainty d) negation View Answer Answer: c 25. Employees with relatively weak higher- order needs are _______ concerned with variety and autonomy. a) less b) more c) very d) extreamely View Answer Answer: a For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link 26. Which of the following is a strategy of job design that increases job depth by meeting employee’s needs for psychological growth? a) Job rotation b) Job enrichment c) Job enlargement
- 13. d) Job engagement View Answer Answer: b 27. Organization structures a) affect group behavior more than individual behavior b) change rapidly to meet environmental and market changes c) contribute positively to organizational performance d) can be defined simply as activities that occur regularly View Answer Answer: d 28. What is the key word in understanding organization structure? a) Control b) Change c) Process d) Delegation View Answer Answer: a For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link 29. Groups created by managerial decision in order to accomplish stated goals of the organization are called a) formal groups b) informal groups c) task groups d) interest groups View Answer Answer: a For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link 30. Continued membership in a group will usually require a) supporting the group leader b) conforming to group norms c) encouraging cohesiveness in the group
- 14. d) developing a status system View Answer Answer: b 31. The definition of communication implies that a) communication is mostly verbal b) communication is mostly written c) most communication is in a vertical direction d) understanding must occur to have communication View Answer Answer: d 32. The Least used communication channel in an organization is usually a) upward b) downward c) diagonal d) Horizontal View Answer Answer: d For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link 33. ____________ means the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses. a) Learning b) development c) Cognition d) Training View Answer Answer: c For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link 34. _____________ framework is based on the concept of Expectancy, demand and Intention of the human being. a) Behaviouristic b) Expectancy
- 15. c) Cognitive d) Social learning View Answer Answer: c 35. According to Edward Tolman, ______________ consists of the expectancy that a particular event will lead to a particular consequence. a) Eventual b) Behaviour c) Learning d) Attitude View Answer Answer: c For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link 36. Every individual set his goal and he also know the _____________ which will take him to achieve the goal. a) Process b) Behaviour c) Event d) way View Answer Answer: b 37. ________ insist that it is advisable and fruitful to the study the behaviour of the human being which is visible than studying the mind which is elusive in nature.? a) Ivan Pavlov and Jon B. Watson b) Ivan Pavlov c) Jon B. Watson d) Ivan Pavlov and A. Maslow View Answer Answer: a For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link
- 16. 38. _____________ is the force of action or motivation. a) Behaviour b) Stimulus c) Perception d) Attitude View Answer Answer: b 39. Which of the following is not a contributing discipline of OB a) Anthropology b) Psychology c) physiology d) sociology View Answer Answer: c For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link 40. Behavioural framework based on ______ behaviour and ___environmental variables. a) Observable ---- Non Observable b) Observable ---- Observable c) Non Observable ---- Observable d) Non observable ---- Non Observable View Answer Answer: b For more Organizational Behaviour Questions, Visit this Link