Introduction. Modern organisations are not merely collections of machines, buildings and financial resources; they are living social systems in which people work together to achieve common goals. Even the best technology and structure fail if the behaviour of people working in the organisation is not understood and properly managed. It is in this background that the concept of Organisational Behaviour (OB) has emerged as an important field of study. Organisational Behaviour provides the manager with systematic knowledge about how individuals and groups behave at work, why they behave in a particular manner and how their behaviour can be influenced in the desired direction for organisational as well as individual effectiveness.
Meaning and Definition of Organisational Behaviour
Organisational Behaviour may be understood as the systematic study of human behaviour in organisational settings. It studies the behaviour of individuals and groups, the impact of organisational structure and culture on that behaviour, and uses this knowledge to improve organisational effectiveness.
Some important definitions are as follows:
- In simple terms: Organisational Behaviour is the study of what people think, feel and do in and around organisations.
- According to behavioural view: Organisational Behaviour is a field of study that investigates the impact that individuals, groups and organisational structure have on behaviour within organisations, and applies this knowledge for the purpose of improving organisational effectiveness.
Thus, Organisational Behaviour is a systematic and scientific study of human behaviour in organisational situations. It aims at understanding, predicting and controlling human behaviour at work.
Nature of Organisational Behaviour (Conceptual Background)
Before discussing characteristics, it is useful to understand the basic nature of OB which flows from its meaning:
- It deals with the behaviour of people working in organisations.
- It studies behaviour at three levels – individual, group and organisational system.
- It uses scientific methods and draws knowledge from various behavioural sciences.
- It is both a body of knowledge (theory) and an applied discipline (practice).
On the basis of the above, we can now discuss the main characteristics of Organisational Behaviour in detail.
Characteristics of Organisational Behaviour
The important characteristics or features of Organisational Behaviour are explained below:
1. Study of Human Behaviour in Organisations
Firstly, Organisational Behaviour is primarily concerned with the behaviour of people working in organisations. It studies how individuals behave, how they interact with one another, how groups are formed, how they function and how their behaviour is affected by the organisation. OB does not study human behaviour in general, but behaviour in the specific context of organisations such as business enterprises, government departments, educational institutions, hospitals, etc.
2. Focus on Individual, Group and Organisational Levels
Secondly, OB is concerned with behaviour at three levels:
- Individual level: personality, perception, learning, attitudes, motivation, values and job satisfaction of the individual employee.
- Group level: team formation, group norms, leadership, communication patterns, power and politics, conflict and co-operation within groups.
- Organisational system level: organisational structure, organisational culture, organisational climate, policies and overall design of the organisation.
By studying behaviour at all these three levels, OB provides a comprehensive picture of how people behave in the organisation.
3. Multidisciplinary in Nature
A very important characteristic of Organisational Behaviour is that it is multidisciplinary. It draws its concepts, theories and tools from various social and behavioural sciences, such as:
- Psychology – helps in understanding individual behaviour, personality, perception, learning, attitudes and motivation.
- Sociology – contributes to knowledge about group behaviour, organisational structure, social systems and group dynamics.
- Social Psychology – explains interpersonal behaviour, communication and influence processes.
- Anthropology – provides understanding of culture, values, comparative behaviour and organisational culture.
- Economics and Political Science – help in understanding decision-making, power, authority and resource allocation.
Because OB integrates knowledge from these disciplines, it develops a richer and more realistic understanding of behaviour in organisations.
4. Both Science and Art
Organisational Behaviour has the characteristics of both a science and an art:
- It is a science because it uses systematic methods of data collection, measurement, observation and analysis. It develops cause–effect relationships and generalisations about human behaviour.
- It is an art because managers have to apply this scientific knowledge skilfully to real-life situations. Human behaviour cannot be handled by rigid rules; it requires judgement, intuition and experience.
Thus, OB provides a scientific basis for understanding behaviour, but its application remains an art in the hands of managers.
5. Goal-Oriented and Result-Oriented
Another important characteristic is that Organisational Behaviour is goal-oriented. It is not a theoretical or academic exercise only; it aims at achieving specific results. The main goals are:
- To improve organisational effectiveness and productivity.
- To enhance employee satisfaction, growth and development.
- To create better quality of work life.
- To ensure harmony between organisational objectives and individual goals.
Thus, OB attempts to achieve both organisational goals (profit, growth, survival) and human goals (need satisfaction, job involvement, personal development).
6. Descriptive and Normative
Organisational Behaviour has both descriptive and normative features:
- On the one hand, it describes and explains why people behave as they do. For example, why some employees show high job satisfaction, why conflicts arise, why resistance to change occurs, etc.
- On the other hand, it also suggests norms and guidelines about how people should be managed. For example, how motivation can be increased, how leadership should be exercised, how communication can be improved, etc.
Therefore, OB not only tells us what is, but also what ought to be done for improving organisational functioning.
7. Systems Approach
Organisational Behaviour adopts a systems approach. An organisation is viewed as an open, dynamic system which has several interrelated parts – individuals, groups, technology, environment, structure and processes. Any change in one part affects other parts and the whole system. OB recognises these interdependencies and therefore studies behaviour in totality. This systems view helps managers to see how individual and group behaviour fits into the larger organisational picture.
8. Contingency-Oriented
OB follows the contingency approach. It recognises that there is no single best way of managing people which is suitable in all situations. The appropriate behaviour or managerial style depends upon the situation, the people involved, the organisational environment and other variables. For example, a leadership style that is effective in one situation may fail in another. Thus, OB does not give universal prescriptions; instead, it provides a framework to diagnose situations and adopt suitable behaviour.
9. Humanistic and Development-Oriented
Organisational Behaviour is humanistic in the sense that it gives central importance to the human being. It treats employees not as mere economic factors or “cogs in the machine” but as complete individuals with emotions, needs, values and aspirations. It emphasises respect for the individual, dignity of labour, participation, empowerment and quality of working life.
At the same time, OB is development-oriented. It stresses the development of people through training, counselling, career planning and organisational development efforts so that they can contribute fully to organisational objectives and also achieve personal growth.
10. Dynamic and Ever-Changing
Another characteristic of Organisational Behaviour is that it is dynamic. Human behaviour is not static; it keeps on changing with changes in time, environment, technology, culture, aspirations and expectations. The composition of workforce also changes due to factors like education, globalisation, rising aspirations of youth, increasing participation of women, etc. As a result, OB is not a fixed body of knowledge. New theories, concepts and practices keep on emerging and OB has to continuously adapt itself to these changes.
11. Concerned with Change and Organisational Effectiveness
Organisational Behaviour is also characterised by its concern for planned change and organisational effectiveness. It helps managers to understand forces of change in the environment, to handle resistance to change among employees and to implement organisational development programmes. Thus, OB becomes an important tool for bringing about constructive change and improving overall effectiveness of the organisation.
12. Managerially Relevant and Action-Oriented
Finally, OB is managerially relevant and action-oriented. It provides practical insights and techniques that managers can use in day-to-day functioning. Concepts such as motivation, leadership, communication, team building, job design, culture, conflict management, etc., are directly useful to managers. OB does not remain confined to theory; it guides action for solving real problems related to absenteeism, turnover, low productivity, poor morale and industrial disputes.
Significance of Organisational Behaviour for Managers
Although the question mainly asks for meaning and characteristics, in examination it adds value if the student briefly mentions the significance of OB from the manager’s point of view:
- It helps managers to understand and predict employee behaviour.
- It enables them to improve motivation, morale and performance of employees.
- It helps in designing effective leadership styles and communication systems.
- It assists in reducing conflict, improving co-operation and creating a positive organisational climate.
- It contributes to organisational stability and adaptability in a changing environment.
Conclusion: To conclude, Organisational Behaviour is a systematic and scientific study of human behaviour in organisational settings. It is multidisciplinary, goal-oriented, humanistic, systems-oriented, contingency-based and both science and art. Its main aim is to understand, predict and control human behaviour so that organisational objectives and individual goals can be harmoniously achieved. A clear understanding of the characteristics of OB enables managers to use human resources in the best possible manner and to create an effective, efficient and satisfying work environment.