• Unit 1: Organizations in Business

    Let's start with the basics in considering the following question: what is an organization? An organization is a collection of individuals arranged in a particular way and embedded in an ever-changing environment to achieve a common goal. In this introductory unit, you will learn about organizations in business, focusing on how the individual plays a role in the organization's success. You must understand what influences individual behavior before you can study how individuals interact with organizations. As in psychology and sociology, the person is the focus of organizational behavior. Because sciences like psychology and sociology are older, more established fields of study than organizational behavior, we will look at them to better understand the purpose and applications of OB. This unit will provide you with an introduction to OB, including the history and emerging trends of OB. In addition, we will identify the micro-level factors that contribute to our understanding of the OB field. You will also learn about how OB is connected with other sciences. Finally, we will examine how to evaluate research in OB properly.

    Completing this unit should take you approximately 3 hours.

    • Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

      • define organizational behavior (OB) and relate it to an organization's success;
      • identify and analyze current trends in organizational behavior; and
      • discuss globalization, cross-cultural challenges, and benefits of diversity in the workplace.

    • 1.1: Organizational Behavior

      • Organizational Behavior Book

        Read this section for an overview of organizational behavior, defined as a systematic study of how individuals and groups act within the organizations where they work. As you read, think about how organizational behavior is related to organizational success. Also, look for the trends in organizational behavior (OB), since we will discuss these trends again in the course.

      • What is Organizational Behavior? Page

        What is organizational behavior (OB), and why is it important? How has the discipline of organizational behavior evolved over the years? What can you expect to learn as a student of organizational behavior? Review this presentation for an overview of both the history and the trends of OB.

    • 1.2: Employee Mindset

    • Unit 1 Assessment

      • Unit 1 Assessment Quiz

        Take this assessment to see how well you understood this unit.

        • This assessment does not count towards your grade. It is just for practice!
        • You will see the correct answers when you submit your answers. Use this to help you study for the final exam!
        • You can take this assessment as many times as you want, whenever you want.