Tutorial 1 OB
C18OB Tutorial One: OB & the Scientific Method
Reading: Chapters 1, 2 and 3 of Mullins (see also lecture notes from lecture 2, Who Studies OB?)
Q1. What are the four key steps in scientific enquiry? (The study of organisational behaviour)
Behaviour & attitudes of people at work either individually, in groups, or in the entire workforce`s actions on the effectiveness of the organization.
The four key steps in scientific enquiry can be divided into four categories, which collectively influence behaviour in work organisations.
The individual
The group
The organisation
The environment
Several assumptions must be made before meaningful research on OB can begin & these are…
Q2. What are the four basic assumptions that underpin the study of OB?
Behaviour can be predicted
Behaviour is caused by factors that can be identified
There is a limited number of these causes
Its possible to draw general conclusions about human behaviour from particular studies
Q3. Can the study of people and their habits in an organisational setting ever be ‘scientific’? (Explain your thinking here)
Despite the strong critisims pf scientific management, in the right circumstances the underlying principles still have relevance and much to offer business organisations today.
According to Taylors work (relevance of scientific management) yes, but on the other side his work has been highly criticised.
Q4. Do the social sciences suffer from ‘real’ (physics, say) scientific envy?
That is arguable.
“The study of organisational behaviour is really an art that pretends it is a science and produces subjective research findings in an vain attempt to try to prove the point” To what extent are you able to argue against this statement? What do YOU see as the value in the study of organisational behaviour?
Reading: Chapters 1, 2 and 3 of Mullins (see also lecture notes from lecture 2, Who Studies OB?)
Q1. What are the four key steps in scientific enquiry? (The study of organisational behaviour)
Behaviour & attitudes of people at work either individually, in groups, or in the entire workforce`s actions on the effectiveness of the organization.
The four key steps in scientific enquiry can be divided into four categories, which collectively influence behaviour in work organisations.
The individual
The group
The organisation
The environment
Several assumptions must be made before meaningful research on OB can begin & these are…
Q2. What are the four basic assumptions that underpin the study of OB?
Behaviour can be predicted
Behaviour is caused by factors that can be identified
There is a limited number of these causes
Its possible to draw general conclusions about human behaviour from particular studies
Q3. Can the study of people and their habits in an organisational setting ever be ‘scientific’? (Explain your thinking here)
Despite the strong critisims pf scientific management, in the right circumstances the underlying principles still have relevance and much to offer business organisations today.
According to Taylors work (relevance of scientific management) yes, but on the other side his work has been highly criticised.
Q4. Do the social sciences suffer from ‘real’ (physics, say) scientific envy?
That is arguable.
“The study of organisational behaviour is really an art that pretends it is a science and produces subjective research findings in an vain attempt to try to prove the point” To what extent are you able to argue against this statement? What do YOU see as the value in the study of organisational behaviour?