Organizational Behavior - Terminology & Concepts

Organizational Behavior - Terminology & Concepts

It is difficult to define certain business terms and concepts. It is easier to describe real events that relate to the various words we hear and read about.

Organizational behavior is the study of human behavior in organizations. (Schermerhorn, Hunt & Wiley, 2005). All humans behave differently. It is beneficial to learn as much as possible about organizational behavior, as it will help provide a better understanding of oneself and other people. Symantec Corporation is a large company that focuses a great deal on organizational behavior. A human resource department provides ongoing training opportunities to individuals interested in learning more about it. Symantec cares a great deal about expanding career opportunities for its employees. They continually strive to teach people how to accept change and adapt to a continually evolving process.

Organizational culture is the shared beliefs and values that influence the behavior of the organizational members. (Schermerhorn, Hunt & Wiley, 2005). All people have their own set of beliefs and values. A company that has employees who share the same beliefs and values will be more successful than one whose beliefs and values differ. To succeed, a company must have employees whose intent is to attain a common goal. At Symantec, the common goal is to provide the highest level of internet security for companies worldwide. There are teams of people work together to research all potential risks to the internet environment.

Diversity is more of a concept. It means that all people are unique and have their own individual traits. Diversity is found in many areas. Diversity includes different racial and ethnic backgrounds, different lifestyles, different cultures and different beliefs. It also includes sexual orientation, age, religion and political beliefs. Symantec is one of the most diversely employed companies in existence. When you walk into the door at Symantec, you will hear a multitude of languages. You will see many different colors. You will see men dressed as women and women dressed as men. You will see employees dressed in three-piece business suits, as well as people walking around in torn-up jeans and Birkenstock sandals. Symantec has a large population of employees from India. India has the greatest culture difference than any other group. The employees are highly family-oriented and children often come to work with their parents. The women employees from India are completely covered from head to toe. Diversity at Symantec is well-accepted and considered very normal.

Communication is a process of sending and receiving messages with attached meanings. (Schermerhorn, Hunt & Wiley, 2005). Communication can happen in many different ways. The most common form of communication is by having a conversation in person with another person. Other forms of communication are telephone, email, fax, sign language, text messaging, instant messaging and eye contact. People can also communicate messages by the use of their body language. For example, if a man is sitting by himself, arms crossed and an unpleasant look on his face, another person will assume the man is mad. At Symantec, the most common form of communication, specifically within the IT (information technology) department, is through email. There are approximately eighty people within IT. Most of the people work remote from their homes. Email is the most cost effective and efficient way to talk to someone. Symantec puts a lot of effort into training their employees to practice positive communication through email because email messages are easily misunderstood.

Organizational effectiveness and efficiency is realizing what the business needs