2

The Nature of
Organisational Behaviour

The scope for the examination of behaviour in organisations is very wide. There are a multiplicity of interrelated factors which influence the behaviour and performance of people as members of a work organisation. It is important to recognise the role of management as an integrating activity and as the cornerstone of organisational effectiveness. People and organisations need each other.
The manager needs to understand the main influences on behaviour in work organisations and the nature of the people–organisation relationship.
The learning objectives of this chapter are to:
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explain the meaning and nature of organisational behaviour and provide an introduction to a behavioural approach to management; detail main interrelated influences on behaviour in work organisations and explain the nature of behavioural science; explain contrasting perspectives of organisations and different orientations to work; explain the importance of management as an integrating activity; assess the importance and nature of the new psychological contract; recognise the need for an international approach and the importance of culture to the study of organisational behaviour; appreciate the complex nature of the behaviour of people in work organisations.

Chapter 2 provides an introduction to the study area, a perspective on the nature of organisational behaviour and the importance of the role of management in work organisations. This chapter highlights the significance of the people–organisation relationship. It also considers different orientations to work and the nature of organisational effectiveness.
Influences on behaviour
Organisational behaviour is concerned broadly with the study of the behaviour of people within an organisational setting. It is important to emphasise that the behaviour of people cannot be studied in