Organizational behavior (OB) is the study of human behavior in organizational settings, the interface between human behavior and the organization, and the organization itself. It is a multidisciplinary field that draws from psychology, sociology, social psychology, anthropology, political science, and economics. The study of organizational behavior includes areas of research dedicated to improving job performance, increasing job satisfaction, promoting innovation, and encouraging leadership.
Organizational behavior research can be categorized in at least three ways: individuals in organizations (micro-level), work groups (meso-level), and how organizations behave (macro-level) . Researchers in the field of organizational behavior have found that scientific approaches can be applied to personnel management to bring out the best in employees and improve the overall success of an organization.
The focus of organizational behavior tends to center around employee productivity. For example, organizational behavior studies have shown that employees who feel valued and appreciated tend to be more motivated and productive, leading to increased profits for the organization. OB is embedded in human resources such as employee retention, engagement, training, and culture.
In summary, organizational behavior is the study of how individuals, groups, and organizations interact and influence one another in an organizational setting. Its principles are applied primarily in attempts to make businesses operate more effectively.
