Module 4 Review

Chapter 1:

Organizational

Behavior and Opportunity

Review Questions

4. Briefly describe the elements of the formal and informal organization. Give examples of each.

The formal organization is the official, legitimate, and most visible part that enables people to think of organizations in logical and rational ways. Formal organizations, or overt organizations, are known as having set goals and objectives, policies and procedures, job descriptions, financial resources, authority structure, communication channels, and products and services. The informal organization is the unofficial and less visible part of the system. Informal organizations, or covert organizations, deal with beliefs and assumptions, perceptions and attitudes, values, feelings, group norms, and informal leaders. The formal elements set the guidelines for the informal elements, whereas the informal elements are important because people’s feelings, thoughts, and attitudes about their work makes a difference in their behavior and performance, so both are equally important and must always be considered.

Discussion and Communication Questions

1. How do the formal aspects of your work environment affect you? What informal aspects of your work environment are important?

The formal aspects of my work environment set the guidelines that should be followed in the work place and shows the type of authority structure in the company. They determine what is expected of me on the job, and also defines my job descriptions. The formal aspects also determine how well the job is performed. The informal aspects that are important to me in a work environment include the organization’s and employer’s beliefs and assumptions, the values, and the attitudes toward employees. I personally would not consider working for an organization that does not have Christian beliefs and values, or one that is not family friendly.

4. Discuss two ways people learn about organizational behavior.

People can learn about...