Nature and Scope organisational behaviour

organisational behaviour has emerged as a separate field of study. The nature it has acquired by now is identified as follows:

1. A Separate Field of Study and Not Discipline only: By definition, a discipline is an accepted science that is based on a theoretical foundation. But, OB has a multi interdisciplinary orientation and is, thus, not based on a specific theoretical background. Therefore, it is better reasonable to call OB as a separate field of study rather than a discipline only. 

2  A Humanistic and Optimistic Approach: OB applies humanistic approach towards people working in the organisation. It treats people as thinking, feeling human beings. OB is based on the belief that people have an innate desire to be independent, creative, and productive. It also realize that people working in the organisation can and will actualise these potentials if they are given proper conditions and environment. As stated earlier, environment affects performance of  workers working in an organisation.

3. An Interdisciplinary Approach :OB is essentially an interdisciplinary approach to study human behaviour at work. It tries to integrate the relevant knowledge drawn from related disciplines like psychology, sociology, and anthropology to make them applicable for studying and analysing organisational behaviour.                                                               

4. An Applied Science: The very nature of OB is applied. What OB basically does is the application of various researches to solve the organisational problems related to human behaviour. The basic line of difference between pure science and OB is that while the former concentrates on fundamental researches, the latter concentrates on applied researches. As OB involves both applied research and its application in organisational analysis, hence, OB can be called both science as well as art.

5. A normative science : OB is a normative science also. While the positive science discusses only cause effect relationship, OB prescribes how the findings of applied researches can be applied to socially accepted organisational goals. Thus, OB deals with what is accepted by individuals and society engaged in an organisation. Yes, itis not that OB is not normative at all. In fact, OB is normative as well that is well underscored by the proliferation of management theories.                      

6. A Total System Approach: The systems approach is one that integrates all the variables affecting organisational functioning. The systems approach has been developed by the behavioural scientists to analyse human behaviour in view of his/ her socio-psychological framework. Man's socio-psychological framework makes him a complex one and the systems approach tries to study his/her complexity and find solution to it.