Introduction: Organizational Behavior

Organizational Behavior (OB) emerged as a formal academic discipline in the 1950s–60s, building on early work in industrial psychology and sociology. It is a field of study that investigates the impact of individuals, groups, and structures on behavior within organisations, with the purpose of applying such knowledge toward improving an organisation's effectiveness.

Why OB matters for RAS Mains:

• PYQ pattern: Motivation questions (Maslow 2021, McClelland 2023) appear in every exam — this is the most predictable management sub-topic
• 2026 prediction: Expect at least one 5-mark question on motivation theory (possibly Herzberg, which has NOT been asked recently) and one 2-mark on leadership (which also appeared both years)
• Scope: Unlike strategic management or marketing, OB is pure theory — easy to prepare but requires precise recall of theorists, year, and model structure

Four disciplines that underpin OB:

1. Psychology: Individual behavior — perception, motivation, personality, learning, attitudes
2. Social Psychology: Group dynamics, team behavior, influence processes
3. Sociology: Group structures, organisational culture, power and conflict
4. Anthropology: Cross-cultural behavior, comparative organisational values

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