Organizational Behavior
Introduction to Organizational Behavior
Organizational Behavior (OB) is a subject that has fascinated me since I was a teenager. I enjoyed watching how my high school functioned – it was an interesting dynamic of power, politics, perceptions, and attitudes. My father worked in a factory (as I did during the summers) and I loved hearing the stories that he told about situations on the work line and with his bosses. Since then, I have been fascinated with the perceptions and attitudes of human beings as they interact in a variety of organizations.
OB is all about human behavior in organizations – understanding it, managing it, and trying to predict future behavior. It takes pieces from the fields of psychology, sociology, political science, anthropology, and management, among others. It offers insights into motivation, decision-making, power, politics, diversity, leadership, and attitudes at the macro and micro levels.
Resources to Use
- In this course of study, you will use a textbook by Fred Luthans, a Professor of Management from the University of Nebraska. To learn a little about the author, visit the site People at CBA.
- There are two articles that will be part of the learning activities of this study. These articles will be discussed during the study. Hopefully, they will generate some interesting thoughts and discussion.
- The first one Organizations and Diverse Populations (login required) was written by me in 2000.
- The second is Women and Identity: Redefining Ourselves (login required), written with Dr. Margaret Clark-Plaskie in 2002.
- Since I mentor this study with a variety of students in many locations and most of you are working individually, I have created a discussion board for my students in Organizational Behavior. I believe that the interaction of online discussion will bring a great deal to your experience. To enter the discussion area click: