Organizational Behavior Modification

This unique work bridges the gap between theory and practice in organizational behavior. It provides a practical guide to real-life applications of the 35 most significant theories in the field. The author describes each theory, and then analyzes its usefulness and importance to the successful practice of management. His analysis covers key managerial topics such as goal setting, training and development, assessment, job enrichment, influence processes, decision-making, group processes, organizational development, organizational structuring, and effective organizational operation.

Here is an intriguing look at the basic principles of organizational behavior management and their relationship to the more traditional psychological/managerial characterizations of human behavior modification within organizations. Organizational behavior management specialists explore the applications and issues regarding behavioral procedures in the public sector and examine the recent success of behavior modification as it has been used in business, industry, and government. Supervisors and managers in business, industry, and government will find these principles and illustrations readily applicable to their organizations.

The book begins with a treatment of the role of science and the nature of theory and research. A discussion of the early origins and history of organizational behavior follows. This is the most comprehensive coverage of how organizational behavior emerged and grew. It presents and evaluates the first generation theorists, whose work began during the first 20 years. The subject matter covered is motivation, leadership, and organizational decision making. The institutional culture of organizational behavior is discussed and a vision for the future of the field is stated. Here the early history and the evidence from the theories are brought together in an effort to assess the identity of organizational behavior and where it might be headed.

This comprehensive text provides a detailed review and analysis of the building-block theories in Organizational Behavior. Expanding on his previous work in the field, John Miner has identified the key theories that every student or scholar needs to understand to be considered literate in the discipline. Organizational Behavior: Essential Theories of Motivation and Leadership analyzes the work of leading theorists. Each chapter includes the background of the theorist represented, the context in which the theory arose, the initial and subsequent theoretical statements, research on the theory by the theory's author and others (including meta-analysis and reviews), and practical applications. Special features including boxed summaries of each theory at the beginning of each chapter, two introductory chapters on the scientific method and the development of knowledge, and detailed and comprehensive references, help make this text especially useful for graduate courses in Organizational Behavior and Industrial/Organizational Psychology.