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ORGANIZATIONAL
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4 th
EDITION
Organizational
Behavior
Steven L. McShane
University of Victoria (Canada)
Published by McGraw-Hill Education, 2 Penn Plaza, New York, NY 10121. Copyright © 2019 by McGraw-Hill
Education. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Previous editions © 2016, 2014, and
2012. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a
database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education, including, but not
limited to, in any network or other electronic storage or transmission, or broadcast for distance learning.
Some ancillaries, including electronic and print components, may not be available to customers outside the
United States.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 LWI 21 20 19 18
All credits appearing on page or at the end of the book are considered to be an extension of the copyright page.
Names: McShane, Steven Lattimore, author. | Von Glinow, Mary Ann Young, 1949-
author. | Von Glinow, Mary Ann.
Title: Organizational behavior / Steven L. McShane, University of Western
Australia, Mary Ann Von Glinow, Florida International University.
Other titles: Organisational behavior
Description: Fourth Edition. | Dubuque, IA : McGraw-Hill Education, 2019. |
Revised edition of the authors’ Organizational behavior, ©2005.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017058678 | ISBN 9781259927676 (paperback : alk. paper) |
ISBN 1259927679 (alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Organizational behavior. | BISAC: BUSINESS & ECONOMICS /
Organizational Behavior.
Classification: LCC HD58.7 .M42 2018b | DDC 658--dc23 LC record available at
https://lccn.loc.gov/2017058678
The Internet addresses listed in the text were accurate at the time of publication. The inclusion of a website does
not indicate an endorsement by the authors or McGraw-Hill Education, and McGraw-Hill Education does not
guarantee the accuracy of the information presented at these sites.
www.mheducation.com
about the
Authors
Steven L. McShane
Steven L. McShane is adjunct professor at the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria
(Canada). He previously held the positions of professor at Simon Fraser University Business School in Canada
and professor of management at the University of Western Australia Business School. He currently teaches in
the Shanghai Jiao Tong University IMBA program. Early in his career, Steve taught at Queen’s University in
Canada. Steve has received awards for his teaching quality and innovation, and receives high ratings from
students in Perth, Shanghai, Singapore, Manila, and other cities where he has taught. He is also a popular visit-
ing speaker, having given dozens of invited talks and seminars in recent years to faculty and students in the
United States, China, Canada, Malaysia, India, and other countries.
Steve earned his PhD from Michigan State University, where he specialized in organizational behavior and Courtesy Steven McShane
labor relations. He also holds a Master’s of Industrial Relations from the University of Toronto and an under-
graduate degree from Queen’s University in Canada. Steve is a past president of the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada
(the Canadian equivalent of the Academy of Management) and served as director of graduate programs in Simon Fraser University’s
business faculty. He has conducted executive programs with Nokia, TÜV-SÜD, Wesfarmers Group, Main Roads WA, McGraw-Hill,
ALCOA World Alumina Australia, and many other organizations.
Along with coauthoring M:Organizational Behavior, Fourth Edition, Steve is lead coauthor of Organizational Behavior, Eighth
Edition (2018); Canadian Organizational Behaviour, Tenth Edition (2018); and Organisational Behaviour: Asia Pacific, Fifth Edition
(2016). He is also coauthor of editions or translations of his organizational behavior books in China, India, Quebec, Taiwan, and
Brazil. Steve has published several dozen articles and conference papers on workplace values, training transfer, organizational
learning, exit–voice–loyalty, employee socialization, wrongful dismissal, media bias in business magazines, and other diverse
topics.
Steve enjoys spending his leisure time hiking, swimming, body board surfing, canoeing, skiing, and traveling with his wife and two
daughters.
vi
Brief
Contents
part one Introduction 2
1 Introduction to the Field of Organizational Behavior 2
Indexes 341
vii
Contents
part one Introduction 2
viii
ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT 91
Consequences of Affective and
Continuance Commitment 91
Building Organizational Commitment 92
WORK-RELATED STRESS AND ITS
MANAGEMENT 93
General Adaptation Syndrome 93
Consequences of Distress 94
Stressors: The Causes of Stress 94
Individual Differences in Stress 96
Managing Work-Related Stress 96
CONTENTS ix
JOB DESIGN 124 IDENTIFYING PROBLEMS AND EVALUATING DECISIONS 146
Job Design and Work Efficiency 124 OPPORTUNITIES 139 Escalation of Commitment 147
Scientific Management 125 Problems with Problem Identification 140 Evaluating Decision Outcomes More
Problems with Job Specialization 126 Identifying Problems and Opportunities Effectively 148
Job Design and Work Motivation 126 More Effectively 141
CREATIVITY 148
Job Design Practices That SEARCHING FOR, EVALUATING, AND The Creative Process 148
Motivate 128 CHOOSING ALTERNATIVES 141
Characteristics of Creative People 149
Problems with Goals 141 Organizational Conditions Supporting
6 Decision Making and Problems with Information Creativity 151
Creativity 136 Processing 141 Activities That Encourage
Problems with Maximization 143 Creativity 151
RATIONAL CHOICE DECISION
MAKING 137 Selecting Opportunities 144 EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT IN
Emotions and Making Choices 144 DECISION MAKING 152
Rational Choice Decision-Making
Process 139 Intuition and Making Choices 145 Benefits of Employee Involvement 153
Problems with Rational Choice Decision Making Choices More Effectively 145 Contingencies of Employee
Making 139 IMPLEMENTING DECISIONS 146 Involvement 153
x CONTENTS
COMMUNICATING THROUGH THE 10 Conflict and Negotiation
GRAPEVINE 204
in the Workplace 232
Grapevine Characteristics 204
THE MEANING AND CONSEQUENCES
Grapevine Benefits and
OF CONFLICT 233
Limitations 204
Is Conflict Good or Bad? 233
9 Power and Influence in THE EMERGING VIEW: TASK AND
RELATIONSHIP CONFLICT 235
the Workplace 210
Task Conflict 235
THE MEANING OF POWER 211 Relationship Conflict 235
SOURCES OF POWER IN Separating Task from Relationship
ORGANIZATIONS 212 Conflict 235
Legitimate Power 213 CONFLICT PROCESS MODEL 236
Reward Power 214 ©EllisDon Corporation
STRUCTURAL SOURCES OF CONFLICT
Coercive Power 214 IN ORGANIZATIONS 237
Expert Power 214 Incompatible Goals 237 TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Referent Power 215 Differentiation 237 PERSPECTIVE 258
CONTINGENCIES OF POWER 215 Interdependence 238 Develop and Communicate a Strategic
Scarce Resources 238 Vision 259
Substitutability 215
Ambiguous Rules 238 Model the Vision 260
Centrality 216
Communication Problems 238 Encourage Experimentation 260
Visibility 216
Build Commitment toward the
Discretion 216 INTERPERSONAL CONFLICT-
Vision 261
THE POWER OF SOCIAL HANDLING STYLES 239
Transformational Leadership and
NETWORKS 216 Choosing the Best Conflict-Handling
Charisma 261
Social Capital and Sources of Style 240
Evaluating the Transformational
Power 217 Cultural and Gender Differences in
Leadership Perspective 261
Gaining Power through Social Conflict-Handling Styles 242
MANAGERIAL LEADERSHIP
Networks 218 STRUCTURAL APPROACHES TO
PERSPECTIVE 262
CONSEQUENCES OF POWER 220 CONFLICT MANAGEMENT 242
Interdependence of Managerial and
Emphasizing Superordinate Goals 242
INFLUENCING OTHERS 221 Transformational Leadership 262
Reducing Differentiation 243
Types of Influence Tactics 221 Task-Oriented and People-Oriented
Improving Communication and Mutual
Consequences and Contingencies of Leadership 263
Understanding 243
Influence Tactics 224 Servant Leadership 263
Reducing Interdependence 244
ORGANIZATIONAL POLITICS 226 Increasing Resources 244
PATH–GOAL AND LEADERSHIP
Minimizing Organizational SUBSTITUTES THEORIES 264
Clarifying Rules and Procedures 244
Politics 226 Path–Goal Leadership Theory 264
THIRD-PARTY CONFLICT
RESOLUTION 245 Leadership Substitutes Theory 266
CONTENTS xi
part four Organizational Processes 278
xii CONTENTS
What’s New
in the Fourth Edition
M: Organizational Behavior, Fourth Edition, has been significantly Chapter 4: Workplace Emotions, Attitudes,
revised, guided by useful feedback from reviewers and our active and Stress
monitoring of evidence-based literature. All chapters have new
examples and either new or revised factoids; most chapters have This edition significantly revises and updates discussion on four key
new conceptual content or literature foundation. The most workplace stressors, with new writing about organizational
substantial changes have occurred in Chapter 1 (introduction to OB), constraints and interpersonal conflict as stressors. In addition, there
Chapter 4 (workplace emotions, attitudes, and stress), Chapter 6 is new content on attitude–behavior contingencies.
(decision making and creativity), Chapter 8 (communication), and
Chapter 10 (conflict and negotiation). The authors personally
researched, selected, and wrote all of this content, thereby Chapter 5: Employee Motivation
providing superior integration of knowledge and ensuring that the
New to this edition is the topic of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation,
examples are relevant and recent. Here are the key changes we’ve
as well as the question of whether introducing extrinsic sources of
made to this fourth edition, broken out by chapter:
motivation reduces intrinsic motivation. We also have reorganized
and refined the writing on drives and needs, Maslow’s needs
hierarchy, and four-drive theory. The previous edition introduced
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Field of the social and information processing characteristics of jobs. This
Organizational Behavior edition further refines that emerging topic.
Technological change has been added in the section on
contemporary developments facing organizations. The section on
perspectives of organizational effectiveness has been streamlined. Chapter 6: Decision Making and Creativity
Most topics have updated content, particularly the text on the four This chapter has been substantially revised and updated in several
contemporary developments, why study OB, and several aspects of ways. Design thinking now receives more attention as a concept
organizational effectiveness. and practice to improve workplace creativity. The topic of problems
with information processing when choosing alternatives also has
been substantially updated. Additional updates have been made to
Chapter 2: Individual Behavior, Personality, solution-focused problems, problems with goals, implicit favorite
and Values bias, and satisficing (problems with maximization).
xiii
discusses four key factors (synchronicity, social presence, social Chapter 11: Leadership in Organizational
acceptance, and media richness) as well as associated
Settings
contingencies to consider when choosing a communication
channel. This edition continues to shift the focus toward various This chapter, substantially revised in the previous edition, includes
forms of digital communication (less focus on email alone). Another updates on the topics of transformational leadership, comparing
noticeable change is the updated discussion on the characteristics transformational with managerial leadership, and evaluating
and benefits of enterprise social media. path–goal theory.
xiv
Organizational
Behavior
PART 1 1 Introduction to the Field of
Organizational Behavior
©Robert Kneschke/Shutterstock
Learning Objectives After you read this chapter, you should be able to:
LO1-1 Define organizational behavior and LO1-2 Debate the organizational LO1-3 Discuss the anchors on which
organizations, and discuss the importance opportunities and challenges of organizational behavior knowledge is
of this field of inquiry. technological change, globalization, based.
emerging employment relationships, and LO1-4 Compare and contrast the four
workforce diversity. perspectives of organizational
effectiveness.
2
organizational behavior
(OB) the study of what
A
people think, feel, and do in
pple and Amazon are the two most admired compa- self-concept, attitudes, etc.) to
and around organizations
the complex interplay between
nies in the world, according to Fortune magazine’s
the organization’s structure organizations groups
annual list. Yet neither of these firms was on any- and culture and its external of people who work
one’s radar screen two decades ago. Apple was on life support in the environment. Along this jour- interdependently toward
ney, we emphasize why things some purpose
late 1990s, barely clinging to a few percentage points of market happen and what you can do
share in the computer industry. Amazon started selling books online to predict and guide organiza-
tional events.
in 1995, a few months after its founder, Jeff Bezos, took a course
We begin this chapter by introducing you to the field of or-
from the American Booksellers Association on how to start a ganizational behavior and why it is important to your career
bookstore!1 and to organizations. This is followed by an overview of four
major societal developments facing organizations: technologi-
cal change, globalization, emerging employment relationships,
and increasing workforce diversity. We then describe four an-
The dramatic growth of Apple and Amazon illustrates the many chors that guide the development of organizational behavior
workplace activities that contribute to success in today’s turbu- knowledge. The latter part of this chapter describes the “ulti-
lent economic environment. In every sector of the economy, or- mate dependent variable” in organizational behavior by pre-
ganizations need skilled and motivated people who can realize senting the four main perspectives of organizational
their potential, work in teams, and maintain a healthy lifestyle. effectiveness. The chapter closes with an integrative model of
They need leaders with foresight and vision, who support inno- organizational behavior, which serves as a road map to guide
vative work practices and make decisions that consider the in- you through the topics in this book.
terests of multiple stakeholders. In other words, the best
companies succeed through the concepts and practices that we
discuss in this organizational behavior book.
Our purpose is to help you understand what goes on in orga- LO1-1 Define organizational behavior and organizations,
nizations. We examine the factors that make companies effec- and discuss the importance of this field of inquiry.
tive, improve employee well-being, and drive successful
collaboration among co-workers. We look at organizations from
numerous and diverse perspectives, from the deepest founda-
tions of employee thoughts and behavior (personality,
THE FIELD OF
The World’s Most ORGANIZATIONAL
Admired
The World’s Companies
Most Admired Companies2
BEHAVIOR
Organizational behavior (OB) is the study of what people
9b 1
think, feel, and do in and around organizations. It looks at
employee behavior, decisions, perceptions, and emotional re-
Microsoft (tied)
Apple
sponses. It examines how individuals and teams in organiza-
9a 2 tions relate to each other and to their counterparts in other
Amazon.com
Facebook (tied) organizations. OB also encompasses the study of how organi-
zations interact with their external environments, particularly
in the context of employee behavior and decisions. OB re-
8 3 searchers systematically study these topics at multiple levels of
Starbucks
Southwest Airlines analysis, namely, the individual, team (including interper-
sonal), and organization.3
The definition of organizational behavior begs the question:
7 4 What are organizations? Organizations are groups of people who
Berkshire Hathaway
General Electric work interdependently toward some purpose.4 Notice that organi-
zations are not buildings or government-registered entities. In
6 5 fact, many organizations exist with neither physical walls nor gov-
Disney
Alphabet (Google) ernment documentation to confer their legal status. Organizations
have existed for as long as people have worked together. Massive
temples dating back to 3500 bc were constructed through the
people without direction or unifying force. So, whether they are leadership, and the Chinese philosopher Confucius (500 bc)
designing and marketing the latest communication technology extolled the virtues of ethics and leadership. Economist Adam
at Apple or selling almost anything on the Internet at Amazon, Smith (late 1700s) discussed the benefits of job specialization
people working in organizations do have some sense of collec- and division of labor. German sociologist Max Weber (early
tive purpose. 1900s) wrote about rational organizations, the work ethic, and
charismatic leadership. Around the same time, industrial engi-
neer Frederick Winslow Taylor proposed systematic ways to or-
Historical Foundations of ganize work processes and motivate employees through goal
Organizational Behavior setting and rewards.9
Organizational behavior emerged as a distinct field sometime Political scientist Mary Parker Follett (1920s) offered new
around the early 1940s.8 During that decade, a few researchers ways of thinking about constructive conflict, team dynamics,
began describing their research as organizational (rather than power, and leadership. Harvard professor Elton Mayo and his
sociological or psychological). And by the late 1940s, Harvard colleagues (1930s and 1940s) established the “human relations”
4 PART 1 | Introduction
school of management, which pioneered re- Comprehend and Predict Workplace Events
search on employee attitudes, formal team Everyone has an inherent drive to make sense of
dynamics, informal groups, and supervisor what is going on around him or her.12 This need is
leadership style. American executive and Harvard particularly strong in organizations because they
associate Chester Barnard (1930s) wrote insight- are highly complex and ambiguous contexts that
ful views regarding organizational communica- have a profound effect on our lives. The field of
tion, coordination, leadership and authority, organizational behavior uses scientific research to
organizations as open systems, and team dynam- discover systematic relationships, which give us a
ics.10 This brief historical tour indicates that OB valuable foundation for comprehending organiza-
has been around for a long time; it just wasn’t tional life.13 This knowledge satisfies our curiosity
organized into a unified discipline until around about why events occur and reduces our anxiety
World War II. about circumstances that would otherwise be unex-
pected and unexplained. Furthermore, OB knowl-
Why Study Organizational edge improves our ability to predict and anticipate
Behavior? future events so we can get along with others,
achieve our goals, and minimize unnecessary
In all likelihood, you are reading this book as
career risks.
part of a required course in organizational be-
havior. Apart from degree or diploma require-
ments, why should you learn the ideas and Adopt More Accurate Personal Theories A
practices discussed in this book? After all, who Frederick Winslow Taylor frequent misunderstanding is that OB is common
©Paul Fearn/Alamy Stock Photo
ever heard of a career path leading to a “vice sense. Of course, some OB knowledge is very simi-
president of OB” or a “chief OB officer”? Our lar to the theories you have developed through per-
answer to this question begins with survey findings that stu- sonal experience. But personal theories are usually not quite as
dents who have been in the workforce for some time typically precise as they need to be. Perhaps they explain and predict some
point to OB as one of their most valuable courses. Why? Be- situations, but not others. For example, one study found that
cause they have learned through experience that OB does make when liberal arts students and chief executive officers were asked
a difference to one’s career success.11 There are three main rea- to choose the preferred organizational structure in various situa-
sons why OB theories and practices are personally important tions, their commonsense answers were typically wrong because
to you (see Exhibit 1.1). they oversimplified well-known theory and evidence on that
topic.14 (We discuss organizational structures in
Chapter 12.) Throughout this book you also will
Exhibit 1.1 Importance of Organizational Behavior discover that OB research has debunked some
ideas that people thought were “common sense.”
Overall, we believe the OB knowledge you will
gain by reading this book will help you challenge
and refine your personal theories, and give you
Comprehend and more accurate and complete perspectives of
Influence
predict work events
organizational events organizational events.
• Work well with others • Satisfy curiosity
• Accomplish personal • Reduce anxiety
and organizational
• Predict future events Influence Organizational Events Proba-
goals bly the greatest value of OB knowledge is that
Why Study it helps us get things done in the workplace by
Organizational influencing organizational events.15 By defini-
Behavior? tion, organizations are people who work to-
gether to accomplish things, so we need a
toolkit of knowledge and skills to work suc-
cessfully with others. Studies consistently ob-
Adopt more accurate
serve that the most important knowledge and
personal theories
skills that employers desire in employees re-
• Confirm and refine personal
theories
late to the topics we discuss in this book, such
• Correct false common sense as building teams, motivating coworkers, han-
dling workplace conflicts, making decisions,
and changing employee behavior. No matter
what career path you choose, you’ll find that
Organizational Behavior Is
for Everyone Organizational
behavior is discussed by some
writers as a topic for managers.
Effective management does de-
pend on OB concepts and prac-
tices, but this book pioneered the
broader view that OB is valuable
for everyone who works in and
around organizations. Whether
you are a software engineer, cus-
tomer service representative, for-
eign exchange analyst, or chief Probably the greatest value of OB knowledge is that it helps us get things done in the workplace
executive officer, you need to by influencing organizational events.
understand and apply the many ©ColorBlind Images/Blend Images LLC
organizational behavior topics
that are discussed in this book. In fact, OB knowledge is probably
more valuable than ever before because employees increas- LO1-2 Debate the organizational opportunities and
ingly need to be proactive, self-motivated, and able to work challenges of technological change, globalization, emerging
effectively with coworkers without management intervention. employment relationships, and workforce diversity.
In the words of one forward-thinking OB writer more than four
decades ago: Everyone is a manager.16
6 PART 1 | Introduction
globalization economic,
social, and cultural
connectivity with people in
such as the telegraph, smartphone, and the Internet, have in- globalize when they actively
other parts of the world
creased productivity but also altered work relationships and pat- participate in other countries
terns of behavior with coworkers, clients, and suppliers. Still and cultures. Although busi- work–life balance
other technologies aim to improve health and well-being, such as nesses have traded goods the degree to which a person
the development of better medicines and medical equipment, across borders for centuries, minimizes conflict between
new leisure apparatus, and environmentally safer materials. the degree of globalization to- work and nonwork demands
Information technology is one of the most significant forms day is unprecedented because
of technological change in recent times.20 As we discuss in information technology and
Chapter 8, communication patterns and power dynamics have transportation systems allow a much more intense level of con-
substantially changed due to the introduction of email and nectivity and interdependence around the planet.22
other forms of digital messaging. Social media and other col- Globalization offers numerous benefits to organizations in
laboration technologies are slowly replacing email, and will fur- terms of larger markets, lower costs, and greater access to
ther reshape how people associate and coordinate with each knowledge and innovation. At the same time, there is consider-
other. Some OB experts argue that information technology able debate about whether globalization benefits developing na-
gives employees a stronger voice through direct communica- tions and the extent to which it is responsible for increasing
tion with executives and broader distribution of their opinions work intensification, reduced job security, and poor work–life
to coworkers and beyond. balance in developed countries.23
Information technology also has created challenges, such as The field of organizational behavior focuses on the effects of
tethering people to their jobs for longer hours, reducing their globalization on organizations and how to lead and work effec-
attention spans at work, and increasing techno-stress. We dis- tively in this emerging reality. Throughout this book, we will refer
cuss these concerns below and in Chapter 4 (workplace stress). to the effects of globalization on teamwork, diversity, cultural val-
At a macro-level, information technology has reconfigured en- ues, organizational structure, leadership, and other themes. Glo-
tire organizations by integrating suppliers and other external balization has brought more complexity and new ways of working
entities into the transformation process. Eventually, technology to the workplace. It also requires additional knowledge and skills
may render organizations less of a place where people work and that we will discuss in this book, such as emotional intelligence, a
more of a process or network where people collaborate across global mindset, nonverbal communication, and conflict handling.
space and time (see Chapter 12).
42%
and others to easily and quickly com-
46 % of 9,908 information
workers polled across 32 countries say
of 9,908
information workers polled across
municate with employees beyond their
traditional workday.
that social media tools have somewhat 32 countries say that social media
Little wonder that one of the most im-
or greatly increased their productivity. tools have resulted in more portant employment issues over the past
workplace collaboration. decade has been work–life balance.
Work–life balance occurs when people
are able to minimize conflict between
60
their work and nonwork demands.24
% of 2,186 American hiring and human resource Most employees lack this balance be-
managers say they use social media sites to research job cause they spend too many hours each
candidates (up from 52% the previous year and 11% in 2006). week performing or thinking about their
(photo): ©pictafolio/E+/Getty Images job, whether at the workplace, at home,
Telecommuting The best-known form of remote work is several potential benefits and risks (see Exhibit 1.2).27 One ad-
telecommuting (also called teleworking) whereby information vantage is that telecommuters usually experience better work–
technology enables employees to work from home one or more life balance because they have more time and somewhat more
workdays per month rather than commute to the office. An esti- control to juggle work with family obligations. For example, a
mated 37 percent of U.S. workers telecommute, with almost study of 25,000 IBM employees found that female telecommut-
one-third of them working from home at least six days each ers with children were able to work 40 hours per week, whereas
month. The U.S. government reports that 23 percent of employ- female employees with children who work solely at the office
ees perform some or all of their work at home (but that includes could manage only 30 hours before feeling work–life balance
taking work home after attending the office, not just tension. Work–life balance is less likely to improve when tele-
telecommuting).26 commuters lack sufficient workspace and privacy at home and
Is telecommuting good for employees and organizations? have increased family responsibilities on telecommuting days.
This question continues to be debated because it produces Job applicants—particularly millennials—identify telecommut-
ing as an attractive job feature, and turnover is usually lower
among telecommuting employees. Research also indicates that
telecommuters have higher productivity than nontelecommuters,
likely because they experience less stress and tend to transfer
some former commuting time to work time. Telecommuting also
improves productivity by enabling employees to work at times
when the weather or natural disasters block access to the office.
Several companies report that telecommuting has reduced
greenhouse gas emissions and office expenses. For instance,
health insurer Aetna estimates that its telecommuting employ-
ees (31 percent of the workforce) annually avoid using two mil-
lion gallons of gas, thereby reducing carbon dioxide emissions
by more than 23,000 metric tons. With many employees work-
ing from home, Aetna also has been able to reduce its real estate
and related costs by between 15 and 25 percent.28
Telecommuting also has several disadvantages.29 Telecom-
muters frequently report more social isolation. They also receive
less word-of-mouth information, which may have implications
for promotional opportunities and workplace relations. Tele-
Most employees lack work–life balance because they spend
commuting also tends to weaken relationships among cowork-
too many hours each week performing or thinking about their ers, resulting in lower team cohesion. Organizational culture is
job, whether at the workplace, at home, or on vacation. also potentially weaker when most employees work from home
©ALMAGAMI/Shutterstock for a significant part of their workweek.
8 PART 1 | Introduction
surface-level diversity
the observable demographic
or physiological differences in
Telecommuting success depends on several characteristics of (currently 18 percent), 14 percent
people, such as their race,
the employee, job, and organization.30 Employees who work will be of Asian descent (cur-
ethnicity, gender, age, and
effectively from home typically have higher self-motivation, self- rently 6 percent), and 13 per- physical disabilities
organization, need for autonomy, and information technology cent will be African American
skills. Those who telecommute most of the time also fulfill their (currently 14 percent).32 deep-level diversity
social needs more from sources outside the workplace. Jobs are Diversity also includes dif- differences in the
better suited to telecommuting when the tasks do not require ferences in personalities, be- psychological characteristics
resources at the workplace, the work is performed independently liefs, values, and attitudes.33 of employees, including
from coworkers, and task performance is measurable. We can’t directly see this deep- personalities, beliefs, values,
and attitudes
Organizations improve telecommuting success by rewarding level diversity, but it is evident
and promoting employees based on their performance rather in a person’s choices, words,
than their presence in the office (face time). Effective compa- and actions. Deep-level diver-
nies also help telecommuters maintain sufficient cohesion with sity is revealed when employees have different perceptions and
their team and psychological connectedness with the organiza- attitudes about the same situation (see Chapter 10) and when
tion. This occurs by limiting the number of telecommuting days, they form like-minded informal social groups (see
having special meetings or events where all employees assemble Chapter 7). Some deep-level diversity is associated with surface-
at the workplace, and regularly using video communication and level attributes. For example, studies report significant differ-
other technology that improves personal relatedness. ences between men and women regarding their preference of
Baby Millennials
Boomers (Gen Y)
Generation X
10 PART 1 | Introduction
evidence-based
management the practice
of making decisions and
The Systematic Research Anchor see if they actually work. In- taking actions based on
A key feature of OB knowledge is that it should be deed, some management research evidence
based on systematic research, which typically in- concepts have become pop-
volves forming research questions, systematically ular (some have even found their way into OB textbooks!)
collecting data, and testing hypotheses against those because of heavy marketing, not because of any evidence that
data.43 Systematic research investigation is the ba- they are valid. A fourth reason is that human beings are
sis for evidence-based management, which affected by several perceptual errors and decision-
involves making decisions and taking ac- making biases, as we will learn in Chapter 3 and
tions guided by research evidence. It Chapter 6. For instance, decision makers have a
makes perfect sense that management natural tendency to look for evidence
practice should be founded on the best that supports their pet beliefs and ig-
available systematic knowledge. Yet many nore evidence that opposes those
of us who study organizations using sys- beliefs.
tematic methods are amazed at how often OB experts have identified several ways to
corporate leaders and other staff embrace create a more evidence-based organization.45
fads, untested consulting models, and First, be skeptical of hype, which is apparent
their own pet beliefs without bothering when so-called experts say the idea is “new,”
to find out if they actually work!44 “revolutionary,” and “proven.” In reality, most
Why don’t decision makers consis- management ideas are adaptations, evolutionary,
tently apply evidence-based management? and never proven (science can disprove but never
One reason is that they are bombarded with prove; it can only find evidence to support a prac-
ideas from consultant reports, popular business tice). Second, the company should embrace collec-
books, newspaper articles, and other sources, tive expertise rather than rely on charismatic stars
which makes it difficult to figure out which and management gurus. Third, stories provide
ones are based on good evidence. A second useful illustrations and possibly preliminary evi-
reason is that good OB research is necessarily dence of a useful practice, but they should never
generic; it is rarely described in the context of become the main foundation to support manage-
a specific problem in a specific organi- ment action. Instead, rely on more sys-
zation. Decision makers therefore A key feature of OB knowledge is that it should tematic investigation with a larger
have the difficult task of figuring out be based on systematic research, which sample. Finally, take a neutral stance
which theories are relevant to their becomes the foundation for evidence-based toward popular trends and ideologies.
unique situation. management. Executives tend to get caught up in
©Wavebreakmedia Ltd PH26L/Alamy Stock Photo
A third reason why organizational what their counterparts at other com-
leaders follow popular management panies are doing without determining
fads that lack research evidence is because the sources of these the validity of those trendy practices or their relevance to their
fads are rewarded for marketing their ideas, not for testing to own organizations.
12 PART 1 | Introduction
organizational
effectiveness a broad
concept represented by
organizations.53 Indeed, the other major organizational effec- availability of future inputs,
several perspectives,
tiveness perspectives mainly provide more detail to specific sec- and the appropriateness of the including the organization’s fit
tions of the open systems model. This perspective views transformation process. with the external environment,
organizations as complex organisms that “live” within an exter- internal subsystems’
nal environment, as Exhibit 1.5 illustrates. The word open de- Organization–Environment configuration for high
scribes this permeable relationship, whereas closed systems Fit The open systems perspec- performance, emphasis on
operate without dependence on or interaction with an external tive states that organizations are organizational learning, and
environment. effective when they maintain a ability to satisfy the needs of
As open systems, organizations depend on the external envi- good “fit” with their external en- key stakeholders
ronment for resources, including raw materials, job applicants, vironment.55 Good fit exists
open systems a
financial resources, information, and equipment. The external when the organization’s inputs, perspective that holds that
environment also consists of rules and expectations, such as processes, and outputs are organizations depend on the
laws and cultural norms, that place demands on how organiza- aligned with the external envi- external environment for
tions should operate. Some resources (e.g., raw materials) are ronment’s needs, expectations, resources, affect that
imported from the external environment, are transformed into and resources. Organizations environment through their
product or services, and then become outputs exported to the maintain a good environmental output, and consist of internal
external environment. Other resources (e.g., job applicants, fit in three ways: subsystems that transform
equipment) become subsystems in the transformation process. inputs to outputs
• Adapt to the environment: Effec-
Inside the organization are numerous subsystems, such as tive organizations closely and
departments, teams, informal groups, information systems, continuously monitor the environ-
work processes, and technological processes.54 These subsys- ment for emerging conditions that pose a threat or opportunity. Then
tems are dependent on each other as they transform inputs they reconfigure their internal subsystems to align more closely with that
into outputs. Some outputs (e.g., products and services) may shifting environment. There are many ways that companies are adaptive
be valued by the external environment, whereas other outputs (called their dynamic capability), such as by changing the type or
(e.g., employee layoffs, pollution) are undesirable by-products volume of products produced, shifting to different input resources
that may have adverse effects on the environment and the or- that are more plentiful or reliable, and designing better production
ganization’s relationship with that environment. Throughout (transformation) processes.
this process, organizations receive feedback from the external • Influence the environment: Effective organizations don’t merely re-
environment regarding the value of their outputs, the spond to emerging conditions; they actively try to influence their
Subsystem
Accounting
Technological subsystem
tem
subsystem
sys
Sub
b
• Raw materials m
Su
yste
syst
Subs • Products/services
e
Engineering
Su
• Information
ys
te
• Community support
m
• Equipment
as m
ing
em
yst
bs ural
Production Su Cult tem
subsystem ys
subs
Socia
liza
subsy tion
stem
Feedback Feedback
environment. For instance, businesses rely on marketing to increase de- coordinating mechanisms to maintain an efficient, adaptive, and
mand for their products or services. Some firms gain exclusive rights to innovative transformation process (see Chapter 12).
particular resources (e.g., sole provider of a popular brand) or restrict
competitor access to valued resources. Still others lobby for legislation
that strengthens their position in the marketplace or try to delay legisla-
Organizational Learning Perspective
tion that would disrupt their business activities. The open systems perspective has traditionally focused on physi-
cal resources that enter the organization and are processed into
• Move to a more favorable environment: Sometimes the current envi- physical goods (outputs). But whether their outputs are physical
ronment becomes so challenging that organizations cannot adapt or in- or cognitive, successful companies rely on knowledge as a key
fluence it enough to survive. For instance, the current environment might
ingredient to success. This second perspective of organizational
have extreme resource scarcity, too many competitors, too little demand
for the firm’s products, or onerous rules that make the transformation
effectiveness, called organizational learning, states that the best
process too expensive. Under these circumstances, organizations often organizations find ways to acquire, share, use, and store knowl-
move to a more benevolent environment that can support their future. edge. Knowledge is a resource or asset, called intellectual capital,
For example, Target closed its Canadian business after a few years be- that exists in three forms: human capital, structural capital, and
cause it underestimated the competition, stumbled on the transforma- relationship capital.59
tion process (distribution and inventory challenges), and mismatched
• Human capital: Human capital refers to the knowledge, skills, and
consumer expectations (location, pricing).56
abilities that employees carry around in their heads. It is a competitive
advantage because employees are essential for the organization’s sur-
Effective Transformation Process In addition to maintain- vival and success, and their talents are difficult to find, to copy, and to
ing a good fit with the external environment, effective organiza- replace with technology.61 Human capital is also a huge risk for most or-
tions have a transformation process that does well at converting ganizations because it literally leaves the organization every day when
inputs to outputs.57 The most common indicator of effective in- employees go home!62
ternal subsystems is their efficiency. Efficient organizations pro- • Structural capital: Even if every employee left the organization, some
duce more goods or services with less labor, materials, and intellectual capital remains as structural capital. It includes the
14 PART 1 | Introduction
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doubtless instructed by the cook, that he received unceremonious
dismissal. The road could not be hard to find in any case, so we set
out, leaving the knight of the toasting-fork to follow at his leisure.
Soon he thought better of it, and took his place again at the head of
the procession. In the lower reaches of the valley we saw further
evidence of Circassian industry, in the rich crops that waved by the
wayside. A short distance east of our route lies a small village, which
takes its name from the saint whose tomb stands there—Neby Hûd,
renowned in ancient Arab story.
We took the more easterly of two possible roads—the longer, but
also the easier for the animals. The greater variety and beauty of the
scenery repay the extra travel. The descent into the Jabbok valley
winds down a narrow ravine, turning sharply round jutting crags, and,
in parts, almost precipitous. Oaks and thorns clung to the steeps;
luxuriant vegetation covered the ground. The fertile soil of the valley
supported a fine crop of wheat. The line of the river could be traced
by a winding glory of oleander bloom, overtopped by tall, gracefully-
bending papyrus reeds, whose heavy heads swayed in the breeze.
Reaching the “brook,” we found the bed more than half dry, but even
thus the water took the horses above the saddle-girths. With a short
struggle, we all landed safely on the other side. During the winter
months this must be a perfectly impassable torrent.
On the farther bank we sat to rest and lunch. The horses too
refreshed themselves before facing the steep mountain in front. We
gathered bunches of papyrus heads—an operation requiring both
care and skill, as we found the undergrowth bound together with
trailing brambles, furnished with the sharpest of prickles. Two square
towers stand one at each end of the meadow in which we halted.
They have not the appearance of great antiquity. There is no
entrance to their interior, and their use we were unable to discover.
Climbing the mountains south of the Jabbok, or Zerka—“the blue”
river, as it is now called—was the hardest work our horses had to
face. The track was narrow, and the foothold often extremely
precarious, especially over rocky parts where a slip would have
meant a fall of hundreds of feet. What a tremendous gorge that
Jabbok is! It literally cleaves the country in twain.
GORGE OF THE JABBOK
Now we were within the borders of the modern province of el-Belkâ,
of which es-Salt is the principal—indeed, the only—city. This lies in
the land of the ancient Ammonites. These cool, breezy uplands,
beautifully diversified with wooded knoll and pleasant vale, in which
may be heard the murmur of flowing water most of the year, offer a
rich return to the hand of the enterprising and diligent cultivator. But
whence is he to come? Numerous are the flocks and herds that
browse on the grassy slopes, find shelter in the shady woods, and
drink from the oleander-fringed streams in the vales. But no one who
sees it can for a moment suppose that this rich soil is designed
simply for the support of sheep and oxen. Those who hope for the
return of Israel to the land of their fathers should turn their eyes
rather to this rich and empty land than to the more populous and less
kindly country west of Jordan.
CHAPTER XII
“Time is money”—Rumamain—Priestly hospitality—Fair
mountain groves—Es-Salt—The springs—Relation to
Arabs—Raisins—Descent to the Jordan—Distant view of
Jerusalem—View of the river, the plains of Jordan, the
Dead Sea, and the mountains beyond—The bridge—The
“publican’s” shed—The men from Kerâk.
Causes for delay are never far to seek among Orientals. “Time is
money” is a phrase void of meaning in Arab ears. Money is precisely
the thing he lacks most, while of time he has more than abundance.
An Eastern in a hurry is one of the rarest sights. We were still on the
uplands, far from our destination, when the sun began to throw his
evening glories over the western hills. Our cook thought fit to profess
that he had lost the way—this doubtless to pay us out for our refusal
of a guide. His manner, however, was much too cool and collected,
so we were not deceived. But it was annoying, as the whole caravan
drew up, to see him comfortably seated among the bushes, on the
top of a huge precipice, enjoying a cigarette. We moved rapidly
forward, and fortunately found a wandering Bedawy who, for a
consideration, agreed to conduct us to es-Salt. He led us by a steep
pathway to the bottom of a sweet valley. Then suddenly we plunged
into a romantic ravine, down which dashed a brawling stream,
sprinkling rock and bush with sparkling diamonds. A stiff climb up the
farther bank brought us to the little village of Rumamain, just as the
light departed. Our tents were pitched by candle-light. The villagers,
who are Christians, were most cordial in their welcome, and
hastened to furnish whatever we required, as far as it was in their
power. The priest invited our party to take refreshments with him,
and those who could be spared from the camp gladly accepted his
hospitality. He well maintained the eastern traditions in the
entertainment of strangers, although some of his beverages were
stronger than the desert law prescribes!
RUMAMAIN
The village stands on the edge of the gorge through which we had
passed. The mountains tower aloft on either side. The valley narrows
southward, but to the north it opens out into a broad, fertile expanse,
bounded by the mountains, torn with water-courses, which form the
southern bank of the gorge of the Jabbok.
Before daybreak we were all astir. Waiting only for a supply of
beautiful milk, which was brought us by the Arabs in the mountains,
we got to horse again. Our guide shouldered his club and marched
off towards the thickets that hung, shaggy and dark, on the sides of
the valley. Our path wound among these delightful groves almost to
the confines of es-Salt. About three hours sufficed to bring us to the
city, but the ride was one not soon to be forgotten. It was one of the
most enjoyable parts of our whole journey. Thick oaks and thorns
gathered in the bottom of the hollows; honeysuckle, entwining their
gnarled limbs, shed perfume on the air; the hillsides were clad with
trees of richly varied foliage, while tall pines swayed gracefully high
over all. The morning was fresh and beautiful. Even the horses
seemed to feel the inspiration of surroundings, and footed it merrily
along. It seemed all too soon when we reached the edge of the
forest, and looked forth on the treeless hills beyond. Many of these
are, however, covered with vineyards, whose sprouting green
relieved the dull monotony. Tree-clad they too once were, as we can
see from the numerous stumps in the fields. A few of the forest
patriarchs, left here and there in the cultivated ground, would have
done much to beautify the land, and would have yielded grateful
shade to the labourers. But it is difficult to restrain the axe when it is
once set in motion. Here we found evidences of genuine industry.
Wherever it is possible, vines are planted and carefully tended, so
that the face of the country assumes quite a cheerful and prosperous
aspect.
The city of es-Salt, lying as it does on the steep slope of a valley, is
not seen until one is fairly upon it. The name es-Salt is evidently
derived from salton hieraticon—“the sacred forest.” The inhabitants
may number in all some seven thousand, of whom the great majority
are Moslems. With the Christians, however, they continue to dwell
together in harmony. There may be about two thousand Christians,
taking Greeks, Latins, and Protestants all together. The last belong
to the church founded by the Church Missionary Society. It was our
good fortune to meet with the Syrian clergyman of this congregation,
Kassîs Khalîl Jamal—a gentleman whose praise is in all the
churches. With his counsel, we were persuaded to stay here for the
day, instead of pushing straight on to Jordan, as we had originally
intended. In the valley under the city are olive groves, where the
company, dismounting, sat down for lunch, under shadow of the
trees, with the sound of running water in their ears. Our tents we
pitched on the top of the hill overlooking the town, separated by a
narrow valley from that on which the ruins of the old castle stand.
Having seen all right about the camp, some of us set out, gun in
hand, tempted by the numerous partridges, and enjoyed an excellent
opportunity to see the surroundings of es-Salt. There are few
remains of antiquity, and these not of great interest. Traces of old
graves, found along the hill-faces, and the bare ruins of the old
castle are the chief. The springs, to which the town owes so much of
its life, are, of course, highly prized. The town itself is interesting as
being the chief mercantile centre in all the district east of Jordan
through which we travelled. The market is frequented by the Beduw
from far and near, and everything necessary for their poor life is
found exposed for sale in the streets. Hither the “housewives” bring
their samn, jibn (clarified butter and cheese), skins, and other
products of the wilds, and carry off in return the cloth of which their
scanty clothing is made, coffee, tobacco, etc. Es-Salt thus forms an
excellent basis from which to reach the Arab tribes in these parts.
The advantages it offers are utilised, as far as possible, by the
missionaries there, and, with the help of the medical department of
the mission, they have found considerable entrance; but, in order to
overtake the work in a manner at all satisfactory, men would have to
be set apart to devote all their time to evangelising the Arabs. With a
well-manned station here and another at Bozrah, nearly all, if indeed
not all, the tribes that touch the eastern borders of Palestine might
be reached; and in due time evangelists from among themselves
would go forth with the glad tidings into the inhospitable wastes
beyond.
We were assured that the grapes grown in the district are unsuitable
for the making of wine. However that may be, wine is not made, but
a great business is carried on in raisins, those of es-Salt being
famed throughout the whole country. The Jewish merchants of
Tiberias buy large quantities of them and use them to produce ’arak
—a distilled spirit which is working havoc among the youth of
western Palestine, Moslems as well as others falling a prey to its
seductive influences, although all use of intoxicants is for them under
religious ban.
ES-SALT, THE FOUNTAIN
Our stores were replenished from the market, two days’ provision
only being required, as in that time we hoped to reach Jerusalem.
Early next morning all was packed up and ready for the descent to
Jericho. Several of our party were already in the saddle, when the
horse of one who had been assisting the ladies to mount thought fit
to bolt, and, in their wild efforts to catch him, the European horsemen
may have given the Arabs some new ideas in horsemanship. In any
case, we gained a more intimate acquaintance with the nearer
surroundings of the city than would have been possible otherwise.
When at last the runaway was captured, the main part of our
caravan had already disappeared some distance in front; and it may
give some idea of the crookedness and irregularity of the road to say
that we did not catch a glimpse of them again until we were almost
upon them, on reaching the plain to the north of the Dead Sea. It is a
descent of over four thousand feet in about fifteen miles. The road
turns abruptly now to one hand, now to the other, adapting itself to
the possibilities of the rough, rocky surface, plunging into ravines,
and anon emerging on grassy tracts; but downward, ever downward,
is its course. The wild birds here are evidently little used to be
disturbed by man. Even the timid partridge sat quite close, or nimbly
ran along the rocks on either side of the path. We had not left es-Salt
half-an-hour when, from an eminence commanding a wide prospect,
we saw the high tower that crowns the Mount of Olives in the far
distance, and thus caught the first glimpse of the environs of
Jerusalem. This is one of the most tantalising sights. It seems so
near, and yet hours of toil in the hot sun seem to bring the traveller
no nearer. And when, as the sun sinks, he descends into the valley,
and it is lost to view, it seems as if he had been following some
strange kind of “Will o’ the wisp.” Ere long, too, we obtained a view of
the Dead Sea, lying under a blue haze away below us to the left; and
soon we could trace the course of Jordan through the sandy plain by
the winding breadth of deep green that fills the valley within the
valley in which the river is confined.