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Essentials of Organizational Behavior
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Essentials of Organizational Behavior
An Evidence-Based Approach

Fourth Edition
January 2026 | 712 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
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Winner of the 2022 Textbook Excellence Award from the Textbook & Academic Authors Association (TAA)

Concise, practical, and research-based, Essentials of Organizational Behavior equips students with the necessary skills to become effective leaders and managers. Best-selling author Terri A. Scandura uses an evidence-based approach to introduce students to models proven to enhance the well-being, motivation, and productivity of people in the workplace. Experiential exercises and a variety of real-world cases and examples provide students with ample opportunity to apply OB concepts and hone their critical thinking. The Fourth Edition includes new case studies on important issues such as Motivating a Remote Workforce; What's #Trending in OB? boxes on timely topics such as artificial intelligence and how millennial managers lead their older employees; and the latest research on topics such as resilience, virtual teams, leadership theory.
 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Author
 
Section I • Introduction
 
Chapter 1 • What Is Organizational Behavior?
What Is Organizational Behavior?

 
Evidence-Based Management

 
What Is Critical Thinking?

 
Outcomes in Organizational Behavior

 
Levels of Analysis in Organizational Behavior

 
How OB Research Increases Employee Performance

 
Plan for this Textbook

 
Leadership Implications: Thinking Critically

 
Key Terms

 
 
Section II • Understanding Individuals in Organizations
 
Chapter 2 • Personality and Person–Environment Fit
What Is Personality?

 
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

 
The Big Five

 
Personality Traits and Health Research

 
Other Relevant Personality Traits

 
Psychological Capital

 
Person–Environment Fit

 
Leadership Implications: Understanding Others

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 3 • Emotions and Moods
Emotions and Moods at Work

 
Moods

 
Emotional Labor

 
Emotional Intelligence

 
Emotional Contagion

 
Leadership Implications: Mindful Coaching

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 4 • Attitudes and Job Satisfaction
What Is An Attitude?

 
Job Satisfaction

 
Job Search Attitudes

 
Organizational Commitment

 
Perceived Organizational Support

 
Psychological Empowerment

 
Leadership Implications: Creating Meaning at Work

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 5 • Perception, Decision-Making, and Problem Solving
Understanding Perceptual Biases

 
Employability: Perceptions During the Application Process

 
Individual Decision-Making

 
The Rational Decision-Making Model

 
Prospect Theory

 
Intuition

 
Decision Traps

 
Creative Problem-Solving

 
Leadership Implications: Making Ethical Decisions

 
Key Terms

 
 
Section III • Influencing and Motivating Employees
 
Chapter 6 • Leadership
What Is Leadership?

 
Path–Goal Theory

 
Leader–Member Exchange

 
The Importance of Trust

 
Full-Range Leadership Development

 
Ethical, Servant and Authentic Leadership

 
Leadership Implications: Leading through Paradox

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 7 • Power and Politics
The Difference Between Power and Influence

 
Power

 
Influence Strategies

 
Impression Management

 
Perceptions of Organizational Politics

 
Political Skill

 
Leadership Implications: Managing With Power

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 8 • Motivation: Core Concepts
What Is Motivation?

 
Need Theories

 
Goal Setting

 
Job Characteristics Theory

 
The Importance of Fairness

 
Expectancy Theory

 
The Pygmalion Effect

 
Leadership Implications: Who Will Lead?

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 9 • Motivation: Applications
Reinforcement Theory

 
Social Learning Theory

 
Intrinsic Versus Extrinsic Rewards

 
Performance Management

 
Problems With Performance Reviews

 
Feedback Seeking

 
Leadership Implications: Motivating with Rewards

 
Key Terms

 
 
Section IV • Building Relationships
 
Chapter 10 • Group Processes and Teams
What Is a Team?

 
Team Purpose

 
Team Development

 
Team Effectiveness

 
Team Decision-Making

 
Team Challenges

 
Team Empowerment

 
Leadership Implications: The Team of Teams Approach

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 11 • Managing Conflict and Negotiation
What Is Conflict?

 
Conflict Resolution Styles

 
Team Conflict and Performance

 
Resolving Conflict Across Cultures

 
Third-Party Interventions

 
Negotiation

 
Leadership Implications: Perspective Taking

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 12 • Organizational Communication
What Is Organizational Communication?

 
Barriers to Effective Communication

 
Communication Networks

 
The Digital Workplace

 
Cross-Cultural Communication

 
Nonverbal Communication

 
Leadership Implications: The Management of Meaning

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 13 • Uniqueness and Belonging in Organizations
Challenges and Benefits of Uniqueness and Belonging

 
Generations at the Workplace

 
What Is Culture?

 
Developing Global Leaders

 
Culture Shock

 
Expatriate Adjustment

 
Leadership Implications: Becoming a Global Leader

 
Key Terms

 
 
Section V • Leaders as Change Agents
 
Chapter 14 • Organizational Culture
What Is Organizational Culture?

 
Markets, Bureaucracies, and Clans

 
Strong Organizational Cultures

 
Socialization

 
How Employees Learn Culture

 
Organizational Climate

 
Leadership Implications: Culture Change

 
Key Terms

 
 
Chapter 15 • Leading Change and Stress Management
Forces Driving Organizational Change

 
Planned Organizational Change

 
Resistance to Change

 
Leading Change

 
Stress in the Context of Organizational Change

 
What Is Stress?

 
Leadership Implications: Helping Employees Cope

 
Key Terms

 
 
Appendix 1: The Scientific Method in Organizational Behavior
 
Appendix 2: Organizational Structure
 
Glossary
 
Notes
 
Author Index
 
Subject Index

A well-balanced, student-friendly examination of all major topics in organizational behavior.

Marvin Karlins
University of South Florida

This text is formatted in a student friendly way that is both engaging and informative. The critical thinking questions are a fantastic way to get the lecture going for the day!

Angelo Brown
Kennesaw State University

I have been using this text from its onset in my graduate classes and find it most beneficial to teach from and for my students to learn from. Reading the text flows, contains appropriate illustrations in tables and figures, and reflects the latest research findings, thus supporting it as a true evidence-based text. I am happy to see the newest edition come out with the latest up to date research incorporated.

Lisa J. Knowles
St. Thomas University

The Essentials of Organizational Behavior text provided an excellent overview of the plethora of issues leaders face in today's organizations. The topics are current and the case studies provide excellent learning opportunities for students.

Kim B Brannagan
Loyola University New Orleans
Key features
NEW TO THIS EDITION:
  • The new edition is available in Sage Vantage, an intuitive learning platform that integrates quality Sage textbook content with assignable multimedia activities and auto-graded assessments to drive student engagement and ensure accountability. Unparalleled in its ease of use and built for dynamic teaching and learning, Vantage offers customizable LMS integration and best-in-class support.
    • Flashcards and note-taking tools help students better prepare for class.
    • NEW! Audiobook Player allows students to listen to text content, boosting comprehension and retention. It offers flexible, on-the-go access, engaging both reluctant readers and auditory learners, improving the overall reading experience.
    • The Offline Reading option in the Student Dashboard offers greater accessibility to Vantage’s reading content, regardless of where students are or how strong their internet connection may be.
  • Updated What’s #Trending in OB? and Research in Action boxes keep readers up to date on timely topics such as social media addiction and virtual work teams during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • New Toolkit Activities provide additional opportunities for students to apply the material through team exercises and role-playing.
  • New and updated Case Studies cover current issues in organizational behavior such as Taylor Swift’s Power in the Music Industry, Motivating a Remote Workforce, and Making Decisions Using Artificial Intelligence at Lufthansa.
  • Discussion Questions have been added for all Toolkit Activities and Case Studies.
KEY FEATURES:
  • An organizing framework helps students understand individual behavior and learn how to influence and motivate others, build relationships, and lead change.
  • An evidence-based approach introduces students to theories, models, and concepts that are validated by research with an emphasis on newer approaches.
  • Chapter-opening scenarios feature research on an interesting real-world problem based on research or practice.
  • Leadership Implications at the end of each chapter help students understand how leaders can use OB concepts to affect positive change at the individual, group, and organizational level.
  • Critical Thinking Questions integrated throughout encourage students to pause, think, and then apply the material just covered to an organizational challenge for leaders.
  • Chapter Toolkits in each chapter include key terms, toolkit activities, and a short case study that allow students to review and apply concepts to master the material.

Sample Materials & Chapters

Preface, Chapters 1-2

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