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Narrative history of OB

  • 1.  Narrative history of OB

    Posted 01-28-2010 21:30
    Hi everyone. I'm checking to see if anyone knows of a narrative history of the OB field - something suitable for introducing new doctoral students to the early years of OB research and the origins of our discipline. I have found tidbits of that history in various places, but no single narrative that captures the progression across the years (important people, events, and theories, but doesn't delve into the theories themselves).

    Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

    Kevin Corley
    kcorley@asu.edu


  • 2.  Narrative history of OB

    Posted 01-29-2010 04:52
    "The Age of Heretics" by Art Kleiner is the closest narrative of OB that I know of.

    regards,

    Tony DiBella
    Naval War College
    Newport, RI

    ________________________________

    From: Organizational Behavior Division Listserv on behalf of Kevin Corley
    Sent: Thu 1/28/2010 9:30 PM
    To: OB@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
    Subject: [OB-LIST] Narrative history of OB



    Hi everyone. I'm checking to see if anyone knows of a narrative history of the OB field - something suitable for introducing new doctoral students to the early years of OB research and the origins of our discipline. I have found tidbits of that history in various places, but no single narrative that captures the progression across the years (important people, events, and theories, but doesn't delve into the theories themselves).

    Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

    Kevin Corley
    kcorley@asu.edu


  • 3.  Narrative history of OB

    Posted 01-29-2010 09:43
    I don't mean to be cheeky, but you might try interviewing Chris Argyris, since he practically invented the discipline.

    Cheers, Bruce

    Bruce Hoag, PhD, CPsychol
    Work Psychologist

    ------------------------------------------------------
    Are you planning to accomplish greater things in 2010 by doing what you did in 2009? Sign up for my free newsletter. http://www.p-advantage.com/Newsletter.php

    Read Another Fine Mess: http://www.p-advantage.com/Blog/
    Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/drbrucehoag



    On 29 January 2010 03:30, Kevin Corley <Kevin.Corley@asu.edu> wrote:
    Hi everyone. I'm checking to see if anyone knows of a narrative history of the OB field - something suitable for introducing new doctoral students to the early years of OB research and the origins of our discipline. I have found tidbits of that history in various places, but no single narrative that captures the progression across the years (important people, events, and theories, but doesn't delve into the theories themselves).

    Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

    Kevin Corley
    kcorley@asu.edu



  • 4.  Narrative history of OB

    Posted 01-29-2010 10:26
    Kevin, others -- At AOM conference (Atlanta) in 2006, Lyman Porter gave such a talk as a sort of re-cap of his career. I do not know if that event was captured in proceedings, etc. Paul
     
    Paul Lyons, Ph.D.
    Professor
    Department of Management
    Frostburg State University
    Frostburg, Maryland 21532
    phone: 301-687-4179

    From: Organizational Behavior Division Listserv on behalf of Kevin Corley
    Sent: Thu 1/28/2010 9:30 PM
    To: OB@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
    Subject: [OB-LIST] Narrative history of OB

    Hi everyone. I'm checking to see if anyone knows of a narrative history of the OB field - something suitable for introducing new doctoral students to the early years of OB research and the origins of our discipline. I have found tidbits of that history in various places, but no single narrative that captures the progression across the years (important people, events, and theories, but doesn't delve into the theories themselves).

    Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

    Kevin Corley
    kcorley@asu.edu



  • 5.  Narrative history of OB

    Posted 01-29-2010 10:53
    Kevin,
    John Miner's one-volume treatement of OB (Organizational Behavior:
    Foundations, Theories, and Analyses) would seem to fit the bill quite
    nicely, as it takes a historical approach, is written for a scholarly
    audience, and covers many, though not all, of the key OB fields and
    their historical progression.
    Bob Giambatista

    Kevin Corley wrote:
    > Hi everyone. I'm checking to see if anyone knows of a narrative history of the OB field - something suitable for introducing new doctoral students to the early years of OB research and the origins of our discipline. I have found tidbits of that history in various places, but no single narrative that captures the progression across the years (important people, events, and theories, but doesn't delve into the theories themselves).
    >
    > Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
    >
    > Kevin Corley
    > kcorley@asu.edu
    >


  • 6.  Narrative history of OB

    Posted 01-29-2010 11:24
    Dear Kevin, I would recommend, following Bruce, that you talk to Lyman Porter or Art Bedian.

    Kim Boal
    ________________________________________
    From: Organizational Behavior Division Listserv [OB@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU] On Behalf Of Bruce Hoag [b.hoag@P-ADVANTAGE.COM]
    Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 8:42 AM
    To: OB@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
    Subject: Re: [OB-LIST] Narrative history of OB

    I don't mean to be cheeky, but you might try interviewing Chris Argyris, since he practically invented the discipline.

    Cheers, Bruce

    Bruce Hoag, PhD, CPsychol
    Work Psychologist

    ------------------------------------------------------
    Are you planning to accomplish greater things in 2010 by doing what you did in 2009? Sign up for my free newsletter. http://www.p-advantage.com/Newsletter.php

    Read Another Fine Mess: http://www.p-advantage.com/Blog/
    Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/drbrucehoag



    On 29 January 2010 03:30, Kevin Corley <Kevin.Corley@asu.edu<mailto:Kevin.Corley@asu.edu>> wrote:
    Hi everyone. I'm checking to see if anyone knows of a narrative history of the OB field - something suitable for introducing new doctoral students to the early years of OB research and the origins of our discipline. I have found tidbits of that history in various places, but no single narrative that captures the progression across the years (important people, events, and theories, but doesn't delve into the theories themselves).

    Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

    Kevin Corley
    kcorley@asu.edu<mailto:kcorley@asu.edu>


  • 7.  Narrative history of OB

    Posted 01-29-2010 11:58
    Dear Kevin,

    While it is incomplete (intendedly so) and has strongly held views, I would consider using Complex Organizations by Charles Perrow.  It captures at least part of the history, focusing on the evolution of the field as a field.  It is not a narrative history per se but does reveal much of how the field evolved intellectually.

    Mark

    Kevin Corley wrote:
    25kcorley@exchange.asu.edu" type="cite"> 
    Hi everyone. I'm checking to see if anyone knows of a narrative history of the OB field - something suitable for introducing new doctoral students to the early years of OB research and the origins of our discipline. I have found tidbits of that history in various places, but no single narrative that captures the progression across the years (important people, events, and theories, but doesn't delve into the theories themselves).  Thanks in advance for your suggestions.  Kevin Corley kcorley@asu.edu    

    --  Mark Fichman     325 Tepper School of Business    Carnegie-Mellon University    Pittsburgh PA 15213-3815     mf4f@cmu.edu    412-268-3699 (office)    412-874-2893 (mobile)      Home page URL: http://www.gsia.cmu.edu/andrew/mf4f/home.html


  • 8.  Narrative history of OB

    Posted 01-29-2010 12:03
    I would like to suggest Fred Luthans, also.

    Pam Perrewe


    -----Original Message-----
    From: Organizational Behavior Division Listserv
    [mailto:OB@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU] On Behalf Of Boal, Kim
    Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 11:24 AM
    To: OB@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
    Subject: Re: [OB-LIST] Narrative history of OB

    Dear Kevin, I would recommend, following Bruce, that you talk to Lyman
    Porter or Art Bedian.

    Kim Boal
    ________________________________________
    From: Organizational Behavior Division Listserv [OB@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU]
    On Behalf Of Bruce Hoag [b.hoag@P-ADVANTAGE.COM]
    Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 8:42 AM
    To: OB@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
    Subject: Re: [OB-LIST] Narrative history of OB

    I don't mean to be cheeky, but you might try interviewing Chris Argyris,
    since he practically invented the discipline.

    Cheers, Bruce

    Bruce Hoag, PhD, CPsychol
    Work Psychologist

    ------------------------------------------------------
    Are you planning to accomplish greater things in 2010 by doing what you
    did in 2009? Sign up for my free newsletter.
    http://www.p-advantage.com/Newsletter.php

    Read Another Fine Mess: http://www.p-advantage.com/Blog/
    Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/drbrucehoag



    On 29 January 2010 03:30, Kevin Corley
    <Kevin.Corley@asu.edu<mailto:Kevin.Corley@asu.edu>> wrote:
    Hi everyone. I'm checking to see if anyone knows of a narrative history
    of the OB field - something suitable for introducing new doctoral
    students to the early years of OB research and the origins of our
    discipline. I have found tidbits of that history in various places, but
    no single narrative that captures the progression across the years
    (important people, events, and theories, but doesn't delve into the
    theories themselves).

    Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

    Kevin Corley
    kcorley@asu.edu<mailto:kcorley@asu.edu>


  • 9.  Narrative history of OB

    Posted 01-29-2010 13:43
    The Management History division of AOM has interviews of numerous "greats" in the field..one of whom I believe is Art Bedian. I suggest going on the web site for the division.
    Nell Hartley

    Nell Tabor Hartley,Ph.D.
    Professor of Management
    Robert Morris University
    6001 University Boulevard
    Moon Township, PA 15108
    (412) 262-8294

    hartley@rmu.edu
    (412)262-8294
    >>> "Perrewe, Pamela" <pperrewe@COB.FSU.EDU> 01/29/10 12:21 PM >>>
    I would like to suggest Fred Luthans, also.

    Pam Perrewe


    -----Original Message-----
    From: Organizational Behavior Division Listserv
    [mailto:OB@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU] On Behalf Of Boal, Kim
    Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 11:24 AM
    To: OB@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
    Subject: Re: [OB-LIST] Narrative history of OB

    Dear Kevin, I would recommend, following Bruce, that you talk to Lyman
    Porter or Art Bedian.

    Kim Boal
    ________________________________________
    From: Organizational Behavior Division Listserv [OB@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU]
    On Behalf Of Bruce Hoag [b.hoag@P-ADVANTAGE.COM]
    Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 8:42 AM
    To: OB@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
    Subject: Re: [OB-LIST] Narrative history of OB

    I don't mean to be cheeky, but you might try interviewing Chris Argyris,
    since he practically invented the discipline.

    Cheers, Bruce

    Bruce Hoag, PhD, CPsychol
    Work Psychologist

    ------------------------------------------------------
    Are you planning to accomplish greater things in 2010 by doing what you
    did in 2009? Sign up for my free newsletter.
    http://www.p-advantage.com/Newsletter.php

    Read Another Fine Mess: http://www.p-advantage.com/Blog/
    Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/drbrucehoag



    On 29 January 2010 03:30, Kevin Corley
    <Kevin.Corley@asu.edu<mailto:Kevin.Corley@asu.edu>> wrote:
    Hi everyone. I'm checking to see if anyone knows of a narrative history
    of the OB field - something suitable for introducing new doctoral
    students to the early years of OB research and the origins of our
    discipline. I have found tidbits of that history in various places, but
    no single narrative that captures the progression across the years
    (important people, events, and theories, but doesn't delve into the
    theories themselves).

    Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

    Kevin Corley
    kcorley@asu.edu<mailto:kcorley@asu.edu>


  • 10.  Narrative history of OB

    Posted 01-31-2010 00:23
    Thanks to everyone who sent in suggestions and thoughts about the history of OB. Below is a compilation of resources that were included in both the public and private responses to my post. After looking over most of these sources, no one of them seem to provide a complete narrative; but certainly it is likely that a very thorough narrative could be compiled from a combination of these sources. I hope everyone finds these sources as useful as I do.

    Kevin



    2006 OB Division Lifetime Achievement Award Lecture by Professor Lyman Porter: http://www.obweb.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=73

    Miner, J. 2002. Organizational Behavior, Foundations, Theories and Analyses. Oxford University Press. (http://www.amazon.com/Organizational-Behavior-John-B-Miner/dp/0195122143 )

    Roberts, K. H., Weissenberg, P., Whetten, D., Pearce, J., Glick, W., Bedeian, A. G., Miller, H., and Klimoski, R. 1990. Reflections on the Field of Organizational Behavior. Journal of Management Systems, 2: 25-38. (A copy is available at: http://www.bus.lsu.edu/management/faculty/abedeian/articles/ReflectionsOB-JMS1990.pdf )

    Dickinson, A.M. 2000. The historical roots of organizational behavior management in the private sector: The 1950s-1980s, Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 20: 9-58.

    Borkowski, N. 2005. Overview and history of organizational behavior. In Nancy Borkowski (Ed.) Organizational Behavior in Health Care, pp. 3-14. Boston: Jones and Bartlett.

    Latham, G. P. (2007). Work Motivation: History, Theory, Research, and Practice. Sage. <http://tinyurl.com/ye89gna> . (The link will take you to a Google Book Preview)

    O' Reilly, C. 1991. Organizational behavior: Where we've been, where we're going. Annual Review of Psychology, 42: 427-58.
    Roethlisberger, F. J. 1977. The elusive phenomena: An autobiographical account of my work in the field of organizational behavior at the Harvard Business School. Boston: Harvard University, Division of Research of the Graduate School of Business Administration.

    Vaill, P. B. 2007. F. J. Roethlisberger and the elusive phenomena of Organizational Behavior. Journal of Management Education, 31: 321-338.

    March, J.G. 2007. The study of organizations and organizing since 1945. Organization Studies, 28(1): 9-19.

    Augier, M., March, J.G. & Sullivan, B. 2005. Notes on the evolution of a research community: Organization studies in Anglophone North America, 1945-2000. Organization Science, 16: 85-95.

    Kleiner, A. 1996. The Age of Heretics: Heroes, Outlaws, and the Forerunners of Corporate Change. Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group.

    Perrow, C. 1986. Complex Organizations: A Critical Essay. McGraw-Hill.

    Cummings, L.L. 1978. Toward Organizational Behavior. Academy of Management Review, 3: 90-98.

    William Foote Whyte's book, Organizational Behaviour (1961)

    Handbook of Organizational Behavior edited by Jay Lorsch (1987)

    Lawrence, Barnes, & Lorsch (1976) edited Organizational Behavior and Administration: Cases and Readings

    Comrey, A. L., High, W. S., & Goldberg, L. L. (1955). Factored dimensions of organizational behavior I. Field service workers. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 15, 225-235.

    High, W. S., Goldberg, L. L., & Comrey, A. L. (1955). Factored dimensions of organizational behavior II. Aircraft workers. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 15 , 371-382.

    Lawrence, P. R. (1958) The Changing of Organizational Behavior Patterns. Boston: Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration.

    March, J. G., & Simon, H. A. (1958). Organizations. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

    Presthus, R. V. (1958). Toward a theory of organizational behavior. Administrative Science Quarterly, 3, 48-72.

    Argyris, C. (1957). Personality and organization: The conflict between system and individual. New York: Harper & Row

    van Heller Gilmer, B. (1960). Industrial psychology. Annual Review of Psychology, 11, 323-350.

    Chester I Barnard's "The Functions of the Executive" (First Published in 1938 - Harvard).

    "The Great Writings in Management and Organizational Behavior," by Louis E. Boone and Donald D. Bowen. It was published by Random House

    Martin Evans talk at the 1998 SIOP Conference on five generations of I/O Psychologists speak out: http://www.rotman.utoronto.ca/~evans/fldr/sioptalk.htm


  • 11.  Narrative history of OB

    Posted 01-31-2010 17:27
    Kevin,

    I might also recommend Rakesh Khurana's book, 'From Higher Aims to Hired Hands:The Social Transformation of American Business Schools and the Unfulfilled Promise of Management as a Profession'.   It helps to explain the social forces associated with the creation of a number of the applied social science disciplines now traditionally housed in business schools.  Not much attention is paid to OB specifically, but I think it provides a useful backdrop for understanding how (and why) the OB field emerged from its 'parent' disciplines.

    You may also want to have a read of Ray Katzell and James T. Austin's 1992 J Appl Psych article, written for the APA's centennial ("From Then To Now:  The Development of Industrial-Organizational Psychology in the United States"), describing the history of the industrial-organizational psychology field.  It is written from an IO perspective, and tends to describe OB and the AOM only in passing, and with a skeptical eye (as a force sapping resources and members' loyalties away from IO departments and SIOP).  However, I think it provides an excellent introduction to the development of the micro OB field.  You could consider pairing this with reading Dick Scott's history of organizational sociology in Ann Rev Soc 30 ("Reflections on a Half-Century of Organizational Sociology") to see how the field developed on the sociological side -- i.e., the roots of macro OB.

    Thanks for the reading list below.

    Best,

    Lukas



    On Sun, Jan 31, 2010 at 12:23 AM, Kevin Corley <Kevin.Corley@asu.edu> wrote:
    Thanks to everyone who sent in suggestions and thoughts about the history of OB. Below is a compilation of resources that were included in both the public and private responses to my post. After looking over most of these sources, no one of them seem to provide a complete narrative; but certainly it is likely that a very thorough narrative could be compiled from a combination of these sources. I hope everyone finds these sources as useful as I do.

    Kevin



    2006 OB Division Lifetime Achievement Award Lecture by Professor Lyman Porter: http://www.obweb.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=73

    Miner, J. 2002. Organizational Behavior, Foundations, Theories and Analyses. Oxford University Press.  (http://www.amazon.com/Organizational-Behavior-John-B-Miner/dp/0195122143 )

    Roberts, K. H., Weissenberg, P., Whetten, D., Pearce, J., Glick, W., Bedeian, A. G., Miller, H., and Klimoski, R. 1990. Reflections on the Field of Organizational Behavior. Journal of Management Systems, 2: 25-38.  (A copy is available at: http://www.bus.lsu.edu/management/faculty/abedeian/articles/ReflectionsOB-JMS1990.pdf )

    Dickinson, A.M. 2000. The historical roots of organizational behavior management in the private sector: The 1950s-1980s, Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 20: 9-58.

    Borkowski, N. 2005. Overview and history of organizational behavior. In Nancy Borkowski (Ed.) Organizational Behavior in Health Care, pp. 3-14. Boston: Jones and Bartlett.

    Latham, G. P. (2007). Work Motivation: History, Theory, Research, and Practice. Sage. <http://tinyurl.com/ye89gna> . (The link will take you to a Google Book Preview)

    O' Reilly, C. 1991. Organizational behavior: Where we've been, where we're going. Annual Review of Psychology, 42: 427-58.
    Roethlisberger, F. J. 1977. The elusive phenomena: An autobiographical account of my work in the field of organizational behavior at the Harvard Business School. Boston: Harvard University, Division of Research of the Graduate School of Business Administration.

    Vaill, P. B. 2007. F. J. Roethlisberger and the elusive phenomena of Organizational Behavior. Journal of Management Education, 31: 321-338.

    March, J.G. 2007. The study of organizations and organizing since 1945. Organization Studies, 28(1): 9-19.

    Augier, M., March, J.G. & Sullivan, B. 2005. Notes on the evolution of a research community: Organization studies in Anglophone North America, 1945-2000. Organization Science, 16: 85-95.

    Kleiner, A. 1996. The Age of Heretics: Heroes, Outlaws, and the Forerunners of Corporate Change. Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group.

    Perrow, C. 1986. Complex Organizations: A Critical Essay. McGraw-Hill.

    Cummings, L.L. 1978. Toward Organizational Behavior. Academy of Management Review, 3: 90-98.

    William Foote Whyte's book, Organizational Behaviour (1961)

    Handbook of Organizational Behavior edited by Jay Lorsch (1987)

    Lawrence, Barnes, & Lorsch (1976) edited Organizational Behavior and Administration: Cases and Readings

    Comrey, A. L., High, W. S., & Goldberg, L. L. (1955). Factored dimensions of organizational behavior I. Field service workers. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 15, 225-235.

    High, W. S., Goldberg, L. L., & Comrey, A. L. (1955). Factored dimensions of organizational behavior II. Aircraft workers. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 15 , 371-382.

    Lawrence, P. R. (1958) The Changing of Organizational Behavior Patterns. Boston: Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration.

    March, J. G., & Simon, H. A. (1958).  Organizations.  New York: John Wiley & Sons.

    Presthus, R. V. (1958). Toward a theory of organizational behavior. Administrative Science Quarterly, 3, 48-72.

    Argyris, C. (1957).  Personality and organization: The conflict between system and individual. New York: Harper & Row

    van Heller Gilmer, B. (1960). Industrial psychology. Annual Review of Psychology, 11, 323-350.

    Chester I Barnard's "The Functions of the Executive" (First Published in 1938 - Harvard).

    "The Great Writings in Management and Organizational Behavior," by Louis E. Boone and Donald D. Bowen. It was published by Random House

    Martin Evans talk  at the 1998 SIOP Conference on five generations of I/O Psychologists speak out: http://www.rotman.utoronto.ca/~evans/fldr/sioptalk.htm



    --
    Lukas Neville
    --
    Ph.D. Candidate, Organizational Behaviour
    Queen's School of Business
    --
    404 Goodes Hall, 143 Union St.
    Queen's University
    Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6
    --
    lukas.neville@queensu.ca
    Phone (Kingston) 613-331-0196
    Phone (Buffalo) 716-525-8527


  • 12.  Narrative history of OB

    Posted 02-01-2010 08:13
    Hello:

    Most of the replies to Kevin's inquiry have pertained to the study or theory
    of OB.

    For a narrative history of the practice of OB, see "The Age of Heretics" by
    Art Kleiner.

    regards,

    Tony DiBella
    Naval War College
    Newport, RI

    >>>>>
    >>>>>

    From: Organizational Behavior Division Listserv on behalf of Kevin Corley
    Sent: Thu 1/28/2010 9:30 PM
    To: OB@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
    Subject: [OB-LIST] Narrative history of OB


    Hi everyone. I'm checking to see if anyone knows of a narrative history of
    the OB field - something suitable for introducing new doctoral students to
    the early years of OB research and the origins of our discipline. I have
    found tidbits of that history in various places, but no single narrative
    that captures the progression across the years (important people, events,
    and theories, but doesn't delve into the theories themselves).

    Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

    Kevin Corley
    kcorley@asu.edu