Overview

Sweeney/McFarlin's ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR: SOLUTIONS FOR MANAGEMENT is a text aimed squarely for the MBA market, which includes all types of MBA programs, including full-time day programs, part-time evening-oriented programs, and EMBA programs. It presents an applications perspective on critical topics such as improved leadership, better teamwork, and high performance cultures. It utilizes a "building blocks" framework, introduced in the first chapter, organized around four sets of skills or the "Building Block Skills for Managing Behavior" that highlight the skills and problem-solving process needed to manage behavior successfully:

1. Outstanding self-insight and perceptual skills.
2. The ability to analyze situations correctly.
3. The ability to inspire, motivate, and lead people.
4. Personal flexibility and adaptability

The authors then take these skills and connect them to the process of behavior management, consisting of 4 basic steps that should be addressed in sequence:

1. Identifying the challenge: To maintain, improve, or redirect behavior?
2. Identify causes of current behavior.
3. Choose a solution or strategy for achieving behavioral goals.
4. Implement, then monitor and adjust as needed.

In each chapter, the authors refer to the skill and behavior management steps in the framework that are relevant to the issues they are discussing.

The style is informal, no-nonsense aimed a challenging and engaging MBA students. In fact, it is not only accessible and straightforward, but tends to strip away hype, shatter pretense, and challenge "sacred cows."