This 12th edition of Organizations: Behavior, Structure, Processes, like the previous ones, is based on the proposition that managing people and their behavior in organizations is one of the most challenging tasks anyone could face. There is nothing boring about managing organizational behavior. Traditional approaches that worked a decade ago or even a few years ago are currently being questioned, modified, or rejected. This book will provide an opportunity for you to look inside organizations and to develop your own perspective and skills for managing organizational behavior. Your own perspective and approach will serve you in the positions you hold, the challenges you face, and the career choices you make in the 21st century.

This edition of Organizations: Behavior, Structure, Processes presents theories, research results, and applications that focus on managing organizational behavior in small as well as large and global organizations. Through the successful history of the book, feedback from students and teachers has indicated that we have succeeded in presenting a realistic view of organizational behavior.

A consistent theme throughout the book is that effective management of organizational behavior requires an understanding of theory, research, and practice. Given this theme, we view our task as presenting and interpreting organizational behavior theory and research so that students can comprehend the three characteristics common to all organizations— behavior, structure, and processes—as they are affected by actions of managers. Accordingly, we illustrate how organizational behavior theory leads to research and how both theory and research provide the basic foundation for practical applications in business firms, hospitals, educational institutions, government agencies, and other organizations.

As dedicated teachers of organizational behavior and management, we have been guided by student needs, feedback, and applications in real-world settings. This edition is current and offers a variety of techniques to encourage student involvement. The book challenges students to continue to explore the content areas long after they successfully complete their current course. This self-initiated exploration will result in continuous learning and inquiry so that students’ knowledge, skills, and competencies are sharpened at each new juncture.