Organizational Behavior Case: How Is This Stuff Going to Help Me?

Jane Arnold wants to be a manager. She enjoyed her

accounting, finance, and marketing courses. Each of

these provided her with some clear-cut answers. Now

the professor in her organizational behavior course is

telling her that there are really very few clear-cut

answers when it comes to managing people. The professor

has discussed some of the emerging challenges and

the historical background and ways that behavioral science

concepts play a big role in the course. Jane is very

perplexed. She came to school to get answers on how to

be an effective manager, but this course surely doesn't

seem to be heading in that direction.

1. How would you relieve Jane's anxiety? How is a

course in organizational behavior going to make

her a better manager? What implications does an

evidence-based approach have?

2. Why did the professor start off with a brief overview

of emerging challenges?

3. How does a course in organizational behavior differ

from courses in fields such as accounting, finance, or

marketing?