Organizational Behavior

Organizational Behavior

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About the Unit

Through its research, teaching, and course development, the Organizational Behavior Unit creates and disseminates knowledge that advances the understanding of how to lead and manage with the aim of increasing personal and organizational effectiveness. Although specific research interests span a wide range of subjects, the faculty share a problem driven, interdisciplinary, multi method approach that has led to significant impact on theory and practice.

Our current intellectual agenda builds on the rich history of OB at HBS and focuses squarely on the organizational changes and challenges arising from today's increasingly global and more competitive economy. In the last decade, the faculty have been recognized for their work on leadership in an increasingly diverse and dynamic environment, the evolution of managerial careers in our society, managing diversity, and organizational design and change to meet evolving needs and expectations in a changing world.

Recent Publications

Global Behaviors, Perceptions, and the Emergence of Social Norms at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

By: Lukas Hensel, Marc Witte, Stefano Caria, Thiemo Fetzer, Stefano Fiorin, Friedrich M. Goetz, Margarita Gomez, Johannes Haushofer, Andriy Ivchenko, Gordon T. Kraft-Todd, Elena Reutskaja, Christopher Roth, Erez Yoeli and Jon M. Jachimowicz
  • January 2022 |
  • Article |
  • Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization
We conducted a large-scale survey covering 58 countries and over 100,000 respondents between late March and early April 2020 to study beliefs and attitudes towards citizens' and governments' responses at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most respondents reported holding normative beliefs in support of COVID-19 containment measures, as well as high rates of adherence to these measures. They also believed that their government and their country's citizens were not doing enough and underestimated the degree to which others in their country supported strong behavioral and policy responses to the pandemic. Normative beliefs were strongly associated with adherence, as well as beliefs about others' and the government's response. Lockdowns were associated with greater optimism about others' and the government's response, and improvements in measures of perceived mental well-being; these effects tended to be larger for those with stronger normative beliefs. Our findings highlight how social norms can arise quickly and effectively to support cooperation at a global scale.
Keywords: COVID-19; Government Regulation; Social Norms; Health Pandemics; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Behavior; Perception; Global Range; Surveys
Related

Determinants of Gender Differences in Change in Pay among Job-Switching Executives

By: Boris Groysberg, Paul M. Healy and Eric Lin
  • January 2022 |
  • Article |
  • Industrial & Labor Relations Review
The authors investigate what determines differences in change in pay between men and women executives who move to new employers. Using proprietary data of 2,034 executive placements from a global search firm, the authors observe narrower pay differences between men and women after job moves. The unconditional gap shrinks from 21.5% in the prior employer to 15% in the new employer. After controlling for typical explanatory factors, the residual gap falls by almost 30%, from 8.5% at the prior employer to 6.1% in the new placement. This change reflects a relative increase in performance-based compensation for women and a lower level of unexplained pay inequality generally in external placements. Controlling for individual fixed effects, observed women have higher pay raises than do men. Finally, the authors find suggestive evidence that pay differences may also be moderated by differences in the supply and demand for women executives.
Keywords: Executive Pay; Executive Labor Market; Gender Pay Gap; External Recruitment; Executive Compensation; Gender; Human Capital
Related

How to Keep Learning at Every Stage of Your Life

By: Boris Groysberg and Robin Abrahams
  • December 29, 2021 |
  • Article |
  • Newsweek
Related

COVID Made Some Skills Obsolete. Here's How to Make Sure Yours Stay Relevant

By: Boris Groysberg and Katherine Connolly Baden
  • December 22, 2021 |
  • Article |
  • Newsweek
Related

How to Become a Better Listener

By: Robin Abrahams and Boris Groysberg
  • December 21, 2021 |
  • Article |
  • Harvard Business Review Digital Articles
Listening is a skill that’s vitally important, sadly undertaught, and physically and mentally taxing. In the aftermath of COVID-19, particularly with the shift to remote work and the red-hot job market, it’s never been more important—or more difficult—for leaders to be good listeners. This article offers nine tips to help leaders become more active listeners, and a breakdown of the subskills involved in listening and how you can improve in them.
Keywords: Listening; Nonverbal Communication; Communication; Competency and Skills; Performance Improvement
Related

Moleskine: Daniela Riccardi Turns the Page

By: Ryan Raffaelli and Sarah Gulick
  • December 2021 |
  • Case |
  • Faculty Research
After Daniela Riccardi took over as CEO of Moleskine, she determined that the company needed to refocus on its core brand and central organization. With her first formal meeting with D'Ieteren, the company that owned Moleskine, approaching, she needed to decide what her action plan for Moleskine should be.
Keywords: Brands and Branding; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Operations; Italy
Related

What Do Black Executives Really Want?

By: Frank Cooper III and Ranjay Gulati
  • November 15, 2021 |
  • Article |
  • Harvard Business Review (website)
Recruiting and retaining Black talent is a priority for many organizations. Most are committed to and investing in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). And yet, according to interviews and focus groups with Black executives working in a variety of blue-chip companies with strong DEI programs, very few feel good about their workplace experiences at work. They feel isolated, unable to be authentic, and less confident. How can employers and individual managers ensure that Black employees feel safe, seen, and supported? This article outlines some concrete ways to make that happen.
Keywords: Black Executives; Selection and Staffing; Retention; Race; Organizational Culture; Change Management
Related

Deloitte's Pixel (A), (B), (C): Consulting with Open Talent

By: Michael L. Tushman and Amy Klopfenstein
  • November 2021 |
  • Teaching Note |
  • Faculty Research
Related
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Contact Information

Organizational Behavior Unit
Harvard Business School
Morgan Hall
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
OB@hbs.edu