

In particular, OB deals with the interactions that take place among the three levels and, in turn, addresses how to improve performance of the organization as a whole. The behavioral sciences that make up the OB field contribute an element to each of these levels. The most widely accepted model of OB consists of three interrelated levels: (1) micro (the individual level), (2) meso (the group level), and (3) macro (the organizational level). Thus, while managers and OB researchers seek to help employees find a work-life balance, improve ethical behavior (Ardichivili, Mitchell, & Jondle, 2009), customer service, and people skills (see, e.g., Brady & Cronin, 2001), they must simultaneously deal with issues such as workforce diversity, work-life balance, and cultural differences. The field is also rapidly evolving because of the demands of today’s fast-paced world, where technology has given rise to work-from-home employees, globalization, and an ageing workforce. 8) describe it as “ field of study that investigates the impact that individual groups and structure have on behavior within organizations, for the purposes of applying such knowledge towards improving an organization’s effectiveness.” The OB field looks at the specific context of the work environment in terms of human attitudes, cognition, and behavior, and it embodies contributions from psychology, social psychology, sociology, and anthropology. More specifically, Robbins, Judge, Millett, and Boyle ( 2014, p.

Organizational behavior (OB) is the study of how people behave in organizational work environments. At the organizational level, topics include organizational design and its effect on organizational performance affective events theory and the physical environment organizational culture and climate and organizational change. Topics at the meso level of analysis include group decision-making managing work teams for optimum performance (including maximizing team performance and communication) managing team conflict (including the effects of task and relationship conflict on team effectiveness) team climate and group emotional tone power, organizational politics, and ethical decision-making and leadership, including leadership development and leadership effectiveness. Topics at the micro level include managing the diverse workforce effects of individual differences in attitudes job satisfaction and engagement, including their implications for performance and management personality, including the effects of different cultures perception and its effects on decision-making employee values emotions, including emotional intelligence, emotional labor, and the effects of positive and negative affect on decision-making and creativity (including common biases and errors in decision-making) and motivation, including the effects of rewards and goal-setting and implications for management. Broadly speaking, OB covers three main levels of analysis: micro (individuals), meso (groups), and macro (the organization). Its focus is on understanding how people behave in organizational work environments. Organizational behavior (OB) is a discipline that includes principles from psychology, sociology, and anthropology. Organizational Climate and its Relation to Organizational Culture.The Macro (Organizational) Level of Analysis.Organizational Politics, Power, and Ethics.Team Effectiveness and Relationship Conflict.Goal-Setting and Conservation of Resources.Decision-Making and the Role of Perception.Affect and Organizational Decision-Making.Emotional Intelligence and Emotional Labor.The Role of Affect in Organizational Behavior.Individual Differences, Affect, and Emotion.The Micro (Individual) Level of Analysis.We discuss sarcasm as a double-edged sword: despite its role in instigating conflict, it can also be a catalyst for creativity. Finally, Study 4 found when participants expressed sarcasm toward or received sarcasm from a trusted other, creativity increased but conflict did not. Study 3 demonstrated that sarcasm's effect on creativity for both parties was mediated by abstract thinking and generalizes across different forms of sarcasm. Studies 1 and 2 found that both sarcasm expressers and recipients reported more conflict but also demonstrated enhanced creativity following a simulated sarcastic conversation or after recalling a sarcastic exchange. The current research proposes and tests a novel theoretical model in which both the construction and interpretation of sarcasm lead to greater creativity because they activate abstract thinking. Despite its prevalence, we know surprisingly little about the cognitive experiences of sarcastic expressers and recipients or their behavioral implications.
