Fred Luthans

Self-Efficacy and Work-Related Performance: A Meta-Analysis

This meta-analysis (114 studies, k = 157, N = 21,616) examined the relationship between self-efficacy and work-related performance. Results of the primary meta-analysis indicated a significant weighted average correlation between self-efficacy and work-related performance, G (r+) = .38, and a signif

Emerging Positive Organizational Behavior

Although the value of positivity has been assumed over the years, only recently has it become a major focus area for theory building, research, and application in psychology and now organizational behavior. This review article examines, in turn, selected representative positive traits (Big Five personality, core self-evaluations, and character strengths and virtues), positive state-like psychological resource capacities (efficacy, hope, optimism, resiliency, and psychological capital), positive organizations (drawn from positive organization scholarship), and positive behaviors (organizational citizenship and courageous principled action). This review concludes with recommendations for future research and effective application.

Social Desirability Response Effects: Three Alternative Models

Three models are developed for the effects of social desirability (SD) on organizational behavior research results. SD can act as (a) an unmeasured variable that produces spurious correlations betw...

Social cognitive theory and self-efficacy: Goin beyond traditional motivational and behavioral approaches

Business enterprises are challenged with containing costs while at the same time increasing organizational effectivity. Common solutions employed among corporate entities have included restructuring, retrenching, re-engineering, the adoption of total quality notions and greater use of information technology. Strategies that would elicit solutions from the substantial potential of human resources and would enhance the part people can play in addressing competitive forces have been generally ignored and even denigrated. The potential benefits of real, human intelligence are therefore consistently avoided despite the fact that artificial intelligence has become so valuable to organizational success. Corporate entities could go beyond conventional behavioral and motivational approaches in managing human performance to draw the resources they desire for success.

The Additive Value of Positive Psychological Capital in Predicting Work Attitudes and Behaviors

Conventional wisdom and recent research have supported the importance of employee positivity. However, empirical analysis has not yet demonstrated potential added value of recently recognized psychological capital over the more established positive traits in predicting work attitudes and behaviors. This study found that psychological capital was positively related to extrarole organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) and negatively to organizational cynicism, intentions to quit, and counterproductive workplace behaviors. With one exception, psychological capital also predicted unique variance in these outcomes beyond demographics, self-evaluation, personality, and person—organization and person—job fit. The article concludes with implications for future research and practical application.

Developing the psychological capital of resiliency

In these turbulent times, we propose the importance of developing the psychological capital dimension of resiliency. After providing the theoretical background and meaning of psychological capital in general and resiliency in particular, the authors present proactive and reactive human resource development (HRD) strategies for its development. The proactive HRD includes increasing psychological assets, decreasing risk factors, and facilitating processes that allow human resources to enhance their resilience. The reactive HRD largely draws from a broaden-and-build model of positive emotions and self-enhancement, external attribution, and hardiness. The article includes specific guidelines for HRD applications and an agenda for future needed research.

A meta-analysis of the effects of organizational behavior modification on task performance, 1975-95

Results of a primary meta-analysis indicated a significant main effect of the organizational behavior modification (O.B. Mod.) approach on task performance (d. = .51; a 17 percent increase) and a s...

The positive impact and development of hopeful leaders

Although hope is commonly used in terms of wishful thinking, as a positive psychological concept consisting of the dimensions of both willpower (agency) and waypower (pathways), it has been found to be positively related to academic, athletic and health outcomes. The impact of hopeful leaders, however, has not been empirically analyzed. This exploratory study (N = 59) found that high‐ as compared to low‐hope leaders had more profitable work units and had better satisfaction and retention rates among their subordinates. The implications of these preliminary findings of the positive impact that hopeful leaders may have in the workplace are discussed.

What Do Successful Managers Really Do? An Observation Study of Managerial Activities

Rather than evaluate managers on the basis of activities traditionally prescribed for success, an observation study was conducted to determine empirically which activities successful managers actually perform. Trained participant observers recorded the behaviors of 52 managers in three diverse organizations-a state department of revenue, a medium-sized manufacturing plant, and a campus police department-over a two-week period. In analyzing the data collected, the authors measured success by using a promotion index of level over tenure and by considering the top managers of each organization to be successful. Regression analysis found that two activities were significantly related to managerial success: interaction with outsiders and socializing/politicking. Further comparative analysis of managers ranked in the top and bottom thirds indicated that successful managers exhibited more behaviors related to conflict management, and comparisons of top-level managers with those in the middle and first levels indicated that successful managers exhibited more behaviors related to decision making and planninglcoordinating. The study found that some of the activities of the successful managers apparently depended upon the type of organization in which they worked.

Hope: A New Positive Strength for Human Resource Development

Drawing from hope theory as used in the emerging positive psychology and positive organizational behavior movement, this article for the first time examines the role that hope may play in effective human resource development (HRD). Hope is first conceptually defined as being both dispositional or traitlike and—important to HRD—developmental or statelike; next, the validity of its measures is reviewed; and then it is theoretically differenti ated from the closely related positive concepts of optimism and self-efficacy, and its role in goal setting and empowerment is explored. Next, findings from the initial research in the workplace are presented that indicate a positive relationship between hope levels of both managers and associates and performance. The article concludes by first examining the implications that hope has for HRD, including specific guidelines for how hope can be implemented through training programs and organization development, and finally noting needed future directions.