Organizational Behavior

In 1964, the Department of Organizational Behavior at Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management created the field’s first doctoral program—and we’ve been leading in innovation ever since. 

Today, our department is home to one of the nation’s finest and most innovative master’s degree programs: the Master of Science in Positive Organization Development and Change (MPOD). We continue to maintain one of the nation’s largest and best PhD programs in organizational behavior as well, attracting students from around the world.

Study Organizational Behavior at CWRU

Earn a degree from the Department of Organizational Behavior at the Weatherhead School: 

Master of Science in Positive Organization Development and Change

In our Master of Science in Positive Organization Development and Change program, you’ll have the opportunity to conduct individual field projects within your own or other organizations; perform teacher constructed real world challenges; and to participate in practicums with actual clients in the field. 

PhD in Organizational Behavior

Develop a high level of professional creativity and interpersonal competence in our PhD in Organizational Behavior program. The first of its kind, graduating our first PhD students in 1964, our full-time program sets the standard for universities worldwide. 

Expert Faculty

In the Department of Organizational Behavior, our faculty are thought leaders in prominent organizational research and pedagogical topics. Our areas of expertise include multi-level human systems change, development, and flourishing, through a focus on:

• Appreciative inquiry and strengths based approaches
• Business as an agent of world benefit
• Coaching and leadership development, including organizational neuroscience
• Emotionally intelligent leadership
• Gender, diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Management education and pedagogy
• Organizational development
• Workplace relationships and dynamics

Altogether, these areas make up a department that the Financial Times ranks #3 in the world! 

Our faculty members have worked on applied research in laboratory and field settings with a range of large organizations and networks, including numerous universities, city governments, corporations, nonprofit organizations, healthcare centers, and school systems, such as:

• The National Science Foundation’s ADVANCE program
• Walmart
• United Nations Global Compact
• The American Dairy Association
• The European Social Fund
• The U.S. Navy
• Ford
• GTE
• The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Our Research Approach

With a proud tradition of creative and foundational scholarship, the Department of Organizational Behavior is home to a number of significant ideas in the fields of organizational behavior and management science:

• Experiential learning theory and learning styles,
• Stages of group and task oriented team development,
• Resonant leadership and emotional intelligence,
• Studies of the executive mind and executive life,
• Advances in socio-technical systems analysis,
• The competencies approach to managerial learning, 
• Human inquiry and participatory action-research,
• The organization dimensions of global sustainability,
• Inclusive leadership
• Intentional change theory, and 
• Appreciative Inquiry, a cornerstone in positive human science scholarship.

Learn More About Our Research

Intentional Change Theory 

Developed by Richard Boyatzis, PhD, Intentional Change Theory outlines five common-sense steps that need to be followed if an individual wants to make a lasting change within one’s self. 
These five steps are:

• Discover your ideal self
• Discover your real self
• Create your learning agenda
• Experiment with and practice new habits
• Get support

Emotional Intelligence

Exceptional leaders, executives, and managers rely on their emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand, motivate, and develop yourself and others. Researched and developed by Richard Boyatzis, PhD, emotional intelligence competencies are incorporated throughout the programs at Weatherhead.

Coaching Research Lab

The Coaching Research Lab is a joint initiative between scholars and leading organizations to develop a more comprehensive understanding of coaching through empirical research.

Fowler Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit

Research from the Organizational Behavior Department led to the creation of the Fowler Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit. At the heart of the center is World Inquiry, a global search for the many ways dynamic leaders in the business sector are putting their people, imagination, and assets to work to benefit the earth, from its ecosystem to the needs of its vast, diverse population.

The Fowler Center bridges the gap between theory and practice for both management practitioners and scholars. Through intimate, meaningful collaborations with individuals from a diverse range of organizations, the Fowler Center guides managers to embed sustainability in their core business, creating value for society and the environment in ways that create even more value for their customers and shareholders.

Standout Curriculum

The university’s schedule of classes contains comprehensive information on course offerings. See the General Bulletin for specific degree requirements and get to know some of the many courses we offer that contribute to our standout curriculum.

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