The purpose of this exercise is to take some of the topics covered in this textbook and examine…

The purpose of this exercise is to take some of the topics
covered in this textbook and examine whether improving them is “just common
sense.” This exercise uses groups, so your instructor will either assign you to
a group or ask you to create your own. The exercise has the following steps:

a. Consider the theory diagram shown below. It explains why
two “independent variables” (the quality of a movie’s script and the fame of
its stars) affect a “dependent variable” (how much the movie makes at the box
office).

b. Now build your own theory diagram about organizational
behavior. In
»

The purpose of this exercise is to take some of the topics
covered in this textbook and examine whether improving them is “just common
sense.” This exercise uses groups, so your instructor will either assign you to
a group or ask you to create your own. The exercise has the following steps:

a. Consider the theory diagram shown below. It explains why
two “independent variables” (the quality of a movie’s script and the fame of
its stars) affect a “dependent variable” (how much the movie makes at the box
office).

b. Now build your own theory diagram about organizational
behavior. In your groups, choose one of the following four topics to use as
your dependent variable:

• Job Satisfaction: The pleasurable emotions felt when
performing job tasks.

• Strain: The headaches, fatigue, or burnout resulting from
workplace stress.

• Motivation: The intensity and persistence of job-related
effort.

• Trust in Supervisor: The willingness to allow a supervisor
to have significant influence over key job issues.

Using a transparency, laptop, or chalkboard, build a theory
diagram that summarizes the factors that affect your chosen dependent variable.
To be as comprehensive as possible, try to include at least four independent
variables. Keep your books closed! You should build your diagrams using only
your own experience and intuition.

c. Each group should present its theory diagram to the
class. Do the predicted relationships make sense? Should anything be dropped?
Should anything be added?