Public Organizational Behavior

Author: Sun Ping, Zhang Ping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-18
Features: Organizational Behavior is a science that comprehensively applies various knowledge related to people to systematically study the psychological and behavioral patterns of individuals within a specific organization, thereby enhancing the predictive and guiding capabilities of managerial personnel at all levels to effectively achieve organizational goals. Scientific Organizational Behavior originated in the West in the early 20th century and became an independent discipline in the 1960s. Over more than 40 years of development, it has evolved into a vital subject widely applied in various organizational management activities, playing an extremely important role in improving organizational management levels and effectiveness, strengthening human-centered management, enhancing interpersonal relationships, and promoting organizational change and development.
In China, Organizational Behavior began in the 1980s and has grown steadily through the introduction, dissemination, and independent research over more than two decades. It has taken root and flourished, achieving remarkable progress. A prominent manifestation of this is the establishment of Organizational Behavior courses in research institutions and universities, as well as the creation of master's and doctoral programs in this field. Domestic scholars have translated numerous Western Organizational Behavior monographs and, adhering to the principle of starting from China's actual conditions, have published a large number of academic works and research papers, including empirical studies. Statistics show that there are currently over a hundred specialized books on Organizational Behavior alone. All these contributions have added immense vitality to the discipline's development.
As a foundational course in management with strong practical application, Organizational Behavior has been incorporated into the training programs for public affairs management and Master of Public Administration (MPA) programs in China. However, a review of existing Organizational Behavior textbooks reveals a predominant focus on corporate management, with few that address the characteristics of public organizations and their practical operations. This textbook is titled "Public Organizational Behavior" to reflect its emphasis on public administration content. Whether in structure or in the actual content, it is designed with public organizations in mind, striving to highlight the practical aspects of public management.
Although we are fully aware that, with our limited understanding of the theory and practice of Public Organizational Behavior, writing a truly comprehensive textbook on the subject may be beyond our capabilities, we have still undertaken this task to meet the needs of teaching and practice. We sincerely hope that this textbook will provide some assistance to students in public affairs management, MPA candidates, and others seeking to understand Public Organizational Behavior.
The writing of this textbook systematically elaborates on the fundamental concepts and theories of Public Organizational Behavior from three perspectives: individual behavior, group behavior, and organizational behavior. It covers topics such as perception, attribution, individual psychological characteristics and public organizational management, group behavior, interpersonal relationships, conflict and public organizational management, leadership, motivation and public organizational management, public organizational culture and change, among others.
Another distinctive feature of this textbook is its emphasis on case studies, with each chapter accompanied by relevant introductory examples and post-chapter case analysis. This approach serves two purposes: first, to make the content vivid, concrete, and relatable, facilitating comprehension; and second, to enable readers to deeply reflect on theoretical knowledge through case analysis, apply it in practice, and enhance their analytical and creative problem-solving skills.