Fred Luthans
Biographic Data
| ID | 145929 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Fred Luthans |
| GIVEN NAMES | Fred |
| FAMILY NAME | Luthans |
| SIGNATURE | LUTHANS F |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Nebraska–Lincoln |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 52 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 604 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 52 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1970 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2024 |
| H-INDEX | 13 |
Introduction and summary to special issue on positive organizational behavior (POB) and psychological capital (PsyCap)
Psychological, physical, and social capitals: A balanced approach for more effective human capital in today’s organizations and life
Psychological Capital: An Evidence-Based Positive Approach
The now recognized core construct of psychological capital, or simply PsyCap, draws from positive psychology in general and positive organizational behavior (POB) in particular. The first-order positive psychological resources that make up PsyCap include hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism, or the HERO within. These four best meet the inclusion criteria of being theory- and research-based, positive, validly measurable, state-like, and having…
Behaviorism
Behaviorism is a theoretical foundation in psychology that emphasizes observable, measurable behavior as the primary unit of analysis and scientifically investigates the relationships between behavior and its environmental contingencies.
Psychological Capital and Well‐being
Not if, but when we need resilience in the workplace
Workplace resilience is a necessity for organizations and employees given it assists them in overcoming adversity and ultimately succeeding. However, organizational scholars have largely overlooked this construct. In this Incubator , we briefly summarize extant research on workplace resilience to highlight opportunities for theory building and advancement of empirical research. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Brief Summary of Psychological Capital and Introduction to the Special Issue
Thriving at work: Impact of psychological capital and supervisor support
Thriving at work is a positive psychological state characterized jointly by learning and vitality. Conventional wisdom and some initial research indicate that such thriving benefits both employees themselves and their organizations. This study specifically tests thriving at work by linking it to a theoretically important personal outcome variable (self‐development), refining its relationship with agentic work behaviors (task focus and heedful rel…
"Reclaiming "Anthropology: "The Forgotten Behavioral Science in Management History" - Commentaries
PurposeThis collection of commentaries on the reprinted 1987 article by Nancy C. Morey and Fred Luthans, "Anthropology: the forgotten behavioral science in management history", aims to reflect on the treatment of the history of anthropological work in organizational studies presented in the original article.Design/methodology/approachThe essays are invited and peer-reviewed contributions from scholars in organizational studies and anthropology.Fi…
Anthropology: The Forgotten Behavioral Science in Management History
This paper traces and acknowledges the heretofore generally overlooked contributions that anthropology and anthropologists have made to the history of management thought. Particular attention is devoted to tracing the early anthropological roots, highlighting the contributions made to the Hawthorne studies, and featuring the work of William Foote Whyte
Meeting the Leadership Challenge of Employee Well-Being Through Relationship PsyCap and Health PsyCap
Increasing recognition is being given to the role that employee overall well-being plays in desired outcomes of today’s organizations. To help organizational leaders searching for understanding and answers, we propose that the positive core construct of psychological capital (or simply PsyCap), consisting of the positive psychological resources of hope, efficacy, resiliency, and optimism can be extended into the well-being domain. Although PsyCap…
Impact of authentic leadership on performance: Role of followers' positive psychological capital and relational processes
Authentic leadership has received considerable attention and research support over the past decade. Now the time has come to refine and better understand how it impacts performance. This study investigates the moderating role followers' positive psychological capital (PsyCap) and the mediating role that leader–member exchange (LMX) may play in influencing the relationship between authentic leadership and followers' performance. Specifically, we t…
Measuring implicit psychological constructs in organizational behavior: An example using psychological capital
Implicit psychological constructs are effective predictors of behavioral outcomes but are rarely used in organizational settings because of real or imagined problems with measurement validity and administration. To address these concerns, we present a means of assessing implicit constructs quickly and easily by using psychological capital as an example. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Psychological Capital and Employee Performance: A Latent Growth Modeling Approach
The positive core construct of psychological capital (consisting of efficacy, hope, optimism, and resilience) has been conceptually and empirically demonstrated to be related to employee performance. However, much of this work has relied on cross‐sectional designs to examine these relationships. This study utilizes longitudinal data from a large financial service organization ( N = 179 financial advisory‐type employees) to examine within‐individu…
Meta‐analysis of the impact of positive psychological capital on employee attitudes, behaviors, and performance
The positive core construct of psychological capital (or simply PsyCap), consisting of the psychological resources of hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism, has recently been demonstrated to be open to human resource development (HRD) and performance management. The research stream on PsyCap has now grown to the point that a quantitative summary analysis of its impact on employee attitudes, behaviors, and especially performance is needed. The …
Impact of positive psychological capital on employee well-being over time.
The recently recognized core construct of psychological capital or PsyCap (consisting of the positive psychological resources of efficacy, hope, optimism, and resilience) has been demonstrated to be related to various employee attitudinal, behavioral, and performance outcomes. However, to date, the impact of this positive core construct over time and on important employee well-being outcomes has not been tested. This study meets this need by anal…
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 organiza…
The development and resulting performance impact of positive psychological capital
Recently, theory and research have supported psychological capital (PsyCap) as an emerging core construct linked to positive outcomes at the individual and organizational level. However, to date, little attention has been given to PsyCap development through training interventions; nor have there been attempts to determine empirically if such PsyCap development has a causal impact on participants' performance. To fill these gaps we first conducted…
Psychological capital: A positive resource for combating employee stress and turnover
Workplace stress is a growing concern for human resource managers. Although considerable scholarly and practical attention has been devoted to stress management over the years, the time has come for new perspectives and research. Drawing from the emerging field of positive organizational behavior, this study offers research findings with implications for combating occupational stress. Specifically, data from a large sample of working adults acros…
Psychological ownership: Theoretical extensions, measurement and relation to work outcomes
Viewing psychological ownership as a positive resource for impacting human performance in organizations, the present study investigated the components of an expanded view of psychological ownership. Confirmatory factor analyses on a proposed measure of psychological ownership provided support for a positively‐oriented, “promotion‐focused” aspect of psychological ownership comprised of four dimensions: self‐efficacy, accountability, sense of belon…
The “point” of positive organizational behavior
Perhaps the most important “Point” we would like to make in this “Point‐Counterpoint” on positive organizational behavior is the role that research must play in this evolving area of study. We follow this point on the importance of research by drawing from recent findings that indicate in discussions such as this point and counterpoint, that taking a positive approach leads to more in‐depth inquiry, whereas a negative perspective leads to advocac…
Retracted: Authentically leading groups: The mediating role of collective psychological capital and trust
Although there have been recent theoretical advances in what is increasingly being recognized as authentic leadership, research testing possible mediating processes and the impact on group‐level outcomes has not received attention. To help address this need, this study examined at the group level of analysis the role that collective psychological capital and trust may play in the relationship between authentic leadership and work groups' desired …
Inquiry unplugged: Building on Hackman's potential perils of POB
In this rejoinder to Hackman's counterpoint piece on positive organizational behavior (POB), we again take a positive, inquiry approach. We address and build out each of his identified potential perils with the aim of accelerating the journey of POB understanding, research, and application. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Can Positive Employees Help Positive Organizational Change? Impact of Psychological Capital and Emotions on Relevant Attitudes and Behaviors
Although much attention has been devoted to understanding employee resistance to change, relatively little research examines the impact that positive employees can have on organizational change. To help fill this need, the authors investigate whether a process of employees' positivity will have an impact on relevant attitudes and behaviors. Specifically, this study surveyed 132 employees from a broad cross-section of organizations and jobs and fo…
Experimental Analysis of a Web-Based Training Intervention to Develop Positive Psychological Capital
Psychological capital with components of hope, self-efficacy, optimism, and resiliency has recently emerged as a core construct in taking positive psychology to the workplace. A distinguishing feature is that it is “state-like” and thus open to development. We analyze whether such psychological capital can be developed through a highly focused, 2-hour web-based training intervention. Using a pretest, posttest experimental design (n = 187 randomly…
The need for and meaning of positive organizational behavior
This essay draws from the emerging positive psychology movement and the author's recent articles on the need for and meaning of a positive approach to organizational behavior. Specifically, the argument is made that at this time, the OB field needs a proactive, positive approach emphasizing strengths, rather than continuing in the downward spiral of negativity trying to fix weaknesses. However, to avoid the surface positivity represented by the n…
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
The mediating role of psychological capital in the supportive organizational climate—employee performance relationship
Although the value of a supportive organizational climate has been recognized over the years, there is a need for better understanding of its relationship with employee outcomes. This study investigates whether the recently emerging core construct of positive psychological capital (consisting of hope, resilience, optimism, and efficacy) plays a role in mediating the effects of a supportive organizational climate with employee outcomes. Utilizing …
Psychological capital development: Toward a micro‐intervention
After first providing the meaning of psychological capital (PsyCap), we present a micro‐intervention to develop it. Drawn from hope, optimism, efficacy, and resiliency development, this PsyCap Intervention (PCI) is shown to have preliminary support for not only increasing participants' PsyCap, but also financial impact and high return on investment. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Psychological ownership: Theoretical extensions, measurement and relation to work outcomes
Viewing psychological ownership as a positive resource for impacting human performance in organizations, the present study investigated the components of an expanded view of psychological ownership. Confirmatory factor analyses on a proposed measure of psychological ownership provided support for a positively‐oriented, “promotion‐focused” aspect of psychological ownership comprised of four dimensions: self‐efficacy, accountability, sense of belon…
Retracted: Authentically leading groups: The mediating role of collective psychological capital and trust
Although there have been recent theoretical advances in what is increasingly being recognized as authentic leadership, research testing possible mediating processes and the impact on group‐level outcomes has not received attention. To help address this need, this study examined at the group level of analysis the role that collective psychological capital and trust may play in the relationship between authentic leadership and work groups' desired …
Thriving at work: Impact of psychological capital and supervisor support
Thriving at work is a positive psychological state characterized jointly by learning and vitality. Conventional wisdom and some initial research indicate that such thriving benefits both employees themselves and their organizations. This study specifically tests thriving at work by linking it to a theoretically important personal outcome variable (self‐development), refining its relationship with agentic work behaviors (task focus and heedful rel…
The “point” of positive organizational behavior
Perhaps the most important “Point” we would like to make in this “Point‐Counterpoint” on positive organizational behavior is the role that research must play in this evolving area of study. We follow this point on the importance of research by drawing from recent findings that indicate in discussions such as this point and counterpoint, that taking a positive approach leads to more in‐depth inquiry, whereas a negative perspective leads to advocac…
Organizational Commitment: Analysis of Antecedents
A model of the antecedents (personal-demographic, organizational relationship, and person-organization fit) of organizational commitment was empirically analyzed. The study used a sample of employees (N = 406) from a wide variety of organizations to test the hypotheses. The results of the multiple regression analysis supported the hypothesized relationships and the proposed model on the antecedents to organizational commitment. In particular, thi…
Impact of authentic leadership on performance: Role of followers' positive psychological capital and relational processes
Authentic leadership has received considerable attention and research support over the past decade. Now the time has come to refine and better understand how it impacts performance. This study investigates the moderating role followers' positive psychological capital (PsyCap) and the mediating role that leader–member exchange (LMX) may play in influencing the relationship between authentic leadership and followers' performance. Specifically, we t…
Meeting the Leadership Challenge of Employee Well-Being Through Relationship PsyCap and Health PsyCap
Increasing recognition is being given to the role that employee overall well-being plays in desired outcomes of today’s organizations. To help organizational leaders searching for understanding and answers, we propose that the positive core construct of psychological capital (or simply PsyCap), consisting of the positive psychological resources of hope, efficacy, resiliency, and optimism can be extended into the well-being domain. Although PsyCap…
Not if, but when we need resilience in the workplace
Workplace resilience is a necessity for organizations and employees given it assists them in overcoming adversity and ultimately succeeding. However, organizational scholars have largely overlooked this construct. In this Incubator , we briefly summarize extant research on workplace resilience to highlight opportunities for theory building and advancement of empirical research. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Measuring implicit psychological constructs in organizational behavior: An example using psychological capital
Implicit psychological constructs are effective predictors of behavioral outcomes but are rarely used in organizational settings because of real or imagined problems with measurement validity and administration. To address these concerns, we present a means of assessing implicit constructs quickly and easily by using psychological capital as an example. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Organizational Commitment Across Cultures: The Impact of Antecedents on Korean Employees
This study analyzed whether demographic and situational factors identified in the U.S.-based literature had the same antecedent influence on the commitment of 1192 employees in 27 large Korean firms. Consistent with U.S. studies, the Korean employees' position in the hierarchy, tenure in their current position and age all were significantly related to organizational commitment. Total tenure and education were not related. As for the situational a…
A call for longitudinal research in positive organizational behavior
After defining and providing the current status of psychological capital (PsyCap), we address the need to better understand its stability (i.e., state vs . trait). Specifically, we issue a call for longitudinal research. The balance of this “incubator” article examines the relevance, potential obstacles, and advantages of this design in meeting PsyCap's future research needs. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Potential Added Value of Psychological Capital in Predicting Work Attitudes
Meeting the challenge of effectively managing human resources requires new thinking and approaches. To extend the traditional perspective of economic capital, increasing recognition is being given to human capital and more recently social capital, this article proposes and empirically tests the potential added value that psychological capital may have for employee attitudes of satisfaction and commitment. After first providing the background and …
The Use of Dyadic Alliances in Informal Organization: An Ethnographic Study
Ethnographic methodology was used to analyze a bureaucratic organization. The informal system of dyadic alliances that was found are analyzed in terms of an adaptive response to problems of ineffective management and interpersonal tensions. The organization and management implications of this "informal" system are discussed
How Managers Really Communicate
In contrast to other studies of managerial communication, this investigation combined direct observation of managers in the natural setting with self-report measures to try to determine how managers really communicate. More specifically, the canonical correlation technique was used to analyze the relationships between communication behavior and managerial activities. A two dimensional managerial communicator model emerged. The first dimension rep…
The impact of positive and corrective feedback on customer service performance
Determining and interpreting the impact that different types of feedback have on performance has been difficult because there are a number of complex theoretical processes or mechanisms involved. To minimize some of this complexity and rule out possible alternate explanations in this study subjects in highly routine tasks were used (111 employees from 11 fast food restaurants). A quasi‐experimental field design compared the effects of positive ve…
"Reclaiming "Anthropology: "The Forgotten Behavioral Science in Management History" - Commentaries
PurposeThis collection of commentaries on the reprinted 1987 article by Nancy C. Morey and Fred Luthans, "Anthropology: the forgotten behavioral science in management history", aims to reflect on the treatment of the history of anthropological work in organizational studies presented in the original article.Design/methodology/approachThe essays are invited and peer-reviewed contributions from scholars in organizational studies and anthropology.Fi…
Inquiry unplugged: Building on Hackman's potential perils of POB
In this rejoinder to Hackman's counterpoint piece on positive organizational behavior (POB), we again take a positive, inquiry approach. We address and build out each of his identified potential perils with the aim of accelerating the journey of POB understanding, research, and application. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
The impact of choice of rewards and feedback on task performance
A laboratory experiment ( N = 149) tested two hypotheses: that choice of reward will have a positive impact on task performance and that choice would lead to arousal, as measured by reaction speed. The role that feedback information concerning whether subjects were being rewarded for performance on a prior task was also examined. The results revealed that choice and choice interacting with feedback were related to performance, but the choice had …
Emerging Concepts in Management
Organizational Behavior: A Modern Behavioral Approach to Management
An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Transactional Analysis in Improving Organizational Effectiveness
Customer relations department employees received three training sessions in transactional analysis. A post-training multiple choice test showed relative mastery of TA principles and concepts. Pre-, during, and post-training measures of employee perceptions of customer satisfaction, and customer reports of degree of satisfaction indicated significant positive changes in both measures. Post-training interviews of employees and management evaluation…
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 between study variables, (b) a suppressor variable that hides relationships, or (c) a moderator variable that conditions the relationship between two other variable.
Role Conflict and Ambiguity Scales: An Evaluation of Psychometric Properties and the Role of Social Desirability Response Bias
A comprehensive evaluation is made of the widely used role conflict and ambiguity scales (RCA) developed by Rizzo, House and Lirtzman (1970). Data on the factor structures, means and standard deviations, internal consistency reliability, and discriminant validity were analyzed and compared to other studies on RCA scales. There are generally consistent positive results across the studies on the psychometric properties of RCA scales. However, this …
How Managers Really Communicate
In contrast to other studies of managerial communication, this investigation combined direct observation of managers in the natural setting with self-report measures to try to determine how managers really communicate. More specifically, the canonical correlation technique was used to analyze the relationships between communication behavior and managerial activities. A two dimensional managerial communicator model emerged. The first dimension rep…
Organizational Commitment: Analysis of Antecedents
A model of the antecedents (personal-demographic, organizational relationship, and person-organization fit) of organizational commitment was empirically analyzed. The study used a sample of employees (N = 406) from a wide variety of organizations to test the hypotheses. The results of the multiple regression analysis supported the hypothesized relationships and the proposed model on the antecedents to organizational commitment. In particular, thi…
Real Managers
What do we really know about EAPs?
The time has come to make a comprehensive, critical assessment of the increasingly popular EAPs. To date, with very few exceptions, only glowing reports in the literature are available. This EAP literature is reinterpreted and methodological flaws are identified in analyzing usage patterns, legal issues, success rates, and cost‐benefit calculations. The real and potential weaknesses and limitations need to be recognized in order to make EAPs more…
The Use of Dyadic Alliances in Informal Organization: An Ethnographic Study
Ethnographic methodology was used to analyze a bureaucratic organization. The informal system of dyadic alliances that was found are analyzed in terms of an adaptive response to problems of ineffective management and interpersonal tensions. The organization and management implications of this "informal" system are discussed
The impact of choice of rewards and feedback on task performance
A laboratory experiment ( N = 149) tested two hypotheses: that choice of reward will have a positive impact on task performance and that choice would lead to arousal, as measured by reaction speed. The role that feedback information concerning whether subjects were being rewarded for performance on a prior task was also examined. The results revealed that choice and choice interacting with feedback were related to performance, but the choice had …
The impact of positive and corrective feedback on customer service performance
Determining and interpreting the impact that different types of feedback have on performance has been difficult because there are a number of complex theoretical processes or mechanisms involved. To minimize some of this complexity and rule out possible alternate explanations in this study subjects in highly routine tasks were used (111 employees from 11 fast food restaurants). A quasi‐experimental field design compared the effects of positive ve…
Organizational Commitment Across Cultures: The Impact of Antecedents on Korean Employees
This study analyzed whether demographic and situational factors identified in the U.S.-based literature had the same antecedent influence on the commitment of 1192 employees in 27 large Korean firms. Consistent with U.S. studies, the Korean employees' position in the hierarchy, tenure in their current position and age all were significantly related to organizational commitment. Total tenure and education were not related. As for the situational a…
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
Positive organizational behavior: Developing and managing psychological strengths
Executive Overview This article proposes a positive approach to organizational behavior (OB). Although the importance of positive feelings has been recognized through the years in the academic OB and popular literature, both management scholars and practitioners have arguably too often taken a negative perspective—trying to fix what is wrong with managers and employees and concentrating on weaknesses. Positive organizational behavior (POB) follow…
The need for and meaning of positive organizational behavior
This essay draws from the emerging positive psychology movement and the author's recent articles on the need for and meaning of a positive approach to organizational behavior. Specifically, the argument is made that at this time, the OB field needs a proactive, positive approach emphasizing strengths, rather than continuing in the downward spiral of negativity trying to fix weaknesses. However, to avoid the surface positivity represented by the n…
Positive psychological capital: Beyond human and social capital
The Psychological Capital of Chinese Workers: Exploring the Relationship with Performance
Everyone knows about China's huge population and the fast-growing economy. Although macro-level sociological and economic analyses have given some attention to the linkage between the two, at the micro level, the relationship between human resources and, more specifically, psychological capital of Chinese workers and their performance has been largely ignored. Within the context of three factories (two private and one state-owned) in the People's…
Psychological Capital: Developing the Human Competitive Edge
This book draws from a foundation of positive psychology and recently emerging positive organizational behavior (POB). Its purpose is to introduce the untapped human resource capacity of psychological capital, or simply PsyCap. This PsyCap goes beyond traditionally recognized human and social capital and must meet the scientific criteria of theory, research, and valid measurement. To distinguish from other constructs in positive psychology and or…
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 pr…
Potential Added Value of Psychological Capital in Predicting Work Attitudes
Meeting the challenge of effectively managing human resources requires new thinking and approaches. To extend the traditional perspective of economic capital, increasing recognition is being given to human capital and more recently social capital, this article proposes and empirically tests the potential added value that psychological capital may have for employee attitudes of satisfaction and commitment. After first providing the background and …
Psychological capital development: Toward a micro‐intervention
After first providing the meaning of psychological capital (PsyCap), we present a micro‐intervention to develop it. Drawn from hope, optimism, efficacy, and resiliency development, this PsyCap Intervention (PCI) is shown to have preliminary support for not only increasing participants' PsyCap, but also financial impact and high return on investment. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Positive Organizational Behavior in the Workplace: The Impact of Hope, Optimism, and Resilience
Drawing from the foundation of positive psychology and the recently emerging positive organizational behavior, two studies (N = 1,032 and N = 232) test hypotheses on the impact that the selected positive psychological resource capacities of hope, optimism, and resilience have on desired work-related employee outcomes. These outcomes include performance (self-reported in Study 1 and organizational performance appraisals in Study 2), job satisfacti…
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,…
Positive Psychological Capital: Measurement and Relationship With Performance and Satisfaction
Two studies were conducted to analyze how hope, resilience, optimism, and efficacy individually and as a composite higher‐order factor predicted work performance and satisfaction. Results from Study 1 provided psychometric support for a new survey measure designed to assess each of these 4 facets, as well as a composite factor. Study 2 results indicated a significant positive relationship regarding the composite of these 4 facets with performance…
Psychology (46 works) · Social Psychology (44 works) · Positive psychological capital (23 works) · Social Psychology (22 works) · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction (21 works) · Job Satisfaction and Organizational Behavior (20 works) · Optimism, Hope, and Well-being (18 works) · Computer Science (17 works) · Optimism (15 works) · Resilience and Mental Health (15 works)