Gretchen Spreitzer (University of Michigan) argues that to be successful in today’s global business environment, companies need the knowledge, ideas, energy, and creativity of every employee, from front line workers to the top level managers in the executive suite.
Working Papers
Research and Insights from the Center for Effective Organizations
Available Content
The Importance of Worker Value Added: Detroit’s Real Lesson for American Industry
James O’Toole and Edward E/ Lawler III (CEO) explain that manufacturing productivity is greatly determined by the design of jobs and how workers are rewarded.
Having Relevance and Impact: The Benefits of Integrating the Perspectives of Design Science and Organizational Development
This introductory paper by Susan A. Mohrman (CEO) argues that building intentional design capabilities is a primary approach to bridging theory and practice.
Leading Change: Do It With Conversation
Susan A. Mohrman (CEO) explains that few corporations are immune to the forces of the global economy and the sweeping technological advances that require large-scale change and adaptability for survival.
The Impact of Social Capital on the Development of Transactive Memories Multilevel Group Knowledge Systems
In this paper by Yu Connie Yuan (Cornell University), Peter Monge, and Janet Fulk, a multilevel, multi-theoretical model of transactive memory theory was developed by integrating the emergence model with social capital theories.
Update on Energy Pulse Trends and Human Capital: What Executives Think and What Drives Performance
Building on a set of studies that Theresa M. Welbourne (eePulse) has done over the years predicting initial public offering (IPO) firm performance, this Leadership Pulse study examines the degree to which human capital vs. other types of capital are perceived as important by the executives who run major organizations.
The Strength of Occupation Indicators as Proxy for Skill
In this paper, Alec R. Levenson (CEO) and Cindy Zoghi (US Bureau of Labor Statistics) consider whether inter-occupational wage differentials that are unexplained by measured human capital are indeed due to differences in often-unmeasured skill.
Measuring the Productivity of Software Development in a Globally Distributed Company
Alec R. Levenson (CEO) discusses how the trend toward outsourcing that has been emblazoned in the headlines and covers of newspapers and magazines in recent years started with software development.
Are Surveys “Evil”?
Using a model that spells out the differences between surveys and data and dialogue tools, Theresa M. Welbourne (eePulse) shows how it becomes clear how to move a survey or score-taking process to one that uses interactive dialogues and produce fast, measurable results.
Informal Developmental Experiences and Career Success: A Study of Qualitative Differences in Work Experience
George S. Benson (University of Texas), Alec R. Levenson (CEO), and John W. Boudreau (CEO) This study examines the informal developmental experiences and career success of current and former employees of a large professional services firm.
Occupational Human Capital and Career Dynamics
In this paper Alec R. Levenson (CEO), George S. Benson (University of Texas), and John W. Boudreau (CEO) revisit the concept of human capital accumulated on the job to allow functionally-specific and managerial human capital to coexist in a job or person.
Trends in Jobs & Wages in the U.S. Economy
In this chapter, Alec R. Levenson (CEO) reviews the changes in the U.S. labor market over the past four decades, focusing on the economic trends that have had the greatest impact on work as viewed from the employee’s perspective: wages, hours, job stability, and demographics.