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Robert Cooke

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CEO of Human Synergistics International and Emeritus Associate Professor of Management at the University of Illinois at Chicago

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University of Stavanger

Yasar University

Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Uludag University

Armando Marques-Guedes

UNL - New University of Lisbon

Yiannis GABRIEL

University of Bath

Çiğdem Vatansever

Namik Kemal University

University of Trento

Washington Center for Consciousness Studies

Wustari Mangundjaya

Universitas Bhayangkara Jakarta Raya

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Papers by Robert Cooke

What matters more? The impact of industry and organizational factors on organizational culture

Management Decision, 2016

Purpose – Writings on organizational culture suggest that cultural values and norms are influence... more Purpose – Writings on organizational culture suggest that cultural values and norms are influenced by factors at the organizational, industry, and societal levels. While the effects of societal and organizational factors have been researched extensively, those of industry factors have not received commensurate attention. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relative importance of industry vs organizational variables in explaining the cultural norms reported by individuals within organizations. Design/methodology/approach – The effects of two industry characteristics, (growth rate and research and development intensity) and two sets of organizational factors (leadership behaviors and human resource practices) on the strength of constructive, passive/defensive, and aggressive/defensive organizational cultural norms were investigated. Findings – Results of hierarchical linear modeling analysis of survey data from 3,245 respondents in 424 organizations in 12 different industr...

Thinking and behavioral styles as described by self versus others: a replication and extension with male and female managers

Management Review Quarterly

Technology and structure

This is a corrected reprint of a paper by eightrm Thompson and Downs smallbullet [Acta Cryst. (20... more

Technology and Structure: The Concrete, Abstract, and Activity Systems of Organizations

Journal of Management

Attempts by organizational researchers to conceptualize and explicate the concepts of technology ... more Attempts by organizational researchers to conceptualize and explicate the concepts of technology and structure have been subject to inconsistencies and misspecifications. These problems stem from the absence of an integrative framework that considers these concepts simultaneously. Such a framework is developed here, rooted both in the theoretical work on technology and structure and in systems theory. This framework specifies the qualitatively different components that constitute technology in organizations, the hierarchical arrangement of these components, and the nature of organizational structuring. The components considered are those associated with the concrete (living and nonliving), the abstract, and the activity systems that characterize organizations. These system components are integrated into a model of technology and structure. Implications of this model for the management of technological and structural change are discussed.

Evaluative Research as a Component in Organizational Change Strategies

Positive and negative aspects of evaluating change programs are discussed, and a process evaluati... more Positive and negative aspects of evaluating change programs are discussed, and a process evaluation model is proposed. The four specific areas upon which the paper focuses are as follows: (1) definitions of evaluation and evaluation rese3rch and a review of some approaches to evaluation; (2) the functional consequences of evaluation; (3) arguments against the appropriateness of experimental designs for evaluation, some unanticipated consequences of evaluation, and design problems in the evaluation of social change; and (4) an outline of the process evaluation model. (DB)

Financial Returns from Organizational Culture Improvement: Translating "Soft" Changes into "Hard" Dollars

Culture change initiatives can lead to real financial returns. This presentation summarizes the r... more Culture change initiatives can lead to real financial returns. This presentation summarizes the results of a series of studies that demonstrate the strong relationship between constructive organizational cultures and financial performance. First we review cross-sectional studies confirming that constructive cultures are related to financial outcomes across organizations within the same industry. Then the results of longitudinal case studies show how organizational development programs have produced measurable cultural changes that, in turn, have led to improvements in bottom-line financial performance.

Report on an innovative corporate/community program for reducing the social impact of a plant closing

Assessing managerial skills with the .8+2 management effectiveness profile system 1.8+2

Educational and Psychological Measurement, 1989

Change Agents and Social System Change

Change in social systems is otten stimulated by individuals or groups of individuals who effectiv... more Change in social systems is otten stimulated by individuals or groups of individuals who effectively link practice institutions, such as school systems, with knowledge producing organizations, i.e., universities. As basic research is developed and applied to practical problems, these individuals act to communicate this knowledge to those who may need it. In some cases, these change agents may also assist potential adopters in the installation of the new idea in their system. This paper investigates certain aspects of the relationship between these change agents and potential adopters. The paper focuses on educational change agents and practitioners in school systems, particularly as they interact to bring about improvements in the functioning and effectiveness of educational organizations. The discussion of the change agent-practitioner relationship is prefaced by an overview of some educational diffusion concepts. (Autti(330 ..:JRTHWLTERN UNIT.

Survey Feedback and Problem Solving with Complementary Collective Decision Structures

Survey feedback and problem solving processes can be applied to increase the effectiveness of tas... more Survey feedback and problem solving processes can be applied to increase the effectiveness of task-oriented structural approaches to educational organization development. One such approachinvolves the superimposition of complementary collective decision 'structures over the existing authority decision framework of the school. Collective decision structures potentially in-ease organizational flexibility and adaptability by providing for problem identification, solution generation, and change initiation at the faculty level. Survey feedback acts to initiate collective decision processes by providing an objective base for problem and need identification. Task-oriented problem solving sessions prOvide for problem analysis and solution generation; the collective decision configuration facilitates innovation legitimation and implementation. This paper presents a theoretical model for survey feedback-problem solving-collective decision interventions in educational systems. Factors hypothesized to account for the effectiveness of collective decision processes are noted and the proposed change-supporting-structure is analyzed in terms of primary structural dimensions.

Formal Participation and Control in Community Colleges

Assessment of a Structural/Task Approach to Organization Development in School Systems

The study focuses on the survey Feedback --Problem Solving--Collective Decision intervention, a s... more The study focuses on the survey Feedback --Problem Solving--Collective Decision intervention, a structural /task -oriented approach to planned organizational change. The objective of this research program is to further refine an organizational development approach which provides schools with a structure consistent with the environment of educational systems, the professional capacities of school personnel, and the inherent demands of the educational technology. A modified and abbreviated version of this district-level intervention was pilot tested and evaluated in a previous action-research project. T4e pilot program focused on the superimposition of complementary collective decision structures over the existing authority configuration in schools through the use of survey feedback and problem solving processes. The intervention succeeded in increasing organizational flexibility and adaptability by providing for problem identification, solution generation, and change initiation at the faculty level. Product evaluation confirmed that the structural intervention brought about significant favorable changes in teacher work attitudes and perceptions of collectivity in organizational decision processes. (Author/RC) C9 CAID

Safety and reliability in industrial organizations - The key factors

ABSTRACT

Control and Participation

Effects of Transformational Leadership on Subordinate Motivation, Empowering Norms, and Organizational Productivity

The International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 2000

As part of an integrative model of leadership, transformational (versus transactional) styles are... more As part of an integrative model of leadership, transformational (versus transactional) styles are proposed to be related to subordinates' motivation and commitment to quality, the strength of empowering norms at the subunit level, and organizational productivity. Transformational and transactional styles also are proposed to be related to the self‐image of leaders. Hypotheses are tested in a military setting, the United States Army Recruiting Command, through the use of survey data provided by mid‐level leaders, station commanders, and recruiters. Data are supplemented by direct measures of subunit productivity. Results support some, but not all, of the proposed hypotheses. Implications for research and practice are presented, along with limitations of the research.

Michigan Teachers vs. A National Sample of Workers on Quality of Worklife

... Record Details - EJ263046. Title: Michigan Teachers vs. a National Sample of Workers on Quali... more

Developing a Community-Based Program for Reducing the Social Impact of a Plant Closing

The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 1979

On January 16, 1975, MN Industries announced their decision to phase out operations at their Grea... more On January 16, 1975, MN Industries announced their decision to phase out operations at their Great River, Michigan plant. The announcement triggered a course of events that culminated in an innovative social experiment, the impact of which cannot be fully known. The experiment melded management, union, university, and community representatives into a temporary interorganizational system. This voluntary coalition assumed responsibility for organizing available human services into a coordinated attack on the complex and intense problems expected to result from sudden widespread unemployment. Since the coalition was unique, it required equally unique combinations of organizational theory and intervention to facilitate its development. This paper describes critical phases in the development of the system, action steps taken to facilitate passage through each phase, and organizational theory useful for understanding and evaluating the processes that took place.

The Impact of Group Interaction Styles on Problem-Solving Effectiveness

The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 1994

Research on group interaction styles and problem-solving effectiveness suggests that group behavi... more Research on group interaction styles and problem-solving effectiveness suggests that group behavior can be analyzed in terms of three general styles: constructive, passive, and aggressive. Empirical studies, however, have tended to focus on only one or two of these styles in examining their relation to measures of problem-solving effectiveness. Using data based on 61 groups that participated in a simulated survival exercise, the research reported in this article compares the effects of all three styles on criteria of effectiveness (e.g., solution quality and acceptance). Consistent with the hypotheses, constructive styles are found to be positively related, and passive styles negatively related, to the effectiveness criteria. Aggressive styles are shown to be generally unrelated to solution quality but negatively related to solution acceptance. The results suggest that future empirical research as well as early team development interventions should consider the unique effects of dif...

Virtual team interaction: assessment, consequences, and management

Team Performance Management: An International Journal, 2000

Virtual teams are typically made up of geographically dispersed experts, supported by computer‐ba... more Virtual teams are typically made up of geographically dispersed experts, supported by computer‐based communication technologies. Though increasingly popular this is still a relatively unstudied organizational form. Virtual team membership is typically based solely on needed expertise; the teams rarely have any history of interaction and their performance potential is unknown. Research shows that teams exhibit constructive, passive, and aggressive interaction styles, which have significant effects on the decisions the teams produce as well as the teams’ satisfaction with those decisions. We present managerial tools for the assessment of conventional and virtual team interaction styles. We detail how the tools are used, and we also discuss how the styles manifest in each medium, and their effects. We give suggestions to team managers on how to use the insights the tools provide to manage their virtual teams for optimal performance.

Behavioral norms and expectations: A qualitative approach to the assessment of organizational cultur

What matters more? The impact of industry and organizational factors on organizational culture

Management Decision, 2016

Purpose – Writings on organizational culture suggest that cultural values and norms are influence... more Purpose – Writings on organizational culture suggest that cultural values and norms are influenced by factors at the organizational, industry, and societal levels. While the effects of societal and organizational factors have been researched extensively, those of industry factors have not received commensurate attention. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relative importance of industry vs organizational variables in explaining the cultural norms reported by individuals within organizations. Design/methodology/approach – The effects of two industry characteristics, (growth rate and research and development intensity) and two sets of organizational factors (leadership behaviors and human resource practices) on the strength of constructive, passive/defensive, and aggressive/defensive organizational cultural norms were investigated. Findings – Results of hierarchical linear modeling analysis of survey data from 3,245 respondents in 424 organizations in 12 different industr...

Thinking and behavioral styles as described by self versus others: a replication and extension with male and female managers

Management Review Quarterly

Technology and structure

This is a corrected reprint of a paper by eightrm Thompson and Downs smallbullet [Acta Cryst. (20... more

Technology and Structure: The Concrete, Abstract, and Activity Systems of Organizations

Journal of Management

Attempts by organizational researchers to conceptualize and explicate the concepts of technology ... more Attempts by organizational researchers to conceptualize and explicate the concepts of technology and structure have been subject to inconsistencies and misspecifications. These problems stem from the absence of an integrative framework that considers these concepts simultaneously. Such a framework is developed here, rooted both in the theoretical work on technology and structure and in systems theory. This framework specifies the qualitatively different components that constitute technology in organizations, the hierarchical arrangement of these components, and the nature of organizational structuring. The components considered are those associated with the concrete (living and nonliving), the abstract, and the activity systems that characterize organizations. These system components are integrated into a model of technology and structure. Implications of this model for the management of technological and structural change are discussed.

Evaluative Research as a Component in Organizational Change Strategies

Positive and negative aspects of evaluating change programs are discussed, and a process evaluati... more Positive and negative aspects of evaluating change programs are discussed, and a process evaluation model is proposed. The four specific areas upon which the paper focuses are as follows: (1) definitions of evaluation and evaluation rese3rch and a review of some approaches to evaluation; (2) the functional consequences of evaluation; (3) arguments against the appropriateness of experimental designs for evaluation, some unanticipated consequences of evaluation, and design problems in the evaluation of social change; and (4) an outline of the process evaluation model. (DB)

Financial Returns from Organizational Culture Improvement: Translating "Soft" Changes into "Hard" Dollars

Culture change initiatives can lead to real financial returns. This presentation summarizes the r... more Culture change initiatives can lead to real financial returns. This presentation summarizes the results of a series of studies that demonstrate the strong relationship between constructive organizational cultures and financial performance. First we review cross-sectional studies confirming that constructive cultures are related to financial outcomes across organizations within the same industry. Then the results of longitudinal case studies show how organizational development programs have produced measurable cultural changes that, in turn, have led to improvements in bottom-line financial performance.

Report on an innovative corporate/community program for reducing the social impact of a plant closing

Assessing managerial skills with the .8+2 management effectiveness profile system 1.8+2

Educational and Psychological Measurement, 1989

Change Agents and Social System Change

Change in social systems is otten stimulated by individuals or groups of individuals who effectiv... more Change in social systems is otten stimulated by individuals or groups of individuals who effectively link practice institutions, such as school systems, with knowledge producing organizations, i.e., universities. As basic research is developed and applied to practical problems, these individuals act to communicate this knowledge to those who may need it. In some cases, these change agents may also assist potential adopters in the installation of the new idea in their system. This paper investigates certain aspects of the relationship between these change agents and potential adopters. The paper focuses on educational change agents and practitioners in school systems, particularly as they interact to bring about improvements in the functioning and effectiveness of educational organizations. The discussion of the change agent-practitioner relationship is prefaced by an overview of some educational diffusion concepts. (Autti(330 ..:JRTHWLTERN UNIT.

Survey Feedback and Problem Solving with Complementary Collective Decision Structures

Survey feedback and problem solving processes can be applied to increase the effectiveness of tas... more Survey feedback and problem solving processes can be applied to increase the effectiveness of task-oriented structural approaches to educational organization development. One such approachinvolves the superimposition of complementary collective decision 'structures over the existing authority decision framework of the school. Collective decision structures potentially in-ease organizational flexibility and adaptability by providing for problem identification, solution generation, and change initiation at the faculty level. Survey feedback acts to initiate collective decision processes by providing an objective base for problem and need identification. Task-oriented problem solving sessions prOvide for problem analysis and solution generation; the collective decision configuration facilitates innovation legitimation and implementation. This paper presents a theoretical model for survey feedback-problem solving-collective decision interventions in educational systems. Factors hypothesized to account for the effectiveness of collective decision processes are noted and the proposed change-supporting-structure is analyzed in terms of primary structural dimensions.

Formal Participation and Control in Community Colleges

Assessment of a Structural/Task Approach to Organization Development in School Systems

The study focuses on the survey Feedback --Problem Solving--Collective Decision intervention, a s... more The study focuses on the survey Feedback --Problem Solving--Collective Decision intervention, a structural /task -oriented approach to planned organizational change. The objective of this research program is to further refine an organizational development approach which provides schools with a structure consistent with the environment of educational systems, the professional capacities of school personnel, and the inherent demands of the educational technology. A modified and abbreviated version of this district-level intervention was pilot tested and evaluated in a previous action-research project. T4e pilot program focused on the superimposition of complementary collective decision structures over the existing authority configuration in schools through the use of survey feedback and problem solving processes. The intervention succeeded in increasing organizational flexibility and adaptability by providing for problem identification, solution generation, and change initiation at the faculty level. Product evaluation confirmed that the structural intervention brought about significant favorable changes in teacher work attitudes and perceptions of collectivity in organizational decision processes. (Author/RC) C9 CAID

Safety and reliability in industrial organizations - The key factors

ABSTRACT

Control and Participation

Effects of Transformational Leadership on Subordinate Motivation, Empowering Norms, and Organizational Productivity

The International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 2000

As part of an integrative model of leadership, transformational (versus transactional) styles are... more As part of an integrative model of leadership, transformational (versus transactional) styles are proposed to be related to subordinates' motivation and commitment to quality, the strength of empowering norms at the subunit level, and organizational productivity. Transformational and transactional styles also are proposed to be related to the self‐image of leaders. Hypotheses are tested in a military setting, the United States Army Recruiting Command, through the use of survey data provided by mid‐level leaders, station commanders, and recruiters. Data are supplemented by direct measures of subunit productivity. Results support some, but not all, of the proposed hypotheses. Implications for research and practice are presented, along with limitations of the research.

Michigan Teachers vs. A National Sample of Workers on Quality of Worklife

... Record Details - EJ263046. Title: Michigan Teachers vs. a National Sample of Workers on Quali... more

Developing a Community-Based Program for Reducing the Social Impact of a Plant Closing

The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 1979

On January 16, 1975, MN Industries announced their decision to phase out operations at their Grea... more On January 16, 1975, MN Industries announced their decision to phase out operations at their Great River, Michigan plant. The announcement triggered a course of events that culminated in an innovative social experiment, the impact of which cannot be fully known. The experiment melded management, union, university, and community representatives into a temporary interorganizational system. This voluntary coalition assumed responsibility for organizing available human services into a coordinated attack on the complex and intense problems expected to result from sudden widespread unemployment. Since the coalition was unique, it required equally unique combinations of organizational theory and intervention to facilitate its development. This paper describes critical phases in the development of the system, action steps taken to facilitate passage through each phase, and organizational theory useful for understanding and evaluating the processes that took place.

The Impact of Group Interaction Styles on Problem-Solving Effectiveness

The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 1994

Research on group interaction styles and problem-solving effectiveness suggests that group behavi... more Research on group interaction styles and problem-solving effectiveness suggests that group behavior can be analyzed in terms of three general styles: constructive, passive, and aggressive. Empirical studies, however, have tended to focus on only one or two of these styles in examining their relation to measures of problem-solving effectiveness. Using data based on 61 groups that participated in a simulated survival exercise, the research reported in this article compares the effects of all three styles on criteria of effectiveness (e.g., solution quality and acceptance). Consistent with the hypotheses, constructive styles are found to be positively related, and passive styles negatively related, to the effectiveness criteria. Aggressive styles are shown to be generally unrelated to solution quality but negatively related to solution acceptance. The results suggest that future empirical research as well as early team development interventions should consider the unique effects of dif...

Virtual team interaction: assessment, consequences, and management

Team Performance Management: An International Journal, 2000

Virtual teams are typically made up of geographically dispersed experts, supported by computer‐ba... more Virtual teams are typically made up of geographically dispersed experts, supported by computer‐based communication technologies. Though increasingly popular this is still a relatively unstudied organizational form. Virtual team membership is typically based solely on needed expertise; the teams rarely have any history of interaction and their performance potential is unknown. Research shows that teams exhibit constructive, passive, and aggressive interaction styles, which have significant effects on the decisions the teams produce as well as the teams’ satisfaction with those decisions. We present managerial tools for the assessment of conventional and virtual team interaction styles. We detail how the tools are used, and we also discuss how the styles manifest in each medium, and their effects. We give suggestions to team managers on how to use the insights the tools provide to manage their virtual teams for optimal performance.

Behavioral norms and expectations: A qualitative approach to the assessment of organizational cultur