Putting "behavior" back into organizational behavior through the use of data science

Abstract

Behaviors can be characterized as “the internally coordinated responses (actions or inactions) of whole living organisms (individuals or groups) to internal and/or external stimuli.” (Levitis et al., 2009). The study of behavior is a critical component of theory advancement in the area of leadership. Yet, a large number of leadership studies conflate behavioral and nonbehavioral concepts and evidence shows that very few leadership scholars actually study it. Through mixed methods, such as qualitative and quantitative (e.g., experiments) studies, we can provide a strong foundation for the use of data science to make studying behavior easier for leadership scholars. Perhaps most interestingly, we can begin to study multiple behaviors simultaneously and capture the dynamic influence exchanges between leaders and followers.

Presenter

George Banks is chair and professor in the Department of Management at UNC Charlotte's Belk College of Business. Dr. Banks has over 80 publications, including journal articles in outlets, such as Science, Psychological Bulletin, Journal of Management, and Academy of Management Journal. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief for The Leadership Quarterly, Chair of the Board of Directors at The Center for Open Science and Co-Director of The Center for Leadership Science.