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| Selection by Unintended Consequences: An Examination of Socially Significant Organizational Practices |
| Sunday, May 24, 2015 |
| 2:00 PM–3:50 PM |
| 204A (CC) |
| Area: CSE/OBM; Domain: Theory |
| Chair: Ramona Houmanfar (University of Nevada, Reno) |
| Discussant: Mark A. Mattaini (Jane Addams College of Social Work-University of Illinois at Chicago) |
| Abstract: Through recent empirical work in verbal behavior and RFT, behavior analysis is increasingly placing itself in a position to theorize effectively and test empirically these educated guesses about the functioning of verbal behavior in organizations. The development and communication of verbal products, such as rules, instructions, leadership statements and strategic plans can not only promote but prevent socially significant impact of organizational practices on cultural change. For instance, many corporate leaders try to obscure the unsavory aspects of their production and supply chains from consumers and in so doing maintain unsustainable practices. In their role as guides, leaders create new verbal relations between the current and future state of the organization, between the future organization and its niche in the future environment, and between current employees and the future organization. On the other hand, by recognizing employees’ implicit responding and values leaders can design and implement effective organizational contingencies that promote interprofessional interactions and cooperation within the organization. This symposium will provided an overview of ways by which behavior scientific technologies may contribute to the reduction of negative organizational externalities, organizational internalities, and promote effective cooperation in organizational settings. |
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Externalities and Internalities: Hidden Consequences of Organizational Practices |
| DANIEL REIMER (University of Nevada, Reno), Ramona Houmanfar (University of Nevada, Reno) |
| Abstract: Biglan introduced the concept of externalities, or an unintended outcome of an organizations output, to the field of behavior analysis from the field of economics (2009). His revolutionary paper provided a model that behavior analysts working in organizational settings can use when considering the effect an organization has on the macrosystem. An economic concept closely related, the internality, is an imposed cost on an individual that is not taken into account when the individual consumes a good or service. This related concept can easily be applied in the field of Organizational Behavior Management to the organizational practices we study. This presentation will discuss internalities, their application within organizations and how they can be used to determine how organizational practices benefit or detriment the organization. This presentation will also, like Biglans paper, discuss what we can do to promote beneficial organizational internalities and discourage negative organizational internalities. |
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| Let’s Talk Teams:
Examining Interprofessional Communication in Medical Settings |
| AMBER MARIE CANDIDO (University of Nevada, Reno), Ramona Houmanfar (University of Nevada, Reno) |
| Abstract: Recent literature in medical education and medical science highlight the potential side effects of ineffective communication amongst members of a medical team. The inability to effectively communicate between medical interprofessionals has led to negative consequences such as medical error on the part of the patient and increased burnout amongst members of the medical team. By drawing upon Biglan’s (2009) discussion of negative externalities—or unintended costs to society (e.g., the patient), we will provide a behavior scientific account of interprofessional communication and discuss ways by which behavior analytic technology may contribute to the reduction of associated externalities. |
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| Analyzing Volunteering Behavior: Setting Conditions for Positive Social Change |
| CAROLYN BRAYKO (University of Nevada, Reno), Ramona Houmanfar (University of Nevada, Reno) |
| Abstract: Winston Churchill was cited as saying, “We make a living by what we do, but we make a life by what we give.” For many people volunteering is a vehicle by which they can give back to their community. Whether it is reading to children at the library, donating blood, or being a part of a steering committee at work, this priceless work force helps move our society forward. Unfortunately, keeping volunteers engaged with the organization is challenging and low volunteer retention can be time consuming and costly. A report in 2009 calculated an estimated $38 billion lost annually due to losing volunteer resources (Eisner, Grimm, & Maynard, 2009). Most of the literature in volunteer management incites internal causes for volunteer behavior thus rendering the organization powerless to bring about any meaningful change on the larger scale. Behavior analysis could be helpful in this arena by focusing on how creating engaging volunteer systems can develop an environment which sets the conditions for maintaining volunteer participation. This paper will first discuss how “volunteer” behavior can be conceptualized from a behavior analytic perspective. Then, volunteerism will be analyzed both on the individual and systemic levels of analysis. Finally suggestions for future research will be given. |
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| Selection of Leadership Decision Making |
| RAMONA HOUMANFAR (University of Nevada, Reno) |
| Abstract: The development and communication of verbal products, such as rules, instructions, leadership statements and strategic plans can not only promote but prevent socially significant impact of organizational practices on cultural change. In their role as guides, leaders create new verbal relations between the current and future state of the organization, between the future organization and its niche in the future environment, and between current employees and the future organization. In many ways leader’s decision making shapes the patterns of interlocking behavioral contingencies and aggregate product. This process can bear positive or negative influences on the health of the organizational members plus the external environment (including the physical and social environment). This presentation will provided an overview of ways by which leadership decision making change the cultural landscape and practices. |
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