at the start
we wrote this book because we saw a need
in the market that was not being met and
our own students
you're absolutely you are absolutely
right and they fit together one of the
reasons we wrote this book is because
our students through the years have told
us
OB is common sense particularly the
finance majors the accounting majors the
econ majors they just don't see the
value of it so we wanted to write a book
that was clear to show how students can
use and apply OB to help them be
successful
another reason we wrote this is our
students for many years of said Angelo
Mell there's too many theories in fact
there was an article published in the
academy of management review they found
75 theories students get confused our
thought was let's write a book that
helps put these theories in a package
that students can use to solve problems
the third reason why we wanted to write
this book is because we wanted to infuse
it with the experience and practice that
Mell and I've gotten from doing consulting
we've worked with companies around the
world applying OB concepts we believe
that same thing can be done in a book
and we've tried to do that
yeah and besides that certainly
employers clamor for hey we want
candidates employees that can solve
problems in fact I think there was a
study that found it was the number one
thing that employers wanted so we wanted
to create a book that had internal
mechanisms that captured some of the
things we're talking about and one of
those things is something we call the
integrative framework and OB this
framework which you'll learn more about
in another video takes all the theories
and OB and kind of puts it together in a
logical simple way that students can use
to solve problems
well that's one of the five key features
that we utilize throughout this book so
one of those key features is writing
from a student centric approach and what
does that mean we essentially ask and
answer the question what's in it for
them we explain to students you know
why do OB skills and concepts matter and
try to show them how they're relevant in
their own careers and their personal
lives another key feature is we have an
explicitly applied approach we utilize
many different techniques throughout the
book consistently each and every chapter
to get students to apply their knowledge
when they learn to both again their
professional lives as well as their
personal lives with the intent of making
them more effective in both and then
from there we also have another key
feature the problem-solving approach
that Angelo measured mentioned that will
get into much more detail later but
again this again is to try to rebuild
and reinforce those skills that and show
the value of OB to our students and how
that can help them in their jobs and
careers and then of course and engaging
writing style and you as we know an
Angelo mentioned hey our students have
changed so their preferences have
changed their expectations how they
learn so how we present material to them
matters so we've really we've adopted
some unique and very compelling engaging
writing styles and then finally of
course resources that work
many of these resources are
digital and that are extremely helpful
in terms of adaptive learning auto
grading etc some key features that are
both improvements for students and for
instructors one last reason we wrote the
book is because we want to have students
achieve success personally
professionally and one way we know to do
that from research is you have to
practice whatever the skills are you
trying to use so in the book from a
design perspective in the feature
perspective we've built in practice
around problem-solving we have 29
problem solving mini cases or boxes that
students will use to solve problems in
every chapter using the content in the
chapter
we've also created chapter closing cases
that are unlike any in the market they
really are about companies having real
problems your students if they use this
book will get the chance to solve
problems using the integrative framework
and OB concepts and theories which we
hope will lead to their success
and it'll help OB come alive for our
students