Organizational Behavior, PhD

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Field of Study: Organizational Behavior

Program Overview

Weatherhead School of Management's PhD in Organizational Behavior was the first of its kind. Graduating our first PhD students in 1964, our department set the standard for universities worldwide. United by a passion for generating new knowledge of enduring consequence through scholarly research, inquiry and writing, as well as deeply reflective practice, doctoral students study in a department consistently ranked among the best in the world.

Recipients of our PhD in organizational behavior have taken positions in leading universities and research institutions such as the London School of Business, Columbia University, Stanford University and the Naval Post-Graduate School.

Organizational behavior is a vital and growing field of knowledge that is concerned with human and developmental processes across levels of analysis from individuals and groups through organizations, inter-organizational systems and societies. The academic roots of the field span the disciplines of individual and social psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science and social philosophy. Organizational behavior situates the knowledge and tools of those disciplines in the context of the human dimensions of organizational life.

We approach the study of organizational behavior from the perspective of human possibility, with a special concern for the dynamics and processes of development and for creating new knowledge of individual, group and organizational processes of learning, development and transformation.

Mission, Vision, and Core Values

Our mission is to provide students with the knowledge, skills and values needed to: conduct the highest quality research and teaching in the field and sub-fields of organizational behavior and become leading scholars in careers as researchers and educators at the top levels of their specializations and in high-impact areas of society.

Our vision is clear: to be a world-class center of doctoral education, known for our bold ideas, our powerful learning community and our commitment to value-driven knowledge for the betterment of organizations and the greater good. All of this is in clear and strong alignment with the aim of the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University "to develop transformational ideas and outstanding leaders for the betterment of business and society," and through this environment to have a transformational impact on all who teach, learn, discover and work here, so they are prepared and engaged to advance knowledge and serve humanity.

The philosophy of the Organizational Behavior Department is rooted in human values. These values guide our behavior as we strive to enhance research, learning and academic excellence amidst the demands and complexities of everyday life. They also reflect the spirit of connectedness among us that gives life to the doctoral learning community as a whole. The following guiding ideas represent our aspirations and our community at our best:

Knowledge of consequence
Methodological rigor and variety
A community of inquiry
A deep value for diversity and inclusion
Whole person development
The life of the mind
Academic innovation and excellence

Learning Outcomes

Students acquire the knowledge, skills and professional values needed to conduct the highest quality research in the fields and subfields of organizational behavior and management
Students are leading scholars in careers as educators at the top levels of their specialization and in high-impact areas of society

Goals of the Program

Our educational goals are to prepare PhD students to:

Obtain a doctoral-level foundation in academic areas pertinent to organizational behavior, from the micro to the macro. This interdisciplinary course of study covers key social science domains such as psychology, sociology, learning theory, organization theory, living systems theory, management science and the organizational dimensions of global sustainability and change.
Master and triangulate rigorous qualitative, quantitative and action-research methodologies in the quest for deep and comprehensive understanding.
Develop a high level of professional creativity and interpersonal competence, as well as a foundation of professional values and ethics enabling the pursuit of research and teaching in the field, including the facilitation and design of contexts for human development and self-reflective learning, organization development and larger-system transformative change.

PhD Policies

For PhD policies and procedures, please review the School of Graduate Studies section of the General Bulletin.

Program Requirements

Our doctoral program is structured to resonate with our department’s mission of developing world-class researchers and educators interested in doing high-quality academic work of enduring consequence. Hence our program and course requirements encourage continual development of reading, writing, research methods, statistical skills and relational skills to help students effectively study and communicate their ideas. Coursework is completed in the first two years of the program, as follows:

The PhD in organizational behavior program is designed for full-time, year-round engagement. Although some students may take less or more time to complete the program, it is generally completed in four to five years.

Each semester during the first two years, students participate in the ORBH Dynamic Modules, which are a series of short courses, each meeting once a week for five weeks. These Modules are designed to introduce the knowledge bases and key research of organizational behavior and related fields as well as share the current research interests of the department’s faculty.

Students also participate each semester in the ORBH Research Seminar which is designed to create and sustain an intellectually nourishing and appreciative learning space for the entire community. The ORBH Research Seminar is required for both the first- and second-year cohort groups. It includes gatherings of the department’s learning community of doctoral students and faculty. It provides a forum for discussion and advancement of ongoing research and scholarship through preparation and presentation of Integrative Scholarship Papers, Qualifying Papers, Dissertation Proposals and Dissertation Defenses. Thus the ORBH Research Seminar is a department-wide platform for developing productive and collaborative research relationships and for increasing collective knowledge of the current state of organizational behavior and related fields.

Research Requirements and Deliverables

The coursework is delineated for the first two years of the PhD. This provides a strong theoretical foundation for conducting future research. Other program requirements include the following:

Integrative Scholarship Paper

By the end of the spring semester of the first year, each doctoral student is required to complete an Integrative Scholarship Paper (ISP). This is a critical review and integration of the literature about a topic or problem of interest. It can be thought of as a report on the current state of the scholarly conversation about the topic, encompassing historical perspectives on the evolution of the scholarly conversation to date, an examination of how the topic is approached by different disciplines or schools of thought, theoretical propositions and suggestions for future research. The ISP is reviewed by the faculty advisor and a faculty reader, and upon approval is included in the department’s working paper series. Beyond the first year, students are expected to work with their faculty adviser and others to submit their ISPs for consideration for conference presentation and journal publication during their second and subsequent years of the doctoral program.

Qualifying Paper

During the summer of their second year in the doctoral program, students complete a Qualifying Paper. Generally, this is an initial empirical investigation or meta-analysis of the topic of choice. The student is expected to form a committee, headed by a faculty advisor of the student’s own choosing and two other departmental faculty members who guide the research. Often understood as a mini-thesis or pilot study, the student is expected to produce an in-depth analysis of the research question explored through a relevant method of inquiry. Students are expected to submit their qualifying paper for consideration for conference presentation and journal publication during their third and subsequent years of the doctoral program.

Dissertation

Doctoral students undertake dissertation research after completion of their qualifying paper. Each student forms a committee, consisting of three departmental faculty members (one of whom will be the committee chair) and one faculty member from outside the department but within the university, to guide the research conducted. An original and significant endeavor, the dissertation includes a detailed review of the chosen topic, relevant research questions, research methods, findings obtained and an analysis of their implications.

Though all three deliverables (the ISP, Qualifying Paper and Dissertation) may optimally flow within a single stream of inquiry, the student is free to choose a different topic of interest for each.

Sample Plan of Study

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall		Credit Hours
ORBH 510	Organizational Behavior Department Seminar	1.5
ORBH 560	Research Methods I	3
MGMT 648	Causal Analysis of Business Problems I	3
ORBH Dynamic Modules ^a		4.5
	Credit Hours	12
Spring
ORBH 510	Organizational Behavior Department Seminar	1.5
MGMT 560	Theoretical Perspectives in Management	3
MGMT 649	Causal Analysis of Business Problems II ^b	3
ORBH Dynamic Modules ^a		4.5
	Credit Hours	12
Summer
MGMT 643	Measuring Bus Behav & Struc ^c	3
	Credit Hours	3
Second Year
Fall
ORBH 510	Organizational Behavior Department Seminar	1.5
MGMT 573	Applied Multivariate Data Analysis	3
ORBH 601	Special Problems and Topics ^d	3
ORBH Dynamic Modules ^a		4.5
	Credit Hours	12
Spring
ORBH 510	Organizational Behavior Department Seminar	1.5
MGMT 571	Measurement Theory and Method	3
ORBH 601	Special Problems and Topics ^d	3
ORBH Dynamic Modules ^a		4.5
	Credit Hours	12
Third Year
Fall
ORBH 601	Special Problems and Topics ^e	1 - 18
ORBH 701	Dissertation Ph.D.	9
	Credit Hours	10-27
Spring
ORBH 601	Special Problems and Topics	1 - 18
ORBH 701	Dissertation Ph.D.	9
	Credit Hours	10-27
	Total Credit Hours	71-105

a: Students take three ORBH Dynamic Modules each semester.
b: Optional
c: If MGMT 643 is taken in spring, a capstone can be taken as part of MGMT 649.
d: Elective/Independent study optional.
e: Independent study.

2024-25 General Bulletin