Business Program

Organizational Behavior: The Science of People at Work

Faculty Advisor: Assistant Professor, McCombs School of Business, The University of Texas at Austin

Research Program Introduction

Most young workers tend to believe that skills in domains such as finance, accounting, marketing, operations, and strategy are the most important factors in their career success. This is usually a false assumption. Most of the business knowledge you gain in school will be useless unless you learn how to deal effectively with people. 

This group research program will help students gain strong foundational knowledge in organizational behavior, with insights from topics in psychology, sociology, and behavioral economics. Students will gain exposure to essential theories and concepts for analyzing, understanding, and managing human behavior in a variety of contexts both within and outside of work.

Students will complete weekly readings, participate in interactive workshops, and analyze real-world case studies to explore key organizational behavior concepts. They will learn basic research methods and apply them in a final paper addressing a real-world organizational issue. Along the way, students will receive feedback to help refine their analysis and writing, while building skills in critical thinking, communication, and applied research.

Standard of Assessment

To excel, students must:

  • Come prepared to each meeting by having reviewed all materials listed under the “Homework” section.*

  • Be punctual and engaged in discussions.

  • Ask for help right away if feeling confused or lost, without waiting until the last minute.

  • Write and deliver the final paper on time and to the expected standard.

Final Project

Students will write a 7-page research paper (not including any references, tables, figures, or appendices) that applies course concepts to analyze a real-world organizational issue. Students may choose a problem they’ve personally experienced or one facing a company or organization in the news, then analyze the problems and bring their own recommendations.

This final paper will be graded by the Faculty Advisor based on several criteria. Any use of AI for text-generation is prohibited. AI use for background research is permitted, but must be disclosed and cited.

Project Topics:

  • Introduction to Organizational Behavior

  • Personality, Individual Differences, and Attribution Theory

  • Decision-Making and Choice Architecture

  • Research Methods in Organizational Behavior

  • Motivation

  • Negotiation, Influence & Persuasion, Conflict & Communication

  • Power & Status

  • Teams, Leadership, and Organizational Culture

Program Details

  • Cohort size: 3 to 6 students

  • Workload: Around 4 to 5 hours per week (including class and homework time)

  • Target students: 9 to 12th graders interested in Business, Entrepreneurship, Leadership,  Psychology, Behavioral Science, or other related areas.

  • Schedule: TBD. Meetings will take place for around one hour per week, with a weekly meeting day and time to be determined a few weeks before the start date.