Positive Organizational Scholarship (POS) is an umbrella concept used to emphasize what elevates and what is inspiring to individuals and organizations by defining the possibilities for positive deviance rather than just improving on the challenging, broken, and needlessly difficult. Just as positive psychology explores optimal individual psychological states rather than pathological ones, POS focuses attention on the generative dynamics in organizations that lead to the development of human strength, foster resiliency in employees, enable healing and restoration, and cultivate extraordinary individual and organizational performance. While POS does not ignore dysfunctional or typical patterns of behavior, it is most interested in the motivations and effects associated with remarkably positive phenomena—how they are facilitated, why they work, how they can be identified, and how organizations can capitalize on them.

Table of Contents :

1. Introduction What is Positive about Positive Organizational Scholarship?
Kim C. Cameron and Gretchen M. Spreitzer
Part One: Positive Individual Attributes
2. Psychological Capital Psychological Capital: Meaning, Findings, and Future Directions Carolyn M. Youssef and Fred Luthans
3. Prosocial Motivation Prosocial motivation at work: When,When, Why and How Making a Difference Makes a Difference?
Adam M. Grant and Justin M. Berg
4. Callings in Work Callings Amy Wrzesniewski
5. Work Engagement Being There: Work Engagement and Positive Organizational Scholarship Nancy P. Rothbard and Shefali V. Patil
6. Positive Identity Positive Identity Construction: Insights from Classical and Contemporary Theoretical Perspectives Laura Morgan Roberts and Stephanie J. Creary
7. Proactivity Proactivity in the Workplace: Looking Back and Looking Forward Chiahuei Wu and Sharon K. Parker
8. Creativity Striving for Creativity: Building Positive Contexts in the Workplace Jing Zhou and Run Ren
9. Curiosity Organizing the Cat? Generative Aspects of Curiosity in Organizational Life Spencer Harrison
10. Positive Traits Some Traits Associated with Flourishing at Work Joyce E. Bono, Stacy E. Davies and Rena L. Rasch
11. The Neuroscience Underpinning of POS Exploring the Minds of Managers: Insights from Three Neuroscience Studies Richard P. Bagozzi and Willem Verbeke
Part Two: Positive Emotions
12. Positive Energy Human Energy in Organizations: Implications for POS From Six Interdisciplinary Streams Gretchen M. Spreitzer, Chak Fu Lam and Ryan W. Quinn
13. Positive Emotions Positive emotions: Broadening and Building Upward Spirals of Sustainable Enterprises Leslie E. Sekerka, Tanya Vacharkulksemsuk and Barbara L. Fredrickson
14. Subjective Well-being Subjective Well-being in Organizations Arnold B. Bakker and Wido G.M. Oerlemans
15. Passion Passion Kimberly H. Perttula and Melissa S. Cardon
16. Emotional Intelligence Social Context and the Psychology of Emotional Intelligence: A Key to Creating Positive Organizations Oscar Ybarra, Laura Rees, Ethan Kross, and Jeffrey Sanchez-Burks
17. Group Emotions Shared Positive Affect in Workgroups Seung-Yong Rhee and Hye Jeong Yoon
Part Three: Strengths and Virtues
18. Virtuousness Virtuousness in Organizations Kim S. Cameron and Bradley Winn
19. Forgiveness Forgiveness at Four Levels: Intrapersonal, Relational, Organizational, and Collective-Group David S. Bright and Julie J. Exline
20. Humility Exploring the Relevant and Implications of Humility in Organizations Bradley P. Owens, Wade C. Rowatt, and Alan L. Wilkins
21. Compassion Compassion Revealed: What We Know About Compassion at Work (and Where We Need to Know More)
Jacoba M. Lilius, Jason Kanov and Jane E. Dutton
22. Hope Imagining Hope in Organizations: From Individual Goal-Attainment to Horizons of Relational Possibility Arne Carlsen, Aina Landsverk Hagen and Tord F. Mortensen
23. Courage Courage in Organizations: An Integrative Review of the "Difficult Virtue"
Monica C. Worline
24. Justice A Positive Lens on Organizational Justice: Toward a Moral, Constructive, and Balanced Approach to Reactions to Third-Party (In)Justice David M. Mayer
25. Integrity Research on Behavioral Integrity: A Promising Construct for Positive Organizational Scholarship Tony Simons, Edward C. Tomlinson and Hannes Leroy
26. Positive Ethics Positive Business Ethics: Grounding and Elaborating a Theory of Good Works Jason M. Stansbury and Scott Sonenshein
27. Leveraging Strengths Productivity through Strength Jim Asplund and Nikki Blacksmith
28. Character Strengths in Global Managers The Positive Power of Character Strengths and Virtues for Global Leaders Armenio Rego, Stewart Clegg and Miguel Pinha e Cunha
Part Four: Positive Relationships
29. High Quality Connections High Quality Connections John Paul Stephens, Emily Heaphy and Jane E. Dutton
30. Relational Coordination New Directions for Relational Coordination Theory Jody Hoffer Gittell
31. Reciprocity A Dual Model of Reciprocity in Organizations: Moral Sentiments and Reputation Wayne Baker
32. Intimacy Workplace Intimacy in Leader-Follower Relationships Ronit Kark
33. Civility Civility Christine L. Porath
34. Trust POS and Trust in Leaders Aneil K. Mishra and Karen E. Mishra
35. Trustworthiness Perspective Taking: Building Positive Interpersonal Connections and Trustworthiness One Interaction at a Time Michele Williams
36. Humor The Laughter Advantage: Cultivating High Quality Connections and Workplace Outcomes Through Humor Cecily D. Cooper and John Sosik
37. Psychological Safety Psychological Safety: A Foundation for Speaking Up, Collaboration, and Experimentation in Organizations Ingrid M. Nembhard and Amy C. Edmondson
Part Five: Positive Human Resource Practices
38. Career Development Personal Growth Through Career Work: A Positive Approach to Careers Douglas T. Hall and Mireia Las Heras
39. Mentoring Relational Mentoring: A Positive Approach to Mentoring at Work Belle Rose Ragins
40. Socialization Socialization Perspectives and Positive Organizational Scholarship Blake E. Ashforth, Karen K. Myers and David M. Sluss
41. Diversity A Positive Approach to Studying Diversity in Organizations Lakshmi Ramarajan and David Thomas
42. Communication The Role of Communication in Positive Organizational Scholarship Larry D. Browning, G.H. Morris and Kerk F. Kee
43. Conflict Resolution Parallel and Divergent Predictors of Objective and Subjective Value in Negotiation Jared R. Curhan and Ashley D. Brown
44. Negotiating The Mindful Negotiator: Strategic Emotion Management and Wellbeing Shirli Kopelman, Orli Avi-Yonah and Akshaya K. Varghese
45. Work-Family Dynamics Positive Work-Family Dynamics Jessica Keeney and Remus Ilies
Part Six: Positive Organizational Practices
46. Symbolism in Organizations The Generative Potency of Organizational Symbols: Implications for Positive Organizational Scholarship Mary Ann Glynn and Lee Watkiss
47. Resourcefulness Resources, Resourcing, and Ampliative Cycles in Organizations Martha Feldman and Monica Worline
48. Collective Efficacy Collective Efficacy Beliefs, Organizational Excellence, and Leadership Roger D. Goddard and Serena J. Salloum
49. The Design of Work The Design of Jobs: A Strategy for Enhancing the Positive Outcomes of Individuals at Work Greg R. Oldham
50. Mindful Organizing Mindful Organizing: Establishing and Extending the Foundations of Highly Reliable Performance Timothy J. Vogus
51. Organizational Identity The Defining Role of Organizational Identity for Facilitating Stakeholder Flourishing: A Map for Future Research Celia V. Harquail and Shelley L. Brickson
52. Organizational Energy Organizational Energy Bernd Vogel and Heike Bruch
53. Innovation Innovativeness as Positive Deviance: Identifying and Operationalizing the Attributes, Functions and Dynamics that Create Growth Jeff DeGraff and Dan Nathan-Roberts
54. Organizational Boundaries Margins, Membership, and Mobility: Re-defining Boundaries in Collaborative Endeavors Rebekah Dibble and Cristina B. Gibson
Part Seven: Positive Leadership and Change
55. Organizational Development The Spirits of Organization Development or Why OD Lives Despite Its Pronounced Death Jean M. Bartunek and Richard W. Woodman
56. Appreciative Inquiry Positive Organizational Development: Innovation-Inspired Change in an Economy and Ecology of Strengths David L. Cooperrider and Lindsey N. Godwin
57. Positive Change Attributes Seeing and Acting Differently: Positive Change in Organizations Robert E. Quinn and Ned Wellman
58. Implementing Positive Change What Makes an Organizational Change Process Positive?
Karen Golden-Biddle and Jina Mao
59. Authentic Leadership Advances in Theory and Research on Authentic Leadership Bruce J. Avolio and Ketan Mhatre
60. Leadership Development Toward a Positive and Dynamic Theory of Leadership Development D. Scott DeRue and Kristina M. Workman
61. Peak Performance Organizational Sustainability: Organization Design and Senior Leadership to Enable Strategic Paradox Wendy K. Smith, Marianne W. Lewis and Michael L. Tushman,
62. Strategic Change Emotions and Strategic Change Quy Nguyen Huy
63. Strengths-Based Strategy Positive Strategy: Creating and Sustaining Strengths-Based Strategy That SOARs and Performs Lynn Perry Wooten and Jacqueline M. Stavros
Part Eight: A Positive Lens on Problems and Challenges
64. Managing the Unexpected Managing the Unexpected Kathleen M. Sutcliffe and Marlys K. Christianson
65. Healing After Trauma Organizational Healing: A Relational Process to Handle Major Disruption Edward H. Powley
66. Organizational Recovery Recovery: Non-Work Experiences that Promote Positive States Sabine Sonnentag, Cornelia Niessen and Angela Neff
67. Responding to Crisis Orientations of Positive Leadership in Times of Crisis Erika Hayes James and Lynn Perry Wooten
68. Resilience Under Adversity Resilience at Work: Building Capability in the Face of Adversity Brianna Barker Caza and Laurie P. Milton
69. Post-traumatic Growth Post-traumatic growth: A Missed Opportunity for Positive Organizational Scholarship Sally Maitlis
70. Ambivalence Just a Good Place to Visit? Exploring Positive Responses to Psychological Ambivalence Michael G. Pratt and Camille Pradies
71. Responding to Stress Stress Interventions versus Positive Interventions: Apples and Oranges?
Caroline Biron and Cary L. Cooper with Philip Gibbs
Part Nine: Expanding Positive Organizational Scholarship
72. Sustainability Positive Deviance for a Sustainable World: Linking Sustainability and Positive Organizational Scholarship Andrew J. Hoffman and Nardia Haigh
73. Critical Theory Critical Studies and POS Arran Caza and Brigid Carroll
74. Economic Models Strange Bedfellows: Homo Economicus and Positive Organization Scholarship Paul C. Godfrey
75. Social Movements Social Movements in Organizations Debra Guckenheimer
76. Spirituality In God We Trust: A Comparison of Spiritualities at Work Lloyd E. Sandelands
77. Positive Deviance Positive Deviance: A Metaphor and Method for Learning from the Uncommon Marc Lavine
78. International Peacemaking Five Steps Toward Peace Making: Using Positive Organizational Scholarship to Build a Better World J. B. Ritchie and Scott C. Hammond
79. Conclusion A Path Forward: Assessing Progress and Exploring Core Questions for the Future of Positive Organizational Scholarship Gretchen M. Spreitzer and Kim C. Cameron