Essentials of Organizational Behavior, 16th edition

Published by Pearson (May 2, 2025) © 2026
  • Stephen P. Robbins
  • Timothy A. Judge

Title overview

For organizational behavior courses.

Complete yet concise OB coverage

Essentials of Organizational Behavior provides the basic core of knowledge in organizational behavior (OB), with a focus on translating theory and research into actionable practice. In use at hundreds of colleges and universities worldwide, the text uses relatable scenarios and a conversational style to make lessons engaging, relevant and easy to absorb.

The 16th Edition features up-to-date research, discussion and examples of current issues related to all aspects of organizational behavior, including AI, diversity, communication and remote work. This edition also includes new coverage of stress and health in organizations, as well as organizational change.

Hallmark features of this title

Clear, concise and balanced coverage, alongside timely issues

  • The text is a concise alternative to the 600- or 700-page comprehensive OB textbook.
  • Coverage spans the OB field, from traditional topics, like personality and leadership, to modern issues, like diversity and negotiation.
  • Timely issues in the OB field are covered in depth, including organizational stress and health, organizational change, and the ongoing post-pandemic impacts on the workplace.
  • Cross-references between chapters link themes and concepts throughout the text, drawing connections and deepening comprehension.

New and updated features of this title

State-of-the-art research and examples

  • EXPANDED: New research, discussion and examples of current issues related to all aspects of organizational behavior were added to the new edition.
  • UPDATED: Modern communication challenges and opportunities are discussed, with emphasis on virtual communication, cybersecurity and social media.
  • NEW & EXPANDED: Several new health sections and significant new content on organizational stress and health were added. The new organizational health sections address illness and injury, mental and physical health, and mechanisms of health and stress in the workplace.

Expansion on hot topics

  • EXPANDED: Added coverage of diversity and inclusion addresses the complexity of these issues, with a focus on intersectionality and social categorization. Practical guidelines are provided to help managers foster an inclusive workplace.
  • NEW: Examples of AI research and application were applied throughout the text. The impact of bias in AI is highlighted.
  • NEW: Sections on remote and hybrid work were added to the Motivation (Application) chapter. Throughout the text, the impact of remote work is discussed in relation to work teams, group behavior, organizational structure, and organizational stress and health outcomes.

Key features

Features of MyLab Management for the 16th Edition

  • NEW: Interactive Reading Assignments engage students through an integrated blend of narrative, media and assessment, while holding them accountable for coming to class prepared.
  • UPDATED: Mini Sims, Team Mini Sims and Capstone Mini Sims put students in professional roles and ask them to respond to real business challenges.
  • NEW & UPDATED: New Personal Inventory Assessment Reflection Assignments prompt learners to reflect on their results from the updated Personal Inventory Assessments. These tools help students build the self-awareness they need to thrive in the workplace.
  • NEW: Video Assignments provide a curated selection of videos connecting course concepts to real-world business scenarios. Built-in assessment questions accompany the assignments.
  • Dynamic Study Modules pose a handful of questions and then respond to each student’s progress in real time. Learners deepen their grasp of concepts as they go.
  • Case Study Assignments offer brief, assignable case studies to help learners work through real-world business cases. They include options for both auto-graded and manually graded assessment.

Features of Pearson+ eTextbook for the 16th Edition

  • NEW: Interactive exhibits support hands-on learning, while deepening comprehension.
  • NEW: Embedded end-of-module concept check questions help students gauge their grasp of concepts as they read.

Table of contents

PART 1: UNDERSTANDING YOURSELF AND OTHERS

  1. What Is Organizational Behavior?
  2. Diversity and Inclusion in Organizations
  3. Job Attitudes
  4. Emotions and Moods
  5. Personality and Individual Differences

PART 2: MAKING AND IMPLEMENTING DECISIONS

  1. Perception and Individual Decision Making
  2. Motivation Concepts
  3. Motivation: From Concepts to Applications

PART 3: COMMUNICATING IN GROUPS AND TEAMS

  1. Foundations of Group Behavior
  2. Understanding Work Teams
  3. Communication

PART 4: NEGOTIATING POWER AND POLITICS

  1. Leadership
  2. Power and Politics
  3. Conflict and Negotiation

PART 5: LEADING, UNDERSTANDING, AND TRANSFORMING THE ORGANIZATION SYSTEM

  1. Foundations of Organization Structure
  2. Organizational Culture and Change
  3. Stress and Health in Organizations

Author bios

About our authors

Stephen P. Robbins received his PhD from the University of Arizona. He previously worked for the Shell Oil Company and Reynolds Metals Company and has taught at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Concordia University in Montreal, the University of Baltimore, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and San Diego State University. He is currently professor emeritus in management at San Diego State. Read his full bio.

Dr. Robbins’s research interests have focused on conflict, power and politics in organizations, behavioral decision-making and the development of effective interpersonal skills. His articles on these and other topics have appeared in such journals as Business Horizons, the California Management Review, Business and Economic Perspectives, International Management, Management Review, Canadian Personnel and Industrial Relations and The Journal of Management Education.

Dr. Robbins is the world’s best-selling textbook author in the areas of management and organizational behavior. His books have sold more than 14 million copies and have been translated into 20 languages. His books are currently used at more than 1,500 US colleges and universities, as well as hundreds of schools throughout Canada, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe and the Arab World.

Dr. Robbins also participates in masters’ track competition. Since turning 50 in 1993, he’s won 23 national sprint championships and 14 world sprint titles. He was inducted into the U.S. Masters Track & Field Hall of Fame in 2005.

Timothy A. Judge is the Joseph A. Alutto Chair in Leadership Effectiveness in the Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University. In the past, Dr. Judge has been a Fellow of the Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, and Visiting Professor, Division of Psychology & Language Sciences, University College London. He has held academic positions at the University of Notre Dame, University of Florida, University of Iowa, Cornell University and Charles University in the Czech Republic.

Dr. Judge’s primary research interests are in (1) personality, moods, and emotions; (2) job attitudes; (3) leadership; and (4) careers. Dr. Judge has published more than 155 articles in these and other major topics in refereed journals. He is a fellow of several professional societies, including the American Psychological Association, the Academy of Management and the International Association of Applied Psychology.

Among the many professional acknowledgments of his work, Dr. Judge has received the Heneman Career Achievement Award, the Mahoney Doctoral Mentoring Award and the Scholarly Achievement Award, all from the Human Resources Division of the Academy of Management. In addition, a 2017 study identified him as the most cited out of more than 8,000 scholars in applied psychology. Dr. Judge is a co-author of Organizational Behavior with Stephen P. Robbins and Staffing Organizations with John Kammeyer-Mueller.

Judge’s primary non-work passion revolves around rock climbing and mountaineering. He has climbed the three highest peaks in the United Kingdom and nearly half of the highest peaks in the lower 48 states. He and his wife, Jill, are the parents of three children.

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