101. "The Process Approach to Multi-Level Organizational Behavior"

ABSTRACT

The process approach to multi-level organizational behavior is based on the assumption that multi-level organizational behavior is processual in nature. The article defines group and organizational processes and their representation as process frameworks. There are functional and inclusional classes of levels. Each of these has at least five categories of levels. All ten categories are special cases of process frameworks. This article provides examples of each category level and uses them to illustrate new models of organizational work; extended models of interdependence; a new typology of theories based on their levels of processes; and a new tool for survey research called knobby analyses. After explaining the basic idea of knobby analysis, the article briefly describes the processual theory of the organizational hologram, the use of linear programming, and causal-chain analysis to provide multi-level explanations of employee opinion data. These ideas are embodied in conducting a strategic organizational diagnosis which is the first stage of organizational design. Organizational design involves multi-stages with each involving multiple, multi-level phenomena and analyses. This article concludes with a summary. The basic point is that multi-level organizational phenomena are processual in nature and for that reason there is more hope for improvements in theory building and their application if one uses the process approach rather than variable approach.