Organizational Behavior and the Study of Affect: Keep Your Eyes on the Organization

Abstract

Not since the 1930s has so much attention focused on the study of moods and emotions in organizations. Unlike the research in the 1930s, current efforts are expected to result in a change in the nature of what is thought to constitute the field of organizational behavior. This claim is based, in part, on ideas evident in the articles comprising this special issue, at least those ideas reflecting that (a) affect needs to be the focal point of theory building efforts (and not merely appended to existing theories) and (b) contextual features of organizations are essential to understanding the production and consequences of moods and emotions in organizations. Ideas that are affect focused and sensitive to organization context likely are to be seen as novel by students of organizational behavior and, thereby, to capture the interest required to generate the research that will reshape the boundaries of the field.