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from the issue of May 1, 2008
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Management study attracts top NU award
BY MARY JANE BRUCE, UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Bookstore shelves are filled with self-help books touting the latest advice on positive thinking. But Fred Luthans puts the science behind the theory.
"There's been a lot of interest in positivity in the real world," said Luthans, the George Holmes Distinguished Professor of Management in the College of Business Administration. "There are a lot of bestselling books but no research and no empirical evidence that really impacts the performance of people in organizations. That's what we're doing."
For his research, Luthans has earned the 2008 Outstanding Research and Creative Activity Award. The ORCA is given by the University of Nebraska in recognition of faculty whose research has national or international significance.
Luthans is regarded as a founding father of organizational behavior, the largest division in the National Academy of Management as well as a core area taught in every business school in the world. His book, "Organizational Behavior," now in its 11th edition, is generally considered the first text in the field.
"Fred Luthans is one of the giants in the field of management," said Sang Lee, chairman of the Department of Management. "He's widely known around the world and he can translate theories and research into everyday management practices."
More recently, Luthans has been applying positive psychology capital to the workplace by focusing on building human strengths at work rather than managing weaknesses.
"We have found, for example, that optimism, hope, resilience but especially confidence or what we call self-efficacy is critical to people's performance in organizations," said Luthans.
Luthans has applied his theories in both the public and private sector, including a large aerospace firm with a staff of engineers. Luthans and colleagues conducted training workshops, measured performance before and after the training and compared performance with a control group that didn't go through the training. The results are impressive for the bottom line. The human element is only part of a company's success but it can provide a huge competitive advantage, he said.
"We are showing a return on investment of 200 percent or better," said Luthans. "That's huge. Positivity training increased the performance in many industries, including high-tech manufacturing, health care and the pharmaceutical industry."
Luthans brings his research and enthusiasm into the classroom, benefiting undergraduate and graduate students. Lee said Luthans has a real connection with his students.
"Fred is at the leading edge of how to get the most out of psychological capital in order to make a difference in the workplace," said Lee. "But he's not only a great scholar, he's a good friend."
Luthans said he's gotten support over the years from administration, colleagues, friends and family. And he plans to be a continuing force in teaching, research and service.
"What I see myself doing in the next five years is to continue to passionately pursue my research, educate students and serve my university and the state of Nebraska," he said.
GO TO: ISSUE OF MAY 1
NEWS HEADLINES FOR MAY 1
Griffin to retire after 22 years
Management study attracts top NU award
Seefeldt maps Jefferson's vision of the west
The Scarlet in PDF Format
A 'mudhole with potential'
Astronomy Day event is May 10
Favorable trend increases term life coverage
Fell donates cartoons to Archives
Researchers test technique to remove contamination
SPRING AFFAIR
University releases new penstemon called 'Sweet Joanne'
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