Behavior and management - insights from the work of John B. Watson

According to Watson (1913), “the world of physical objects (stimuli, including here anything which may excite activity in a receptor), which forms the total phenomena of the natural scientist, is looked upon merely as a means to an end. That end is the production of mental states that may be ‘inspected’ or ‘observed’ (Watson, 1913, p. 158). Individual actions, thoughts, etc are measured or proposed and often pre-determined based on responses to the outward environment. This process can be directly applied to determining how management strategies, principles and or objectives can assist in making managerial approaches more efficient.

This will also show how in some instances these same methods must be re-evaluated based on how individuals (employees) respond based on the conditions of the environment, if responses (physical or verbal) are negative what should be changed if at all and why? Public behavior and the process of studying it serves its purpose “only in so far as [the behaviors] may throw light upon conscious states;” however, the actual mental process is not the focus (Watson, 1913, p. 159).  Studying behavior is a foundational component to understanding how to implement managerial strategies, which involve, ethics, compensation (not just financial but any delegative process) and culture (environmental), all of which will be initiated and cultivated through various methods of communication.

Change in managerial settings are often focused on the individuals first then the surrounding environment (the workplace). This approach will always lead to a stagnate display of progress. Watson (1913) stated, “the attack is [generally] made upon the observer and not upon the experimental setting” (p. 163). We must first determine if the displayed behavior is supported with a legitimized concern of how a process, management strategy or business procedure affects production or if the individual (employee) is just being difficult. If the behavior expresses a legit concern, what is the cause and why the response? Steps to improve and or change the ineffective process or strategy should then be pursued. This view supports the idea of change within an organization as dependent upon how behavior is both interpreted and acted upon based on what is reciprocated with each cultural evolution. Culture can be defined as “the totality of equivalent and complimentary learned meanings maintained by a human population [within any setting], or by identifiable segments of a population [also within any setting], and transmitted from one generation to another” (Segall, 1986, p. 527). This is not referring only to generations consisting of age but also concerning transitions of any sort.

For instance, there are shifts, which take place within the culture of an organization both large and minute. It could be as small as changing or updating the company’s phone system or as grand as expanding into an international corporation. Therefore, it is the duty of the organization (management) to be sensitive to these cultural developments in order to understand where the organization has the potential of progressing to. This can be observed through behavior. If I were to sit down and chat with John B. Watson, I would ask him the following questions:

1.         In relation to your beliefs of behavior, what is your view on the culture of modern organizations?

2.         After review of these modern organizations, concerning behavior in the workplace, do you still “feel that behaviorism is the only consistent and logical functionalism” (Watson, 1913, p. 166).

3.         Now that you’ve reviewed these modern organizations, would you promote introspection as more than just an abridged method of observing behavior?

4.         According to McGowan (2008), necessity encapsulates everything that renders human action nugatory. The necessary is what will happen regardless of or despite anything that any human does. The necessary must  occur—and nothing you or I do will make any difference” (p. 35). Not referring to possibilities but concerning instances of necessity (including those in professional settings), how does human behavior play an adequate role in evoking change (whether individual, political, social/environmental and managerial) beyond the effects of necessity?

5.         Despite the inability to control habit during your efforts with the young birds (Watson, 1913, p. 167), what would your suggestions be for developing stimuli to effectively incorporate habitual or subconscious behavior into the managerial process?

Watson would respond to these questions still supporting his stance on behaviorism. However, I do believe he would initiate additional observations with the changes in management that have occurred so far.

References

Watson, J. B. (1913). Psychology as the behaviorist views it. Psychological Review. 20(2), pp. 158-177.

Segall, M. H. (1986). Culture and behavior: psychology in global perspective. Annual Review of Psychology, 37(1). pp. 523-564.