Psychological Capital: Developing the Human Competitive Edge
Psychological Capital: Developing the Human Competitive Edge

Author: Fred Luthans

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 2006-08-04

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 0199884870

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Although there are as many answers to the question of how organizations can gain competitive advantage in today's global economy as there are books and experts, one lesson seems very clear: traditional answers and resources are no longer sufficient. This seminal book offers not only an answer regarding how to gain competitive advantage through people, but also a brand new, untapped human resource--psychological capital, or simply PsyCap. Generated from both the positive psychology movement and the authors' pioneering work on positive organizational behavior, PsyCap goes beyond traditionally recognized human and social capital. But PsyCap is not a vague or unscientific concept: to be included in PsyCap, a given positive construct must be based on theory, research, and valid measurement, must be open to development, and must have measurable performance impact. The positive constructs that have been determined to best meet these PsyCap criteria, efficacy (confidence), hope, optimism, and resiliency, are covered in separate chapters in Psychological Capital. After exploring other potential positive constructs such as creativity, wisdom, well being, flow, humor, gratitude, forgiveness, emotional intelligence, spirituality, authenticity, and courage, the authors summarize the research demonstrating the performance impact of PsyCap. They go on to provide the PsyCap Questionnaire (PCQ) as a measurement tool, and the PsyCap Intervention (PCI) as a development aid. Utility analysis indicates that investing in the development of PsyCap as presented in this book can result in a very substantial return. In total, Psychological Capital provides theory, research, measurements, and methods of application for the new resource of psychological capital, a resource that can be developed and sustained for competitive advantage.

Psychological Capital and Beyond
Psychological Capital and Beyond

Author: Fred Luthans

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 337

ISBN-13: 0199316473

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Although there are as many answers to the question of how organizations can gain competitive advantage in today's global economy as there are books and experts, one lesson seems very clear: traditional answers and resources are no longer sufficient. This seminal book offers not only an answer regarding how to gain competitive advantage through people, but also a brand new, untapped human resource--psychological capital, or simply PsyCap. Generated from both the positive-psychology movement and the authors' pioneering work on positive organizational behavior, PsyCap is a rigorous concept: to be included in PsyCap, a given positive construct must be based on theory, research, and valid measurement, must be open to development, and must have measurable performance impact. The positive constructs that have been determined to best meet these PsyCap criteria--efficacy (confidence), hope, optimism, and resiliency--are covered in separate chapters in Psychological Capital and Beyond. Following an exploration of other potential positive constructs such as creativity, wisdom, well-being, flow, humor, gratitude, forgiveness, emotional intelligence, spirituality, authenticity, and courage, the authors summarize the research demonstrating the performance impact of PsyCap. They go on to provide the PsyCap Questionnaire (PCQ) as a measurement tool, and the PsyCap Intervention (PCI) as a development aid. Psychological Capital and Beyond provides theory, research, measurements, and methods of application for psychological capital, a resource that can be developed and sustained for competitive advantage. Each copy includes a complimentary PsyCap online self-assessment.

The High Impact Leader
The High Impact Leader

Author: Bruce J. Avolio

Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional

Published: 2008-07-15

Total Pages: 292

ISBN-13: 0071621172

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Based on research by the Gallup Leadership Institute, a proven program for developing valuable leadership ability, both in yourself and in others Extensive research has identified specific traits that transform average individuals into authoritative, influential, and "authentic" leaders. These authentic leaders learn from the mistakes and successes of themselves and others and build a positive strength initiative within their organizations. In The High Impact Leader, Gallup veterans Bruce Avolio and Fred Luthans show you what you can do to develop and leverage your own leadership strengths into positive, lasting improvement for both yourself and your organization. Their findings combined with examples of wellknown leaders in action--such as Howard Schultz, of Starbucks, and Microsoft's Bill Gates--provide guidelines for accelerating leadership development in any environment. Building on Gallup's innovative "positive strengths" initiative, this results-driven book provides: Proven indicators for gauging personal progress toward authentic leadership Strategies for building a pool of leadership-ready individuals in any organization Proprietary Gallup poll data and innovative leadership-building tools

Positive Organizational Behavior
Positive Organizational Behavior

Author: Debra Nelson

Publisher: SAGE Publications

Published: 2007-05-14

Total Pages: 244

ISBN-13: 9781412912136

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Positive Organizational Behavior is emerging as a truly contemporary movement within the classic discipline of organizational behavior. The best work of leading scholars is gathered together in one edited collection. Chapters present the states, traits, and processes that compromise this exciting new science. In addition to mapping the field, this collection goes one step further and invites noted experts to identify the methodological challenges facing scholars of positive organizational behavior. Positive Organizational Behavior constitutes the study of positive human strengths and competencies, how it can be facilitated, assessed and managed to improve performance in the workplace . Its roots are firmly within positive psychology but transplanted to the world of work and organizations.

Entrepreneurial Cognition
Entrepreneurial Cognition

Author: Dean A. Shepherd

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2018-01-31

Total Pages: 287

ISBN-13: 3319717820

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This open access book investigates the inter-relationship between the mind and a potential opportunity to explore the psychology of entrepreneurship. Building on recent research, this book offers a broad scope investigation of the different aspects of what goes on in the mind of the (potential) entrepreneur as he or she considers the pursuit of a potential opportunity, the creation of a new organization, and/or the selection of an entrepreneurial career. This book focuses on individuals as the level of analysis and explores the impact of the organization and the environment only inasmuch as they impact the individual’s cognitions. Readers will learn why some individuals and managers are able to able to identify and successfully act upon opportunities in uncertain environments while others are not. This book applies a cognitive lens to understand individuals’ knowledge, motivation, attention, identity, and emotions in the entrepreneurial process.

Understanding the Entrepreneurial Mind
Understanding the Entrepreneurial Mind

Author: Alan L. Carsrud

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2009-07-30

Total Pages: 383

ISBN-13: 1441904433

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Interest in the functioning of the human mind can certainly be traced to Plato and Aristotle who often dealt with issues of perceptions and motivations. While the Greeks may have contemplated the human condition, the modern study of the human mind can be traced back to Sigmund Freud (1900) and the psychoanalytic movement. He began the exploration of both conscious and unconscious factors that propelled humans to engage in a variety of behaviors. While Freud’s focus may have been on repressed sexuality our focus in this volume lies elsewhere. We are concerned herein with the expression of the cognitions, motivations, passions, intentions, perceptions, and emotions associated with entrepreneurial behaviors. We are attempting in this volume to expand on the work of why entrepreneurs think d- ferently from other people (Baron, 1998, 2004). During the decade of the 1990s the eld of entrepreneurship research seemingly abandoned the study of the entrepreneur. This was the result of earlier research not being able to demonstrate some unique entrepreneurial personality, trait, or char- teristic (Brockhaus and Horwitz, 1986). It was both a naïve and simplistic search for the “holy grail” of what made entrepreneurs the way they are. However, many of the researchers in this volume have never gave up the belief that a better und- standing of the mind of the entrepreneur would give us a better understanding of the processes that lead to the creation of new ventures.