Association for Behavior Analysis International

Organizational behavior management (OBM) is a growing discipline, with an ongoing development in research directing the practice of OBM consultants on a global scale. With each new idea, a shift occurs in the literature available to consultants and students, with certain trends discernable through strict review of publications over time. The current paper provides an in-depth analysis of the published OBM literature, with relevant discussion highlighting the morphing trends in interest and methodology as the field progresses. Implications for consultants who rely on peer-reviewed works to guide their practice are illustrated and supported using direct examples from published works. Benefit provided by the literature, potential limitations in publications available, and future directions for the OBM community enhance the discussion regarding the importance of empirical demonstration for consultants and active members of academia.

We tested the effects of token economy system on the accuracy of tax filing task ata CPA office. A time delayed multiple baseline across participants design was implemented for this study. The dependent variables were the number of correct and incorrect data inputs for tax filing. The independent variable was the implementation of token economy system with which the tax preparers' accurate data inputs were reinforced by the reward points. The predetermined number of reward points was exchanged with the backup reinforcers such as longer break time, gift card, etc. Results showed that the participants' accurate data inputs significantly increased after the implementations of the token economy system; their inaccurate data inputs decreased. Overall, the efficiency (i.e., the total number of data inputs per day) also increased. This study will discuss the possible interventions to improve the productivity of working environment for paper work tasks.

This study evaluated a package intervention consisting of task clarification, visual prompts, graphic group feedback, and a tiered punishment system with a group of 60 restaurant employees and 1 manager. The goal of the intervention was to increase the frequency/percentage of correct employee parking, and to train the manager to maintain the new parking policy following termination of the study. Additional efforts were made to the program to decrease response effort and increase the probability that the manager would reliably continue the program following termination of the study; these efforts were especially important due to the initial resistance of the manager when discussing his responsibility of continuing the program. Results of an AB1B2 analysis showed that the intervention package resulted in an immediate and sustained decrease in parking violations by employees; following termination of the study, the manager reported an additional 2 weekends of 100% correct parking. The advantages of using a tiered system of punishment are discussed, in addition to the issues that sometimes prevent the use of reinforcement-based procedures in the workplace.

Construction workers are faced with safety choices every workday. Choices might be between wearing versus not wearing personal protective equipment, securing versus not securing ladders and scaffolding, using versus not using appropriate tools for a given task, and so on. To date, the factors that influence safety choices of construction workers have not been investigated using a behavioral economic paradigm that assesses successive choices across various analog work scenarios. This gap presents an opportunity to explore how safety-related choices are affected by work and organizational factors. Eleven undergraduate students completed a computer-based analog task that required participants to choose in which of2 hypothetical scenarios, they would be more likely to engage in a safe behavior (e.g., donning a safety harness while working on a roof). Scenarios varied in roof height (feet) and effort associated with donning the safety harness (minute). Each trial presented a choice between a standard scenario with fixed height and effort and an alternative scenario with varying height. Effort in the alternative scenario was also varied across blocks of trials. Participants’ choice patterns revealed a switch point that provided a measure of subjective risk in the alternative scenario compared with the standard. A hyperbolic equation provided a good fit of the data (R2 = 0.944, p = .0032). This novel laboratory-based study extends the concepts and methods of behavioral economics to the topic of human choice and decision making in risky occupational settings. Because workers’ health and safety often depend on workers recognizing hazards and risk and then making appropriate behavioral choices, the application of behavioral economics might reveal important new or fundamental insights that will lead to more effective prevention and intervention strategies.

Children with autism benefit from consistent behavioral therapy conducted in the least restrictive environment such as homes, schools, and community settings. One challenge faced by agencies that provide this type of service include family and staff cancellations which result in reduced quality of care for clients and a strain on the financial sustainability of the agency. This study examines the effect of graphic individual and social comparison feedback on utilization of prescribed autism therapy hours. The study consists of a multiple baseline design across six employees. Employees are masters level clinicians providing behavioral therapy services as prescribed by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist to children with Autism in the home, community, and school settings. The dependent variable is the percentage of utilized therapy hours. During baseline phase employees received no feedback regarding utilization performance. During experimental phase employees received two graphic displays consisting of individual utilization data for each client and social comparison data relating their performance to that of the group. Initial findings show that providing graphic individual and social comparison feedback has increased utilization of prescribed therapy hours.

We evaluated a treatment package based on a modified performance diagnostic checklist and then compared this treatment with a treatment suggested by a manager. We also compared manager-suggested items that might function as reinforcers to actual employee preference for items. Results showed that for all participants the consultant-designed treatment package produced a greater increase in employee performance, and that the manager was unable to accurately predict employee preferences. The study suggests that organizational behavior management consultants are effective to improve employee performance.

The effects of self directed video feedback was examined in the current study with therapists of home based ABA programs working with children with a pervasive developmental disorder. A multiple baseline design was used to systematically implement the intervention which consisted of the therapists watching a self recorded video of implementing a prompting procedure, completing a questionnaire and setting a goal for the next therapy session. Results of the intervention showed that the intervention was effective for one participant, while the other participant's prompting behavior only increased after further instruction and modeling of the behavior by the author. Implications for the current study as well as possibilities for future research are discussed.

The current study combined biweekly clinical meetings prescribed in the Total Performance Service Review system with performance scorecards to promote effective staff and consumer behavior in a human service setting. Participants consisting of eight staff teams that were assembled around eight focus persons with special needs received training, consultation, and the scorecard intervention. Results of our intervention showed that scorecards produced significant staff behavior changes. Consumer outcomes correlated with staff performance changes were 1) an improvement in life skills and 2) a decrease in the severity of observed problem behaviors. In smaller organizations, the behavioral package of training, clinical consultation, biweekly clinical meetings, and scorecards could improve staff performance and reduce costs by eliminating the added administrative and financial strain of a managerial service review.