Practicing What We Teach: Applying Organizational Behavior Theory to Academic Success

Institutions of higher learning are concerned with student performance, retention, and graduation rates. The authors believe an important stream within business scholarship, Organizational Behavior (OB), may provide vital insights regarding factors impacting student success. This paper aims to "practice what we teach," by using OB constructs to study performance, not in the workplace with employees, but in a business school setting with students. 156 undergraduate business students were surveyed on modified OB support theory constructs including faculty, parental, and peer support in relation to their professional commitment to the field of business and organizational commitment to their institution. In addition, the authors tested the relationship of felt responsibility acting as a mediating variable from the chosen foci of commitment to academic performance. The findings suggest relevant organizational support antecedents to professional commitment and organizational commitment in the academic setting.