Risky Business Psychological, Physical and Financial Costs of High Risk Behavior in Organizations

What are the financial and psychological costs of risky behavior in business to the individuals concerned and their organizations? Risky Business provides a perspective on addictive behaviors such as gambling, drug taking and even addiction to work; criminal behaviors such as theft and corruption; and behaviors such as aggression and violence. The authors then look at their implications to employee and organizational health within the context of the workplace environment; an environment that is often synonymous with psychological demands, stress, long hours, overwork and shortages of staff or other essential resources. An essential guide for occupational psychologists, human resource specialists, risk managers and for researchers in this field.

Contents: Part I Introduction: Human frailties and toxic organizations, Ronald J. Burke. Part II Human Frailties: Work hours, work intensity and work addiction: weighing the costs, Ronald J. Burke; Understanding and treating workaholism: setting the stage for successful interventions, Corine I. van Wijhe, Wilmar B. Schaufeli and Maria C.W. Peeters; Dangerous concoctions: alcohol, employment and the family, Paul M. Roman and Lauren A. O'Brien; Case studies on substance abuse in the workplace, Victor Adebowale CBEand Sarah Reed. Part III Toxic Organizations: Discrimination as high risk behavior in the workplace, Robert L. Dipboye; Psychologically intimate, romantic, and sexually intimate relationships in the workplace, Ronald J. Burke; Sexual harassment in the workplace, Vicki J. Magley, Timothy J. Bauerle and Benjamin M. Walsh; Job demands, resources and psychological and physical well-being: critical factors which may make some jobs more stressful than others, Susan Cartwright; Tragic duty, Ronald J. Burke; The nature and outcomes of destructive leadership behavior in organizations, Ståle Einarsen, Merethe Schanke Aasland and Anders Skogstad; Bullying in the workplace, Lars Glasø, Tina Løkke Vie and Helge Hoel; Workplace violence: the American experience, Richard V. Denenberg and Tia Schneider Denenberg; Managing the risk of workplace accidents, Sharon Clarke; Biting the hand that feeds: the employee theft epidemic –a human face on theft, Terrence Daryl Shulman; Index.

Ronald J. Burke earned his PhD from the University of Michigan and is Professor Emeritus of Organizational Behavior. One of Canada's most prolific researchers, Professor Burke's work has focused on the relationship between the work environment and individual and organizational health. He was the Founding Editor of the Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences and has served on the editorial boards of more than a dozen journals. He has served as Director of the PhD Programme at Schulich, and as Associate Dean for Research. He has participated in research conferences in North and South America, the UK, Europe, Asia and Australia. He has published over 500 journal articles and edited or co-edited 27 books with a variety of publishers. He has participated in over 300 management development programs as well as serving as a consultant on organizational effectiveness issues for private and public sector organizations. His views on management and organizations have also appeared in various media. Cary L. Cooper, CBE, is Distinguished Professor of Organizational Psychology and Health, Lancaster University Management School at Lancaster University, England. He is the author of over 100 books and 400 scholarly articles, and is a frequent contributor to national newspapers, TV and radio. He is currently Founding Editor of the Journal of Organizational Behavior and Editor in Chief of the medical journal Stress & Health. He is past President of the British Academy of Management, is a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute and one of the first UK based Fellows of the (American) Academy of Management. Professor Cooper is also the President of the Institute of Welfare Officers, President of ISMA, President of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, President of RELATE and Chair of the Academy of Social Sciences. In 2001, Cary was awarded a CBE by the Queen in the Queen's Birthday Honours List for his contribution to organizational health.