New opportunities in organizational psychology: theories, topics, methods and practice

New opportunities in New opportunities in organizational psychology: organizational psychology:

theories, topics, methods and theories, topics, methods and practice practice

Professor Catherine CassellProfessor Catherine CassellKeynote presentation to 2011 AIP, Milan, October 15Keynote presentation to 2011 AIP, Milan, October 15thth

catherine.cassell@mbs.ac.ukcatherine.cassell@mbs.ac.uk

PlanPlan• IntroductionIntroduction• Current issues facing work and Current issues facing work and

organizational psychologyorganizational psychology• Work psychology: time for a review?Work psychology: time for a review?• Opportunities for the futureOpportunities for the future• Conclusions.Conclusions.

Current issues facing Current issues facing occupational psychologistsoccupational psychologists

• The changing nature of workThe changing nature of work• The changing nature of organizationsThe changing nature of organizations• Professional identityProfessional identity• Epistemological and methodological Epistemological and methodological

developmentsdevelopments• Values Values • The move towards evidence-based The move towards evidence-based

practice.practice.

The changing The changing nature of worknature of work

The changing nature of The changing nature of workwork• Rapidly changing technologies at workRapidly changing technologies at work• Increasingly globalised in nature (Gelfand Increasingly globalised in nature (Gelfand

et.al., 2008)et.al., 2008)• End of careers for lifeEnd of careers for life• Aging population Aging population • Increased significance of the service sectorIncreased significance of the service sector• New societal priorities (e.g. environmentalismNew societal priorities (e.g. environmentalism).).

An example: Work An example: Work organization and job organization and job

designdesign

Research into work Research into work organization and climate organization and climate

changechange• Davis and Challenger (2009) use a socio-technical Davis and Challenger (2009) use a socio-technical

systems perspective to look at green behaviours in systems perspective to look at green behaviours in the work placethe work place

• Draw on established theories such as social identity Draw on established theories such as social identity theory and goal setting to encourage attention to the theory and goal setting to encourage attention to the role of user control and empowerment in green role of user control and empowerment in green behavioursbehaviours

• Argue that work psychologists are well-placed to take Argue that work psychologists are well-placed to take the lead in this area by re-framing green issues as a the lead in this area by re-framing green issues as a more traditional organizational problem.more traditional organizational problem.

The changing The changing nature of nature of

work organizationswork organizations

The changing nature of work The changing nature of work organizationsorganizations

• Traditional forms of management and organization are changing

• Fewer large centralised workplaces• Distributed teams, groups and

leadership• Where is culture located?

Example: the taxi driver Example: the taxi driver studystudy

• Changing expectations of customer serviceChanging expectations of customer service• Increasing interest about customer abuse Increasing interest about customer abuse

and bullying in the workplaceand bullying in the workplace• Research regarding emotional labour and Research regarding emotional labour and

emotional regulation in the workplace emotional regulation in the workplace (e.g.: Niven, Totterdell and Holman, 2009)(e.g.: Niven, Totterdell and Holman, 2009)

• Interviews with 22+ black cab drivers. Interviews with 22+ black cab drivers.

Key issuesKey issues

• Changing expectations of customer Changing expectations of customer serviceservice

• The skills of the cab driver in regulating The skills of the cab driver in regulating the emotions of othersthe emotions of others

• Stories of customer abuse as Stories of customer abuse as commonplacecommonplace

• Culture is multi-sited. Culture is multi-sited.

Professional Professional IdentityIdentity

Concerns about the Concerns about the professional identity of work professional identity of work

psychologistspsychologists• Seen primarily as assessment experts (Kandola, Seen primarily as assessment experts (Kandola,

2010)2010)• WP is at a ‘tipping point’ in its professional WP is at a ‘tipping point’ in its professional

identity, “evolved away from psychology to a identity, “evolved away from psychology to a critical juncture in terms of distinctiveness from critical juncture in terms of distinctiveness from other fields” (Ryan and Ford, 2010)other fields” (Ryan and Ford, 2010)

• Lack of influence over public policy and lack of Lack of influence over public policy and lack of visibility to organizational decision-makers.visibility to organizational decision-makers.

• The futility of the academic / practitioner divide.The futility of the academic / practitioner divide.

Epistemological Epistemological developmentsdevelopments

Epistemological Epistemological developments developments

• Work and organizational psychology Work and organizational psychology research can be conducted in a research can be conducted in a range of epistemological traditions range of epistemological traditions and a range of novel approaches are and a range of novel approaches are available (Symon and Cassell, 2006)available (Symon and Cassell, 2006)

• Example: Action Research (Cassell Example: Action Research (Cassell and Johnson, 2006). and Johnson, 2006).

Types of action research Types of action research (Cassell and Johnson, (Cassell and Johnson,

2006)2006)• Experimental action research practicesExperimental action research practices• Inductive action research practicesInductive action research practices• Participatory action researchParticipatory action research• Participatory research practicesParticipatory research practices• Deconstructive action research Deconstructive action research

practices.practices.

Methodological Methodological developments developments

Methodological Methodological developments developments • Ten methodological barriers to progress in Ten methodological barriers to progress in

work psychology (Edwards, 2008)work psychology (Edwards, 2008)• All based on quantitative methods e.g. All based on quantitative methods e.g.

Measurement error; conditions for causality Measurement error; conditions for causality etc.etc.

• Plea for methodological diversity and the Plea for methodological diversity and the use of qualitative methods in work use of qualitative methods in work psychology (Cassell and Symon, 2006).psychology (Cassell and Symon, 2006).

The use of qualitative The use of qualitative methods in work methods in work

psychology researchpsychology research

The research projectThe research project

• Work with Gillian SymonWork with Gillian Symon• Focus is upon how work psychologists Focus is upon how work psychologists

define good qualitative researchdefine good qualitative research• Interviews with 22 work psychologists Interviews with 22 work psychologists

in positions to define quality in positions to define quality (international journal editors; MSc (international journal editors; MSc Directors; Research Institute Directors; Directors; Research Institute Directors; Practitioners).Practitioners).

Identification of narrativesIdentification of narratives• Research question: How do work Research question: How do work

psychologists explain quality in psychologists explain quality in qualitative research?qualitative research?

• Underlying narratives:Underlying narratives:– Good qualitative research is fit for purposeGood qualitative research is fit for purpose– Good qualitative research is hard to assessGood qualitative research is hard to assess– Good qualitative research needs to be Good qualitative research needs to be

demonstrated demonstrated • Focus upon the link between those Focus upon the link between those

narratives and sensemaking.narratives and sensemaking.

Challenges in adopting Challenges in adopting new methods new methods

• Capability in the disciplineCapability in the discipline• Links to professional identityLinks to professional identity• Little understanding about Little understanding about

assessment processes.assessment processes.

ValuesValuesLefkowitz (2008) criticises the fundamental values of work Lefkowitz (2008) criticises the fundamental values of work

psychology:psychology:• Overly economic and insufficiently humanistic in natureOverly economic and insufficiently humanistic in nature• Present the field as being more value-free than it really Present the field as being more value-free than it really

isis• Ignore normative perspectives of what organizations Ignore normative perspectives of what organizations

ought to be likeought to be like• Reflect a pro-management orientationReflect a pro-management orientation• Define the field with respect to technical prowess rather Define the field with respect to technical prowess rather

than societal good.than societal good.

• Case for evidence-based practice in work Case for evidence-based practice in work and organizational psychology (e.g.: and organizational psychology (e.g.: Briner and Rousseau, 2011)Briner and Rousseau, 2011)

• Emphasis on the ‘best available evidence’ Emphasis on the ‘best available evidence’ including the use of systematic reviewsincluding the use of systematic reviews

• Concern that this ignores the ‘political Concern that this ignores the ‘political nature of evidence and encourages nature of evidence and encourages methodological standardization (Cassell, methodological standardization (Cassell, 2011).2011).

Evidence-based practiceEvidence-based practice

Work psychology: time for Work psychology: time for a review?a review?

• Debates within Debates within Industrial and organizational Industrial and organizational psychology psychology (APA Journal) for example about (APA Journal) for example about the professional identity of work psychologythe professional identity of work psychology

• Special issue of Special issue of Journal of Organizational Journal of Organizational Behavior Behavior in 2008 entitled in 2008 entitled to prosper, to prosper, organizational psychology should .....organizational psychology should .....

• Debate in the U.K. Magazine Debate in the U.K. Magazine The The Psychologist Psychologist entitled entitled Occupational Psychology in a changing world (2011).

New opportunitiesNew opportunities

• Current economic climate generates Current economic climate generates new research questions and topicsnew research questions and topics

• The changing nature of work and The changing nature of work and organizationsorganizations

• Interesting epistemological and Interesting epistemological and methodological developments. methodological developments.

ConclusionsConclusions

• There are a number of challenges There are a number of challenges aheadahead

• If opportunities are taken then the If opportunities are taken then the future is brightfuture is bright

• We live in interesting times!We live in interesting times!

ReferencesReferences• Briner, R. and Rousseau, D. (2011) Evidence-based psychology: not there yet. Briner, R. and Rousseau, D. (2011) Evidence-based psychology: not there yet.

Industrial and organizational psychology: Perspectives on science and practice, Industrial and organizational psychology: Perspectives on science and practice, 4, 3-22. 4, 3-22. • Cassell, C.M. (2011) Evidence-based I-O Psychology: what do we lose on the way? Cassell, C.M. (2011) Evidence-based I-O Psychology: what do we lose on the way?

Industrial and organizational psychology: Perspectives on science and practice, Industrial and organizational psychology: Perspectives on science and practice, 4, 23-4, 23-26.26.

• Cassell, C.M. And Johnson, P. (2006) Action research: explaining the diversity. Cassell, C.M. And Johnson, P. (2006) Action research: explaining the diversity. Human Human Relations, 59 Relations, 59 (6), 783-814. (6), 783-814.

• Cassell, C.M. and Symon, G. (2006) ‘Qualitative research in industrial and Cassell, C.M. and Symon, G. (2006) ‘Qualitative research in industrial and organizational psychology’, organizational psychology’, International Review of Industrial and Organizational International Review of Industrial and Organizational Psychology , Psychology , Vol. 24, Vol. 24,

• Cassell, C.M. and Symon, G. (2011) ‘Assessing ‘good’ qualitative research in the work Cassell, C.M. and Symon, G. (2011) ‘Assessing ‘good’ qualitative research in the work psychology field: A narrative analysis’, psychology field: A narrative analysis’, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, Psychology, (In press).(In press).

• Davis, M.C. and Challenger , R. (2009) Climate change: warming to the task. Davis, M.C. and Challenger , R. (2009) Climate change: warming to the task. The The Psychologist, Psychologist, 22 (2), 112-114. 22 (2), 112-114.

• Edwards, J.R. (2008). To prosper, organizational psychology should ... overcome Edwards, J.R. (2008). To prosper, organizational psychology should ... overcome methodological barriers to progress. methodological barriers to progress. Journal of Organizational Behavior, Journal of Organizational Behavior, 29, 469-491. 29, 469-491.

• Gelfand, M.J., Lexlie, L.M. And Fehr, R. (2008). To prosper, organizational Gelfand, M.J., Lexlie, L.M. And Fehr, R. (2008). To prosper, organizational psychology should ... Adopt a global perspective. psychology should ... Adopt a global perspective. Journal of Organizational Journal of Organizational Behavior, Behavior, 29, 493-517.29, 493-517.

• Greenberg, J. (2008). Introduction to the special issue: to prosper, organizational Greenberg, J. (2008). Introduction to the special issue: to prosper, organizational psychology should ... psychology should ... Journal of Organizational Behavior, Journal of Organizational Behavior, 29, 435-438. 29, 435-438.

• Kandola, B. (2010) . Occupational Psychology in a changing world, Kandola, B. (2010) . Occupational Psychology in a changing world, The The Psychologist,Psychologist, volume 23. volume 23.

• Lefkowitz , J.(2008), To prosper, organizational psychology should … expand the Lefkowitz , J.(2008), To prosper, organizational psychology should … expand the values of organizational psychology to match the quality of its ethics. values of organizational psychology to match the quality of its ethics. Journal of Journal of Organizational Behavior, Organizational Behavior, 29, 439 – 453. 29, 439 – 453.

• Niven, K., Totterdell, P., and Holman, D. (2009). Affect regulation and well-being Niven, K., Totterdell, P., and Holman, D. (2009). Affect regulation and well-being in the workplace: An interpersonal perspective. In A. Antoniou, G. Chrousos, C. in the workplace: An interpersonal perspective. In A. Antoniou, G. Chrousos, C. Cooper, M. Eysenck, & C. Spielberger (Eds),Cooper, M. Eysenck, & C. Spielberger (Eds),Handbook of Occupational Health Handbook of Occupational Health Psychology and MedicinePsychology and Medicine. Elsevier.. Elsevier.

• Ryan, A.M. and Ford, K.J. (2010). Organizational Psychology and the tipping point Ryan, A.M. and Ford, K.J. (2010). Organizational Psychology and the tipping point of professional identity. of professional identity. Industrial and Organizational Psychology: perspectives Industrial and Organizational Psychology: perspectives on science and practiceon science and practice,  3: 277–280.,  3: 277–280.

• Symon, G. and Cassell, C.M. (2006) ‘Neglected perspectives in work and Symon, G. and Cassell, C.M. (2006) ‘Neglected perspectives in work and organizational psychology’, organizational psychology’, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, Psychology, Vol. 79., No. 3., 307-314.Vol. 79., No. 3., 307-314.