Organizational Psychology

We are glad to introduce our readers to new issue of Organizational Psychology Journal.

Purpose. This study investigated the relationship between the socio-psychological factors and the three forms of organizational commitment (Meyer and Allen’s model) among Russian business organizations’ employees. Methodology. Socio-psychological factors were used as independent variablesin the study while organizational commitment forms were used as the dependent variables. Data was gathered from a random sample of 90 employees (managers and specialists) of the various companies. A questionnaire consisting of two-parts was used for data collection. To gather biographical and occupational data first part was used. Second part of questionnaire included eight techniques: Social Support scale of «Work Design Questionnaire», «Group Cohesiveness Scale», «Trust in Organization Scale», «Survey of Perceived Organizational Support», «Distributive, Procedural, and Interactive Justice Scale», questionnaire for identify the perceived prestige of the organization. To measure organizational commitment, Meyer and Allen’s (1993) 18-item 7-point scale was used. Data analysis was done by means of various statistical techniques, including the Pearson Correlation Technique and Multiple Regression Analysis. The results indicated that there is positive correlation between affective and normative organizational commitment and social involvement in the organization, the level of group cohesion, and trust in the organization, the degree of positive perception of the external prestige of the organization, perceived organizational support, and organizational justice. Implications for practice. The paper therefore recommends that managers must to facilitate socio-psychological factors in their companies, but especially group cohesion and perceived prestige of the organization.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the relationship between science and practice inorganizational context, analyze the general and specific features of research projects, carried out in the framework of the Action Research Method (ARM) (Harwood studies, Glacier Project, Ahmedabad, Haighmoor Project). This article is raised the question how exactly Action Research differ from other types of scientific research? Comparison of theoretical schemes at the beginning and end of the research project reveals significant differences in the type of theoretical constructs. All the theoretical schemes and development at the beginning of studies were descriptive models of some of the realities of the group, however, as a result of these projects there were prescriptive model. The latter, in contrast to the first, is not the conceptual constructions suitable for description of the behavior of objects throughout the observation, but recipes of building effective behavior of social groups and effective structures and processes in the organization. In other words, there are theories of organizational behavior and there are theories of effective organizational behavior. After consideration of the relationship of theory and practice in ARM formulated a conclusion that, the result of research in ARM should be the solution of specific practical problems, and the creation of structured knowledge systems for a whole range of interested parties (stakeholders). Finally, in the context of the dilemma, “the accuracy or validity” the “scientific status” of ARM is discussed in terms of positivism and alternative contemporary approaches.

This article, based on a literature review, is aimed to describe the ways of artistic interventions implementation into the context of organisational research. Three types of such interventions are defined: 1) arts based research (made by organisational researcher in order to gain knowledge about the phenomenon, it’s aesthetic value is secondary, but the outcomes have a potential to be considered as art objects under special conditions), 2) artistic research made by an artist working in the frame of organisational project (often can be qualified as applied task or advertisement, but in some cases can meet the criteria for scientific “action research”, if conceptual reflection is provided and the datais analysed), 3) artistic research of organization made by an independent artist (critical reflection on organisational phenomena which can bring insights to organisational researchers and can be developed into a well articulated art-research collaboration). The examples of artistic interventions with respect to every type are given and their scientific and aesthetic values and meanings are discussed.

The article is devoted to the research of various social and psychological phenomena arising in group decision-making process having a social dilemma inside the challenge. The problem’s investigation became the purpose of the pilot research described in the paper: Whether individual pragmatism and rational strategy are reflected in a group choice of the solution of the task containing a social dilemma. How are the group phenomena are revealing in course of the task containing a social dilemma solving? Whether facilitations’ mechanisms contribute to the increased ethical aspect of the social dilemma solution in the group which participants’ opinions are polarized? The students of “Economy” and “Management” academic majors acted as respondents of the research (N=10, 40% ofwomen, 60% of men, age of 19-24 years). At the first stage by means of the associative test the individual ideas of participants about the decision-making were revealed. At the second stage, working in small groups, the participants solved an author’s case which conditions were supplemented with the new facts (according to a dynamic paradigm of indeterminacy), proceeding from the decisions developed in the previous rounds. At the third stage two small groups which accepted polar alternatives as the decision were united in one, in the purpose of finding the common agreed decision of the case. The results of the research led to a number of the conclusions demanding further studying and discussion, in particular: the pragmatism and rational strategy of decision-making revealed during associative test do not completely reflect in a real situation of the task solving; presence of the strong leaders was aggravated the effects of “social loafing” and “groupthink”, sharply reducing the quantity of the initiatives generated for decision-making. The facilitation contributed to the creation of conditions for the development of the joint decision due to the mitigation of the incorrect negative motivational influence and the destructive effects of cognitive distortions. The design approbated in the pilot research could be extrapolated on the target group, for example, on managers of a business organization.

The report sets out the main results of the International scientific-practical conference “Business psychology — a modern resource of organizational development” (HSE, Moscow, Russia), which took place from 12 to 15 November 2015. The conference was prepared and conducted on the initiative of the master’s program “Psychology in business”. It was an significant milestone in the development of business psychology (Business Psychology) — new direction in applied psychology. The conference highlighted trends in the development of business psychology, presented in the presentations of Professor Stephen Benton, the head of the master’s program Business Psychology and Director of the Center for business and psychological studies, University of Westminster (London), Professor Natalia Ivanova, academic Director of the master’s program “Psychology in business”, Professor Takhir Bazarov, President of the Association of business psychologists of Russia, Professor Olga Deineka (St. Petersburg University), famous researcher of economic psychology, etc.

The special section “Individuality in business and organizations” was organized during the V International Conference “Psychology of individuality” (December 9-11, 2015; HSE, Moscow). Section was organized on the initiative of the Department of Organizational Psychology and Master’s program “Business Psychology” (HSE). The work of the section was attended by representatives of more than twenty different regions of Russia. The work of the Section was managed by prof. Natalia Ivanova, prof. Takhir Bazarov, prof. Wladimir Stroh and associate professor Natalia Antonova. The included reports covered a big scope of organizational and business psychological problems, which have become the subject of scientific analysis or practical work.

Information about the 20 most cited and 20 most recent articles on Action Research approach providesthe analysis of English sources from the database Web of Science. Use a set of Core Collection, all data act trivial at the time December 29, 2015.