A conceptual framework to explore the roles and contributions of industrial psychologists in South Africa (part 1)

Orientation: The generation and development of knowledge for the benefit of the discipline of industrial and organisational psychology by means of research is a core academic focus.Research purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore general research trends in the field of industrial and organisational psychology in South Africa from 1950 to 2008.Motivation for study: Research in the field tends to be influenced by either the changing needs of business or the occupational or personal fields of interest of academics, which often lead to an overemphasis on specific subdisciplines at the expense of others. This research aims to critically review dominant trends in the research focus areas in the field, in the light of present challenges in the changing work context. Recommendations are also made for possible future research.Research design, approach and method: A broad systematic review was carried out to analyse documented published and accredited South African research in the field (n = 2501).Main findings: Although there has been a proportional decline in personnel psychology research since 1990, there has been a proportional increase in both organisational psychology and employee wellness research since 1980 and 1990, respectively. Some areas of the industrial and organisational psychology field appear to be consistently under-researched.Practical implications: The insights derived from the findings can be used by academia and researchers in the field to plan future research initiatives.Contribution/value-add: The findings provide preliminary insights that contribute to the body of knowledge concerned with the industrial and organisational psychology field in the South African context.How to cite this article: Schreuder, D., & Coetzee, M. (2010). An overview of industrial and organisational psychology research in South Africa: A preliminary study. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology/SA Tydskrif vir Bedryfsielkunde, 36(1), Art. #903, 11 pages. DOI: 10.4102/sajip.v36i1.903

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

An overview of industrial and organisational psychology research in South Africa: A preliminary study

Schreuder¹,

Coetzee

2010

“…For this purpose, three popular business frameworks were identified as a basis for this study: The Balanced Scorecard (Strategic Management Framework) (Kaplan & Norton, 1996) Directors, 2002). The three independently developed frameworks were studied in depth to identify similarities, differences and unique contributions within each and these insights were subsequently integrated into a Multi-dimensional Conceptual Framework that was intended to form a basis against which the roles and contributions of industrial psychologists could be 'mirrored' (Barnard & Fourie, 2007). Table 1 represents a randomly organised presentation of the sixteen dimensions of this framework.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the roles and contributions of industrial psychologists in South Africa against a multi-dimensional conceptual framework (part 2)

Barnard

Fourie

2007

Self Cite

The study was undertaken to explore the professional roles and contributions of industrial psychologists in South Africa. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among 23 registered psychologists to gain their views on the roles and contributions within each of the dimensions of a conceptual framework of organisational success developed earlier. A process of analytical induction, supported by thematic content analysis, revealed a range of generic roles yet specific industrial psychological contributions. The implications of the findings for the development of academic curricula, the establishment of clarity among industrial psychologists and the fostering of awareness in organisations regarding the value of these professionals are discussed.

“…These strategies were guided by qualitative measures for quality assurance, namely conformability (Terre Blanche, Durrheim & Kelly, 2006), transferability (Creswell, 2013b), credibility (De Vos et al, 2002) and trustworthiness (Gummesson, 2000). Best practices in analysis (Barnard & Fourie, 2007;Patton, 2002) were consistently applied throughout the process.…”

Section: Strategies Used To Ensure Data Quality and Integritymentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of a decade’s scholarly publications (2004–2013) in the South African Journal of Industrial Psychology

Coetzee

Zyl

2014

Orientation: Publishing methodologically sound, empirically based studies in reputable accredited scientific journals are essential in order to advance knowledge and evidence-based practice in the field of industrial and organisational psychology.Research purpose: The purpose of the research was to conduct a broad content analysis of the articles published in the South African Journal of Industrial Psychology (SAJIP) between 2004 and 2013. The study aimed to provide a descriptive overview of the most frequent content themes,published authors and institutions, research approaches, strategies, designs and analysis techniques, software packages and sample sizes in industrial and organisational (I-O) psychology utilised in the publications.Motivation for study: The periodic analyses of published content in scholarly journals provide an index of the extent to which the publications reflect the scope of practice in a given discipline and broaden insight into the direction and relevance of research published in a journal.Research design, approach and method: A broad systematic content analysis was conducted of 342 documented articles published in the SAJIP between 2004 and 2013. Descriptive data(frequencies and percentages) were used to report the findings.Main findings: The publishing pattern of the SAJIP appeared to correspond with its focus and scope. Manuscripts utilising mostly cross-sectional quantitative correlational research designs with large samples (n > 201) were published in the SAJIP. The University of Johannesburg and Professor Sebastiaan (Ian) Rothmann were the largest contributors to publications between 2004 and 2013. Organisational psychology and psychometrics were the most prominent domains in I-O psychology research. Data were predominantly processed utilising SPSS.Practical implications: The insights derived from the findings can be employed to plan future research initiatives in the field of I-O psychology.Contribution/value-add: The findings provide valuable insight into the current status of the foci of I-O psychology research as published in the SAJIP between 2004 and 2013 and the contribution made by the SAJIP to advancing knowledge and evidence-based practice in I-O psychology.