Rethinking undergraduate curricula: A Delphi study of human resource management and industrial and organisational psychology

Abstract

The aim of this qualitative study is to bring clarity to the confusion about the interconnectedness, similarities and differences between the fields of Human Resource Management (HRM) and Industrial and Organisational Psychology (I&OP), for the purposes of curriculum development. The Delphi technique was used to gather data from 13 participants (five international and eight national). Analysis was done interpretively using Atlas.ti. Results indicate that HRM and I&OP are distinct but interrelated fields of study and can therefore be presented in separate but interrelated undergraduate curricula.
 
 <b>Opsomming</b>
 Die doel van die kwalitatiewestudie is om duidelikheid te verkry oor die verwarring rakende die interverwantskap, ooreenkomste en verskille tussen die velde van Menslike Hulpbronbestuur (MHB) en Bedryfs- en Organisasie Sielkunde vir die doeleindes van kurrikulumontwikkeling. Die Delphi tegniek is gebruik om data van 13 deelnemers (vyf internasionaal en agt nasionaal) te versamel. Ontleding is op ’n interpreterende wyse gedoen deur gebruik te maak van Atlas.ti. Die resultate toon dat MHB en Bedryfs- en Organisasie Sielkunde onderskeibare, maar verbandhoudende studievelde is en daarom aangebied kan word in afsonderlike, maar interverwante voorgraadse kurrikula

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

“…This can be attributed to many reasons. Amongst others, the use of the name Personnel Management for courses in I/O Psychology articulated a strong practical and career-orientated image, many qualified industrial psychologists find themselves in HR positions that contribute significantly towards the perceived fusion, and some universities taught I/0 Psychology under the banner of the management sciences, often under the name Personnel Management or later Human Resource Management (Moalusi, 2001;Pienaar & Roodt, 2001;Schreuder, 1999Schreuder, , 2001Veldsman, 2001;Venter & Barkhuizen 2005;Watkins, 2001). This study was not intended to further belabour arguments related to the perceived differences or similarities between the two fields (I/O Psychology and HR).…”

Professional Work and Actual Work: The Case of Industrial Psychologists in South Africa

“…According to social identity theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979), one could predict that these two bodies would in future seek to intensify their struggle for control over specific human problems in the workplace by exaggerating their differences. The academic disciplines of organisational psychology and HRM are already reinforcing these differences, despite alternative academic interpretations of HRM as a modern paradigm within organisational psychology (Van Drunen et aI., 2004) or clear indications of overlap in the disciplines (Venter & Barkhuizen, 2005). One could predict a drawn-out contest for jurisdictional control between industrial psychologists and HRM practitioners.…”

“…The fiercest jurisdictional contestation, however, is between professionals and nonprofessionals (i.e., industrial psychologists versus human resource practitioners). This contestation may be related to the extent of overlap between the work activities, job titles, and job descriptions of industrial psychologists and human resource practitioners in the modern workplace (Venter & Barkhuizen, 2005). Apart from Venter and Barkhuizen, little has been published about this contestation, and academics in general have not documented this phenomenon.…”

The Reciprocal Relationship Between Human Resource Management Professionalism And A Diverse South African Workplace Context

“…In most cases, HRM appears to be playing a secondary role, at a time when the ability to harness an organisation's HR should be more in demand and more valued than ever before (Compton, 2009). Research evidence suggests that executives uphold a narrow view of the HR function and HR practitioners (Guest & Woodrow, 2012;Magau & Roodt, 2010;Public Service Commission, 2010;Schultz, 2010;Venter & Barkhuizen, 2005). In fact, there is still a prevalent typifying of the HR discipline today, which includes the …”