Definition
“Organizational psychology” (or industrial psychology), and work psychology concern the application of principles, theories and methods of psychology to the workplace contributing to the improvement of organizations’ effectiveness and employees’ quality of work life.
The most common fields of research and practice in Organisational Psychology/ Work Psychology are:
√ Personnel Attraction, Selection and Evaluation
√ Personnel Training and Development
√ Performance Evaluation
√ Motivation
√ Job Analysis and Work Design
√ Organizational change and development
√ Organisational culture/climate
√ Well- being and work
√ Attitudes research at work
√ Leadership
√ Interpersonal relations in the workplace
√ Counselling
√ Health and safety
√ Equal opportunities
√ Ergonomics
History of Organisational Psychology in Greece
The beginnings of psychology’s application in the workplace in Greece can be found in the use of psychometrics tools for pilots selection during the 1910’s, in accordance with the application of psychometric tools in USA and in England. After the end of World War II the application of methods and theories of psychology in the labour field was intensified with the creation of research centres and educational activities in the Greek army, such as personnel selection and evaluation, motivation, leadership etc.
Today, organisational psychologists in Greece are occupied in private enterprises and in the public sector, mainly in personnel departments, in consulting firms, as well as recruitment, training and development consultants. Thus, their job involves the application of research methods and evaluation assessments, as well as the use of psychometrics tools and tests.
Education of Organisational Psychologists in Greece
Currently there are four Departments of Psychology in public universities in Greece. The duration of undergraduate studies is 4 years. Even though these departments offer undergraduate courses of organisational psychology, specialisation in organisational psychology can only be acquired via postgraduate studies.
From 1998, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences jointly run an interdepartmental master’s degree in Organisational and Economic Psychology. The duration of studies is 2 years and includes theoretical and practical training. This master’s degree won’t be running for the academic year 2010-2011, due to organizational changes. Nevertheless, in the near future Organizational Psychology will be offered as a specialization to a master’s degree offered by Panteion University.
In addition, organizational psychology courses are taught to undergraduate and graduate students in several Business Administration Departments whereas Athens University of Economics and Business offers a master’s degree in Human Resources Management with relevant courses taught by professors specialized in Organizational Psychology. Finally, a continuously increasing number of organisational psychologists in Greece hold a doctoral degree in Organisational Psychology.
Research Activities
Research in organisational psychology in Greece has started developing in the past few years mainly due to efforts to increase research activity through financing from the European Union in collaboration with the Greek State. As a result, a continuously increasing number of Greek organizational psychologists are presenting their work to international scientific conventions, and more papers of Greek scientists are being published in international scientific journals as well as to the Greek scientific journal “Psychology: The Journal of the Hellenic Psychological Society”. Also contributing to the increased research activity is the development of collaborations as well as the intense efforts of the Organisational Psychology Division to put theoretical knowledge into practice. Characteristic example of the division’s efforts is the first Organizational Psychology day, which was held at February 19th 2010 in Athens, and in which a large number of researchers, occupational psychologists, managers and students participated.
Professional Identity of Organisational Psychologist
It is very difficult to distinguish between the roles and responsibilities of the various specialities of psychologists in Greece, primarily because of the lack in the Greek legislation and in the consolidation of professional obligations and rights. Nevertheless, there are three different associations of psychologists, the Association of Greek Psychologists, the Panhellenic Psychological Association and the Hellenic Psychological Society through which the division of Organisational Psychology is activated.
References
Kantas, Α. (1993). Organizational- Industrial Psychology (Vol. 1) Motivation- Work Satisfaction- Leadership (2nd ed.). Athens: Ellinika Grammata.
Nikolaou, I., Vakola, M., & Kantas, A. (2009) History and Development of Industrial Work & Organizational Psychology in Greece. The Industrial- Organizational Psychologist, 47(2), 87- 91.
“Organizational psychology” (or industrial psychology), and work psychology concern the application of principles, theories and methods of psychology to the workplace contributing to the improvement of organizations’ effectiveness and employees’ quality of work life.
The most common fields of research and practice in Organisational Psychology/ Work Psychology are:
√ Personnel Attraction, Selection and Evaluation
√ Personnel Training and Development
√ Performance Evaluation
√ Motivation
√ Job Analysis and Work Design
√ Organizational change and development
√ Organisational culture/climate
√ Well- being and work
√ Attitudes research at work
√ Leadership
√ Interpersonal relations in the workplace
√ Counselling
√ Health and safety
√ Equal opportunities
√ Ergonomics
History of Organisational Psychology in Greece
The beginnings of psychology’s application in the workplace in Greece can be found in the use of psychometrics tools for pilots selection during the 1910’s, in accordance with the application of psychometric tools in USA and in England. After the end of World War II the application of methods and theories of psychology in the labour field was intensified with the creation of research centres and educational activities in the Greek army, such as personnel selection and evaluation, motivation, leadership etc.
Today, organisational psychologists in Greece are occupied in private enterprises and in the public sector, mainly in personnel departments, in consulting firms, as well as recruitment, training and development consultants. Thus, their job involves the application of research methods and evaluation assessments, as well as the use of psychometrics tools and tests.
Education of Organisational Psychologists in Greece
Currently there are four Departments of Psychology in public universities in Greece. The duration of undergraduate studies is 4 years. Even though these departments offer undergraduate courses of organisational psychology, specialisation in organisational psychology can only be acquired via postgraduate studies.
From 1998, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences jointly run an interdepartmental master’s degree in Organisational and Economic Psychology. The duration of studies is 2 years and includes theoretical and practical training. This master’s degree won’t be running for the academic year 2010-2011, due to organizational changes. Nevertheless, in the near future Organizational Psychology will be offered as a specialization to a master’s degree offered by Panteion University.
In addition, organizational psychology courses are taught to undergraduate and graduate students in several Business Administration Departments whereas Athens University of Economics and Business offers a master’s degree in Human Resources Management with relevant courses taught by professors specialized in Organizational Psychology. Finally, a continuously increasing number of organisational psychologists in Greece hold a doctoral degree in Organisational Psychology.
Research Activities
Research in organisational psychology in Greece has started developing in the past few years mainly due to efforts to increase research activity through financing from the European Union in collaboration with the Greek State. As a result, a continuously increasing number of Greek organizational psychologists are presenting their work to international scientific conventions, and more papers of Greek scientists are being published in international scientific journals as well as to the Greek scientific journal “Psychology: The Journal of the Hellenic Psychological Society”. Also contributing to the increased research activity is the development of collaborations as well as the intense efforts of the Organisational Psychology Division to put theoretical knowledge into practice. Characteristic example of the division’s efforts is the first Organizational Psychology day, which was held at February 19th 2010 in Athens, and in which a large number of researchers, occupational psychologists, managers and students participated.
Professional Identity of Organisational Psychologist
It is very difficult to distinguish between the roles and responsibilities of the various specialities of psychologists in Greece, primarily because of the lack in the Greek legislation and in the consolidation of professional obligations and rights. Nevertheless, there are three different associations of psychologists, the Association of Greek Psychologists, the Panhellenic Psychological Association and the Hellenic Psychological Society through which the division of Organisational Psychology is activated.
References
Kantas, Α. (1993). Organizational- Industrial Psychology (Vol. 1) Motivation- Work Satisfaction- Leadership (2nd ed.). Athens: Ellinika Grammata.
Nikolaou, I., Vakola, M., & Kantas, A. (2009) History and Development of Industrial Work & Organizational Psychology in Greece. The Industrial- Organizational Psychologist, 47(2), 87- 91.
