Patrick A. Tissington

Working under a Black Cloud: How to Sustain Organizational Identification after a Merger

This article argues against the merger folklore that maintains that a merger negatively affects well-being and work attitudes primarily through the threat of job insecurity. We hold that the workplace is not only a resource for fulfilling a persons financial needs, but that it is an important component of the self-concept in terms of identification with the organization, as explained by social identity theory. We unravel the key concepts of the social identity approach relevant to the analysis of mergers and review evidence from previous studies. Then, we present a study conducted during a merger to substantiate our ideas about the effects of post-merger organizational identification above and beyond the effects of perceived job insecurity. We recommend that managers should account for these psychological effects through the provision of continuity and specific types of communication.

To Be(long) or Not to Be(long): Social Identification in Organizational Contexts

In the past few years, ideas of Social Identity Theory and Self-Categorization Theory have been successfully applied to the organizational domain. In this article, the authors provide an overview of these recent developments and present a concept of social identification in organizational contexts, based on these theories. The assumptions of this framework are that (a) social identification in organizational contexts is a multifaceted concept consisting of different dimensions and foci (or targets), (b) higher levels of identification are related to higher productivity and more positive work-related attitudes, and (c) identification is a very flexible concept that is linked to the situational context. The authors present the results of a series of field and laboratory studies in which the proposed relationships are analyzed and, in the main, confirmed.

Video games and higher education : What can ‘Call of Duty’ teach our students?

Here it is argued that with game-based learning it is possible, through their inherent teaching mechanisms, to sustain stimulation throughout a class within higher education. That is, the “net generation” (Tapscott, 1999, p. 6) is intrinsically motivated by games and that commercial video games have a potentially important role in the classroom to assist learning of a range of crucial transferable skills. We further argue that commercial off the shelf (COTS) game design is replete with effective constructivist teaching structures and that such games should play a more prominent role within mainstream education.

Safety and risks, errors and accidents in different occupations

Book synopsis: The Encyclopedia of Applied Psychology encompasses applications of psychological knowledge and procedures in all areas of psychology. This compendium is a major source of information for professional practitioners, researchers in psychology, and for anyone interested in applied psychology. The topics included are, but are not limited to, aging (geropsychology), assessment, clinical, cognitive, community, counseling, educational, environmental, family, industrial/organizational, health, school, sports, and transportation psychology. The entries drawn from the above-referenced areas provide a clear definition of topic, a brief review of theoretical basis relevant to the topic, and emphasize major areas of application.

Research activity and the new pedagogy: why carrying out research is essential for effective learning

Themodern-day university is a thoroughly complex affair that comprises of numerous interlocking research activities that inform the delivery of an equally complex portfolio of learning programs (Kerr, 1963; Krücken et al., 2007). This contemporary model of a university is a far cry from university education envisioned by the noted educational philosopher Cardinal John Henry Newman1. In his seminal paper on the nature and purposes of a University, Newman was clear that a university should be a place where students would acquire a liberal education that would enable them to graduate and to “. . . see things as they are, to go right to the point, to disentangle a skein of thought to detect what is sophistical and to discard what is irrelevant.” (Newman and Svaglic, 1982, p. 6). Although, Newman’s philosophy is at the heart of universities across the globe, the day-to-day reality of delivering his core principles within the context of a modern-day university is such that a casual observer might not see how a graduate should be able to develop the skills that Newman originally espoused. However, here we argue that by engaging students at the very heart of the research activity that is regularly carried out in a contemporary university it is indeed possible for Newman’s original vision to be realized. That said, it is worth considering Newman’s philosophy in the context of the period when there were very few universities, mostly of ancient origins, and were dedicated to the education of elite “gentlemen.” The curriculum was a loosely structured experience of academic teaching that centered on political debate, religious knowledge, and physical pursuits (de Ridder-Symoens, 1996). From the 1850s influenced by Newman and others, in the UK a small number of civic universities was created following the examples in the UK of Durham, Manchester, and London where students were prepared for their role in the world with science, engineering, and politics appearing on the curriculum. The relevance to the world of work was more clearly aligned with Newman’s original ideals with preparation for employment being delivered via critical thinking rather than professional knowledge. Following the Second World War, universities widened their recruitment pool and grew as a more egalitarian world was sought. There was a wider remit and a sense of state funded paternalism where students were the grateful recipients of whatever learning experience the university’s academics considered appropriate.Later there was a movement toward collectivist ideals of the 1960s where universities were seen by activists and some academics as being democratic communities of learning where students and staff had an equal role. In some ways, these ideas were the basis of widening participation in the 80s and 90s culminating for example in

Use of social media to enable medical teams to work virtually (and better)

Refers to: Sophie Scott The researcher of the future…makes the most of social media The Lancet, Volume 381, Supplement 1, 27 February 2013, Pages S5-S6

Saving or Creating: Expertise and Subjectivity

This commentary is informed by my research into critical decision making in challenging environments such as the military, emergency services, and security. It is contextualized by my role as Programme Director for the MSc Medical Leadership at the Royal College of Physicians, where I facilitate many discussions on the tough dilemmas faced by doctors every day. But more importantly, I wanted to do something quite rare in peer-reviewed journals: to bring a first-person view to the topic through direct involvement in the subject matter. So I open by briefly giving the context of my experience, before offering my commentary. In February 2001 my wife was about 24 weeks pregnant with our first child when she became certain something was wrong. Despite initial assurances from our doctor, it became clear overnight that indeed something was very wrong and by mid-morning she was confirmed as being in premature labor. A dash by ambulance to a specialist unit and then the birth and immediate move to intensive care of our baby boy followed. We named him Alfie. In discussions with staff we made it clear that we wanted our baby to be treated but we understood that his chances of survival were limited. We also said that if he could not miraculously recover, we should not prolong his suffering. We were summoned from the family room by an anxious nurse at 1 a.m. As we arrived, he was being resuscitated and had been apparently for some time. The doctor asked what we wanted to do. I tried to speak but literally couldn’t. She asked us, “Should we let nature take its course?” I nodded and croaked something like “yes.” He died in our arms. More than 16 years later, writing that last sentence is upsetting, and as I have edited this piece I have cried every time I read it. So I am not objective but I have a perspective that might be of some use. My research has involved observing people making high-stakes decisions in difficult circumstances. My PhD set out to understand how fire officers and their teams operate at emergency incidents. Later I worked with army officers, surgeons, and the security services, among others. The common thread was to discover ways they could make better decisions, have clearer judgment, and help novices to become experts. The team in the hospital that night had that most crucial of benefits: experience. My wife and I had none. My wife recalls her response as instinctive and didn’t require any conscious thought. This is exactly what I heard fire officers say was the basis of their decisions. My research showed that “instinct” usually meant an unconscious and rapid creation of solutions based on prior experience (Watt and Tissington 1998). And my wife and I were confronted with a situation that we had (mercifully) no experience of whatsoever. So we resorted to what we did have—our values, intellect, and whatever relevant experience we could draw on. At one point during the labor, in my fear and misery, I suddenly realized that there were too many doctors and nurses in the room. It was unclear to me who was in charge and there was an air of slight chaos. I was able to recognize this as unacceptable from my work so spoke up, demanding to know whether everyone really needed to be there. In seconds, the crowd subsided and order was restored. I was basing this intervention on my knowledge of command doctrine, spans of control, and dynamic risk assessment (Tissington and Flin 2005), although in reality at the time I was frightened, bewildered, and angry. As to the central tenet of the piece—saving or creating. I was really engaged with the argument and could see how this makes a real difference to the way the medical teams might view their decisions. I can also see that the entire perception of the process from

The Four-Factor Taxonomy of Relocation Outcomes

Relocation, an intraorganizational geographical transfer, can be used for human resource development (HRD) because of the positive developmental effects it can induce. It is, thus, important for HRD professionals to understand the implications of relocation to ensure it is used appropriately and effectively as an HRD technique. Research on relocation is abundant but presently lacks integration. This article introduces the Four-Factor Taxonomy of Relocation Outcomes, which summarizes, organizes, and guides research in this area. The taxonomy provides researchers with four dimensions along which to consistently classify relocation outcomes: valence (positive vs. negative), duration (length of effect), magnitude (strength of effect), and quality (type of effect). The article concludes with a discussion of implications for HRD practitioners and researchers.