1932

Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior

Volume 2, 2015

Review Article

Free

Organizational Psychology Then and Now: Some Observations

Edgar H. Schein¹
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Affiliations: Professor Emeritus, MIT Sloan School of Management, Palo Alto, California 94304; email: [email protected]
Vol. 2:1-19 (Volume publication date April 2015) https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032414-111449
First published as a Review in Advance on January 22, 2015
© Annual Reviews

Abstract

A comparison is made between the field of organizational psychology as I saw it in 1965 and how I see it today. Many issues remain the same, but the field is more differentiated, fragmented, and individualized than ever, despite culture, especially national culture, having become a big topic. The field is much larger and has spawned a whole applied field of organization development and new methods of experiential learning. The biggest change has been the decline of work on group dynamics and group interventions reflecting Western cultures of individualism. At the same time, task complexity, interdependency, multiculturalism, social responsibility, and new forms of organization have become new challenges for consultants and researchers because they require relationship building, coordination, and group work.

Keyword(s): autobiography, experiential learning, organization development, organizational culture, task complexity

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Literature Cited

Argyris C. 1964. Integrating the Individual and the Organization New York: Wiley [Google Scholar]
Argyris C, Putnam R, Smith D. 1985. Action Science: Concepts, Methods, and Skills for Research and Intervention San Francisco: Jossey-Bass [Google Scholar]
Bailyn L. 2011. Breaking the Mold Ithaca, NY: Cornell Univ. Press [Google Scholar]
Barley SR, Kunda G. 2006. Gurus, Hired Guns, and Warm Bodies Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univ. Press [Google Scholar]
Bion WR. 1961. Experiences in Groups: And Other Papers New York: Basic Books [Google Scholar]
Bradford LP, Gibb JR, Benne KD. 1964. T-Group Theory and Laboratory Method: Innovations in Re-Education New York: Wiley [Google Scholar]
Bunker BB, Alban BT. 1997. Large Group Interventions San Francisco: Jossey-Bass [Google Scholar]
Bushe GR, Marshak RJ. 2014. Dialogic organization development. The NTL Handbook of Organization Development and Change Jones BB, Brazell MB. 193–211 San Francisco: Wiley [Google Scholar]
Cascio WF, Aguinis H. 2008. Research in industrial and organizational psychology from 1963 to 2007: changes, choices, and trends. J. Appl. Psychol. 93:51062–81 [Google Scholar]
Edmondson A. 2012. Teaming San Francisco: Jossey-Bass [Google Scholar]
Etzioni A. 1961. Complex Organizations New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston [Google Scholar]
Forrester J. 1971. Counterintuitive behavior of social systems. Technol. Rev. 73:352–68 [Google Scholar]
Gittell JH. 2003. The Southwest Airlines Way New York: McGraw-Hill [Google Scholar]
Gittell JH. 2009. High Performance Healthcare New York: McGraw-Hill [Google Scholar]
Greenleaf RK. 1977. Servant Leadership New York: Paulist [Google Scholar]
Homans G. 1950. The Human Group New York: Harcourt Brace [Google Scholar]
Kellogg KC. 2011. Challenging Operations Chicago: Univ. Chicago Press [Google Scholar]
Kornacki MJ, Silversin J. 2012. Leading Physicians Through Change Tampa, FL: Am. Coll. Physician Exec, 2nd ed. [Google Scholar]
Lewin K. 1947. Frontiers in group dynamics. Hum. Relat. 1:5–41 [Google Scholar]
Revans R. 1980. Action Learning: New Techniques for Management London: Blond & Briggs [Google Scholar]
Roethlisberger FJ, Dickson WJ. 1939. Management and the Worker Cambridge, MA: Harvard Univ. Press [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 1965. Organizational Psychology Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 1969. Process Consultation Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 1978. Career Dynamics Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 1985. Organizational Culture and Leadership San Francisco: Jossey-Bass [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 1987. The Clinical Approach in Field Work Newbury Park, CA: Sage [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 1999. Process Consultation Revisited Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 2001. Clinical inquiry/research. Handbook of Action Research Reason P, Bradbury H. 228–37 Los Angeles: Sage [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 2003. DEC Is Dead, Long Live DEC: The Lasting Legacy of Digital Equipment Corporation San Francisco: Berrett/Kohler [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 2009. Helping San Francisco: Berrett/Kohler [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 2010. Organizational Culture and Leadership San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Wiley, 4th ed.. [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 2013. Humble Inquiry San Francisco: Berrett/Kohler [Google Scholar]
Schein EH, Hall DT. 1967. The student image of the teacher. J. Appl. Behav. Sci 3:305–37 [Google Scholar]
Schein EH, Van Maanen J. 2013. Career Anchors San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 4th ed.. [Google Scholar]
Sherif M, Sherif C. 1969. Social Psychology New York: Harper & Rowe [Google Scholar]
Trist E, Murray H. 1990. The Social Engagement of Social Science Vol. 1 Philadelphia: Univ. Pa. Press [Google Scholar]
Trist E, Murray H. 1993. The Social Engagement of Social Science Vol. 2 Philadelphia: Univ. Pa. Press [Google Scholar]
Van Maanen J. 2005. Mickey on the move: observations on the flow of culture in the multinational corporation. Organizational Theory and the Multinational Corporation Westney E. 255–300 New York: St. Martin’s, 2nd ed.. [Google Scholar]
Zuboff S. 1984. In the Age of the Smart Machine New York: Basic Books [Google Scholar]

/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032414-111449

Organizational Psychology Then and Now: Some Observations

Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior 2, 1 (2015); https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032414-111449

/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032414-111449

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There's More to Research than Just Doing Experiments: How Ed Schein Got His Start Edgar Schein, Professor Emeritus at the MIT Sloan School of Management, talks about his life and career with Frederick Morgeson, Eli Broad Professor of Management at the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management of Michigan State University.

Realizing the Power of Experiential Learning

50 Years of Organizational Psychology: Challenges in Application

Let's Focus on (National, Organizational, and Occupational) Culture

The Pitfalls of a Statistical Orientation

Advice for Young Scholars: Find Your Career Anchors

The Good Stuff Comes Out of Teams

Key Consulting Insights: The Power of Examples

The Dangers of Abstraction

Article Type: Review Article

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Literature Cited

Argyris C. 1964. Integrating the Individual and the Organization New York: Wiley [Google Scholar]
Argyris C, Putnam R, Smith D. 1985. Action Science: Concepts, Methods, and Skills for Research and Intervention San Francisco: Jossey-Bass [Google Scholar]
Bailyn L. 2011. Breaking the Mold Ithaca, NY: Cornell Univ. Press [Google Scholar]
Barley SR, Kunda G. 2006. Gurus, Hired Guns, and Warm Bodies Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univ. Press [Google Scholar]
Bion WR. 1961. Experiences in Groups: And Other Papers New York: Basic Books [Google Scholar]
Bradford LP, Gibb JR, Benne KD. 1964. T-Group Theory and Laboratory Method: Innovations in Re-Education New York: Wiley [Google Scholar]
Bunker BB, Alban BT. 1997. Large Group Interventions San Francisco: Jossey-Bass [Google Scholar]
Bushe GR, Marshak RJ. 2014. Dialogic organization development. The NTL Handbook of Organization Development and Change Jones BB, Brazell MB. 193–211 San Francisco: Wiley [Google Scholar]
Cascio WF, Aguinis H. 2008. Research in industrial and organizational psychology from 1963 to 2007: changes, choices, and trends. J. Appl. Psychol. 93:51062–81 [Google Scholar]
Edmondson A. 2012. Teaming San Francisco: Jossey-Bass [Google Scholar]
Etzioni A. 1961. Complex Organizations New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston [Google Scholar]
Forrester J. 1971. Counterintuitive behavior of social systems. Technol. Rev. 73:352–68 [Google Scholar]
Gittell JH. 2003. The Southwest Airlines Way New York: McGraw-Hill [Google Scholar]
Gittell JH. 2009. High Performance Healthcare New York: McGraw-Hill [Google Scholar]
Greenleaf RK. 1977. Servant Leadership New York: Paulist [Google Scholar]
Homans G. 1950. The Human Group New York: Harcourt Brace [Google Scholar]
Kellogg KC. 2011. Challenging Operations Chicago: Univ. Chicago Press [Google Scholar]
Kornacki MJ, Silversin J. 2012. Leading Physicians Through Change Tampa, FL: Am. Coll. Physician Exec, 2nd ed. [Google Scholar]
Lewin K. 1947. Frontiers in group dynamics. Hum. Relat. 1:5–41 [Google Scholar]
Revans R. 1980. Action Learning: New Techniques for Management London: Blond & Briggs [Google Scholar]
Roethlisberger FJ, Dickson WJ. 1939. Management and the Worker Cambridge, MA: Harvard Univ. Press [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 1965. Organizational Psychology Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 1969. Process Consultation Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 1978. Career Dynamics Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 1985. Organizational Culture and Leadership San Francisco: Jossey-Bass [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 1987. The Clinical Approach in Field Work Newbury Park, CA: Sage [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 1999. Process Consultation Revisited Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 2001. Clinical inquiry/research. Handbook of Action Research Reason P, Bradbury H. 228–37 Los Angeles: Sage [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 2003. DEC Is Dead, Long Live DEC: The Lasting Legacy of Digital Equipment Corporation San Francisco: Berrett/Kohler [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 2009. Helping San Francisco: Berrett/Kohler [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 2010. Organizational Culture and Leadership San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Wiley, 4th ed.. [Google Scholar]
Schein EH. 2013. Humble Inquiry San Francisco: Berrett/Kohler [Google Scholar]
Schein EH, Hall DT. 1967. The student image of the teacher. J. Appl. Behav. Sci 3:305–37 [Google Scholar]
Schein EH, Van Maanen J. 2013. Career Anchors San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 4th ed.. [Google Scholar]
Sherif M, Sherif C. 1969. Social Psychology New York: Harper & Rowe [Google Scholar]
Trist E, Murray H. 1990. The Social Engagement of Social Science Vol. 1 Philadelphia: Univ. Pa. Press [Google Scholar]
Trist E, Murray H. 1993. The Social Engagement of Social Science Vol. 2 Philadelphia: Univ. Pa. Press [Google Scholar]
Van Maanen J. 2005. Mickey on the move: observations on the flow of culture in the multinational corporation. Organizational Theory and the Multinational Corporation Westney E. 255–300 New York: St. Martin’s, 2nd ed.. [Google Scholar]
Zuboff S. 1984. In the Age of the Smart Machine New York: Basic Books [Google Scholar]

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