The 2003 Australian Industrial-Organizational Psychology Conference
Janice Langan-Fox
University of Melbourne
The 5th Australian I-O Psychology conference was held in Melbourne in the State of Victoria, on June 2629th at the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Modeled on the SIOP conference, the Australian conference has attracted a wide range of high quality research. The 5th conference was another outstanding success. More than 18 countries were represented across 580 delegates. Seven keynote presentations were delivered by researchers highly regarded in their particular fields. Speaking on a broad range of I-O topics, were
Michael Frese (entrepreneurship and personal initiative), Neil Anderson
(selection and assessment) Richard Klimoski (teams), Roy Lewicki
(conflict and negotiation), Murray Barrick (personality), and Sharon Parker
(work design). SIOP members were well represented in this list. There was a Practitioner keynotean innovation for this years conference (Psychological Testing: Rogues, Romance and Roadside Assistance).
A diverse range of theme topics of interest to both academic and practitioner audiences were covered by the total 164 presented papers. These included 15 symposia, 53 posters, and 60 individual papers on teams, gender and work, groups, organizational change, selection and training, leadership, organizational culture, trust and empowerment, measurement, procedural justice and the psychological contract, motivation, occupational health and well-being, performance, organizational identity, and careers.
In opening the conference, as chair of the organizing committee, I noted that the conference, occurring biannually, was now a highlight of the Australian I-O scene. A number of international events had the potential to influence attendance (terrorism, SARS, war), but early international marketing of the conference seems to have been successful in attracting high numbers of delegates.
Socially, the conference was innovative. For instance, the Conference Dinner/Dance, normally held in the conference hotel, was located at a nearby historic theatre (the Regent); there was a Cocktail Food Fair that accompanied the opening ceremony; and a sit-down luncheon for the Elton Mayo award ceremony, which this year had two awards: practitioner and academic. Dr. Geoff Kelso (presented posthumously) and Professor Tony Winefield of University of South Australia were the winners of these awards.
The next conference will be held in 2005 on the Gold Coast, south of Brisbane, Queensland. Preparations are already underway in preparing for this event. The weather should be a bit warmer in Queensland than that experienced by delegates this year in Melbournemore than 3,000 miles south!
January 2004 Table
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