The Practice of I/O Psychology:
Where Are We Now, and Where Are We Going?
Debra R. Medina
Wilson Learning Corporation
In October 1995, the Central Florida Industrial/Organizational (CFIO) psychology interest group, headed by Ed Levine of University of South Florida, convened to begin identifying the issues and trends that lie ahead for the practice of I/O psychology. I/O practitioners and graduate students from Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville attended the evening session. The meeting, hosted by Wilson Learning Corporation, addressed three fundamental questions regarding the future practice of I/O psychology:
The Change Module
| 1.What changes or trends in business do you think will impact I/O psychology over the next five years?
With the symbol delta representing change, participants were asked to identify the key future trends and strategic challenges likely to impact the I/O psychology profession over the next five years.
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The Bi-Polar Current Status Module
| 2.What are the current strengths and weaknesses of I/O practitioners?
The symbol is designed to reflect a two-dimensional current status assessment. Working from Kurt Lewin's concept of "force-field" analysis, participants were asked to focus simultaneously on the positives and negatives of I/O psychology practitioners.
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The Profile of Success Module |
3. What does success look like?
This symbol represents a bull's-eye. The intent of this module was to encourage participants to be specific and definitive about the characteristics of future success.
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The meeting attendees addressed these key questions using Wilson Learning's Innovator technology. The Innovator is a group-processing tool (using wireless response keypads) that allows people to discus and vote on solutions to current/future performance issues. The session combined this computerized group-polling capability with a structured, facilitated process to maximize group diagnosis, analysis, and action planning. Since this normally day-long session was condensed into an hour-long meeting, lists of items to be considered in the rating process were prepared in advance. The experience of participating in this focus session was very enlightening, and some of the more significant results are detailed below.
To begin the meeting on a light note, a vote was taken on what kind of car best represents the practice of I/O psychology. Students and practitioners agreed that I/O was not a "just-for-fun" convertible, nor was it a "fast-moving, dazzling, impractical" Ferrari. Instead, I/O Psychology was viewed as resembling both a "versatile, practical, enjoyable" Jeep or a "quality, for a price" Lexus.
Then, our first real challenge was to identify the environmental changes expected to impact the practice of I/O psychology. According to the respondents, the changes and trends most likely to impact the practice of I/O psychology in the next five years are shown in Table 1. Results reflect the ratings of Students vs. Practitioners.
Table 1
Business Changes or Trends Perceived to Have an Impact on I/O Psychology
| Students (n = 28) | Practitioners (n = 19) |
| Contract employees/temporary labor | Globalization |
| Increased technology | Increasing demand for just-in-time solutions |
| Proliferation of training programs | Businesses trying to do more with less |
| Teaming | Integration of business and HR departments |
After discussing the environmental changes expected to influence the practice of I/O psychology, participants shared their input on I/O psychologists' current strengths and weaknesses. The top strengths and weaknesses as seen by the respondents are presented in Table 2.
Table 2
Perceived Strengths and Weaknesses of I/O Practitioners
| Students (n = 28) | Practitioners (n = 19) |
| Strengths: | Strengths: |
| Resolving problems incorporating business and people issues | Resolving problems incorporating business and people issues |
| Providing defensible/reliable means of measuring behaviors | Providing defensible/reliable means of measuring behaviors |
| Central discipline for the "people" resource | Understanding human behavior |
| Weaknesses: | Weaknesses: |
| Can't market ourselves effectively. | Practitioners lack business/corporate perspective. |
| Curriculum/training is too academically focused. | I/O practice is too labor-intensive. |
| Can't translate our services to dollar value. | Can't translate our services to dollar value. |
The results of the polling indicate that some differences exist between students and practitioners in their perceptions of the trends in I/O psychology and the major strengths and weaknesses of practitioners. Students need to carefully consider these perceptual differences to ensure that their preparation (e.g., practicum/internship placements, thesis topics, course work) aligns with how current practitioners view the I/O discipline and the changing demands.
Finally, the group discussed the types of successes the practice of I/O psychology would like to experience by the year 2000. Some overriding themes generated by the group include the following:
I/O practitioners and the business community will have a greater understanding of and respect for each other.
I/O practitioners will deliver reliable and valid products more quickly and cost-effectively.
The I/O practice will have a more positive impact on work life.
Businesses will view I/O practitioners and their services as a necessity, not a luxury.
Time did not permit a discussion regarding how we, as I/Os, can make these ideal successes a reality or to discus next steps. Therefore, the attendees were urged to address these issues alone and in discussions with colleagues. Likewise, I urge you to envision what success for I/O Psychology looks like to you in the year 2000 and encourage you to begin taking steps now to make that vision a reality. (Special thanks to Wayne Burroughs, Ph.D., and Rich Forman of University of Central Florida for their input.)
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