Seminar (Dept. of Organization and Human Resources)

Title: Applying a Psychological Perspective to Understand Management Phenomena: My experiences when studying board effectiveness, and my tips when aiming for publishing in AMJ

Speaker: Floor Rink (University of Groningen)

Time: 15:00 (Wednesday), November 23, 2022

Venue: Room 1008, Mingde Business Building, Online Meeting

Language：English

ABSTRACT:

In this talk I argue that applying psychological theory to understand management phenomena can yield valuable results because it allows scholars to effectively bridge the micro and macro domains in our field. This integration is important because it helps solve inconsistent findings across these domains or different levels (i.e., the individual, team, or organizational level). I will first illustrate two of our own ‘bridging’ attempts when studying board effectiveness. In one Study, we have relied on psychological theory to demonstrate (and explain) why the status and influence patterns among directors in boards are gendered. In another Study, we have conducted a meta-analysis to test the predictive value of psychological board processes, relative to structural governance factors, in explaining the strategic decisions that boards make. Next, I will provide some tips on how to publish micro-macro research in AMJ.

SHORT BIOGRAPHY:

Floor Rink is full professor at the faculty of Economics and Business from the University of Groningen (The Netherlands), where she is the research director of the Organizational Behavior department (since 2017). Floor applies psychology theory to explain people’s responses to organizational and economic phenomena. She uses both quantitative and qualitative methods in her research (e.g., surveys, experiments, ESM, archival data, case studies). Floor’s two main areas of expertise are: (1) issues related to social inequality (e.g., diversity, status and power dynamics, identity processes) and (2) strategic leadership and governance (e.g., CEO/board decision making, ethics). Her findings have been published in academic journals like the Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, Psychological Science, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, and the Academy of Management Annals. She held visiting positions at Kellogg School of Management and Exeter University and is currently a research affiliate of the Global Institute for Women's Leadership at the Australian National University (ANU). Floor served as an Associate Editor of the Academy of Management Journal from 2019 to 2022. She will continue this role in the new editorial team (2022-2025), with a specific emphasis on transparency and cross-boundary research.