Repositioning Industrial Psychology for the creation of new futures in turbulent times

Abstract

It is argued that the current management paradigm has an obsession with financial statements and comparisons, or cost reduction, no matter what the price is in long term organisational and societal terms. The author does not suggest that the bottom line is unimportant, rather that we need to look beyond that. The challenge is to seek knowledge that will assist in addressing the issues that are pertinent to the South African workplace without being oblivious to the bottom line. Improperly framed questions will not elevate the discipline and the profession from a marginal to a strategic role, at least not in organisational settings. The author asserts that Industrial Psychology has a great deal to offer managers regarding what the thrust should be in the creation of new futures in turbulent times. This would require focussing on relevant issues rooted in the workplace.

Opsomming
Die artikel berus op die argument dat die huidige bestuursparadigma plaas ‘n oordrewe klem op finansiële state en vergelykings, of koste-verlaging, ongeag die lang termyn organisatoriese en sosiale prys wat betaal word. Die skrywer stel geensins voor dat finansiële prestasie onbelangrik is nie, eerder dat verder as hierdie prestasie gekyk moet word. Die uitdaging is om kennis te skep wat tersaaklike kwessies in die Suid-Afrikaanse werkplek sal aanspreek sonder om finansiële prestasie te onderbeklemtoon. Onbehoorlik geformuleerde vrae sal die dissipline en professie nie vanaf die kantlyn na ‘n strategiese rol verskuif nie, ten minste nie in ‘n organisatoriese opset nie. Daar word geredeneer dat die Bedryfsielkunde ‘n groter bydrae kan maak aan bestuurders t.o.v. wat beklemtoon behoort te word in die skep van nuwe toekomstige moontlikhede tydens dinamies veranderende tye. Hierdie bydrae vereis egter ‘n fokus op toepaslike kwessies in die werkplek.