Book review: Psychology in a work context (2nd Ed.)

Abstract

Bergh, Z. & Theron, A.L. (Eds) (2003) Psychology in a work
context (2nd Ed.). Cape Town: Oxford University Press.

This book is an overview and introduction to Industrial and Organisational Psychology. It is a work of ambitious scope, and it is clear that the contributors have invested a great deal of thought and effort in the planning and execution of the book. The current version is the second edition, and it looks set to become one of those standard textbooks that are revised every few years to keep up with changing times. It is a handsome volume, produced to a high standard of editorial care, pleasingly laid out and organised well enough to be useful as an occasional reference source. An English-Afrikaans glossary, tables of contents for every chapter as well as for the entire book, a comprehensive index and extensive bibliography make it easy to retrieve the information relating to a particular topic. Every chapter ends with a conclusion summarising the gist of the material covered. Quality illustrations lighten the tone and help to bring some of the concepts to life. Learning outcomes and self-assessment exercises and questions for every chapter will be useful to the lecturer using the book as a source for a tutored course, and for the student studying by distance learning. If sold at the suggested retail price, the book represents good value compared to imported textbooks that cover similar ground.