Apologies for Cross Posting
Inspired by findings from neighboring discipline Psychology, the primary
managerially oriented subjects Positive Organizational Scholarship (POS)
and Positive Organizational Behavior (POB) emerged in the United States in
2003/04. The prime concern of the proponents is the analysis of conditions
and posibilities to support organizational performance. In this context,
topics of organizational research like virtues, strengths or sense are
relatively uncharted territory. Based on innovative and iinterdisciplinary
characteristics, a new approach towards the organizational and personal
research as well as the business experience is delivered. The best
indication for the dynamic and increasing relevance of this approach proves
to be the recent mentioning in the Harvard Business Review as one of
the Breakthrough Ideas for 2004. In Europe alike, as Positive
Organizational Studies are also gaining its momentum, researchers and
practitioners need to find common platforms to share experiences and
research findings in order to generate new knowledge on how to energize
individuals and organizations to attain better results. The central concern
of Positive Organizational Studies is the investigation of any kind of
positive deviance in organizational settings and the consequences for its
members that accordingly flourish and prosper in extraordinary ways.
Indeed, the disciplines names embody the core values of both
approaches. Positive addresses the affirmative bias
while Organizational refers to the processes and conditions that occur in
organizational contexts.
Though they have a distinctive affirmative bias, Positive Organizational
Studies - as a collective term for POS and POB as well as related concepts -
do not ignore or deny the existence of negative occurrences in
organizations. In contrast, Positive Organizational Studies attempt to
study organizational contexts typified by processes that elicit human
strength, producing resilience and restoration, fostering vitality, and
cultivating extraordinary individuals, units and organizations. They try to
elucidate what represents the optimal of the human condition in
organizations.
Purpose and Possible Topics. The main purpose of this track is to provide
some answers for the questions aired above and thus hooking up to the
overall theme of the conference foster the Energizing of European
Management. Therefore, disciplinary variety as well as manuscripts that
examine these issues from diverse types of activities and industries are
welcomed. Whether papers are based on empirical studies or not, a wide
range of theoretical perspectives may be deployed in addressing these
issues critical and/or descriptive. Papers submitted to this track should
explore relevant questions, including but not being
limited to, the following:
Energizing Networks (intra- and interorganizational)
Positive Relationships at Work
Positive Psychological Capital
Authentic Leadership
Strengths-based Approaches
Positive Affective Experiences (e.g. Emotions)
Meaningfulness
Employee Engagement and Commitment
Positive Deviance
Track Chairs:
Miguel Pereira Lopes (ISPA, Portugal), Stephan Kaiser (KU WFI, Germany),
Gordon Müller-Seitz (KU WFI, Germany), Miguel Pina e Cunha (UNL, Portugal),
and Gerald Wood (Gallup Organization, Germany)
Deadline and Submission Instructions. The papers must be written in English
and will be submitted to a blind review process (only full papers with up
to 7.000 words will be accepted, not abstracts). The submission deadline is
February 01, 2006. Authors should prepare the papers in accordance with the
submission guidelines available at the conference website,
http://www.euram2006.no/. All the papers should be electronically submitted
through the same website. The most significant contributions (both
theoretical and empiric) will be selected and compiled into a publication
to be edited by the track chairs. You are highly welcome to contact Miguel
Lopes(
miguel.lopes@uni.pt) or one of the other convenors for further
information. We are counting on you to help energize the field of positive
organizational studies in Europe!
http://www.euram2006.no
Miguel Lopez
phone: +351 218 811 700
email address:
miguel.lopes@uni.pt
- Address -
Lisbon, Portugal