96194 - RESEARCH AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN WOP PSYCHOLOGY

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

At the end of the module students will be able to design a research/intervention study in the field of Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology to assess common questions regarding the relationship between psychological variables, display effectively the findings to different audicences, and to develop project management skills in research and innovation activities

Contenuti

1. Tools for decision-making in companies: SWOT, BGC matrix, strategy canvas, Decision tree, Balance Scorecard, Scenario matrix. These decision-making tools can be used by I/O psychologists to help organizations analyze their current situation, develop strategies, and make informed decisions related to human resources, organizational development, and change management initiatives.

2. Research Methods: Correlational vs. causation, theoretical and methodological issues. These research skills are crucial for conducting rigorous studies in organizational contexts, such as understanding the relationships between variables like job satisfaction, performance, and turnover.

3. Research Methods: Main pitfalls in moderation/mediation studies. Moderation and mediation analyses are frequently used in I/O psychology research to examine the complex relationships between variables in the workplace, such as the role of organizational culture in the relationship between leadership and employee engagement.

4. EU research, funding opportunities, and innovation project. Understanding the landscape of research funding and innovation can help I/O psychologists identify opportunities for applied research in organizational settings.

5. Structure of a proposal and example of an H2020 funded project. Knowing how to structure a research proposal and understanding the requirements of funding bodies can help I/O psychologists secure funding for organizational research projects.

6. Project management tools. Project management skills are essential for I/O psychologists working in organizational settings, as they often lead or contribute to projects aimed at improving employee well-being, productivity, and organizational effectiveness.

7. An example of projects applying nudging techniques to change behaviors. Nudging techniques, derived from behavioral economics and psychology, can be applied in organizational contexts to influence employee decision-making and behavior, such as encouraging healthy habits or promoting eco-friendly practices in the workplace.

8. Communication, Dissemination, and Exploitation. Effective communication and dissemination of research findings are crucial for I/O psychologists to ensure that their work has a meaningful impact on organizational practices and policies. Exploitation of research results can lead to the development of evidence-based interventions and tools for improving workplace well-being and performance.

Testi/Bibliografia

The slides and scientific articles presented during the course and uploaded to the VIRTUAL e-learning platform will constitute the basic material for the monthly assignments and the final practical exam.

Suggested texts and further reading:

• Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications.
• Field, A. (2013). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics. sage.
• Singh, H., & Williams, P. S. (2021). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge: PMBOK (®) Guide. In Project Management Institute.

Metodi didattici

Participation. The course is designed to be highly interactive, relying on active student participation. Therefore, attendance is strongly encouraged. Small group work, simulations, case studies and classroom presentations are the main elements of the course. Classroom discussions will be stimulated by reading scientific articles provided on the VIRTUALE platform.
The small group work includes the elaboration of a research/intervention project, a communication plan and a process evaluation design and will conclude with related classroom presentations.

Policy on the use of technology in class. Students are encouraged to take notes on their personal laptops, any other use is highly discouraged. The use of any other devices in class (mobile phones, cameras, etc.) is not permitted. Students who need to use voice recorders for class lectures must receive explicit permission from the teacher to do so.

Code of Ethics. All students are required to follow the University of Bologna's code of ethics. Furthermore, students are expected to treat others, themselves, the professor and the teaching staff with respect and courtesy, including respect for diversity of all kinds.

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

The course incorporates multiple assessments, each contributing to the student's final grade. The grading scale ranges from 0 to 30, with 18 being the minimum passing grade. The assessments include:

1. Individual Home Assignments (up to 15 points):

• Students will receive instructions for these assignments during class.
• These assignments are designed to reinforce concepts learned in class and prepare students for upcoming topics.
• The assignment can be evaluated thourgh the submission of a document or through an in-class test in paper version.

2. Team Project (up to 15 points):

• The course will conclude with a practical application phase where students, divided into teams, will develop a research and innovation proposal.
• Each team will present their expected findings, potential impact, and receive feedback from their peers.

The team project is evaluated based on two components:

a. Content and Proposal Quality (up to 12 points): The research and innovation proposal will be assessed on its technical content, feasibility, and potential impact.

b. Presentation and Communication (up to 3 points): The final presentation will be evaluated on the effectiveness of the team's communication of technical contents and the visual quality of the presentation slides.

The individual home assignments and the team project collectively contribute to the student's final grade in the course, with a maximum of 30 points available across all assessments.

Penalties. A penalty will be applied for each lesson missed (0.5 points for every 2 hours missed) except for justified reasons (e.g. doctor's visits, health problems, emergencies) discussed in advance with the professor. Furthermore, any assignment that is submitted after the deadline, without a proper medical justification or without the prior permission of the tutor involved, will be penalised as follows: 0.5 points will be deducted for each day (including Saturday, Sunday and any holiday) after the deadline. The tasks assigned during the course will have clearly defined objectives and deadlines.

Strumenti a supporto della didattica

The VIRTUALE e-learning platform will be the main support for teaching activities.

Scientific papers, useful materials, further reading, teaching slides and assignments will be made available on the e-learning platform.
At the beginning of the course, all course-related information (exercises, deadlines, assessment criteria, etc.) will be available on the VIRTUALE platform.

The detailed rules for group work will be available for download on the platform VIRTUAL at the beginning of the course and will be explained on the first day of the course.

Students with disabilities or special learning needs are asked to contact the teacher to discuss special needs or possibilities to adapt the exam methods.

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Marco De Angelis

Consulta il sito web di Luca Pietrantoni