Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Internationalizing the Curriculum in Organizational Psychology pp 17–40Cite as

Challenges and opportunities to developing South–North program partnerships

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Abstract

This chapter poses a number of practical and ethical considerations to developing internationally focused curricula and effective South–North partnerships. We focus on the differences, disparities, and power imbalances within our discipline, and reframe these as valuable learning opportunities to develop a new generation of globally and socially aware organizational psychologists.

Current organizational psychology curricula tend to be dominated by constructs originating from a so-called “Western” context, typically the USA, the UK, and Western Europe. While cross-cultural psychology has begun to infuse certain areas of organizational psychology, there is often an implicit assumption that constructs can be seamlessly exported to “non-Western” cultures. In addition to this, research examples typically used in courses, and in mainstream textbooks themselves, largely come from “Western” country settings, with little reflection of the types of challenges organizations in other countries face. Many students graduate with an awareness of today’s globally connected world, but little knowledge of the challenges faced by organizations in “non-Western” countries. A discussion of these challenges is crucial for developing the next generation of graduates, more and more of whom will be charged with working in a global labor market.

This chapter unpacks historical issues of dominance and power within our discipline, and outlines some of the important work being undertaken to expand the horizons of organizational psychology, for example, through a movement called ‘humanitarian work psychology’ (HWP). We highlight the critical need for all psychologists to remember that internationalizing a discipline is not about taking ’our’ discipline into a global arena, but about working to develop locally appropriate constructs, measures, and research as well. Just as organizations looking to expand into other country settings cannot do so without stopping to think about (and listen to) the cultural and human capital differences within that foreign context, so also our classes cannot be exported to different country settings without those same considerations (like developing local measures and broadening constructs).

Organizational psychology as a discipline needs to respond to the demands of a constantly evolving ’global’ business community. This chapter addresses strategies for balancing the local needs with the global when developing organizational psychology programs and courses.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    See http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jan/29/apple-faces-boycott-worker-abuses.

  2. 2.

    See http://www.gohwp.org.

  3. 3.

    See previous URL.

  4. 4.

    See http://www.siop.org.

  5. 5.

    For details, see http://poverty.massey.ac.nz/#global_issue.

  6. 6.

    See http://www.svym.org/index.html.

  7. 7.

    See http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/.

References

  • Aguinis, H., Werner, S., Abbott, J. L., Angert, C., Park, J. H., & Kohlhausen, D. (2010). Customer-centric science: Reporting significant research results with rigor, relevance, and practical impact in mind. Organizational Research Methods, 13(3), 515–539.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aguilera, R. V., Rupp, D. E., Williams, C. A., & Ganapathi, J. (2007). Putting the S back in Corporate Social Responsibility: A multilevel theory of social change in organizations. Academy of Management Review, 32(3), 836–863.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amin, M., MacLachlan, M., Mannan, H., El Tayeb, S., El Khatim, A., Swartz, L, Munthali, A., van Rooy, G., McVeigh, J., Eide, A., & Schneider, M. (2011). EquiFrame: A framework for analysis of the inclusion of human rights and vulnerable groups in health policies. Health & Human Rights, 13(2), 1–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ash, S. L., & Clayton, P. H. (2004). The articulated learning: An approach to guided reflection and assessment. Innovative Higher Education, 29(2), 137–154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ash, S. L., & Clayton, P. (2009). Generating, deepening, and documenting learning: The power of critical reflection in applied learning. Journal of Applied Learning in Higher Education, 1, 25–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berry, M. O., Reichman, W., Klobas, J., MacLachlan, M., Hui, H. C., & Carr, S. C. (2011). Humanitarian work psychology: The contributions of organizational psychology to poverty reduction. Journal of Economic Psychology, 32(2), 240–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bloom, M. (1999). The performance effects of pay dispersion on individuals and organizations. Academy of Management Journal, 42(1), 25–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bringle, R.G. & Hatcher, J.A. (2011). International service learning. In R.G. Bringle, J.A. Hatcher and S.G. Jones (Eds.). International service learning: Conceptual frameworks and research. Stirling, Virginia: Stylus Publishing. pp. 3-29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brislin, R. W. (1980). Translation and content analysis of oral and written materials. In H. C. Triandis & J. W. Berry (Eds.), Handbook of cross-cultural psychology (vol. 2, pp. 389–444). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burke, M. A., & Pupulin, A. (2009). Building an inclusive national strategy for disabled children in Kyrgyzstan through an application of the BIAS FREE Framework. In M. MacLachlan & L. Swartz (Eds.), Disability and international development: Towards inclusive global health. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Byrne, B. M., Oakland, T., Leong, F. T. L., van de Vijver F. J. R., Hambleton, R. K., Cheung, F. M., & Bartram, D. (2009). A critical analysis of cross-cultural research and testing practices: Implications for improved education and training in psychology. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 3(2), 94–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caligiuri, P. M. (2000). The big five personality characteristics as predictors of expatriates’ desire to terminate the assignment and supervisor-rated performance. Personnel Psychology, 53, 67–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carr, S. C., & MacLachlan, M. (1998). Psychology in developing countries: Reassessing its impact. Psychology and Developing Societies, 10(1), 1–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carr, S. C., MacLachlan, M., Reichman, W., Klobas, J., Berry, M. O., & Furnham, A. (2008). Organizational psychology and poverty reduction: Where supply meets demand. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 29, 843–851.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carr, S. C., McWha, I., MacLachlan, M., & Furnham, A. (2010). International:Local remuneration differences across six countries: Do they undermine poverty reduction work? International Journal of Psychology, 45(5), 321–340.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carr, S. C., MacLachlan, M., & Furnham, A. (Eds.). (2012). Humanitarian work psychology. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carr, S. C., Thompson, L. F., Reichman, W., McWha, I., Marai, L., MacLachlan, M., & Baguma, P. (2013). Humanitarian work psychology: Concepts to contributions. Society for industrial and organizational psychology, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheung, G. W., & Rensvold, R. B. (2000). Assessing extreme and acquiescence response sets in cross-cultural research using structural equations modeling. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 31(2), 187–212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crampton, P., Dowell, A., Parkin, C., Thompson, C. (2003). Combating effects of racism through a cultural immersion medical education programme. Academic Medicine, 78(6), 595–598.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • de Klerk, G. (2008) Cross-cultural testing. In M. Born, C. D. Foxcroft, & R. Butter (Eds.), Online Readings in Testing and Assessment. International Test Commission. http://www.intestcom.org/Publications/ORTA.php

  • Dickmann, M., & Harris, H. (2005). Developing career capital for global careers: The role of international assignments. Journal of World Business, 40, 399–408.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Erez, M. (1994). Towards a model of cross-cultural I/O psychology. In M. D. Dunnett, L. Hough, & H. Triandis (Eds.), Handbook of industrial and organizational Psychology (2nd edn., vol. 4, pp. 569–607). Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologists Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eyler, J., & Giles, D. E. (1999). Where’s the learning in service-learning? San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farh, J., Zhong, C., & Organ, D. W. (2004). Organizational citizenship behavior in the People’s Republic of China. Organization Science, 15(2), 241–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farh, C. I. C., Bartol, M., K., Shapiro, D. L., & Shin, J. (2010). Networking abroad: A process model of how expatriates form support ties to facilitate adjustment. Academy of Management Review, 35(3), 434–454.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farmer, P. (2003). Pathologies of Power: Health, human rights and the new war on the poor. Los Angeles: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freire, P. (1970). Cultural action and conscientization. Harvard Educational Review, 40(3), 452–477.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fulcher, G. (1989). Theorizing disability. In: Disabling policies (A comparative approach to education policy and disability) (pp. 48–59). London: The Falmer Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs, J. L. (2009). Culture as kaleidoscope: Navigating cultural tensions in global collaboration. International workshop on intercultural collaboration. Palo Alto.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gelfand, M. J., Nishii, L. H., Holcombe, K. M., Dyer, N., Ohbuchi, K., & Fukuno, M. (2001). Cultural influences on cognitive representations of conflict: interpretations of conflict episodes in the United States and Japan. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86, 1059–1074.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Heinrich, J., Heine, S. J., & Norenzayan, A. (2010). Most people are not WEIRD. Nature, 466, 29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hudson, S., & Inkson, K. (2007). Overseas development workers: “Big Five” personality scores. Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology, 1(1), 5–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hui, C. H., & Triandis, H. C. (1989). Effects of culture and response format on extreme response style. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 20(3), 296–309.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, T. (2002). The management of people across cultures: Valuing people differently. Human Resource Management, 41(4), 455–475.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiely, R. (2004). A chameleon with a complex: Searching for transformation in international service-learning. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 10(2), http://www.freepatentsonline.com/article/Michigan-Journal-Community-Service-Learning/206689602.html.

  • Klein, K. J., & Kozlowski, S. W. J. (Eds.). (2000). Multilevel theory, research, and methods in organizations: Foundations, extensions, and new directions. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Landy, F. J., & Conte, J. M. (2009). Work in the 21st century: An introduction to industrial and organizational psychology (3rd ed.). I. Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leung, K., & Peterson, M. (2011). Managing a globally distributed workforce: Social and interpersonal issues. In S. Zedeck (Ed.), APA handbook of industrial and organizational psychology, Vol. 3: Maintaining, expanding and contracting the organization (pp. 771–805). Washington: American Psychological Association.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, X., & Shaffer, M. A. (2005). An investigation of expatriate adjustment and performance: A social capital perspective. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, 5(3), 235–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacLachlan, M. (1991). Seeing to yourself: Between the consultant and the client. The Occupational Psychologist, 15, 34–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • MacLachlan, M., & Carr, S. C. (1994). Pathways to a Psychology for Development: Reconstituting, restating, refuting and realising. Psychology and Developing Societies, 6(1), 21–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacLachlan, M., & Carr, S. C. (2005). The human dynamics of aid. OECD Policy Insights. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/35/56/35041556.pdf.

  • MacLachlan, M. (2006) Culture and Health: A Critical Perspective Towards Global Health. Chichester: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • MacLachlan, M., Carr, S. C., & McAuliffe, E. (2010). The aid triangle: Recognizing the human dynamics of dominance, justice and identity. London: Zed Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • MacLachlan, M., Amin, M., Mannan, H., El Tayeb, S., El Khatim, A., Swartz, L., Munthali, A., & Van Rooy, G. (2012). Inclusion and human rights in African health policies: Using EquiFrame for comparative and benchmarking analysis of 50 policies from Malawi, Sudan, South Africa & Namibia. PLoS One, 7(5), e35864. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0035864.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mao, H. Y. (2006). The relationship between organizational level and workplace friendship. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 17(10), 1819–1833. Retrieved from Go to ISI: //000242213000006.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marai, L., Kewibu, V., Kinkin, E., Peniop, J. P., Salini, C., & Kofana, G. (2010). Remuneration disparities in Oceania: Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. International Journal of Psychology, 45(5), 350-359.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marsella, A. J. (1998). Toward a “Global-Community Psychology”. American Psychologist, 53(12), 1282–1291.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McWha, I., & MacLachlan, M. (2011). Measuring relationships between workers in poverty-focused organisations. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 26(6), 485–499.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McWha, I., Carr, S. C., & MacLachlan, M. (2012). Facilitating the process of globally distributed development-focused research teams. In S. C. Carr, M. MacLachlan, & A. Furnham (Eds.). Humanitarian work psychology (pp. 80–102). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • McWha, I., Gloss, A., Godbout, J., Marai, L., Abdul-Nasiru, I., Thompson, L. F., & Berry, M. O. (2013). Humanitarian work psychology: An emerging community of practice in I-O psychology. Cross-Cultural Psychology Bulletin, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mendenhall, M., & Oddou, G. (1985). The Dimensions of Expatriate Acculturation: A Review. The Academy of Management Review, 10(1), 39–47. Academy of Management. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/258210.

  • Mji, G., Gcaza, S., Melling-Willams, N., & Maclachlan, M. (2009). Networking in Disability for Development: Introducing the African Network for Evidence—to—Action on Disability (AfriNEAD) In M. MacLachlan & L. Swartz (Eds.), Disability & International Development: Towards inclusive global health (pp. 69–89). London: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Mji, G, Gcaza, S, Swartz, L, MacLachlan, M., & Hutton, B. (2011). An African way of networking around disability. Disability & Society, 26(3), 365–368.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mkhize, N. (1973). Psychology: An African perspective. In D. Hook (Ed.), Critical psychology. Cape Town: UCT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mpofu, E. (2002). Psychology in sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges, prospects and promises. International Journal of Psychology, 37(3), 179–186.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Munthali, A., Matagi, L., & Tumwebaze, C. (2010). Remuneration discrepancies in the landlocked economies of Malaŵi and Uganda. International Journal of Psychology, 45, 341-9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osicki, M., & Carr, S. C. (2010). Pro-social I-O—Quo Vadis? New diplomacies in corporate social responsibility. The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist, 48, 111–114.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfeffer, J., & Langton, N. (1993). The effect of wage dispersion on satisfaction, productivity, and working collaboratively: Evidence from college and university faculty. Administrative Science Quarterly, 38, 382–407.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Porter, M. E., & Kramer, M. R. (2006). Strategy and society: The link between competitive advantage and corporate social responsibility. Harvard Business Review, 84(12), 78–92.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pratto, F., Sidanius, J., & Levin, S. (2006). Social dominance theory and the dynamics of intergroup relations: Taking stock and looking forward. European Review of Social Psychology, 17, 271–320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rousseau, D.M. & Fried, Y. (2001). Location, location, location: Contextualizing organizational research. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 22(1), 1-13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rummens, S. (2009). No Justice without democracy: A deliberative approach to the Global distribution of wealth. International Journal of Philosophical Studies, 17(5), 657–680.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rupp, D. E., Shao, R., Thornton, M. A., & Skarlicki, D. P. (2013). Applicants’ and employees’ reactions to corporate social responsibility: The moderating effects of first-party justice perceptions and moral identity. Personnel Psychology, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, A.M. & Gelfand, M. (2012). Going global: Internationalizing the organizational psychology curriculum. In F.T.L. Leong, W.E. Pickzen, M.M Leach & A.J. Marsella (Eds.). Internationalizing the Psychology Curriculum in the United States. New York, NY: Springer, pp. 245–261.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scholz, U., Dona, B. G., Sud, S., & Schwarzer, R. (2002). Is general self-efficacy a universal construct? European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 18(3), 242–251.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Serpell, R. (2007). Bridging between orthodox western higher educational practices and an African socio-cultural context Comparative Education, 43(1), 23-51

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, J. D., Gupta, N., & Delery, J. E. (2002). Pay dispersion and workforce performance: Moderating effects of incentives and interdependence. Strategic Management Journal, 23(6), 491–512.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sidanius, J. & Pratto, F. (1999). Social dominance: An inter-group theory of social hierarchy and oppression. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siegel, P. A., & Hambrick, D. C. (2005). Pay disparities within top management groups: Evidence of harmful effects on performance of high-technology firms. Organization Science, 16(3), 259–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh-Manoux, A. (2005). Socialization & Health inequalities: Some clarifications. A reply to Kendall & Li, and Siegal & Abound. Social Science and Medicine, 61, 2277–2279.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stahl, G. K., Maznevski, M. L., Voigt, A., & Jonsen, K. (2010). Unraveling the effects of cultural diversity in teams: A meta-analysis of research on multicultural work groups. Journal of International Business Studies, 41, 690–709.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Varma, A., Pichler, S., Budhwar, P., & Biswas, S. (2009). Chinese host country nationals’ willingness to support expatriates: The role of collectivism, interpersonal affect and guanxi. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, 9(2), 199–216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Werner D, Saunders D. The demise of primary health care and the rise of the child survival revolution In: The politics of primary health care and child survival. Palo Alto (CA). Health Wrights 1997. p.23-30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou, E., Lu, Z., Li, X., Li, T., Papola, T. S., Pais, J., & Sahu, P. P. (2010). Remuneration differences in the emerging economies of China and India. International Journal of Psychology, 45, 360-70.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr Arun Karpur and Dr R. Balasubraniam for providing details of the ILR-SVYM GSL Program.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cornell University, 201 Dolgen Hall, 14850, Ithaca NY, USA

    Ishbel McWha PhD

  2. University of Stellenbosch, PO Box 19063, 7505, Tygerburg, South Africa

    Gubela Mji PhD

  3. Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland

    Malcolm MacLachlan PhD

  4. Massey University, Private Bag 102-904 North Shore Mail Centre, 0745, Auckland, New Zealand

    Stuart C. Carr PhD

Authors
  1. Ishbel McWha PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gubela Mji PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Malcolm MacLachlan PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Stuart C. Carr PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ishbel McWha PhD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Cross Cultural Management, The Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, USA

    Richard L. Griffith

  2. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

    Lori Foster Thompson

  3. The Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida, USA

    Brigitte K. Armon

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

McWha, I., Mji, G., MacLachlan, M., Carr, S. (2014). Challenges and opportunities to developing South–North program partnerships. In: Griffith, R., Thompson, L., Armon, B. (eds) Internationalizing the Curriculum in Organizational Psychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9402-7_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation