Edgar H. Schein: Organizational psychology then and now – some observations

A comparison is made between the field of organizational psychology as I saw it in 1965 and how I see it today. Many issues remain the same, but the field is more differentiated, fragmented, and individualized than ever, despite culture, especially national culture, having become a big topic. The field is much larger and has spawned a whole applied field of organization development and new methods of experiential learning. The biggest change has been the decline of work on group dynamics and group interventions reflecting Western cultures of individualism. At the same time, task complexity, interdependency, multiculturalism, social responsibility, and new forms of organization have become new challenges for consultants and researchers because they require relationship building, coordination, and group work.

By Ed Schein