Perspectives on the Social Utility of Work and Organizational Psychology: a Bit of the Italian Experience Perspective

The present paper is situated within the burgeoning debates about Work and Organizational Psychology (WOP) as socially useful applied research. The paper focuses on the different research approaches marking the relationship between academics and practitioners. Recently, WOP critical perspectives have largely discussed the potential ideological assumptions underpinning theory-building and research-conducting within the field. In parallel, there has been a surge of critical examinations of how contemporary WOP models can bridge the gap between research and practice and how these models can effectively contribute to social and individual needs. These issues highlight the unresolved epistemological and pragmatic questions underpinning the social utility of WOP research. In light of this debate, the paper aims to reflect on the tensions, contradictions, and dilemmas that WOP scholars face in establishing and maintaining relationships with working contexts to engage in socially useful applied research. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 31 Italian WOP academics to explore their research orientations and practices. Considering the concept of social utility, the results show different ways in which WOP scholars interpret and cultivate the relationship with the contexts and how scholars’ practices are linked to their epistemologies and institutional constraints. On this basis, the paper discusses alternatives for stimulating reflections on the future of WOP.