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The Organizational Neuroscience Interest Group (NEU) is dedicated to using neuroscience knowledge and approaches at different levels in organizations, as well as promoting linkages to management practice

 

We encourage knowledge generation through theoretical propositions and/or empirical evidence pertaining to the neural mechanisms associated with behavior in the workplace. Concurrently, the interest group seeks to understand how the environment, culture, and institutions can affect organizational actors’ nervous system functioning. By considering neuroscience at different levels of analysis in organizations, we encourage interdisciplinarity and multi-methods research. Moreover, we stress ethical considerations when using neuroscience technology in workplace research.

Dear all,

The Organizational Neuroscience Interest Group (NEU) is now in its fourth year! We, as a community, have made incredible strides since the foundation of NEU. Interest in NEU remains strong, and growth of membership is on an upward trajectory. We also boast an increasingly diverse membership, both in terms of our members affiliation with every other division of the AOM, and nationality. Many of our members are doctoral students or are in the early stages of their careers. In addition, more than ten percent of our members are executive members, which is among the higher percentages in the AOM.

 

In response to our growing membership, the Executive Committee, with support from our members, expanded our domain statement to focus on “broader biologically-based approaches at different levels of analysis in organizations,” including generating knowledge “through theoretical propositions and/or empirical evidence pertaining to neural, physiological, and micro-behavioral mechanisms associated with work-related behavior and outcomes.” To better align NEUs domain statement and name, we have initiated the process to change our name to “Organizational Neuroscience and Biology” (ONB). We are optimistic that this broadened scope and name change will contribute to introducing new methods to management research, and the translation of research findings into practice.

 

Established on the aforementioned goals, the NEU held its first specialized regional conference at Erasmus University in Rotterdam in June 2023. Attendees engaged in robust discussions and experienced the application of biological methods in applied management research. Our growing NEU community was also introduced to leading journal editors. The conference, by all accounts, was very successful and suggests that management scholars and practitioners' interest in the application of neuroscience theory and methodology are intact, and spans across multiple fields. It is evident that the varying and intersecting perspectives embodying the NEU community will further facilitate improved understanding of the antecedents motivating human behavior in organizations. These innovations will help the NEU achieve our aim to improve leadership effectiveness, employee wellbeing, and organizational performance.

 

Looking ahead to the years to come, the NEU has set multifaceted and dynamic strategic goals. These include activities aimed at increasing our membership, providing educational programming about NEU methodologies using varying platforms, developing sponsorship to support our activities, planning regional conferences, and increasing submissions to the annual conference. Furthermore, we will pursue efforts that deepen our linkages to other Divisions and Interest Groups that host scholars pursuing related approaches.

 

My hope is that we can continue to rely on your continued involvement and contributions, as we embark on implementing our ambitious and exciting strategic goals.

 

Jemima A. Frimpong

Associate Professor of Management, Stern at NYUAD

Associate Professor of Social Research and Public Policy, NYUAD

Chair, NEU IG