Magnus Sverke Professor of Work and Organizational Psychology
Contact
Name and title: Magnus SverkeProfessor of Work and Organizational Psychology
Workplace: Department of Psychology Länk till annan webbplats.
Visiting address Albanovägen 12
Postal address Psykologiska institutionen106 91 Stockholm
About me
I am Chair Professor of Work and Organizational Psychology and Head of the Division of Work and Organizational Psychology at the Department of Psychology since 2006. I received my PhD degree in psychology in 1995, was promoted to associate professor in 2000, and promoted to full professor in 2004, all at the Department of Psychology, Stockholm University. During my PhD studies (1990-1995), I worked at the Swedish Center for Working Life/the Swedish National Institute for Working Life, after having completed studies on personnel, working life and organization, after which I worked as an externally funded researcher and senior lecturer at the Department of Psychology (1996-2004). Before starting my academic career, I worked as health and care assistant, navy officer, boat builder, leisure leader, and junior high school teacher, and at a moving company (1979-1990).
My research interests generally concerns the importance of the psychosocial work environment and organizational factors for employees’ work-related attitudes and behavior, health and well-being, and career development. I have led a number of research projects focusing on the importance of organizational conditions (structure, leadership, pay system, employment contracts) and organizational changes (downsizing, mergers, privatization) for the individual. I also have a genuine interest in industrial relations and relations between employers and trade unions.
I have taught at the undergraduate level since 1994, at the advanced level since 1998 and at the research level since 1999. My teaching is about organizational psychology, stress and health, leadership, research methodology, statistics, questionnaire design, and structural equation modeling. I have supervised a number of students at different levels.
My teaching includes various areas of work and organizational psychology, organizational theory, change management, work and health psychology, pay setting, research methods and statistics, research design, questionnaire design, and structural equation modeling. I am/have been responsible for a number of courses at undergraduate level (since 1994), advanced level (since 1998) and postgraduate level (since 1999) at the Department of Psychology, Stockholm University. I have also taught at other departments at Stockholm University (mainly Stockholm Business School), at other universities in Sweden (Karolinska Institutet and Linköping University) and abroad (mainly New Zeeland, South Africa and Spain, more sporadically in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Norway). I regularly participate as a lecturer at seminars and training programs arranged by labor market parties, interest organizations, and companies/governmental authorities.
Student adviser
I have supervised 24 doctoral dissertations to completion (of which 12 as main aadviser) and am currently involved as research adviser for another six people. See list of supervised doctoral students below. In addition to this, I have supervised 1 licentiate dissertation, 25 student Master's theses and 65 Bachelor's theses.
My research interests include organizational change and its effects on employees, job insecurity, employment contracts, pay and job performance, work climate in relation to employee attitudes, behavior, and well-being, union member attitudes and behavior, as well as career development. Several of the studies I am involved in investigate the effects of organizational characteristics (e.g., structure, leadership, pay systems) and change (downsizing, mergers, privatization) on the individual.
Since my dissertation in 1995, I have received research grants totaling around SEK 70 million as the main applicant (AFA Försäkring, Alecta, Forte, Handelsrådet, Svenskt Näringsliv, SALTSA, Sveriges kommuner och regioner) and as a co-applicant for around SEK 70 million. I am currently leading a Forte-funded research program on non-standard employment arangements (NOWSTARS) and a project on working conditions in the retail sector (Retail as an attractive workplace: The importance of work environment factors for attitudes, behaviors and health) and have just completed a research project on individual pay setting in the private sector (Legitimacy in pay setting).
Review activities
Research councils: I have reviewed research applications for the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (Forte, chair of evaluation committee 2010-2015), AFA Insurance (2015-2020), Finnish Academy (2017-2018) and the Research Council of Norway (2006). In addition, I have had more sporadic assignments for research councils in Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Slovenia and South Africa.
Scientific journals: I have served as associate editor for the European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology (2007- 2011), Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies (2018-), and PsyCh Journal (2011-2014). I have been member of the Editorial Board for Arbetsmarknad & Arbetsliv (2013-2021), European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology (2005-2007), German Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology (2012-), Journal of Occupational Health Psychology (2006-2010), Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology (2006-), Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies (2018-), NUST Journal of Business and Economics (2008-), Occupational Health Science (2017-), PsyCh Journal (2011-2014), Scandinavian Journal of Work Environment and Health (2007-2013), and Scandinavian Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology (2015-).
Entrusted positions
I have been member of the board of the Swedish Research Council of Health, Working Life and Welfare (Forte; 2009-2015), the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences (GIH; 2007-2013), the Department of Psychology, Stockholm University (2006-2020), and the Institute of Applied Behavioral Science, Stockholm University (chairperson 2009-2013). Since 2012 I am member of the Scientific Council of the Swedish Psychological Association. I was Extraordinary Professor at Northwest University im Sydafrika during 2009-2012. In 2014 I was appointed as Fellow of the International Association of Applied Psychology (IAAP), in recognition of outstanding contributions to applied psychology.