Professional Practice Series, Organizational Frontiers Series Editors Needed

SIOP Book Series Editors Share Their Experiences

The nomination deadline for the positions of editor of the Professional Practice Series and the Organizational Frontiers Series has been extended to September 7! Current editors Elaine Pulakos, editor of the Professional Practice Series, and Kevin Murphy, coeditor (with Angelo DeNisi) of the Organizational Frontiers Series, recently shared some of their experiences, which may prompt you to throw your hat in the ring!

What should SIOP members know about the book series that they may not currently know?
Pulakos: SIOP members may be under a misperception of how much time it takes to serve as editor of the Professional Practice Series. First, you have a capable editorial board working with you and the main job is to generate volume ideas and recruit editors. Then much of the work to produce the book falls on the editor of the volume, not the editorial board and series editor. So relatively speaking, of all the SIOP roles I have held or committees I have chaired, editing the Professional Practice Book Series is probably one of the most rewarding and frankly least amount of work compared to the others. This role also comes with low administrative requirements.

Murphy: We are coming up on the 30th anniversary of the launch of the Organizational Frontiers Series, and over that time the series has covered a wide range of topics that are important for understanding behavior in organizations but that do not always get sufficient attention in the I-O literature (e.g., neurodiversity, negotiation, nepotism).

What would you regard as your proudest achievement as series editor?
Pulakos: That we have generated interesting volumes that will add value to the field. The goal is a minimum of one volume per year, so again it is quite easy to find at least one volume editor annually who is willing to produce a timely topic that will be of interest to I-O psychologists.

Murphy: Increasing the international reach of the Frontiers series, with more international representation on its editorial board and in its series authors and editors.

These series editor positions are widely regarded as high-profile "thought leader" roles within SIOP. In your view, how do these series editor positions influence SIOP and the field of I-O?
Pulakos: I don’t think the job of the editor is to influence the field as much as it is to stay tuned-in and aware of the most pressing current issues and challenges I-O psychologists are facing in organizations as well as emerging topics that are or will impact practice. I also think it is important for each book in the Professional Practice Series to offer useful, actionable information that will help I-O psychologists offer innovative thinking and improved practices to their organizations or clients.

Murphy: The role pushes series editors to think broadly about our field and to identify areas of research that are likely to become increasingly important in the future. Many volumes have served to spur the development of research into then-understudied areas of I-O psychology.

What message would you want to convey to SIOP Fellows or Members who are considering applying for the series editor positions?
Pulakos: Do it. It is the most rewarding SIOP role I have undertaken, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it.

Murphy: The Frontiers Series has long been an important part of SIOP, and it gives you a real opportunity to help shape the field for decades to come.

The new editors will be selected by the Publications Board and approved by the Executive Board. The selected editors will begin working with incumbent editors beginning December 2022 and will assume duty beginning April 1, 2023.

An editor must be a SIOP Fellow or Member. Any SIOP Fellow or Member can nominate individuals for the editorship. Self-nominations are also welcome. SIOP is committed to diversity, and to that end we encourage nominations involving historically underrepresented groups and international members.

The complete call with nomination instructions can be found on the SIOP website.

Professional Practice Series

Organizational Frontiers Series