Hans van Dijk, MA

My research focuses on three areas: Diversity and inclusion, refugee integration, and meta-science.

Diversity and Inclusion

Most research on diversity and inclusion either focuses on the business case for diversity in trying to determine how organizations can reap the benefits from diversity, or they focus on the individual experiences of women and minorities in how they are disadvantaged and face inequality in many different organizational arena's (van Dijk, van Engen, & Paauwe, 2012). In my research, I aim to bridge these two sides. In some studies, such as the meta-analysis on the relationship between diversity and work group performance (van Dijk, van Engen, & van Knippenberg, 2012), I mainly focus on the business case. In other studies, such as the longitudinal study on group identification (Meeussen & van Dijk, 2016), I focus on how the position of individual group members can be improved. However, in most studies, I examine how stereotypes (e.g., van Dijk, Meyer, van Engen, & Loyd, 2017; van Dijk & van Engen, 2019) and satus attributions (e.g., van Dijk, Meyer, & van Engen, 2018; van Dijk, Shantz, & Alfes, 2019; van Dijk & van Engen, 2013) shape behavior and performance in and of diverse work groups. My current work in this area focuses on how these insights can be used to leverage inclusion (Dwertmann & van Dijk, in press; van Dijk & Meeussen, in press). 

I have conducted applied research projects in this area for Shell and for the cultural and creative sectors. At the moment, I run a Scan Diversity and Inclusion for organizations in the cultural and creative sectors to help them understand where there is room for improvement in the area of diversity and inclusion. I have also developed an Inclusive Behavior Training that organizations can use for improving their daily practice of inclusion.

Refugee integration

Building on my diversity and inclusion expertise, I started working on a number of projects regarding refugee inclusion in organizations, and refugee integration in society. A number of these projects resulted from a two-day conference on refugee integration I co-organized in collaboration with PWC and Ashoka - among others. 

One of these studies looks at individual, organizational, and contextual barriers to the inclusion of refugees in organizations (Knappert, van Dijk, & Ross, 2019). Other research projects are still ongoing.

A report I wrote on a social innovation that facilitates refugee integration (van Dijk, Dodoiu, Knappert, & Noor, 2017) formed the basis for the federal government to start a pilot where refugees can temporarily stay with locals.

Meta-science

In this third line of research, I critically examine how we conduct and communicate scientific research. I do this together with two groups of researchers. 

The first group works under the name The Future of Work and Organizational Psychology, and reflects on the study as well as the practice of work and organizational psychology in academia. The main points we focus on are outlined in our manifesto (Bal et al., 2019).

In the second group, we work on conceptualizing as well as realizing a new publication system. To that end, I have started working on a popular science book in which I explain why a new publication system is called for.

Hans is the coordinator of the Extended Master.

Click here for my courses.