Work-Related Flow: Understanding and Explaining Peak Experiences in Organizations
Special issue call for papers from Career Development International
Work-Related Flow:
Understanding and Explaining Peak Experiences in Organizations
Guest Editors:
Arnold B. Bakker and Despoina Xanthopoulou
Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Call for Papers:
According to Csikszentmihalyi (1975), flow is the “holistic sensation that people feel when they act with total involvement” (p. 4). Different conceptualizations distinguish three core elements of flow. Accordingly, the flow experience is characterized by enjoyment (i.e. feelings of happiness), total absorption in the activity (i.e. the feeling that “time flies”), and intrinsic motivation (i.e. activities are partaken regardless external rewards or costs; Bakker, 2008). As such, flow may be experienced during any activity in everyday life, including work. Past research has shown that motivational job characteristics (e.g., autonomy, skill variety and task significance) are important determinants of work-related flow, which in turn enhances employee performance (Demerouti, 2006). Additionally, experience sampling research has examined flow at work as a momentary state that can be the result of a balance between challenges and skills (Bakker, 2005; Fullagar & Kelloway, in press). Nevertheless, despite the significant contribution of previous studies on work-related flow, there are still several questions that remain unanswered.
The objective of the present special issue is to publish a coherent set of studies that aim at understanding the phenomenon of flow at work, and at providing insights concerning the psychological mechanisms that explain the flow experience. We are particularly interested in studies that focus on within-person and between-person variations in work-related flow, subjective and objective predictors and outcomes of the flow experience, as well as the effect of work-related flow experiences on overall health and well-being. The list below presents illustrative questions for contributions. However, other related topics may also be suitable.
- Are daily experiences of flow related to creativity? Do employees with peak experiences come up with more creative solutions for work-related problems?
- What is the role of job demands in explaining flow? Under which circumstances do job demands facilitate flow experiences?
- Are there individual differences that make some employees more prone to experience flow than others?
- Do flow experiences at work spill over to other life domains?
- Which workplace interventions may enhance flow? Can organizations create environments that facilitate flow?
- Do daily fluctuations in flow relate to objective indicators of job performance?
- Is there a dark side of work-related flow? Do flow experiences consume all energy resources?
- What is the best way to measure short-term, momentary experiences of flow?
We welcome theoretical, as well as theory-driven empirical studies. Elaborate study designs (e.g., longitudinal studies, experience sampling studies, growth-curve studies) will be considered an advantage. Contributions should report original research that is not under consideration at another journal. This call for papers is open and competitive, and all submitted papers will be subjected to anonymous review by referees with expertise in the field.
The deadline for submissions is February 28, 2010. The special issue is intended for publication in Career Development International in the first issue of 2011.
Papers to be considered for this special issue should be submitted online. Please submit an electronic file of the manuscript as an attachment to an email to the guest editors Arnold Bakker (bakker@fsw.eur.nl) and Despoina Xanthopoulou (xanthopoulou@fsw.eur.nl), and type “CDI Submission-Special Issue Work-Related Flow” in the subject line of your e-mail. Manuscripts should be prepared in accordance with the guidelines of CDI.
Specific details on the construction of submitted manuscripts (e.g., length, format, style) can be found at the journal’s web site: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/info/journals/cdi/cdi.jsp. The editors of this special issue would be happy to discuss your ideas for potential submissions. Authors who are interested in contributing to the special issue are kindly requested to inform the guest editors of their plans before October 15, 2009 (a short e-mail suffices).
Please direct any general questions about the journal or any administrative matter to the Editors, Professor Jim Jawahar (jimoham@ilstu.edu) or Dr. Hetty van Emmerik (H.vanEmmerik@uu.nl).
References
Bakker, A.B. (2005). Flow among music teachers and their students: The crossover of peak experiences. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 66, 26-44.
Bakker, A.B. (2008). The work-related flow inventory: Construction and initial validation of the WOLF. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 72, 400-414.
Czikszentmihalyi, M. (1975). Beyond boredom and anxiety: Experiencing flow in work and play. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Demerouti, E. (2006). Job characteristics, flow, and performance: the moderating role of conscientiousness. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 11, 266-280.
Fullagar, C.J., & Kelloway, K. (in press). ‘Flow’ at work: An experience sampling approach. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology.