Human Relations

Human Relations was founded in 1947 by the Tavistock Institute and the Research Center for Group Dynamics in the belief that social scientists should work together to combine their disciplinary knowledge in an attempt to understand the character and complexity of human problems.

The journal has long recognised that no single discipline or research method could provide a solution to questions pertaining to relations between people, work groups and their organisations. Consequently, Human Relations has sought to establish a dialogue between scholars of different disciplinary backgrounds who seek to advance our knowledge of social relationships at and around work.

Human Relations has also sought to encourage research that seeks to relate social theory to social practice. The journal values scholarship that examines policy-making options that can improve the well being of employees and the effectiveness of organisations. Where relevant, the journal expects that research should address the implications of its findings for social action bearing in mind that social action in organisations is contested. Direct ‘best practice’ advice will generally not fit the journal. We seek debate on policy choices and options for social action that is informed by the complexities of human relationships at work and the nature of political processes within organisations.

Human Relations stresses the importance of understanding the context within which events occur. The journal therefore encourages research that locates the study of issues within their organisational, and where relevant, wider social and political environment. Studies that draw upon survey data on employee attitudes, for example, would be expected to provide information on the organisational context within which the data were collected and on the rationale for the choice of the population sample. It would be normal to provide an explanation of how contextual factors may have shaped respondent attitudes and how far the data could be generalized to other contexts.

Aim

Human Relations seeks to advance our understanding of social relationships at and around work through theoretical development and empirical investigation.

Scope

Human Relations seeks high quality research papers that extend our knowledge of social relationships at work and organisational forms, practices and processes that affect the nature, structure and conditions of work and work organisations.

Human Relations welcomes manuscripts that seek to cross disciplinary boundaries in order to develop new perspectives and insights into social relationships and relationships between people and organisations.

Human Relations encourages strong empirical contributions that develop and extend theory as well as more conceptual papers that integrate, critique and expand existing theory.

Human Relations encourages research that relates social theory to social practice and translates knowledge about human relations into prospects for social action and policy-making that aims to improve working lives.

Human Relations encourages papers that combine different empirical methods and which explore different levels of analysis.

Getting in touch

The current Editor-in-Chief of Human Relations is Professor Stephen Deery, and the Managing Editor is Alice Gilbertson , to whom all queries can be sent in the first instance.

More information about the journal including details about its contents past and present, the editorial team, how to submit, and how to access to a free sample copy, can also be found on the Human Relations site .