Jan Green – PhD Research Profile

BA Hons. (Leeds University), CPPD, PGCE (NEWI), MA (Liverpool University), PhD Candidate (Glyndwr University)
Contact: greenj@glyndwr.ac.uk   Telephone: 01978-293215

From a starting point focusing on the characteristics of the ‘driven individual’ the research work has a main central theme to unravel the sources and application of individual energy within an organizational setting.  The aim of the study being to establish any connections between the driven, energetic individual, the range of characteristics they utilise and their overall career success, much of which is captured in this brief verse:

‘……. as she channels all her energy, playing every shot, straining to take each point

- and looking every inch the winner ! …….’

Helen Buckingham – Centre Court 1997

‘You ask me why I do not write something’ said Florence Nightingale who commented that feelings waste themselves in words and that they ought all to be distilled into action and into actions which bring results.  Nightingale was a remarkable lady whose actions in hospital wards brought significant results in the improvement of hygiene and the resulting well-being of patients.  Identifying what driven individuals do, what differentiates them is revealing a range of questions that will form the basis of a research questionnaire that should be developed towards the end of 2008.

Emerging areas encapsulate the ‘Corporate Athlete’ model, with four cornerstones – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual sub-headings, the impact of peak performance, that has similarities with ‘optimal flow’ experiences, well-being and positive organizational behaviour.

As the literature review expands it has become apparent that driven individuals also require recovery time and this resulted in an academic paper ‘Active Recovery as an Energizing Tool; an Exploratory Analysis’ and the preparation and display of a related poster at the Institute of Work Psychology Conference held at the University of Sheffield in June 2008.

The study is responding to a ‘call for greater academic and managerial attention to volition as the vital source of individual action and, therefore, of corporate performance.’ (Bruch and Ghosal p.182: 2003), the closing paragraph in ‘A Bias For Action.’

PUBLICATIONS

2008. "Active Recovery as an Energizing Tool; an Exploratory Analysis", Institute of Work Psychology (IWP) Conference, University of Sheffield,  June, Authors: Green, J and Binsardi, A.

2008. A working paper is in progress for the Open Uniiversity, "e-Fit Conference", Autumn, Author: Green. J.

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