*** Apologies for cross-posting ***
Management and organizational psychology research has been disproportionately shaped by studies conducted in WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic) countries, particularly from the USA, Canada, and Western Europe (Tsui, 2007). While this scholarship has generated influential theories and evidence-based practices, its geographical and cultural concentration raises important questions about generalizability. Organizational life is deeply embedded in cultural, institutional, and socio-economic contexts that shape how people think, feel, and behave at work, as well as how organizations function and adapt (Gelfand et al., 2007; Griffin, 2007). Thus, models developed and examined in one context should not be applied universally, or at least not before considering how (and why) the relationships amongst the constructs of interests may change in either magnitude or direction. Advancing a truly global managerial science requires systematic efforts to test whether established frameworks, theories, models, and findings hold across diverse settings, to refine them when necessary, and to develop new perspectives that reflect the lived realities of work around the world.
Despite calls to globalize organizational research, Latin America studies remain underrepresented (Aguinis et al., 2020). This omission is striking given the region’s economic relevance, demographic diversity, and rich social and cultural traditions. Employees from different Latin American countries face distinct institutional arrangements, labor market structures, and socio-political conditions that create workplace dynamics not necessarily accounted for by theories rooted in North American or Western European contexts (e.g. Elvira & Davila, 2005; Perez-Arrau et al., 2012). Additionally, despite the rich heterogeneity among Latin American countries, scholars often conflate employees from this region under the generic “Latin” category (Guzman & Tempesta Fernandez, 2024). Lumping all “Latinos” together overlooks potential differences between and within countries. The lack of context-specific evidence not only limits theoretical precision but also constrains the development of effective organizational practices that address local needs and opportunities.
This Special Issue of the Journal of Managerial Psychology seeks to address this gap by advancing research on managerial psychology utilizing evidence and insights from Latin America. We welcome submissions that examine the relevance, applicability, and boundary conditions of established theories in Latin American contexts, as well as studies that propose novel, locally grounded frameworks for understanding work and organizational life in the region. Both theoretical and empirical contributions are encouraged, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method research. Submissions should offer clear implications for theory and practice, and collectively, the Special Issue seeks to expand the empirical and conceptual foundations of managerial psychology by incorporating perspectives from a region that is both globally significant and academically underrepresented.
List of topic areas
In this Journal of Managerial Psychology Special Issue, we are primarily interested in theory transferability in Latin America. By this, we do not mean to call for papers that simply and directly replicate classic studies, models, or findings utilizing data from the region. All papers should provide a meaningful theoretical contribution that either advances, changes, or challenges research on managerial psychology.
As such, we are mostly interested in:
1. Empirical papers that test to what extend current theories, concepts, or relationships hold the same meaning and/or share the same antecedents and consequences when tested in this region
2. Empirical papers that show why widely known theories, findings, or models do or do not replicate, or under which conditions these do or do not replicate
3. Empirical papers that explore employees in extreme working conditions or in underrepresented industries in leading journals (e.g., temporary rural workers, migrants, refugees)
4. Empirical papers with novel hypotheses and theories tested in Latin American samples or with effects that may be particularly salient in Latin American samples and not necessarily in other contexts
5. Studies that compare or contrast employees from different Latin American backgrounds who face different challenges or opportunities (e.g, Lu et al., 2020)
6. Methodologically robust studies with an emphasis on psychometrics seeking to refine, expand, or adapt existing measures making them more relevant to the region (e.g., Ramesh & Gelfand, 2010); and
7. Theoretical manuscripts that develop, extend, or challenge existing theory or findings using a Latin American lens (e.g., Lu, 2024).
We are open to manuscripts focusing on these and similar research questions, conceptualized at different levels of analysis, studying different populations, and on a broad range of topics, including but not limited to:
- Leadership, followership, status, and influence
- Wellbeing, stress, affect, and happiness
- Gender, diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Work relationships and social dynamics
- HRM practices, and more....
Key deadlines
This Special Issue is now open for submissions.
Closing date for manuscripts submission: 15/January/2026
Guest Editors
Felipe Guzman, IESEG School of management, France and Universidad de los Andes, Chile, felguz@gmail.com
Lyonel Laulie, Universidad de Chile, Chile, llaulie@fen.uchile.cl
Gonzalo J. Muñoz, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile, gmunozg@uc.cl
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Felipe Guzman
Associate Professor
IESEG School of Management
Lille
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