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Professor Cinzia Priola

Profile summary

  • Central Academic Staff
  • Professor of Work and Organisation Studies
  • The Faculty of Business & Law
  • The Open University Business School
  • Department for People & Organisations
  • cinzia.priola

Professional biography

I am a Professor of Work and Organization Studies, the Head of the Department of People and Organisations at the Open University Business School, Faculty of Business and Law, and the chair of the faculty's Athena Swan Charter accreditation (Athena Swan Charter | Advance HE). I joined the Open University in 2014 from Aston University and worked at Keele University before then. I was educated in Italy where I was awarded the degree of Doctor of Psychology in 1995-96, specialising in Work and Organisational Psychology. Subsequently, I moved to the UK to complete a PhD in the early 2000s. 

I am an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, a Chartered Psychologist and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.  Although my earlier interests lay in work psychology, my development as a scholar has also been influenced by sociology, critical theory and philosophy and I view myself as a social scientist who works across disciplinary boundaries.

As a management scholar, I am interested in studying the intersections between people, work and society in relation to inclusion.  I have a wide experience of teaching and researching in the UK and overseas. I regularly present my work at academic conferences and I am frequently invited as a guest speaker at academic and professional seminars and events. I have organised several conferences, conference streams and symposia. I held visiting professorships at the University of Cagliari, the University of Aosta Valley, the Scuola Superiore Meridionale, Napoli (all based in Italy), and taught in Libya and France.

Research interests

My research focuses on people's experiences of work and the links between work/organisational/management practices and social processes. I have researched and written on work and social inclusion, gender and sexuality in organisations, identities in the workplace, diversity, gender and entrepreneurship, employee branding, management practices, higher education management and group-work. Lately, I have published on research methodologies in the social sciences, disabilities in the workplace and Islamic Feminism. I have supervised several PhD students to successful completion and I am currently supervising two students: Melanie Philpott and Gulfam Tasnim.

 

Books: ​

Interrogare la ricerca qualitativa - Angelo Benozzo, Vincenza "Cinzia" Priola - Raffaello Cortina Editore - Libro Raffaello Cortina Editore

Branded Lives. The Production and Consumption of Meaning at Work.

*[Reviewed in: Administrative Science Quarterly (2012), 57(3), 535-536; Journal of Organizational Ethnography (2013), 2(1), 118; Organization (2013), 20(4), 635-641; Journal of Marketing Management (2014), 30(3-4), 431-432; Ephemera (2014), 14(1), 143-150]

 

Latest Publications

Chaudhry, S.A. and Priola, V. (2024) Spatial modesty: The everyday production of gendered space in segregated and assimilative organisations. Journal of Management Studies, early view online.

Benozzo, A., Distinto, M. and Priola, V. (2024) Matter and Method: The Quest for a New-Materialist Methodology in Management Studies. British Journal of Management , 35(1), pp. 86-98.

Bend, G. and Priola, V. (2023) ‘There is nothing wrong with me’: The Materialisation of Disability in Sheltered Employment. Work, Employment and Society, 37(3), 645-664.

 

TO VIEW:

The Open University Inaugural Lecture - Professor Cinzia Priola

Unveiling Modest Femininities: Sexuality, Gender (In)equality and Gender Justice | Faculti

Getting it wrong, right and wrong again(?) Journeying between ideology and praxis - YouTube

BHM 2021 - Decolonising scholarship as a commitment to the racial inclusion of students and staff - YouTube

Grabbing the Opportunity with Both Hands: Calling universities to action against racism - YouTube

Dr Cinzia Priola video abstract - YouTube

Women in Research: Making a difference to the wider world - YouTube

The Future of Empowerment Today - YouTube

Video Abstract: The Sound of Silence - YouTube

 

Recent OpenLearn and media articles:

HR Magazine - Inequalities, discrimination and the pay gap

Day 86, Year of #Mygration: Diversity, migrant entrepreneurship and socio-economic inclusion | The Open University

Diversity, migrant entrepreneurship and socio-economic inclusion - OpenLearn - Open University

 

Teaching interests

My teaching interests and expertise is in the area of Organisational Behaviour, Leadership, HRM and Research Methods, at PhD, PG and UG levels.  I  also teach courses on Inclusion and Diversity at work. I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, I hold a PGCT&L in HE and I am a SEDA accredited teacher in HE.

At the OU I chaired the productions of: Learning and Development at Work (B814); the Microcredential 'People Management and Leadership' (BZFM303) in collaboration with Future Learn; the Dissertation (B804) and the ‘Work-based Project’ (B865) modules part of the MSc HRM. I held the role of Qualification Lead for the MSc HRM and chaired the presentation of the Dissertation, Workplace Project. and People Management and Leadership modules. I also contributed to the production of several other modules and written various units in HRM-related modules on ‘The HR professional’, ‘Workplace Learning, Coaching and Mentoring’ (on the MSC HRM) and ‘The practices of HRM’ (Y2 of the Chartered Management Degree Apprenticeship (CMDA)). Between 2014 and 2016 I was a module team member in the UG module ‘Leadership and Change’ (B204).

External collaborations

I collaborate with colleagues across the UK, Europe, Asia and the US on several research projects.

Publications

Matter and Method: The Quest for a New-Materialist Methodology in Management Studies (2024-01)
Benozzo, Angelo; Distinto, Marco and Priola, Vincenza
British Journal of Management, 35(1) (pp. 86-98)

[Book review]: Michela Cozza, Silvia Gherardi(eds), The Posthumanist Epistemology of Practice Theory: Re-imagining Method in Organization Studies and Beyond, Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2023 (2024)
Priola, Vincenza
puntOorg International Journal, 9(2) (pp. 228-230)

Spatial modesty: The everyday production of gendered space in segregated and assimilative organisations (2024)
Chaudhry, Shafaq and Priola, Vincenza
Journal of Management Studies ((Early Access))

‘There Is Nothing Wrong with Me’: The Materialisation of Disability in Sheltered Employment (2023-06)
Bend, Gemma L. and Priola, Vincenza
Work, Employment and Society, 37(3) (pp. 645-664)

Intersectionality on Screen. A coloniality perspective to understanding popular culture representations of intersecting oppressions at work (2022-05-22)
Barthold, Charles; Krawczyk, Victor; Berti, Marco and Priola, Vincenza
Gender, Work and Organization, 29(6) (pp. 1890-1909)

“Who’s that Girl?” The entrepreneur as a super(wo)man (2022)
De Simone, Silvia and Priola, Vincenza
Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences, 39(1) (pp. 97-111)

[Book Review] Me Not You. The trouble with mainstream feminism, by Alison Phipps. 2020, Manchester University Press (2021-07)
Priola, Vincenza
Gender, Work and Organization, 28(4) (pp. 1711-1713)

Unveiling Modest Femininities: Sexuality, Gender (In)equality and Gender Justice (2021-04)
Priola, Vincenza and Chaudhry, Shafaq A.
British Journal of Management, 32(2) (pp. 306-321)

On refugees, researchers, viruses, data, and how they affect each other. A post-qualitative approach (2021-03)
Distinto, Marco and Priola, Vincenza
TPM Testing, Psychometric, Methodology in Applied Psychology, 28(1) (pp. 83-97)

Missing voices: The absence of women from Italy’s COVID-19 pandemic response (2020-09-18)
Priola, Vincenza and Pecis, Lara
Gender in Management: An International Journal, 35(7/8) (pp. 619-627)

The “new industrial man” as un-hero: doing postfeminist masculinities in an Italian pharmacological research centre (2019-10)
Pecis, Lara and Priola, Vincenza
Gender Work and Organisation, 26(10) (pp. 1413-1432)

[Book Review] Postfeminism and Organization edited by Patricia Lewis, Yvonne Benschop and Ruth Simpson. London: Routledge, 2018 (2019-05-02)
Priola, Cinzia (Vincenza)
Gender, Work & Organization, 26(4) (pp. 590-592)

The organisation of sexuality and the sexuality of organisation: A genealogical analysis of sexual ‘inclusive exclusion’ at work (2018-11-30)
Priola, Vincenza; Lasio, Diego; Serri, Francesco and De Simone, Silvia
Organization, 25(6) (pp. 732-754)

Brands at Work: The Search for Meaning in Mundane Work (2015-01-31)
Brannan, Matthew J.; Parsons, Elizabeth and Priola, Vincenza
Organization Studies, 36(1) (pp. 29-53)

The Sound of Silence. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Discrimination in ‘Inclusive Organizations’ (2014-07-09)
Priola, Vincenza; Lasio, Diego; De Simone, Silvia and Serri, Francesco
British Journal of Management, 25(3) (pp. 488-502)

Managing diversity in organizations: An integrative model and agenda for future research (2014)
Guillaume, Yves R. F.; Dawson, Jeremy F.; Priola, Vincenza; Sacramento, Claudia A.; Woods, Stephen A.; Higson, Helen E.; Budhwar, Pawan S. and West, Michael A.
European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 23(5) (pp. 783-802)

Agents for Change and Changed Agents: The Micro-politics of Change and Feminism in the Academy (2013-09)
Parsons, Elizabeth and Priola, Vincenza
Gender, Work & Organization, 20(5) (pp. 580-598)

‘Girls Who Do Boys Like They’re Girls’? Exploring the role of gender in the Junior management of contemporary service work (2012-03)
Brannan, Matthew and Priola, Vincenza
Gender, Work & Organization, 19(2) (pp. 119-141)

[Book Review] Gendering the Knowledge Economy. Comparative Perspectives. Palgrave Macmillan, edited by Sylvia Walby, Heidi Gottfried, Karin Gottschall and Mari Osawa. (2010)
Priola, V
Gender Work and Organisation, 17(1) (pp. 115-117)

Between a rock and a hard place: Exploring women’s experience of participation and progress in managerial careers (2009)
Priola, Vincenza and Brannan, Matthew J.
Equal Opportunities International, 28(5) (pp. 378-397)

Being female doing gender. Narratives of women in education management (2007-01-16)
Priola, Vincenza
Gender and Education, 19(1) (pp. 21-40)

Group Work and Cognitive Style: A Discursive Investigation (2004-10)
Priola, V; Smith, J. L. and Armstron, S.J.
Small Group Research, 35(5) (pp. 565-595)

Gender and feminine identities – women as managers in a UK academic institution (2004)
Priola, Vincenza
Women in Management Review, 19(8) (pp. 421-430)

Individual Differences in Cognitive Style and their effects on task and social orientations of Self-Managed Work Teams (2001)
Armstrong, Steven J. and Priola, Vincenza
Small Groups Research, 32(3) (pp. 283-312)

Interrogare la ricerca qualitativa. Pratiche critiche e sovversive (2022-04)
Benozzo, Angelo and Priola, Vincenza
ISBN : 9788832854282 | Publisher : Raffaello Cortina | Published : Milano

LGBTQ+ Inclusion (2023)
Priola, Vincenza and O'Shea, Saoirse
In: Yi, Ilcheong ed. Encyclopedia of Social and Solidarity Economy
ISBN : 978 1 80392 091 7 | Publisher : Edward Elgar & United Nations Inter-Agency Task Force (UNTFSSE)

Diversity in Organizations: HRM and International Practices (2020)
Otaye-Ebede ., L; Priola, V and Yerby, E
In: Crawshaw, J.R.; Budhwar, P. and Davis, A eds. Human Resource Management: Strategic and International Perspectives.. 3rd edition (pp. 234-263)
ISBN : 978 1 5264 9900 4 | Publisher : Sage | Published : London

Veiling Careers: Comparing gendered work in Islamic and Foreign Banks in Pakistan (2018-05-25)
Chaudhry, Shafaq and Priola, Vincenza
In: Broadbridge, Adelina M. and Fielden, Sandra L. eds. Research Handbook of Diversity and Careers. New Horizons in Management (pp. 375-390)
ISBN : 9781785365591 | Publisher : Edward Elgar | Published : Cheltenham, UK

What about a career? The intersection of gender and disability. (2018)
Bend, Gemma L. and Priola, Vincenza
In: Broadbridge, Adelina M. and Fielden, Sandra L. eds. Research Handbook of Diversity and Career. New Horizons in Management (pp. 193-208)
ISBN : 978785365607 | Publisher : Edward Elgar

Diversity in Organizations: HRM and International Practices (2017-04)
Otaye-Ebede, Lilian; Priola, Vincenza and Yerby, Elaine
In: Crawshaw, Jonathan R.; Budhwar, Pawan and Davis, Ann eds. Human Resource Management: Strategic and International Perspectives
Publisher : Sage | Published : London

Gender (2016)
Priola, Vincenza
In: Wilkinson, A and Johnstone, S eds. Encyclopaedia of Human Resource Management (pp. 155-156)
ISBN : 9781 78347 545 2 | Publisher : Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd | Published : Cheltenham

'What’s women’s work?’ Work-family Interface among women entrepreneurs in Italy (2015)
De Simone, Silvia and Priola, Vincenza
In: Broadbridge, Adelina M. and Fielden, Sandra L. eds. Handbook of Gendered Careers in Management: Getting In, Getting On, Getting Out (pp. 390-408)
ISBN : 9781782547686 | Publisher : Edward Elgar

Diversity in Organizations: HRM and International Practices (2014)
Otaye-Ebede, Lillian; Priola, Vincenza and Yerby, Elaine
In: Crawshaw, Jonathan R.; Budhwar, Pawan and Davis, Ann eds. Human Resource Management: Strategic and International Perspectives. (pp. 164-186)
Publisher : Sage | Published : London

Placing Branding within Organization Theory (2013)
Brannan, M J; Parsons, E and Priola, V
In: Brannan, M J; Parsons, E and Priola, V eds. Branded Lives. The Production and Consumption of Meaning at Work (pp. 185-196)
ISBN : 978 0 85793 622 6 | Publisher : Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd | Published : Cheltenham

Organizational Culture and Change Management (2011)
Priola, Cinzia and Hurrell, Scott A.
In: Butler, Michael and Rose, Edward eds. Introduction to Organisational Behaviour (pp. 349-373)
ISBN : 9781843982470 | Publisher : CIPD | Published : London

Organizational Design, Structure and Work Organisation (2011)
Hurrell, Scott .A and Priola, Cinzia
In: Butler, Michael and Rose, Edward eds. Introduction to Organisational Behaviour (pp. 323-348)
Publisher : CIPD | Published : London

Masculinity and Femininity (2010-01-12)
Priola, Vincenza
In: Mills, Albert J.; Durepos, Gabrielle and Wiebe, Elden eds. Encyclopedia of Case Study Research. Case Study & Narrative Analysis (pp. 547-548)
ISBN : 9781412956703 | Publisher : Sage | Published : London

Multimethod Research Program (2010-01-12)
Priola, Vincenza
In: Mills, Albert J.; Durepos, Gabrielle and Wiebe, Elden eds. Encyclopedia of Case Study Research. Case Study & Narrative Analysis (pp. 580-582)
ISBN : 9781412956703 | Publisher : Sage | Published : London

Branded Lives: The Production and Consumption of Meaning at Work. (2011-08-01)
Brannan, Matthew J.; Parsons, Elizabeth and Priola, Vincenza eds.
ISBN : 978-1-84980-092-1 | Publisher : Edward Elgar | Published : Cheltenham

Controlling Care and Caring Control: The Role of Pastoral Power in Organising Refugee Integration (2024-07-09)
Distinto, Marco; Priola, Cinzia and Bristow, Alexandra
In : 84th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management (AOM 2024) (9-13 Aug 2024, Chicago, IL, USA)

Gender equality work in a distance learning institution (2022)
Lotz, Nicole; Siddharthan, Advaith; Priola, Cinzia and Wallace, Janette
In : Diversity Interventions 2022 (7-8 Apr 2022, Oxford)

Inequalities, discrimination and the pay gap (2017-11-06)
Priola, Cinzia
HR - MA Business Ltd