National Institute of Industrial Psychology

This material is held atLSE Library Archives and Special Collections

Reference
- GB 97 NIIP
Dates of Creation
- 1919-1977
Name of Creator
- National Institute of Industrial Psychology
Language of Material
- English
Physical Description
- 78 boxes, 3 wooden boxes of glass plate negatives, 2 folders, 27 boxes containing NIIP publications and 1 bankers box of

Scope and Content

Papers of the National Institute of Industrial Psychology, comprising records of committees, account books and registers; internal correspondence and correspondence with clients; staff files; papers relating to vocational guidance and intelligence testing, research projects, staff, procedures, and prizes; annual reports and ephemera; and photographs.

Administrative / Biographical History

The NIIP was founded in 1921 by Dr C S Myers, Director of the Cambridge Psychological Laboratory. Dr Myers was backed by a group of businessmen led by H J Welch, who gave their support and encouragement. Myers became the first Director of the Institute. The NIIP was a non-profit making scientific organisation for the study of industry and commerce. It aimed to promote the application of psychology and physiology within these fields. The Institute conducted research into problems of general interest to the industrial and commercial sector, and published the results. It also undertook research into the problems of particular organisations and suggested solutions. The NIIP began to expand rapidly in the mid 1960s, following support from the Ministry of Technology. The withdrawal of this funding from the end of the decade, however, contributed to the acute problems facing the organisation by the middle of the 1970s. The NIIP suspended activity in 1973, but later, aided by the North East London Polytechnic, continued to work on a smaller scale. It finally closed in 1976.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in 17 sections:
1. Provisional Committee, 1919-1921.
2. Executive Committee, 1921-1953.
3. Vocational Guidance Committee/Sub-Committee, 1921-1938.
4. Scientific Committee/Scientific Advisory Committee, 1920.
5. Finance Committee, 1934-1947, and Finance and General Purposes Committee, 1949-1973.
6. Women's Committee, 1930-1939.
7. Other Minute Books, Account Books and registers, 1921-1969.
8. Correspondence with Officers and Member of Council, 1933-1977.
9. Staff Files (CLOSED), 1928-1977.
10. Internal NIIP files, Vocational Guidance and testing, 1928-1974, and files on institute staff and finance, c1965-1971.
11. Internal Papers: Research Project staff and procedures, also vocation guidance and Institute Finance, 1921-1973.
12. Internal Papers, including Director and Committee papers, minutes of staff meetings, 1923-1973.
13. Internal Papers: Vocational Guidance and Intelligence Testing, also staff training, NIIP Library, research reports, 1930-1969.
14. Correspondence with clients, 1942-1977.
15. Various Institute Occasional Prizes etc, Royal Commission on Awards to Investors, 1928-1930.
16. Annual Reports and Ephemera, 1920-1970.
17. Photographs, 1920-1970.