organizational behavior researcher
dr. catherine deen
The Micromanagement Project
Click here to read Helicopter Bosses: Development and Validation of the Micromanagement Scale, published by the Journal of Management.
For enquiries on this research, please contact me.
The Micromanagement Project
The Micromanagement Project explores one of the most recognisable yet least understood forms of workplace control: micromanagement.
Traditionally seen as a destructive leadership style, my award-winning research investigates how micromanagement shapes employee behaviour, wellbeing, and career outcomes. This work goes beyond simply cataloguing the harms of micromanagement by also asking when, how, and for whom it may have unintended benefits.
By developing and validating the first comprehensive Micromanagement Scale, the project provides both scholars and practitioners with a tool to better understand “helicopter bosses” and the work environments they create. The research also examines broader contexts of control in organisations, from surveillance technologies to work climate, with the aim of uncovering not just the dark side of micromanagement, but also its possible bright spots and the organisational conditions under which these emerge.
Ultimately, the project seeks to inform leadership practice, reduce toxic control behaviours, and promote healthier, more effective workplaces.
The Micromanagement Project
This project presents micromanagement as a leadership style and workplace practice, exploring its impact on employee wellbeing and the conditions under which it may have both harmful and beneficial effects.
Gendered Victimization and Work
My research examines how gendered victimisation, including intimate partner aggression and sexual harassment, shapes work experiences and careers, while highlighting resources and interventions that help victims cope and succeed.
Vulnerable work
I study the vocational experiences of vulnerable workers—such as victims of violence, people with chronic illness or disabilities, and migrant workers—with the goal of informing policies and practices that support inclusion and resilience
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WOMEN IN TRANSPORT PROJECT (AUSTRALIA)
Dr Catherine Deen is leading a project entitled Women in Transport: Examining the Motivations, Challenges, Support and Opportunities for Women in Trucking.
With grant support from the Transport, Education, Audit, Compliance, and Health Limited (TEACHO), this project aims to generate evidence-based insights that support women’s participation and success in the trucking industry.
Specifically, the research seeks to move beyond identifying challenges alone, and instead also highlight women’s strengths, motivations, and contributions to the trucking industry. In doing so, the project aims to inform practical supports, organisational practices, and industrywide initiatives that can help women not only enter but thrive in trucking careers.
The multidisciplinary research team led by Dr Catherine Deen is composed of Associate Profession Sharron O’Neill, Dr Vindhya Weeratunga, and Dr Briony Lipton.
research posters
About CATHS
I am a researcher and seasoned educational administrator with more than 20 years of experience in admissions, inclusion services, and research. As an organizational behavior researcher, I am interested in the dark side of human behavior in the context of work specially the role of various forms of control and how these relate to work and well-being. Specifically, my research focuses on micromanagement and work-related intimate partner aggression.
As an educator, I possess a strong innovative spirit and have initiated unique approaches to educational management founded on my passion for evidence-based practices. I am also a qualified psychologist able to assist in a variety of services including assessment and career counseling.