Professor E.S. van Zyl

Professor Ebben van Zyl is currently Professor in the Department of Industrial Psychology (University of the Free State).

His employment began at the Uranium Enrichment Corporation in 1981 as a Manpower Utilisation Officer, from where he worked as a Personnel Officer at Lyttelton Engineering Works (1983-1984) and as a Senior Personnel Officer at the City Council of Pretoria (1984-1986). His academic/research career started at the Technikon RSA (1986-1989) as a Lecturer, the Human Sciences Research Council (1989-1994) as Chief Researcher and at the University of the Free State (1994 to date) as a Professor. He was the Founder of the Unit for Leadership Studies in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (2002). He chaired the Department of Industrial Psychology as from 1 January 2004 to 1 January 2007.

Professor Van Zyl published 37 scientific publications, 42 research projects and presented 35 papers at national and international conferences with regard to industrial psychology related topics. He is also the editor of the book: “Leadership in the African Context” of which 3000 copies are sold already. He received the awards: “Top Performer: Research” in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (1999, UFS) as well as: “Research Excellence” from the University of the Free State (2004). He also act as an consultant for various companies in the fields of leadership, third party claims (psycho-legal reports), stress measurement and management as well as human resource management.

His specialist fields are leadership, personnel psychology, human resource management, ethical behavior, workstress and third party claims (psycho-legal reports). He is also a registered industrial psychologist and personnel practitioner.