| Description | Audio cassette sound recording of an interview with David C.Duncan (1926-2009) AFBPsS, BPS Chartered Occupational Psychologist and Founder member of the British Psychological Society's Occupational Psychology Division for the British Psychological Society's Oral History project.
The interview was conducted by Graham Richards in 2005.
The following summary is by way of introduction to the full recording held at BPS HoPC London.
Performers:
David C.Duncan (DD)
Graham Richards (GR)
Topics:
Side A
c 47mins
DC begins by listing his university qualifications, time spent at St Andrews and his decision to become an Industrial psychologist
DC then names a few of his tutors at St Andrews, talks of his education, speaks of economics and industrial psychology before talking of his early career at J and P Coates as a management trainee and a short spell spent in Australia
DC speaks of his early career spent at NIIP as a research psychologist including his work on statistics with John D. Handyside, assessment procedures, validation studies, non-verbal intelligence tests, vocational guidance, industrial investigations in factories, NIIP's attitude towards its staff, and NIIP in general
DC talks of joining Attwood Statistics in 1958, its founder and company history before explaining his role at the company as a statistician to the panel for consumer loyalty and his promotion to manager of ad-hoc surveys for the company and his staff
DC speaks of joining MSL as a consultant for its Scottish office, his role in management selection at MSL and the 7-point plan
DC turns to the BPS and mentions his membership of the Occupational and Social Psychology sections in the 1950s, some book reviews for Occupational Psychology Journal and how he pushed for BPS Occupational section to become a BPS Occupational Psychology Division
DC talks of his time at MSL and how he became General Manager of MSL Ireland in 1965 before returning to MSL London in 1968 to start a senior management assessment programme, and how he was head-hunted to become Managing Director of AK Appointments for 4 years in the 1970s
DC talks of joining Max Wagenstein Ltd as a Director in executive selection for a year before joining Team Management Appointments as its Managing Director
DC talks of his role at Team and his subsequent buy-out of Team Management Selection, self-employment (from 1976) and how he stayed at Team until his retirement
DC mentions how he set up Social Audit Services in the 1970s, and talks of human resource accounting
GR asks DC to speak of his early background
DC talks of observation and aircraft recognition, his local high school, St Andrews scholarship (1943), his service with RAF aircrew in 1944, his transfer to RAF record office, RAF morale and books on morale leading him to become an industrial psychologist and courses at St Andrews
Side A ends
Side B
c 7mins
GR asks DC about his early environment influences
DC responds by speaking of observation, time spent in Australia, Australia attitudes and his own views on Australia
GR asks DC for links with John C.Raven and DC answers with examples of his use of Raven's matrices at J and P Coates and his views on John C.Raven's matrices in general
GR thanks DC and begins to end the interview before asking DC for his involvement with BPS
DC speaks of serving on BPS Occupational Psychology Committee, mentions he was a founder member of BPS Division of Occupational Psychology, and how he was an Assessor for chartering occupational psychologists
GR reads out the BPS Oral History Project terms and conditions of deposit and the recording ends
ends.
Total Running time c 54mins
Site: Interview was recorded in a room in Manchester University during BPS Quinquennial conference 2005.
David C.Duncan's obituary by Peter Saville published in The Psychologist, August 2009.
Summary by Mike Maskill, BPS Archivist.
Converted to CDR |
| RunTime | On one C90 cassette, c 54 minutes |
| AdminHistory | Date of Birth: 26/04/1926
Place of Birth: Glenshee, Scotland
Date of Death: 2009
University Qualifications and Professional Training:
St Andrews University: MA Psychology and Philosophy, 1947-1949
St Andrews University: MA (Hons) Economics and Psychology, 1950
(1944 RAF Aircrew)
Professional Career:
J & P Coates, Management Trainee (Sales and Marketing), 1950-1953
NIIP, Research Psychologist, MRC Committee, 1953-1958
Attwood Statistics, Statistician and ad hoc Manager 1958-1960
Management Selection Ltd, Consultant Scottish Office, 1960-1965
MSI Ireland, General Manager, 1965-1968
Austin Knight (AK) Appointments, Managing Director 1968-1972
Max Wagenstein Ltd, London Director, Executive Selection,1972-1973
Team Management Appointments, Managing Director, 1973-1976
Social Audit Surveys, set up 1976.
Involvement with BPS and/or other societies and organisations:
Founding member BPS Occupational Psychology Division 1956
Member of BPS Press Committee (no dates)
Level B verifier
BPS Assessor for Occupational Psychology
BPS Chartered Psychologist
BPS Occupational Section Chair, 1971 |