Prof. Dr. Melanie De Ruiter

Prof. Dr. Melanie De Ruiter holds the chair of Organizational Psychology at Nyenrode Business University and is affiliated with the Faculty Expertise Center Strategy, Organization & Leadership. She is also a member of the Doctorate Board. Previously, De Ruiter served as Head of the PhD School. In this role, she was responsible for the strategic development and (re)positioning of the part‑time PhD program, including curriculum (re)development and innovation, policy development, quality assurance, and budgetary planning.

Her research focuses on organizational psychology, with particular interest in work relationships (including psychological contracts) and leadership processes across organizational contexts. She currently studies how advanced technologies, such as generative AI, within selection, onboarding and performance evaluation processes play a role in the development and evolvement of psychological contracts and what this entails for employee attitudes and behaviors.

De Ruiter is involved in the MSc, Modular MBA, and PhD programs and also contributes to Executive Education. She teaches courses on organizational behavior, organizational psychology, and organizational change. She also teaches courses and workshops on research methods and data analysis. She supervises thesis students (MSc; MBA) and is principal supervisor on several PhD projects.  

She is actively involved in the academic community and regularly presents her work at national and international conferences. Melanie serves on the Editorial Review Boards of the Journal of Managerial Psychology, the Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, and Human Resource Development Quarterly. Previously, she was Associate Editor of Human Resource Development Quarterly. She received a Reviewer Award from the Organization Development and Change Division of the Academy of Management in 2015, and a Reviewer Award from the Journal of Managerial Psychology in 2019. Her work has been published in journals such as The International Journal of Human Resource Management and The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science.

De Ruiter received her Bachelor of Arts (Cum Laude) in Social Sciences from University College Roosevelt (Utrecht Universiteit) and completed her MSc in Management at Nyenrode Business Universiteit. She obtained her PhD at Tilburg University in 2017.

Interests

Outside of work, you will often find De Ruiter on a spin bike or reformer (Pilates), in the kitchen trying new recipes, or immersed in a good book. She also loves to travel.

Most relevant publications

• De Ruiter, M., & Lub, X. (2025, April). Three is a crowd? A multi-party perspective on human-algorithm psychological contracts. Paper presented at the Bi-annual Psychological Contract Small Group Conference (Future-proofing the PC), Detroit, United States. Winner Best Paper Award.
• De Ruiter, M., & Schalk, R. (2023). The employment relationship amidst and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of (responsible) inclusive leadership in managing psychological contracts. In S. Bergum, P. Peters and T. Vold (Eds.). Virtual Management and the New Normal: New Perspectives on HRM and Leadership since the COVID-19 Pandemic (pp. 121-139). Palgrave MacMillan.
• Schalk, R., & De Ruiter, M. (2019). Mutuality and reciprocity in the psychological contract: A critical review and analysis. In Y Griep and C. Cooper (Eds.) Handbook of Research on the Psychological Contract at Work (pp. 35-62). Edward Elgar Publishing.
• De Ruiter, M., Lub, X., Jansma, E., & Blomme, R. J. (2018). Psychological contract fulfillment and expatriate intrinsic career success: the mediating role of identification with the multinational corporation. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 29(8), 1426-1453.
• De Ruiter, M., Schalk, R., Schaveling, J., & Van Gelder, D. (2017). Psychological contract breach in the anticipatory stage of change: Employee responses and the moderating role of supervisory informational justice. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 53(1), 66-88.
• De Ruiter, M., Schalk, R., & Blomme, R. J. (2016). Manager responses to employee dissent about psychological contract breach: A dyadic process approach. Management Communication Quarterly, 30(2), 188-217.

Ancillary activities

• Editorial Board Member: Human Resource Development Quarterly
• Editorial Board: Journal of Applied Behavioral Science
• Editorial Review Board: Journal of Managerial Psychology