Dr Vidya Sagar Athota

PhD (UNSW)
Associate Professor

Email: sagar.athota@nd.edu.au
Phone: 02 8204 4188

  • Biography

    Dr Vidya Sagar Athota is an Associate Professor and Discipline Coordinator of Management, HR, and Sports & Recreation Management. He teaches Business Psychology, Human Resources and Executive Education in the School of Business at the University of Notre Dame Australia. He has been employed at the Sydney campus since 2007. Dr Athota studied in India, USA and holds a PhD from the University of New South Wales, Australia.  He received the Vice Chancellor's Award for Initiatives that Enhance Student Learning. In 2022 Dr Athota also received the Australian Business Deans Council Award from the Australian Business Deans Council.

    Dr Athota has over 40 academic outputs and published four research books. His most recent book is entitled, Mind Over Matter and Artificial Intelligence: Building Employee Mental Fitness for Organisational Success. He has published his research findings in high impact journals such as the Journal of Business Research, Applied Psychology, International Studies of Management & Organization, Personality and Individual Differences and American Journal of Psychology. His research has been covered in several international media outlets including New York Magazine, British Journal of Psychology Digest and Catholic Weekly.

    Dr Athota is also accredited to provide psychological counselling and psychotherapy services to leaders in the workplace. Dr Athota’s expertise also includes management diagnostics and multi-perspective assessments in the areas of personality, cognitive, emotional competence, and leadership skills. He has been a keynote speaker at various international conferences and has served as track chair on many international conferences. Dr Athota has received several grants and led nine international service-learning programs as part of the Global Initiative at Notre Dame. Dr Athota is also an assessor for Australian Research Council (ARC) grants.  He has successfully supervised Higher Degree Research projects. He is the co-founder of Dayamani Joseph Educational Foundation and runs a school in India for disadvantaged children. Dr Athota has also provided consulting services to various business organizations internationally, including organizations from the Fortune 500.

  • Teaching Areas

    • Human Resource Management
    • Human Resource Development
    • Psychology of Work
    • Leadership, Theory and Practice
    • Strategic Workforce Issues
    • Human Resource Policy
    • BUSN2660 Employee Relations

  • Research Expertise and Supervision

    • Organisational Behaviour
    • Human Resource Managment
    • Values in the context of work
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Ethics
      Well-being

  • Books

    • Athota, V. S., & Treloar (Forthcoming 2023), Understanding and Resolving Workforce Issues. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
    • Athota, V. S. (2022). The Search for Meaning in the Workplace, Palgrave Macmillan
    • Athota, V. S. (Forthcoming 2022), Ethics and Employee Engagement, Palgrave Macmillan
    • Athota, V. S. (2021), Mind over Matter and Artificial Intelligence: Building employee mental fitness for organisational success. Palgrave Macmillan
    • Athota, V. S., & Malik, A. (2019). Managing Employee Wellbeing and Resilience for Innovation: Evidence from knowledge Intensive Service Industries, Palgrave Macmillan

  • Book Chapters

    • Athota, V. S., & Malik, A. (2018). The 360-Degree Feedback at Workplace: A Transformative Learning Perspective, Cambridge Handbook of Instructional Feedback
    • Athota, V. S. (2017). Foundations and future of well-being: How personality influence happiness and well-being, Impact of Organizational Trauma on Workplace Behavior and Performance.
    • Athota, V. S., O’Connor, P.J., & Jackson, C. J. (2010). The role of emotional intelligence in moral judgement. In R. Hicks (ed). Personality and Individual Differences: Current Directions. Australia: Australian Academic Press.

  • Journal Articles and Proceedings

    • Athota, V.S., Pereira, V., Hasan, Z., & Daicy, V., Laker, B. & Reppas, D. (In press 2023) press). Overcoming financial planners’ cognitive biases through digitalisation: A qualitative study, Journal of Business Research
    • Hasan, Z., Athota, V.S., Pereira, V., & Daicy, V. (In press). Cognitive biases among Australia financial planners, Journal of Global Information Management
    • Kearney, S., & Athota, V.S. (in press). The challenges and opportunities of international programs:  A collective case study. International Journal of Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement
    • Etuka, J. M., Athota, V. S., & Kearney, S. (2021). How can Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) help leaders manage through COVID-19? Knowledge Management Research & Practice
    • Athota, V. S., Fernando, M. Robert, R & Zaromb, F. (2021).  How moral emotions influence managerial decision-making ability in times of a pandemic. 34th Australian & New Zealand Academy of Management (ANZAM), Virtual Format, Australia
    • Athota, V. S., Budhwar, J., & Malik, A. (2020). Influence of personality traits and moral values on employee well-being, resilience and performance: A cross-national study. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 69 (3), 653–685.
    • Etuka, J. M., Athota, V. S., & Kearney, S. (2020). Does Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) influence transformational leadership ability. International Forum on Knowledge Asset Dynamics (IFKAD 2020), Matera, Italy.
    • Athota, V. S., & Hornshaw, M. (2020). The role of emotional competence in academic leadership. International Forum on Knowledge Asset Dynamics (IFKAD 2020), Matera, Italy.
    • Kearney, S., Athota, V.S., & Bee, S. (2018). International service learning in higher education: Contradictions of purpose. Journal of Global Education and Research.
    • Walden Person, S. & Athota, V.S. (2018). Academic Contrapower Harassment (ACPH), and Pedagogy for Mental Health through Self-compassion: A conceptual paper. International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change.
    • Athota, V.S., O’Connor, P.J., & Roberts, R.D. (2017). To punish first and reward second: Values determine how reward and punishment affect risk-taking behaviour. American Journal of Psychology, 130(3), pp. 303-313.
    • Athota, V. S., & Malik, A. (2017). Closing the innovation gap: A human capital perspective. 12th International Forum on Knowledge Asset Dynamics (IFKAD 2016), St. Petersburg, Russia.
    • Kearney, S. P., & Athota, V.S. (2018). International immersions experiences in higher education: Who benefits? In S. Hou (ed.) Service-Learning: Perspectives, Goals, & Outcomes. Hauppauge, New York: Nova Publishers.
    • Yuspendi, Handojo, V., Athota,V.S., Mike Yuni Margaretha Sihotang, M.Y.M., and Putu Ngurah Asita Dewi Aryanid, P.N.A.D. (2018). Adult Attachment Security Before and After Marriage Between IPV and Non-IPV Mothers in Indonesia. A&NZ Journal of Family Therapy.
    • Walden Pearson, S., Athota, V. S., & De Burgh-Woodman, H. (2017).  The influence of self-compassion on knowledge worker subjective wellbeing, creative and knowledge sharing behaviour. 12th International Forum on Knowledge Asset Dynamics (IFKAD 2016), St. Petersburg, Russia.
    • Athota, V. S., Malik, A., & Connell, J. (2016). Closing the innovation gap: A human capital perspective. 11th International Forum on Knowledge Asset Dynamics (IFKAD 2016), Dresden, Germany.
    • Athota, V.S., O’Connor, P.J., & Roberts, R.D. (2016). How values of Stimulation and Hedonism provide contrasting paths from Sensation Seeking to risk-taking behavior based on risk sensitivity. Personality and Individual Differences, 101, 465.
    • Athota, V. S., Treloar, S. & Kearney, S.P. (2016). Using learning styles to predict charitable values via emotional management. Jindal Journal of Business Research. 4, 46-55.
    • Athota, V. S., Kearney, P. S., & Cocodia, E. (2015). How self-transcendence via individualized moral foundations predict emotional and social enhancement. Journal of Beliefs & Values. Taylor & Francis Group.
    • Athota, V. S., & Roberts, R. D. (2015). How Extraversion + leads to problem-solving ability. Psychological Studies, 60, 332-338.
    • Athota, V. S., & O’Connor, P. J. (2014). How approach and avoidance constructs of personality and emotional management predict core human values. Learning and Individual Differences, 31, 51-58.
    • O’Connor, P. J., & Athota, V. S. (2013). The intervening role of Agreeableness in the relationship between Trait Emotional Intelligence and Machiavellianism: Reassessing the potential dark side of EI. Personality and Individual Differences, 55, 750-754.
    • Athota, V. S. (2013). The role of moral emotions in happiness. The Journal of Happiness & Well-Being, 1(2), 110-115.

  • Conference Papers

    • Athota, V. S., Mario, F., Roberts, R., & Zaromb, F. (2021). ‘How moral emotions influence managerial decision-making ability in times of pandemic’. Australia & New Zealand Academy of Management (ANZAM), Virtual Format, Australia.
    • Athota, V. S., & Hornshaw, M. (2020). The role of emotional competence in academic leadership. International Forum on Knowledge Asset Dynamics (IFKAD 2020), Matera, Italy. (Full paper conference publication)
    • Athota, V. S. (2020). ‘How does sensation seeking predict ethical behavior’. Israel Organizational Behavior Conference (IOBC), Tel Aviv, Israel.
    • Benson, I., Turnbull, S., & Athota, V. S. (2020). ‘How ecological organisations with distributed powers avoid systemic unethical conflicts: To provide for virtuous managers and the Common Good’. Israel Organizational Behavior Conference (IOBC), Tel Aviv, Israel.
    • Athota, V. S. (2019). ‘Combining Artificial Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence to build firm capabilities. the 8th International Conference on Business Servitization (ICBS, 21st -22nd, November 2019, Deusto University in San Sebastian, Spain.
    • Athota, V. S. (2016). ‘How cross-cultural intelligence influence organizational wellbeing’. International Business and Management Conference, 11-12, November 2016, Prague, Czech Republic.
    • Athota, V. S. (2014). ‘How Extraversion + leads to problem-solving ability.’ Paper presentation at the 17th European Conference on Personality (ECP17), Lausanne, Switzerland.
    • Athota, V. S. (2014). ‘Innovative intelligence: Leading organizational innovation through soft skills.’ Presentation for the senior management at Deutsche Bahn AG, Germany (Fortune 500 Company).
    • Athota, V. S. (2013). ‘How pleasure orientation leads to problem-solving.’ Paper presentation at the 12th Australian Conference on Personality and Individual Differences (ACPID), Brisbane, Australia.
    • Athota, V. S. (2012). ‘Personality and values influencing fairness.’ Paper presentation at the 11th Australian Conference on Personality and Individual Differences (ACPID), Melbourne, Australia.
    • Athota, V. S., & Jackson, C. J. (2010). ‘Approach and avoidance constructs of personality predict values through executive functioning.’ Paper presentation at the 9th Australian Conference on Personality and Individual Differences (ACPID), Wollongong, Australia.
    • Athota, V. S., & Jackson, C. J. (2009). ‘Personality correlates of morality.’ Paper presentation at the 14th Biennial Meeting of the International Society for the Study of Individual Differences (ISSID), Evanston, USA.
    • Athota, V. S., & Jackson, C. J. (2009). ‘The Big Five personality correlates of morality.’ Paper presentation at the 8th Australian Conference on Personality and Individual Differences (ACPID), Sydney, Australia.
    • Athota, V. S. (2008). ‘The role of emotional intelligence in moral judgement.’ Paper presentation at the 7th Australian Conference on Personality and Individual Differences (ACPID), Gold Coast, Australia.

  • Grants

    • Colombo Mobility Grant, Dept. of Edu &Training, Australian Government, 2022
    • Colombo Mobility Grant, Dept. of Edu & Training, Australian Government, AU $45,000, 2018
    • Colombo Mobility Grant, Dept. of Edu & Training, Australian Government, AU $21,500, 2018
    • Colombo Mobility Grant, Dept. of Edu & Training, Australian Government, AU $21, 500, 2017
    • Short Term Mobility Program Grant, Dept. of Edu & Training, Australian Government, AU $21, 500, 2015
    • AsiaBound Grant, Dept. of Edu & Training, Australian Government, AU $21, 500, 2015
    • AsiaBound Grant, Dept. of Edu & Training, Australian Government, AU $21, 500, 2014
    • AsiaBound Grant, Dept. of Edu & Training, Australian Government, AU$ 21, 500, 2013

  • In the Media

    • Appeared on Alive 9.5 FM, July 2021, Australia
    • Appeared on Alive 9.5 FM, June 2021, Australia
    • Enaadu, Telugu News Paper, India, 2016
    • Vartha, Telugu News Paper, India, 2017
    • Prajashakti Telugu News Paper, India, 2017
    • Cable TV News, Cable Broadcasting, 2016
    • New York Magazine, USA, 2015
    • British Journal Psychology Digest, UK, 2015
    • Catholic Weekly, Australia, 2014

  • Professional Affiliations

    • Academy of Management, USA
    • Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management (ANZAM)
    • Academic member, Australian HR Institute (HRI), Australia
    • Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, USA
    • International Society for the Study of Individual Differences, USA
    • Harvard Business School Executive Education Network, USA
      Ivey Publishing, Canada