PhD
Organization Studies
Organization Studies is a multidisciplinary group that brings together the concepts and research methodology of social psychology, sociology, anthropology, and other social sciences. The Organization Studies research group focuses on interactions across individuals, groups, organizations, and institutions, as well as organizational processes themselves. Faculty members—including Deborah Ancona, Kate Kellogg, Erin Kelly, Ray Reagans, and John Carroll—study topics such as distributed leadership, AI in everyday work, social capital, and the future of work.
Research from Organization Studies Faculty
The Rise of the “Disposable” American Worker
The transformation of employment has left roughly one-third of the U.S. workforce without job security, according to a new book by MIT Sloan School of Management professor Paul Osterman.
‘Disposable Workers: The Transformation of Employment’
MIT Sloan’s Paul Osterman argues that the rise in gig workers, freelancers, contractors, adjuncts, and other contingent workers carries long-term implications for the future of work.
Who benefits from negotiating? Social class makes a difference
New research from MIT Sloan School of Management finds that individuals from lower social class backgrounds are less likely to negotiate and face greater backlash when they do.
Remembering Robert McKersie, who reshaped how we understand negotiation
McKersie’s 1965 framework for labor bargaining became one of negotiation theory’s most enduring ideas — and helped guide a life of activism, mentorship, and academic leadership.
Select Organization Studies Faculty
Standing Faculty
Deborah L. Ancona
Seley Distinguished Professor of Management
Deborah Ancona is the Seley Distinguished Professor of Management, a Professor of Organization Studies, and the Founder of the MIT Leadership Center at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Her pioneering research into how successful teams operate has…
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Jared R. Curhan
Gordon Kaufman Professor of Management
Jared Curhan is the Gordon Kaufman Professor and a Professor of Work and Organization Studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management, as well as Faculty Director of MIT’s Behavioral Research Lab. Curhan specializes in the psychology of negotiation…
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Example PhD Thesis Topics
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Raquel Kessinger (2024)
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James Mellody (2024)
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Alan Zhang (2024)
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Vanessa Conzon (2021)
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Jenna Myers (2021)