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
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.
MIT Sloan reflects: 250 years of American business and management
MIT Sloan School of Management faculty members reflect on how innovations and ideas over the past 250 years influence business today.
Faculty Share Latest Insights at MIT Sloan Reunion 2026
MIT Sloan’s leading thinkers in economics, sustainability, and organizational studies agree: Embracing the human elements of our work is more critical than ever.
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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John S. Carroll
Hear name pronounced.Gordon Kaufman Professor of Management, Emeritus
John Carroll is the Gordon Kaufman Professor of Management, Emeritus and a Professor Post Tenure of Work and Organization Studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He was also Professor of Engineering Systems until 2015 and served as Co…
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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)