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
New research finds a “Bamboo Ceiling” for ethnic Chinese men in the UK
An analysis of executives at FTSE-listed companies and more than 322,000 UK Biobank participants finds lower leadership attainment among ethnic Chinese men.
These new MIT Sloan courses track emerging technologies and business trends
MIT Sloan School of Management course offerings like AI-Augmented Work, Defense and Dual-Use Ventures, and Leading Agentic AI Transformation in Organizations anticipate businesses’ future needs.
4 seats AI can occupy at the negotiating table
AI can negotiate for you, coach you, support your team, or mediate between parties. An MIT Sloan School of Management professor explains those four roles — and why human judgment still matters.
Lessons from Kaiser Permanente’s AI labor deal
An MIT report details how Kaiser Permanente and the Alliance of Health Care Unions reached a landmark labor agreement to incorporate worker input into AI decision-making.
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)