Organizations and Management focuses on the study of two things: how individuals and groups interact within organizations, and how firms interact with one another and with consumers, employees, communities, and institutions. To understand these processes, scholars draw both on psychology—particularly the study of intergroup processes, power, stereotyping, and emotion—and on sociology, especially the study of categories, identity, interpersonal and inter-organizational relationships, organizations, and stratification.
Relative to other programs in organizations and management, Yale SOM's uniquely trains students to have a deep understanding of both psychological and sociological perspectives on the various issues studied by organizations scholars. It is also unusual in the depth of training that it provides in empirical research methods.
Specific programs of study are built around the interests of individual students.
Faculty
Examples of research topics that would fit within the program include:
- How compensation schemes affect employee performance
- How do people categorize things and how do those categories influence behavior
- How do social networks influence economic development
- How employees and colleagues react to female leaders
- How rules and relationships affect lending practices
- The importance of social influence in the adoption of technologies
- How status hierarchies perpetuate or reduce inequality
- What motivates employees and individuals
- How to design and structure organizations
- How to balance innovation vs. execution in organizations
- How to transform complex organizations / institutions
- How non-market factors affect organizational outcomes
Applicants interested in this program should include at least one writing sample in their application materials.