Roderick M. Kramer
The William R. Kimball Professor of Organizational Behavior, Emeritus
Academic Area:
Research Statement
Professor Kramer’s research explores a variety of topics, approached largely from the standpoint of psychological research on human judgment and decision making. His most recent empirical research explores the foundations of happiness and meaning, creativity, trust and distrust within organizations, organizational and social paranoia, as well as the determinants of cooperation and conflict in social systems. He also studies presidential judgment and decision making, as well as decision making in other interesting real world contexts, including the entertainment industry, U.S. intelligence agencies, and medical settings. Additionally, he has done extensive research on judgment and decision making in negotiation and leadership contexts. Finally, his research explores the antecedents and consequences of social and organizational identities, with an emphasis on how such identities shape judgment and decision making.
Research Interests
- Judgment
- Decision making
- Social identity
- Trust
- Distrust
- Creativity
- Leadership
- Cooperation
- Conflict
- Happiness
- Meaning
- Organizational Paranoia
- Conspiracy Theories
Teaching Statement
Professor Kramer’s teaching spans more than 30 years at Stanford, and includes developing the first research-based negotiations course at the business school in 1985, followed by the first research-based course on group decision making and group processes. Additionally, Professor Kramer has developed original electives on happiness and meaning (for both MBAs and undergraduates), creativity, identity and story-telling, paths to power (co-developed with Jeffrey Pfeffer), leadership in the entertainment industry (co-developed with Bill Guttentag), and the “genius and folly” of great leaders. He has also taught in over 40 executive programs at Stanford and Harvard, including Stanford’s flagship executive program for senior executives, Harvard Kennedy Schools’ program for senior government leaders, and Harvard Business School’s Advanced Leadership Initiative.
Bio
Roderick Kramer is an experimental social psychologist. He received his Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1985. He has been a faculty at the Graduate School of Business since his graduation. He has also visited and taught at major academic institutions around the world, including Oxford, Cambridge, London Business School, Harvard Business School, Harvard Kennedy School and Northwestern University. He has been a visiting scholar at Bellagio, Stanford’s Hoover Institution, Harvard Business School, Harvard Kennedy School, and the Russell Sage Foundation.
Academic Degrees
- PhD in Social Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1985
- MA in Experimental Social Psychology, California State University Los Angeles, 1981
- BA in Experimental Psychology and Philosophy, California State University Los Angeles, 1977
Academic Appointments
- William R. Kimball Professor of Organizational Behavior, Stanford GSB, 2000–2022
- Professor of Organizational Behavior, Stanford GSB, 1996–2000
- Visiting Scholar, Harvard Business School, Spring 2010
- Visiting Professor of Public Policy and Management, Center for Public Leadership Harvard Kennedy School, 2009–2010
- Center Advisor, Center for Public Leadership Harvard Kennedy School, 2009–2010
- Visiting Scholar, Center for Public Leadership Harvard Kennedy School, January 2008
- Visiting Scholar, London Business School, Summer 2007
- Visiting Senior Scholar, Hoover Institution Stanford University, 2005–2006
- Visiting Professor, John F. Kennedy School of Government Harvard University, Spring 2004
- Visiting Professor, John F. Kennedy School of Government Harvard University, Winter 2003
- Visiting Professor of Public Policy and Management, John F. Kennedy School of Government Harvard University, Fall and Winter 2001
- Visiting Scholar, Oxford University, Summer 2000
- Visiting Professor, London Business School, Spring 2000
- Visiting Scholar, Distrust Study Group Bellagio Conference Center, 1997
- Visiting Scholar, Trust Working Group Russell Sage Foundation, Fall 1996
- Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior, Stanford GSB, 1991–1996
- Visiting Associate Professor, Kellogg Graduate School of Management Northwestern University, 1991
- Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior, Stanford GSB, 1985–1991
Professional Experience
- Roderick Kramer has worked at a variety of corporations and held several governmental appointments, as well as consulted extensively both with the government and private sector.
Awards and Honors
- Shanahan Family Faculty Fellow for 2015–16
- Academic Advisor, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Project: Modelling Optimal Collaborations, 2014
- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grantee and Partner Community, invited member, 2013
- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, invited participant, convening on Meeting of the Minds on Diversity and Inclusion, Carey Conference Center, Rensselaerville, 2013
- “Dinner on the Deans” Award for Teaching Excellence, Harvard Kennedy School, 2010
- “Dinner on the Deans” Award for Teaching Excellence, Harvard Kennedy School, 2008
- Best Publication in Organizational Behavior Award, Academy of Management, 2003
- Best Publication in Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management, 2003
Publications
Journal Articles
Books
Book Chapters
Working Papers
Academic Publications
Teaching
Degree Courses
Executive Education & Other Non-Degree Programs
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Other Teaching
Programs and Non-Degree Courses
Advanced Leadership Initiative (Harvard Business School)
Advanced Strategic Management Program (ASM)
Advanced Executive Education Program on Negotiation and Influence
ALFA Executive Program
Alumni Life-Long Learning
CEMEX
Center for Social Innovation Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders (ENL)
Citigroup/Stanford Program
Corporate Governance Program (CGP)
Customer-focused Innovation (CFI) Program
Director’s Consortium
Executive Breakfast Briefings Program
Genentech Leadership Program
Half Century Club
Human Resource Management (HRM)
Leading and Managing Change (LMC)
Leadership and Strategic Execution (LSE)
Managing in Groups and Teams (MGT)
NFL-Stanford Program (NFL)
Organizational Change (EPOC)
Growing Companies (EPGC)
Managing Talent for Strategic Advantage (MTSA)
Negotiation and Influence Strategies (NIS)
SAXO Bank Program
Senior Executives Program (SEP)
Senior Fellows Program (Harvard Kennedy School)
Sloan Management Program (SMP)
Stanford Advanced Project Management Program
Stanford Board of Directors Program (BDP)
Stanford Directors Forum (SDF)
Stanford-Helsinki Executive Education Program
Stanford Institute for Political Psychology (SIPP)
Stanford Management Group (SMG)
Talent Management for Strategic Advantage
Women in Cable Telecommunications Senior Summit
Young Entrepreneurs’ Organization (YEO)
Young Presidents’ Organization Seminar (YPO)
Stanford Case Studies
Stanford GSB Affiliations
- Member Undergraduate Teaching Committee 2011
Stanford University Affiliations
- Faculty Affiliate Michelle R. Clayman Institute for Gender Research, Stanford University 2008–present
- Faculty Affiliate Stanford Center for Longevity 2008–present
- Advisory Board Member Stanford Research Center for Prevention of Financial Fraud 2011
Service to the Profession
- Center Advisor, Center for Public Leadership, Harvard Kennedy School, 2009-2010 International Board of Advisors, Institute of Creative Management and Innovation, Kinki University, 2010–present
- Internal Grant Reviewer, Research and Artistry Program, Northern Illinois University Selected Participant, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Meeting of the Minds on Diversity and Inclusion, 2013
- Invited Member, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grantee and Partner Community, 2013
- Invited Coordinator for Nominating Committee, American Psychological Association Committee on Scientific Awards, American Psychological Federation Gold Medal Award, 2012
- Selection Committee, “Top American Leaders 2011,” Washington Post and Harvard Kennedy School Center for Public Leadership, 2011
- Selection Committee, Dubin Fellows, Center for Public Leadership, Harvard Kennedy School, 2010
- Advisory Board, Leadership Research Network, Harvard Business School, 2008–2010
- Faculty Chair, Gleitsman Social Change Film Forum, Harvard University, 2009–2010
- Faculty Co-Director, Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century, World Economic Forum and Harvard Kennedy School, 2001–2010
- External Review Committee, Center for Public Leadership, Harvard Kennedy School, 2009
- Core Research Group, “Challenges to Trust-building in Nuclear Worlds,” RCUK’s ‘Global Uncertainties: Security in a Changing World” Programme, 2009
- Consulting Principal Investigator, Research Grant: “What Drives Creative Thinking in Product Design? A Neuroscientific and Psychometric Assessment,” Hasso Plattner Design Institute, Thinking Research Program, Stanford University, 2008
- Selection Committee, U.S. New & World Report, “America’s Best Leaders” Project, Center for Public Leadership, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009
Editorial Positions
- International Journal of Public Management, Consulting Editor, 2007-2010
- Journal of Trust Research, Executive Committee, 2009
- International Journal of Public Management, Editorial Board, 2005-2007
- Research in Organizational Behavior, Co-Editor (with Barry M. Staw), 2001-2004
- Administrative Science Quarterly, Associate Editor, 1998-2000
- Organizational Behavior & Human Decision Processes, Editorial Board, 1996-1998
- Organization Science, Editorial Board, 1995-1998
- Administrative Science Quarterly, Editorial Board, 1994-1995
Ad Hoc Reviewer (Academic Journals, University Presses, and Popular Presses)
- Academy of Management Journal
- Academy of Management Review
- Administrative Science Quarterly
- American Economic Review
- Bantam
- Basic Books
- Brookings Institution
- Cambridge University Press
- Cornell University Press
- Erlbaum Press
- Harvard Business School Press
- Group and Organization Management
- Harvard University Press
- Harvard International Journal of Press/Politics
- Journal of American Public Health Association
- Journal of Applied Social Psychology
- Journal of Conflict Resolution
- Journal of Experimental Social Psychology
- Journal of Personality
- Journal of Organizational Behavior
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
- MIT Press
- National Institutes of Mental Health
- National Cancer Institute (Psychosocial Division)
- National Science Foundation (Social Science; Law)
- Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes
- Organization Science
- Oxford University Press
- Palgrave
- Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin
- Personality and Social Psychology Review
- Prentice-Hall
- Psychological Bulletin
- Psychological Science
- Psychology Press
- Random House
- Religions (Special issue on “Charisma: Medieval and Modern)
- Russell Sage Foundation
- Social Behavior
- Social Psychology Quarterly
- Stanford Business Press
- Stanford University Press
- Oxford University Press
- Westview Press
- Worth Publishers
In the Media
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