My broad research agenda focuses on the impact of business on society, with attention to positive examples of businesspeople running economically and socially sound ventures. I am interested in the cultural regulation of business – the extent to which culture determines the business of business and the impact an individual’s identity/cultural groups has on her behavior when acting as an agent of a company.

Currently, I am working on three projects. The first is an outgrowth of a book I am co-authoring with Linda Hill about black business people in South Africa. I am exploring the development of the identity of “socially responsible businessperson” in South Africa through a lens of institutional entrepreneurship. The second is a project with Jason Owen-Smith exploring the impact of informal and formal network ties as well as corporate identity in the development of research intensive industries. The third project is a case study of organizational resilience with Kathie Sutcliffe, Karl Weick, and Marlys Christianson.