Wilson, Alex James

Selected Publications

Academic Article
- Corporate Hierarchy and Organizational Learning: Member Turnover and Recombinant Innovation in the Multiunit Firm. Organization Science. 34(3):1332-1352. 2022-01-01
- Prescription for Healthcare Delivery: New Directions for Organizational Learning in Hospitals. Academy of Management Proceedings. 2021:13932. 2021-08-01
- The Growth of the Firm: An Attention‐Based View. Strategic Management Journal. 39(6):1779-1800. 2018-01-01
- Organizational Structure and Performance Feedback: Centralization, Aspirations, and Termination Decisions. Organization Science. 27:1065-1083. 2016-10-01
Chapter
- Organizational Attention and Technological Search in the Multibusiness Firm: Motorola from 1974 to 1997 -- Advances in Strategic Management. Emerald Group Publishing Limited. 407-435. 2015-08-01

Presentations

Presentation

Research Overview

Researchers in organization theory and strategy are increasingly recognizing the importance of understanding firm structure in shaping organizational decisions, actions, and outcomes. Not only has it been identified as a critical mechanism for shaping and facilitating information processing within the firm, but also as a lens to understand the complex interplay between individual and organizational cognition. Underlying this trend is the movement towards a broader conceptualization of organizational structure itself, which encompasses not only the formal structure of the firm – its “boxes” and “arrows” – but also the informal structure of the organization – such as its routines and patterns of organizational attention. My research takes a behavioral strategy lens to two fundamental questions about structure: (1) How does organizational structure shape organizational attention – i.e. the issues and answers that decision-makers focus on, and what they do? (2) How does structure itself evolve over time?

To address these questions, my work examines both effects of and changes to organizational structure. Examples include studies of the delineation of new organizational subunits (a process called architectural elaboration) at high-technology firms, the evolution of organizational routines, and the effect of structure on such processes such as learning from performance feedback, turnover, and innovation. This perspective on organizational structure invites consideration of both top-down (i.e. schema-driven) and bottom-up (i.e. stimulus-driven) responses to new organizational issues. My work includes both theory and empirical papers. My empirical papers employ different methodologies, and examine structural phenomena at different levels of analysis, including at the level of the organizational routines, the organizational subunit, and the organization itself. My work contributes to research in organization theory by developing new theory, extending and testing existing theory through careful research designs, and expanding our understanding of critical organizational phenomena.

Teaching Overview

The core of my teaching philosophy is the importance of providing skills that allow students to make informed decisions in their personal and professional lives. I advise them how these skills will be particularly useful in their careers as they will frequently encounter situations where their toolset will allow them to overcome pervasive strategic decision-making challenges stemming from complexity and lack of or overload of information. I encourage my students to think systematically, strive for them to be comfortable with the fact that there may not be only one right answer, and instill the importance of communicating their arguments clearly to a business audience.

I primarily teach courses in the disciplines of Management and Strategy, including both introductory and upper-level courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. These courses have included Principles of Management, Competitive Strategy, Leadership and Organizational Change, Corporate Strategy, and Mergers and Acquisitions Strategy.

Full Name

Alex James Wilson

Wilson, Alex James

positions

Publications

Selected Publications

Academic Article

Chapter

Presentations

Presentation

Research

Research Overview

Teaching

Teaching Overview

Contact

Full Name