1. Directory
  2. Research Faculty Directory
  3. Dennis A. Gioia
  4. Update Profile

Dennis A. Gioia

Color portrait of Dennis A. Gioia

Professor of Management and Organization, Robert & Judith Auritt Klein Professor of Management of Management and Organization


Email Address dag4@psu.edu

Download Photo Personal Website


Dennis A. Gioia is the University Distinguished Professor of Management, Emeritus. He holds a BS degree in Engineering Science, an MBA, and a doctorate in Management, all from Florida State University. He has worked as an engineer for Boeing Aerospace at Cape Kennedy during the Apollo/Saturn lunar program and for Ford Motor Company as a problem analyst and as corporate recall coordinator. Professor Gioia is a member of the MBA core faculty, as well as the Executive MBA core faculty. He also is a former faculty director of the Developing Managerial Effectiveness executive program, and has served as a faculty leader in many other executive development programs for both private and public organizations. Professor Gioia is actively engaged in basic and applied research in organizations. His primary areas of theory and research focus on the study of organizational identity,image, and reputation. He also studies organizational sensemaking and sensegiving dynamics, organizational learning and knowledge, as well as organizational change processes.

Expertise

Current research deals with sensemaking and sensegiving processes during strategic change efforts, knowledge transformation processes, the role of organizational identity and image in attempting to accomplish change, and identity formation and change processes.

Education

DBA, Management and Organizational Behavior, Florida State University, 1979

MBA, Management, Florida State University, 1972

BS, Engineering Science, Florida State University, 1970

Courses Taught

MGMT 494H – Research Project (Variable)
Supervised student activities on research projects identified on an individual or small-group basis.

BA 801 – Management (2)
Examination and application of concepts of human behavior and organization to managing people in work organizations.

MGMT 597 – Special Topics (1)

BA 597 – Special Topics (1)
Formal courses given on a topical or special interest subject which may be offered infrequently.

BA 501 – Management (2)
This course is concerned with understanding and managing the behavior of people in organizations. The course will provide exposure to many of the concepts and skills that will help students become a more effective manager and organizational leader. This course includes tools that help students diagnose, understand, and develop solutions to management problems. The course will draw upon both the academic and practitioner literature to understand many facets of organizations and of the thoughts, feelings, and actions of people who work in them. It will focus on: 1) developing students' conceptual understanding of issues involved in managing people; 2) providing opportunities for direct or vicarious learning of managerial skills that have been identified by practicing managers as being most important to their performance; 3) giving students insight into their own attitudes, beliefs, and management philosophy; 4) creating a forum for discussing management issues with colleagues.

B A 501 – Management (2)
Examination and application of concepts of human behavior and organization to managing people in work organizations.

MGMT 601 – PH.D. DISSERTATION FULL-TIME
NO DESCRIPTION.

MGMT 534 – Leadership and Change in Organizations (2)
Understanding yourself as a leader, particularly as a leader in organizations and especially a leader of organizations undergoing change.

MGMT 600 – Thesis Research (variable)

ART H 299 – Foreign Study--Art History (Variable)
Courses offered in foreign countries by individual or group instruction.

MGMT 399 – Foreign Studies (Variable)
Courses offered in foreign countries by individual or group instruction.

B A 597A – Global Immersion (2)
Formal courses given on a topical or special interest subject which may be offered infrequently.

MGMT 597G – Leadership and Change in Organizations (2)
Understanding yourself as a leader, particularly as a leader in organizations and especially a leader of organizations undergoing change.

MGMT 590 – Colloquium (variable)
Continuing seminars which consist of a series of individual lectures by faculty, students, or outside speakers.

MGMT 597C – Cognition in Organizations Seminar (3)
This seminar studies cognitive processes in organizations, exploring theory and research on schema theory, organizational learning and knowledge, organizational identity and image, and sensemaking, organizing and symbolism.

MGMT 596 – Individual Studies (variable)
Creative projects, including nonthesis research, which are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outside the scope of formal courses.

B A 597C – Pricing Policies (2)
Formal courses given on a topical or special interest subject which may be offered infrequently.

MGMT 497A – Social Entrepreneurship (3)
Special topics course.

Selected Publications

Gioia D. A., "A systematic methodology for doing qualitative research." Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, vol. 57, 2021, pp. 20-29
Rheinhardt A., Gioia D. A., "Upside-down organizational change: Sensemaking, sensegiving and the new generation." Oxford Handbook of Organizational Change, (Poole, M.S. & Van de Ven, A.), 2021, pp. 105-121
Bishop D., Trevino L., Gioia D. A., Kreiner G., "Leveraging a recessive narrative to rapidly transform image: Media sensebreaking, sensemaking and sensegiving during scandal." Academy of Management Discoveries, vol. 6, no. 4, 2020, pp. 572-608
Gioia D. A., March J., Olsen J., Levinthal D., Argote L., Walsh J., Meyer A., Lant T., Mezias Shapira Z., Greve H., "A special "provocations and provocateurs section honoring Jim March." Journal of Management Inquiry, vol. 29, 2020, pp. 119-127
Villena V., Gioia D. A., "A more sustainable supply chain." Harvard Business Review, vol. 98, no. 2, 2020, pp. 84-93
Gioia D. A., "If I had a magic wand: Reflections on developing a systematic approach to qualitative research." In Boyd, B., Crook, T.R., Le, J.K., & Smith, A.D. (Eds)Standing on the Shoulders of Giants (Research Methodology in Strategy and Management, Vol 11), (Emerald), 2019, pp. 27-37
Gioia D. A., "Gioia's rules of the game." Journal of Management Inquiry, no. 28, 2019, pp. 113-115
Gioia D. A., "Reflections on experiencing Apollo 11: On trying to outdo yourself." Journal of Management Inquiry, no. 28, 2019, pp. 395-400
Villena Martinez V. H., Gioia D. A., "On the riskiness of lower tier suppliers: Managing sustainability in supply networks." Journal of Operations Management, no. 64, 2018, pp. 65-87
Gehman J., Glaser V., Eisenhardt K., Gioia D. A., Langley A., Corley K., "Finding theory-method fit: A comparison of three qualitative approaches to theory building." Journal of Management Inquiry, no. 27, 2018, pp. 284-300
Eury J., Kreiner G., Trevino L., Gioia D. A., "The past is not dead: Legacy identification and alumni ambivalence in the wake of scandal." Academy of Management Journal, vol. 61, no. 3, 2018, pp. 826-856
Bishop D., Eury J., Gioia D. A., Trevino L. K., Kreiner G., "In the heart of a storm: Leveraging personal relevance through "inside-out" research." Academy of Management Perspectives, 2018
Kilduff M., Mehra A., Gioia D. A., Borgatti S., "Brokering trust to enhance leadership: A self-monitoring approach to leadership emergence. In Glucker, J., Lazega, E., and Hammer, I. (Eds.)." Knowledge and Networks, (Heidelberg: Springer), vol. 11, 2018, pp. 221-240
Rheinhardt A., Kreiner G., Gioia D. A., Corley K., "Conducting and publishing rigorous qualitative research. In Cassell, C., Cunliffe, A. and Grandy, G. (Eds.)." The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Business and Management Research Methods, 2017, pp. 515-531
Gioia D. A., "The long, hard road to legitimacy for qualitative research: A personal and professional journey.. In Mir, R. & Jain, S. (Eds.)." The Routledge Companion to Qualitative Research in Organization Studies, (Routledge), 2017, pp. 453-464
Gioia D. A., Hamilton A., "Great debates in organizational identity study. In Pratt, M., Schultz, M., Ashforth, B. & Ravasi, D. (Eds.)." The Oxford Handbook of Organizational Identity, (Oxford University Press), 2016, pp. 21-38
Gioia D. A., Gioia D., "Revisionist organizational history In Carroll, C.E. (Ed.)." SAGE Encyclopedia of Corporate Reputation, (Sage), 2016
Patvardhan S., Gioia D. A., Hamilton A., "Weathering a metalevel identity crisis: Forging a coherent collective identity for an emerging field.." Academy of Management Journal, vol. 58, no. 2, 2015, pp. 405-435
Gioia D. A., Hamilton A., Patvardhan S., "Image is everything: Reflections on the dominance of image in modern organizational life." Research in Organizational Behavior, vol. 34, 2014, pp. 129-154
Gioia D. A., Patvardhan S., Hamilton A., Corley K., "Organizational identity formation and change." Academy of Management Annals, vol. 7, 2013, pp. 123-193
Gioia D. A., Corley K., Hamilton A., "Seeking qualitative rigor in inductive research: Notes on the Gioia methodology." Organizational Research Methods, vol. 16, no. 1, 2013, pp. 15-131
Gioia D. A., "Pinto fires and personal ethics: 20 years before and after publication. In Michalos, A.G. & Poff, D.C. (Eds.)." Citation Classics from the Journal of Business Ethics: Advances in Business Ethics Research, vol. 2, 2013, pp. 727-728
Gioia D. A., Nag R., Corley K., "Visionary ambiguity and strategic change: The virtue of vagueness in launching major organizational change." Journal of Management Inquiry, vol. 21, 2012, pp. 364-375
Nag R., Gioia D. A., "From common to uncommon knowledge: Foundations of firm-specific use of knowledge as a resource.." Academy of Management Journal, vol. 55, 2012, pp. 421-457
Gioia D. A., Patvardhan S., "Identity as Process and Flow. In Maguire, S., Schultz, M., Langley, A. & Tsoukas, H. (Eds.)." Constructing Identity In and Around Organizations, (Oxford University Press), vol. 3, 2011, pp. 50-62
Corley K., Gioia D. A., "Building theory about theory building: What constitutes a theoretical contribution?." Academy of Management Review, vol. 36, 2011, pp. 12-32
Hamilton A., Gioia D. A., "Organizational identity and strategic decision making. In P.C. Nutt & D.C. Wilson (Eds.)." Handbook of Decision Making, 2010, pp. 139-152
Gioia D. A., Price K. N., Hamilton A. L., Thomas J. B., "Forging an Identity: An Insider-Outsider Study of Processes Involved in Organizational Identity Formation." Administrative Science Quarterly, vol. 55, no. 1, 2010, pp. 1-46
Clark S. M., Gioia D. A., Ketchen D., Thomas J. B., "Transitional Identity as a Facilitator of Organizational Identity Change during a Merger." Administrative Science Quarterly, vol. 55, no. 3, 2010, pp. 397-438
Hamilton A. L., Gioia D. A., "Fostering Sustainability-Focused Organizational Identities." Exploring Positive Identities and Organizations: Building a Theoretical and Research Foundation, (Psychology Press), 2009, pp. 427-451
Price K. N., Gioia D. A., "The Self-monitoring organization: Minimizing discrepancies among differing perception of organizational identity." Corporate Reputation Review, vol. 11, 2008, pp. 208-221
Price K. N., Gioia D. A., Corley K. G., "Scattered images: Reconciling disparate organizational images." Journal of Management Inquiry, vol. 17, no. 3, 2008, pp. 173-185
Ashforth B., Gioia D. A., Robinson S., Trevino L. K., "Re-Viewing Corruption. [Introductory Article to the Special Topic Forum on Corruption in Organizations]." Academy of Management Review, vol. 33, no. 3, 2008, pp. 670-684
Gioia D. A., "Interpretive wisdom." Handbook of Organizational and Managerial Wisdom, 2007
Gioia D. A., "Organizational identity as an emerging perennial domain." Handbook of the New and Emerging in Organization Studies, 2007
Proserpio L., Gioia D. A., "Teaching the virtual generation." Academy of Management Learning and Education, no. 6, 2007, pp. 69-80
Nag R., Corley K. G., Gioia D. A., "The intersection of organizational identity, knowledge, and practice: Attempting strategic change via knowledge grafting.." Academy of Management Journal, vol. 50, 2007, pp. 821-847
Gioia D. A., "The rules of the game redux 2.0. In Clark, T., Wright, M. & Ketchen D.J. Jr. (Eds)." Standing on the Shoulders of Giants, (Edward Elgar)

Research Impact and Media Mentions

"The Halo Effect: Why It Is So Difficult to Understand the Past. "Hidden Brain" podcast hosted by Shankar Vidantam", National Public Radio, Radio
"What Was Volkswagen Thinking by Jerry Useem", The Atlantic
"The Engineer Lament by Malcolm Gladwell", New Yorker
"20 That Made History", Fortune Magazine

Editorships

Administrative Science Quarterly, Editorial Board, January 2011 - Present
Academy of Management Review Special Topic Forum on Corruption in Organizations, Co-Editor, January 2008
Journal of Management Inquiry, Section Editor, Editor, January 2005 - Present
Editor for "Provocations and Provacateurs" section
Organization Studies, Editorial Board, January 2003 - Present
Academy of Management Review, Editorial Board, January 2002 - January 2017
Academy of Management Learning & Education, Editorial Board, January 2001 - January 2011
Corporate Reputation Review, Editorial Board, January 2000 - January 2005
Organization, Editorial Board, January 1995 - January 2009
Academy of Management Review, Editorial Board, January 1993 - January 1999
Journal of Management, Editorial Board, January 1988 - January 1992

Honors and Awards