Organizations, Technology and Entrepreneurship

Research spans the study of technical work; technology's effects on individuals and teams; the formation and growth of entrepreneurial firms; and strategy and innovation in technology-based firms.

Some projects examine the role of technology in the work of engineers, including the interplay between workplace technologies and engineering knowledge, on-the-job learning, problem-solving and coordination. Other research investigates the dynamics of globally distributed work teams; the implications of contracting and outsourcing; human-robot interaction in the workplace; and evidence-based management.

At the firm-level, research examines how entrepreneurial firms gain financing, build alliance networks and grow. Other investigations center on established firms, including creating successful R&D collaborations across businesses, effectively competing against other firms and entering new markets. Researchers also study strategies that enable established organizations to discover, develop and commercialize technologies.

The department is home to a premier teaching programs in these areas including Stanford Technology Ventures Program and the Center for Work, Technology and Organizations (WTO), a world-class center dedicated to understanding how work is changing and how to design more effective organizations and technologies.