Introducing biological approaches to management research: From theory development to publication

In this doctoral seminar Professor Yair Berson (McMaster University) will share his experience in applying biological approaches to research in management. He will begin with reviewing the challenges in management research that can be potentially addressed through biological methods. Then, discuss step-by-step the process of conducting research in these areas, beginning with theory development through study design, data collection, analysis, writing the paper, and the challenges associated with publishing biological research in management. The seminar will allow for open discussion to allow participants to develop their own ideas and research.

Yair Berson is a Professor of Human Resources & Management and the Director of the DeGroote Leadership Centre at the DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University. He will be visiting the Business School to collaborate with Stefan Volk and the Body, Heart and Mind in Business research group (BHM). Yair is a leading scholar in leadership research and his major contribution to leadership is his work on visionary leadership and how it affects multiple organizational phenomena including organizational learning, innovation and change. Specifically, he has conducted research on the content of leaders' vision and the extent to which visionary leaders influence groups. In other works, he has examined implications of individual differences in personality and values for employee and organizational outcomes.

His work has been published in prestigious academic journals in the field of Management including the Journal of Applied Psychology, Personnel Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Journal of Organizational Behavior and The Leadership Quarterly. Yair's work has also been featured in publications such as Forbes, Financial Times, Psychology Today and Israel's business magazines Globes and The Marker.