Derek Harmon

My research examines the microfoundations of organization theory and strategy, a growing body of work that studies the micro-mechanisms that drive more macro phenomena. In particular, my work advances our understanding in three domains: 1) the microfoundations of institutions, where I reveal novel mechanisms to explain institutional persistence and change, 2) the microfoundations of deviance in organizations, where I uncover new explanations for why misconduct is so persistent and the broader effects it has on organizations, and 3) the microfoundations of entrepreneurial activities in nascent settings, where I offer new insights into the role firms play in the construction and development of new markets. My approach to research is highly interdisciplinary and methodologically diverse. Theoretically, I draw on work in sociology, psychology, economics, and linguistics. Methodologically, I utilize archival studies, lab experiments, and qualitative approaches, and I leverage different forms of text analysis in many of my papers. My published work appears in Administrative Science Quarterly, Strategic Management Journal, Management Science, Academy of Management Review, and Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes.