Description:

Authority is a key feature of organizations that enables their stability and reproduction, and yet we know surprisingly little about how systems of authority are maintained or eroded. Most conceptualizations of authority are overly structured and mechanistic and do not allow for the possibility of endogenous disruption to authority. Brayden King examines the process through which authority erosion occurs through a historical analysis of the Free Speech Movement that occurred at the University of California, Berkeley campus in the fall of 1964. 

Brayden King is the Max McGraw Chair of Management and the Environment and a professor of Management and Organizations. He is also affiliated with the Department of Sociology. Professor King's research focuses on how social movement activists influence corporate social responsibility, organizational change, and legislative policymaking. More recently, his research has begun to examine social media and its influence on individual and organizational reputations.

This is part of the Buffett Institute Faculty & Fellows Colloquium. On Fridays during the school year, the Buffett Institute hosts Northwestern faculty and/or visiting fellows to present their current research. This forum brings together an interdisciplinary audience to build awareness of global research on campus. The series helps promote dialogue on scholarship and develop a deeper sense of community among Buffett Institute affiliates. Each meeting lasts one hour; lunch is provided. Please arrive early to get lunch and find a seat.