Dr. Susan Albers Mohrman: Scholar and agent of effective and meaningful organizations

Abstract

Dr. Susan Albers Mohrman is a senior research scientist with the Center for Effective Organizations (CEO) at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business. Many consider her to be a giant in the field of organization development and change (ODC) with her independent and joint contributions with other luminous colleagues from CEO such as Edward Lawler, Allan "Monty" Mohrman, Susan Cohen, and Christopher Worley. Mohrman has made several path-defining contributions during her illustrious and continuing 38-plus- year career at CEO. These contributions touch on multiple aspects of the field - teams, leadership, organizational design, organizational growth and development, rigorous research, theory development, useful research, and the cultivation of the future generation of scholar-practitioners. Several core themes unite these diverse aspects. One integrative theme is her deep respect for and dedication to the constructive role that organizations can play in the lives of their members and the communities in which they are located. Another integrative theme is the need to build organizations that meet the multiple hurdles of effectiveness, efficiency, meaningfulness, and significance. A third is the multivocality of organizational expertise that rest in scholars, organizational leaders, employees, and other stakeholders. A fourth integrative theme is the persistent quest for models (and theories) of organizational functioning that better explain desired outcomes. As we reflect upon Dr. Mohrman's contributions, legacy, and unfinished business we are inspired to hold fast to the values of human dignity, meaningful work, sustainability, and scientific empiricism as we continue to cultivate powerful agents of change who fulfill the promise of the field of ODC.