Roderick Kramer

Professor Kramer’s research explores a variety of topics, approached largely from the standpoint of psychological research on human judgment and decision making. His most recent empirical research explores the foundations of happiness and meaning, creativity, trust and distrust within organizations, organizational and social paranoia, as well as the determinants of cooperation and conflict in social systems. He also studies presidential judgment and decision making, as well as decision making in other interesting real world contexts, including the entertainment industry, U.S. intelligence agencies, and medical settings. Additionally, he has done extensive research on judgment and decision making in negotiation and leadership contexts. Finally, his research explores the antecedents and consequences of social and organizational identities, with an emphasis on how such identities shape judgment and decision making.

Research Interests

• Judgment
• Decision making
• Social identity
• Trust
• Distrust
• Creativity
• Leadership
• Cooperation
• Conflict
• Happiness
• Meaning
• Organizational Paranoia
• Conspiracy Theories

Teaching Statement

Professor Kramer’s teaching spans more than 30 years at Stanford, and includes developing the first research-based negotiations course at the business school in 1985, followed by the first research-based course on group decision making and group processes. Additionally, Professor Kramer has developed original electives on happiness and meaning (for both MBAs and undergraduates), creativity, identity and story-telling, paths to power (co-developed with Jeffrey Pfeffer), leadership in the entertainment industry (co-developed with Bill Guttentag), and the “genius and folly” of great leaders. He has also taught in over 40 executive programs at Stanford and Harvard, including Stanford’s flagship executive program for senior executives, Harvard Kennedy Schools’ program for senior government leaders, and Harvard Business School’s Advanced Leadership Initiative.

Roderick Kramer is an experimental social psychologist. He received his Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1985. He has been a faculty at the Graduate School of Business since his graduation. He has also visited and taught at major academic institutions around the world, including Oxford, Cambridge, London Business School, Harvard Business School, Harvard Kennedy School and Northwestern University. He has been a visiting scholar at Bellagio, Stanford’s Hoover Institution, Harvard Business School, Harvard Kennedy School, and the Russell Sage Foundation.

Academic Degrees

• PhD in Social Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1985
• MA in Experimental Social Psychology, California State University Los Angeles, 1981
• BA in Experimental Psychology and Philosophy, California State University Los Angeles, 1977

Academic Appointments

• William R. Kimball Professor of Organizational Behavior, Stanford GSB, 2000-Present
• Professor of Organizational Behavior, Stanford GSB, 1996-2000
• Visiting Scholar, Harvard Business School, Spring 2010
• Visiting Professor of Public Policy and Management, Center for Public Leadership Harvard Kennedy School, 2009-2010
• Center Advisor, Center for Public Leadership Harvard Kennedy School, 2009-2010
• Visiting Scholar, Center for Public Leadership Harvard Kennedy School, January 2008
• Visiting Scholar, London Business School, Summer 2007
• Visiting Senior Scholar, Hoover Institution Stanford University, 2005-2006
• Visiting Professor, John F. Kennedy School of Government Harvard University, Spring 2004
• Visiting Professor, John F. Kennedy School of Government Harvard University, Winter 2003
• Visiting Professor of Public Policy and Management, John F. Kennedy School of Government Harvard University, Fall and Winter 2001
• Visiting Scholar, Oxford University, Summer 2000
• Visiting Professor, London Business School, Spring 2000
• Visiting Scholar, Distrust Study Group Bellagio Conference Center, 1997
• Visiting Scholar, Trust Working Group Russell Sage Foundation, Fall 1996
• Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior, Stanford GSB, 1991-1996
• Visiting Associate Professor, Kellogg Graduate School of Management Northwestern University, 1991
• Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior, Stanford GSB, 1985-1991

Professional Experience

• Roderick Kramer has worked at a variety of corporations and held several governmental appointments, as well as consulted extensively both with the government and private sector.

Awards and Honors

• Shanahan Family Faculty Fellow for 2015-2016
• Academic Advisor, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Project: Modelling Optimal Collaborations, 2014
• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grantee and Partner Community, invited member, 2013
• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, invited participant, convening on Meeting of the Minds on Diversity and Inclusion, Carey Conference Center, Rensselaerville, 2013
• “Dinner on the Deans” Award for Teaching Excellence, Harvard Kennedy School, 2010
• “Dinner on the Deans” Award for Teaching Excellence, Harvard Kennedy School, 2008
• Best Publication in Organizational Behavior Award, Academy of Management, 2003
• Best Publication in Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management, 2003