Research

Richard Hackman's research has included studies of social influences on behavior in organizations, task and work design, the dynamics and performance of work teams, and the design and leadership of self-managing organizational units. He has conducted research on group and organizational factors that shape the behavior and performance of aircraft flightdeck crews; on leadership, organizational dynamics, and player engagement in professional symphony and chamber orchestras; and on the dynamics and performance of analytic teams in the U.S. intelligence community.

Current projects include development and validation of methodologies for diagnosing the strengths and weaknesses of work teams, development and test of a theoretical model of team coaching, a book that explores the special dynamics of senior management teams, and development of educational materials for use in enhancing leadership skills in artistic ensembles and other groups that generate creative products or performances in real time. He also collaborates with Stephen Kosslyn on the Group Brain Project, an empirical investigation of the joint impact of neurocognitive processes and social interaction on teamwork.