Charles A. O’Reilly

Professor, Organizational Behavior
+1 (650) 725-2110
CV

Charles A. O’Reilly

The Frank E. Buck Professor of Management

Academic Area:

Additional Administrative Titles

Co-Director, Leading Change and Organizational Renewal

Research Statement

Charles O’Reilly’s research spans studies of leadership, organizational demography and diversity, culture, executive compensation, and organizational innovation and change.

Teaching Statement

O’Reilly has taught courses for MBAs and executives in organizational innovation and change, strategy and leadership, organizational culture, and human resources.

Bio

He has taught at UC Berkeley, UCLA, Columbia, and the Harvard Business School. He has published over 100 papers and six books. Several of his papers have won awards (e.g, The Administrative Science Quarterly Scholarly Contribution Award in 1995 and 1998; The California Management Review Best Paper Award in 1996, 2009, 2019, and 2020).

He has been given the Distinguished Scholar Award by the Academy of Management and the Organizational Behavior Division Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. In 2001 he was given the Distinguished Teaching Award for MBA teaching at Stanford Graduate School of Business.

He has consulted for a variety of public and private firms in the U.S., Europe, Africa, and Asia. He also has developed, directed, and taught in executive programs for senior managers in innovation, technology, leadership, change, and human resources.

Academic Degrees

  • PhD in Organizational Behavior, University of California Berkeley, 1975
  • MBA, University of California, Berkeley, 1971
  • BS in Chemistry, University of Texas El Paso, 1965

Academic Appointments

  • At Stanford University since 1993
  • Professor, University of California, Berkeley, 1980–92
  • Assistant Professor, University of California, Los Angeles, 1976–80

Awards and Honors

  • Hank McKinnell-Pfizer Inc. Faculty Fellow, 2022–23
  • California Management Review Best Paper Award, 1996, 2009, 2019, 2020
  • Academy of Management Distinguished Scholar Award, 2010
  • Organizational Behavior Division Lifetime Achievement Award, 2010
  • Journal of Organizational Behavior Best Paper Award, 2011
  • ASQ Scholarly Contribution Award 1995, 1998

Publications

Journal Articles

Charles A. O’Reilly, Xubo Cao, Donald Sull
Group & Organization Management
May 2023
Michael J. Arena, Glenn R. Carroll, Charles A. O’Reilly, John Golden, Scott Hines
Management and Business Review
July 2022 Vol. 2
Charles A. O’Reilly, Jeffrey Pfeffer
Personality and Individual Differences
November 2021 Vol. 182
M. Diane Burton, Charles A. O’Reilly
Research in the Sociology of Organizations
October 26, 2021 Vol. 76 Pages 53–77
Charles A. O’Reilly, Jennifer A. Chatman, Bernadette Doerr
Academy of Management Discoveries
September 29, 2021 Vol. 7 Issue 3
Charles A. O’Reilly, Jeffrey Pfeffer
Personality and Individual Differences
April 2021 Vol. 172
Charles A. O’Reilly, Nicholas Hall
Personality and Individual Differences
January 2021 Vol. 168
Charles A. O’Reilly, Jennifer A. Chatman
California Management Review
April 2020
Charles A. O’Reilly, Bernadette Doerr
Personality and Individual Differences
February 2020 Vol. 154
Charles A. O’Reilly
California Management Review
May 1, 2019 Vol. 61 Issue 3 Pages 49-71
Charles A. O’Reilly, Jennifer Chatman, Bernadette Doer
Academy of Management Proceedings
August 2018 Vol. 2018 Issue 1
Charles A. O’Reilly, Bernadette Doerr, Jennifer A. Chatman
The Leadership Quarterly
June 2018 Vol. 29 Issue 3 Pages 365–378
Catherine H. Tinsley, James B. Wade, Brian G. Main, Charles A. O’Reilly
ILR Review
January 2017 Vol. 70 Issue 1 Pages 160-189
Jennifer A. Chatman, Charles A. O’Reilly
Research in Organizational Behavior
November 2016 Vol. 36 Pages 199-224
Charles A. O’Reilly, David F. Caldwell, Jennifer A. Chatman, Bernadette Doerr
Group & Organizational Management
December 1, 2014 Vol. 39 Issue 6 Pages 595-625
Jennifer A. Chatman, David F. Caldwell, Charles A. O’Reilly, Bernadette Doerr
Journal of Organizational Behavior
April 2014 Vol. 35 Issue 6 Pages 785–808
Charles A. O’Reilly, Bernadette Doerr, David F. Caldwell, Jennifer A. Chatman
Leadership Quarterly
2014 Vol. 25 Pages 218-231
Charles A. O’Reilly, Michael L. Tushman
Academy of Management Perspectives
2013 Vol. 27 Issue 4 Pages 324-338
Olivia A. O’Neill, Charles A. O’Reilly
Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology
2011 Vol. 84 Issue 4 Pages 825-832
Charles A. O’Reilly, Brian G. M. Main
Industrial and Corporate Change
2010 Vol. 19 Issue 3 Pages 675-712
Charles A. O’Reilly, David F. Caldwell, Jennifer A. Chatman, Margaret Lapiz, William Self
Leadership Quarterly
2010 Vol. 21 Issue 1 Pages 104-113
Michael Tushman, Wendy K. Smith, Robert Chapman Wood, George Westerman, Charles A. O’Reilly
Industrial and Corporate Change
2010 Vol. 19 Issue 5 Pages 1331-1366
Olivia A. O'Neill, Charles A. O’Reilly
Journal of Organizational Behavior
September 2009 Vol. 31 Issue 6 Pages 856–876
Charles A. O’Reilly, J. Bruce Harreld, Michael L. Tushman
California Management Review
2009 Vol. 51 Issue 4 Pages 75-99
Charles A. O’Reilly, Michael L. Tushman
Research in Organizational Behavior
2008 Vol. 28 Pages 185-206
Michael L. Tushman, Charles A. O’Reilly, Amy Fenollosa, Adam M. Kleinbaum, Dan McGrath
Academy of Management Learning and Education
September 2007 Vol. 6 Issue 3 Pages 345-362
J. Bruce Harreld, Charles A. O’Reilly, Michael L. Tushman
California Management Review
2007 Vol. 49 Issue 4 Pages 21-43
Christine M. Beckman, M. Diane Burton, Charles A. O’Reilly
Journal of Business Venturing
2007 Vol. 22 Issue 2 Pages 147-173
Hillary Anger Elfenbein, Charles A. O’Reilly
Group & Organization Management
2007 Vol. 32 Issue 1 Pages 109-142
James B. Wade, Charles A. O’Reilly, Timothy G. Pollock
Organization Science
2006 Vol. 17 Issue 5 Pages 527-544
Maura A. Belliveau, Charles A. O’Reilly, James B. Wade
The Academy of Management Journal
December 1996 Vol. 39 Issue 6 Pages 1568-1593
Brian G. Main, Charles A. O’Reilly, James Wade
Industrial and Corporate Change
1995 Vol. 4 Issue 2 Pages 293-332
Charles A. O’Reilly, David F. Caldwell, William P. Barnett
Administrative Science Quarterly
1989 Vol. 34 Issue 1 Pages 21-37

Books

Andy Binns, Charles A. O’Reilly, Michael Tushman
Wiley
February 2022
Charles A. O’Reilly, Michael L. Tushman
Stanford Business Books
September 7, 2021
David A. Waldman, Charles A. O’Reilly
SAGE Publications, Inc
January 2019
Charles A. O’Reilly, Michael L. Tushman
Stanford Business Books
March 2016
Charles A. O’Reilly, Jeffrey Pfeffer
Harvard Business Review Press
August 2000

Working Papers

Charles A. O’Reilly, Brian G.M. Main 2012

Teaching

Executive Education & Other Non-Degree Programs

Learn about cutting-edge social science frameworks and design thinking techniques in a unique partnership between Stanford GSB and d.school.
Lead and implement digital transformation initiatives empowered by a deeper understanding of the technologies, opportunities, and strategies you need to succeed.
Develop best practices and insights to generate and lead innovation in your organization; then put theory into practice with real-world projects.
Guide your organization through growth with innovative CFO training that blends financial expertise, strategic thinking, and leadership skills.
Discover business growth strategies and build a stronger company designed to sustain progress, scale management, and facilitate market expansion.
Effectively diagnose and solve problems using proven frameworks for executing change in this multidisciplinary strategic management course.
Explore the intersection of innovation, technology, and business, and learn to drive strategic change across your organization.
Leverage diverse research, proven methodologies, and design thinking for change management in this collaboration between Stanford and Harvard.
Gain a competitive advantage using Silicon Valley models and mindsets to recruit, retain, and inspire people for performance and growth.
Reinvigorate and ramp up your professional journey and evolve as a leader in our flagship executive program.

Stanford Case Studies

Charles O’Reilly, Sheila Melvin, Ulrike Schaede
2023
Ulrike Schaede, Vanessa Ceia, Charles A. O’Reilly III
2021
Charles O’Reilly, Sheila Melvin
2020
Masanori Kato, Ulrike Schaede, Charles O’Reilly
2019
Charles O'Reilly, Lorraine Reid
2018
Charles O'Reilly, Lorraine Reid
2018
Charles O'Reilly, Lorraine Reid
2018
Charles O'Reilly, Jeffrey Pfeffer, David Hoyt, Davina Drabkin
2014
Charles O'Reilly III, David Caldwell
2012
Chris Beaumont, Asaka Itoh, Hiromichi Kimura, Robert Kneller, Charles O'Reilly III
2012
Chris Beaumont, Asaka Itoh, Hiromichi Kimura, Robert Kneller, Charles O'Reilly III
2012
Chris Beaumont, Asaka Itoh, Hiromichi Kimura, Robert Kneller, Charles O'Reilly III
2012
David Hoyt, Charles O'Reilly III, Hayagreeva Rao, Robert Sutton
2010
Aneesha Capur, Charles O'Reilly III, Tim Perlstein
2006
David Caldwell, Davina Drabkin, Charles O'Reilly III, Robert Pearl
2004
Victoria Chang, Charles O'Reilly III, Jeffrey Pfeffer
2004
Victoria Chang, Charles O'Reilly III, Jeffrey Pfeffer
2004
Charles Catalano, Charles O'Reilly III
2004
David Caldwell, Charles O'Reilly III, Robert Pearl
2003
David Caldwell, Charles O'Reilly III, Robert Pearl
2003
Robert Burgelman, Lewis Fanger, Cecilia O'Reilly
2003
Charles O'Reilly III, Grace Yokoi
2001
Charles O'Reilly III
2001
Victoria Chang, Charles O'Reilly III
2001
Charles O'Reilly III, Jeffrey Pfeffer
1999
David Caldwell, Charles O'Reilly III
1998
David Caldwell, Charles O'Reilly III
1998
Charles O'Reilly III
1998
Charles O'Reilly III, Jeffrey Pfeffer
1995

Teachings Materials

Service to the Profession

Fellow

  • American Psychological Society
  • American Psychological Association

Member

  • Academy of Management

In the Media

Insights by Stanford Business

August 01, 2023
There’s no ideal personality type for executives — but businesses need the right one for success.
August 24, 2022
A unique breed of entrepreneurs is creating innovative ventures — without launching startups or chasing VC funding.
July 07, 2022
The latest books from Stanford GSB faculty and lecturers.
April 30, 2020
When the person at the top is malignant and self-serving, unethical behavior cascades through the organization and becomes legitimized.
December 09, 2019
Hear career advice from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella or learn how to build your startup team.
November 04, 2019
Some may be bold leaders, but they create a dangerous corporate culture.
November 04, 2019
Strong leadership makes a difference when a big company faces disruption.
July 02, 2019
Escape the heat with books recommended by Stanford business professors.
March 06, 2019
Stanford GSB faculty reveal the art of engineering entrepreneurialism within existing organizations.
December 19, 2018
Stanford GSB faculty recommend books, articles, and movies related to the concept.
July 31, 2018
Companies headed by overconfident, self-centered risk-takers are more likely to end up in court.
April 24, 2017
New research shows that the fix is relatively simple: Add more females to the candidate pool.
December 06, 2016
Reading recommendations from the Stanford GSB community.
June 09, 2016
Companies need ambidextrous leaders who can simultaneously exploit and explore their markets.
April 30, 2015
Those in the know share where to go to learn more about reward and related topics.
December 05, 2014
Advice for managers on creating a culture of adaptability.
October 23, 2014
Adaptive cultures minimize predictability and encourage innovation.
July 14, 2014
New research explores why some CEOs have such big salaries.
May 31, 2013
The survivors can both manage existing business lines and prepare for change.
May 08, 2013
A study suggests it's many factors, from priorities to putting in fewer hours at work than men.
March 01, 2011
A study shows that women who display masculine traits ― and know when not to ― get more promotions than men.
July 01, 2010
Research shows how some organizations manage to be ambidextrous.
July 01, 2010
Research shows that getting senior leaders on board in advance is the most effective way introduce change to an organization.
May 01, 2007
Research says management teams with broad functional diversity tend to be more successful more quickly.
April 01, 2007
Research explores the psychological effects of executive pay on corporate life.
April 01, 2006
The Southwest Airlines chairman and former CEO explains the business philosophy that has his company thriving in the brutal airline industry.
January 01, 2005
New research suggests that ambition and assertive behavior from women may set them back at certain firms.
March 12, 2004
A study shows that diversity didn't have as strong an effect on women and minorities as it did on white male workers.

School News

February 22, 2016
One recent participant in a Stanford Executive Education program discovered that changing the world begins with educating himself.
February 08, 2016
More than 150 unique elective courses offered this year; offerings continually refreshed with new perspectives, lecturers, and ideas.